Stay tuned to meet a man
who is letting his light shine
00:00:01.33\00:00:03.63
for his people
and his Government.
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My name is Yvonne Lewis
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and you're
watching Urban Report.
00:00:07.44\00:00:09.27
Hello and
welcome to Urban Report
00:00:31.43\00:00:33.96
my guest today is
the Honorable Ben Micah
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Minister for State Enterprises
and Public Investments
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in Papua New Guinea.
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I met him at the 60th
Annual General Conference
00:00:42.34\00:00:45.94
in San Antonio, Texas,
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let's take a
listen to his story.
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It is my
privilege to be sitting here
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with the Honorable Ben Micah,
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he is the Minister
for Public Enterprise
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and State
Investments for Papua New Guinea
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did I get that right? Yeah...
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Thank you so much.
Thank you, thank you.
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May I call you Brother Ben?
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May I just call you Brother Ben?
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Yes, yes... yes... yes...
yes... Okay, great, great...
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Brother Ben, you have
such an intriguing story
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I just have heard
just a little bit of it
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but I know that our
Urban Report Viewers
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want to know...
they're very curious people
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and they love these testimonies
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of people that
have had strong journeys
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I just want to hear
about your testimony
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we want to hear your testimony.
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So, where were you born?
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Definitely I was
not born in Chicago,
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or New York, I was
not born in the city
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yeah, I was born in a
small town called Kavieng.
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Where is that?
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In the Province of New
Island in Papua New Guinea.
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So you are a
native from New Guinea.
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Yes, I am an
indigenous Papua New Guinean
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from a village
called Tasitel in an island
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much, much closer to
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the territory of
Guam... US Territory
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than to the capital of
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Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby,
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my island is further
north of Port Moresby.
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I was born on the
22nd of December, 1959,
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to a God-fearing
Seventh-day Adventist mother
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called, Moni, and
my father was Micah,
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Moni and Micah, and
they were missionaries
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for the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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So, Adventism has been
in New Guinea for many years
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the message has
been brought there
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many, many years ago?
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For more than a 100 years, yes.
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Are there many
Adventists in New Guinea?
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Papua New Guinea has got
more Seventh-day Adventists
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than any other Country
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within the South
Pacific Division.
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Really?
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Of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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roughly about
300,000 to 400,000 members
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Praise the Lord.
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and another 200,000 backsliders.
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Wow! praise the Lord that
the message has gotten there
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and that there are a
lot of Adventists there
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that's a blessing. Yes.
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Tell us about yourself,
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you grew up in
a God-fearing home
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I was an Adventist
in my mother's womb.
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okay, all right,
all right, and so,
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did you go to Adventist Schools?
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Of course, I
started from Kindergarten
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and Primary and Sabbath
School and I went from Grade one
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in Seventh-day
Adventist Primary Schools
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to High School and to College
at Fulton College in Fiji.
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Wow! and so you went from
Adventist Elementary Schools
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to High School
to College... Yes.
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did you ever go to
a Secular Institution?
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Did you go to a
State School or...
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Yes... I taught for one year
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because I went to
train as a teacher
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at Fulton College,
and then after that
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I decided to change career,
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so I went to the
University of Technology,
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a State University
in Papua New Guinea
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and took up a
degree in Accountancy
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but unfortunately or fortunately
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whichever way...
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I look at the
way I have traveled
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unfortunately, because I never
really practiced accounting,
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because while I was
still at the University,
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I became involved
in Student Politics
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and I became General Secretary
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of the National
Union of Students in 1985,
00:05:15.51\00:05:19.25
in 1986, I became President of
the National Union of Students
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which is a National
Student Organization
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for the whole Country,
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and then in 1987, I
became a member of the
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International Union
of Students Executive
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representing
Asia and the Pacific.
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So that was the beginning
of your political journey
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in College. Yes.
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Yes, so, I've been in
politics now for most of my life
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without a Political degree.
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Wow! wow...
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I went to University to
study to be an Accountant,
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I did not work as an
Accountant only for two years
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the rest of my life
has been in politics.
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Isn't that amazing,
00:06:01.29\00:06:02.79
so, what did you
find was the difference
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between Adventist
Schools and the State School,
00:06:06.13\00:06:09.36
did you find that
there was a big difference
00:06:09.40\00:06:13.00
in the education, in
the educational experience
00:06:13.03\00:06:16.57
between the two?
00:06:16.64\00:06:17.97
I learned a lot from the
Adventist Education System
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for which I give credit
00:06:21.51\00:06:22.84
because I started Boarding
in an Adventist Primary School
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when I was ten years
old, can you believe?
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You started doing what?
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When I was ten years
old, I went into Boarding
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in an Adventist Primary
School away from my village.
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Boarding?
00:06:42.66\00:06:44.40
Boarding School,
where we live in the School,
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Oh, Boarding School, yes, yes...
00:06:46.70\00:06:50.01
so I learned a lot of things
how to take care of my clothes,
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At ten, you were
in Boarding School?
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correct... yes... Wow!
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and all the way up to
College, and I think, you know,
00:07:02.88\00:07:06.02
we had Work
Parades at the school
00:07:06.05\00:07:09.06
where we worked, when
I went to High School,
00:07:09.09\00:07:11.53
for four years, at
Kambubu High School
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we had a farm and so, for
the four years I was there,
00:07:13.76\00:07:19.43
I worked on the farm,
I worked in the poultry,
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I worked as a janitor, I
also worked in the gardens
00:07:21.97\00:07:31.11
cleaning up flowers and
00:07:31.15\00:07:35.05
doing beautification
and things like that,
00:07:35.08\00:07:38.29
and then when I went
on to College in Fulton,
00:07:38.32\00:07:41.46
I also worked on the farm,
I learned how to milk cows,
00:07:41.49\00:07:46.03
I learned how to ride a horse,
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and I worked in
the Fruit Department,
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on pineapples and oranges
and so I learned a lot of things
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hands on... once I was
learning things economically
00:07:58.47\00:08:02.28
in the classroom. Yes.
00:08:02.31\00:08:03.68
So I credit the
Seventh-day Adventist System
00:08:03.71\00:08:06.85
because I think
that education system
00:08:06.88\00:08:08.75
still continues in
a lot of our schools,
00:08:08.78\00:08:10.65
Yes. and it teaches holistic
00:08:10.72\00:08:13.52
approach to
training to a lot of kids
00:08:13.59\00:08:18.73
much more than State Schools,
00:08:18.76\00:08:20.66
where the
Government pays for everything
00:08:20.73\00:08:22.96
and they only sit
in a classroom to learn
00:08:23.00\00:08:24.97
so, I...
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I must credit the
00:08:27.17\00:08:29.90
Adventist Education
System for, let's say,
00:08:29.94\00:08:34.68
preparing me for
a lot of the things
00:08:34.71\00:08:37.18
in my leadership to this day.
00:08:37.25\00:08:38.88
Yes, while we were
talking, I was thinking
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about what you were saying
00:08:42.48\00:08:46.12
because one of the things
that we know about education,
00:08:46.15\00:08:50.33
is it's not just about academics
00:08:50.36\00:08:52.79
it's about developing character,
00:08:52.83\00:08:55.16
it's about
developing a work ethic
00:08:55.20\00:08:57.70
and so what was
happening with you was
00:08:57.73\00:09:00.27
in addition to the academics,
you were learning a work ethic
00:09:00.30\00:09:05.01
you were working in
the garden with the cows
00:09:05.04\00:09:08.14
and, I mean, as a janitor and
all of these different things
00:09:08.18\00:09:11.81
developing character. Yes.
00:09:11.85\00:09:13.88
One of the things that...
00:09:13.95\00:09:15.68
there's an author
that I interviewed once,
00:09:15.72\00:09:17.85
and he wrote a book
about how children succeed,
00:09:17.89\00:09:21.26
and the most successful children
00:09:21.29\00:09:24.19
are the children who have
developed their characters
00:09:24.26\00:09:28.40
in addition to the academics
00:09:28.43\00:09:31.60
and that is what it
seems that happened to you.
00:09:31.63\00:09:35.10
You developed
character and your academics.
00:09:35.14\00:09:38.97
Yes, you know, the
Minister for Finance
00:09:39.04\00:09:42.84
of Papua New Guinea,
00:09:42.88\00:09:44.55
the man responsible for looking
out for the money of our Country
00:09:44.58\00:09:48.78
also went to Adventist School,
he's from a missionary family
00:09:48.82\00:09:53.02
The Honorable James Marape,
00:09:53.05\00:09:55.26
I believe he will
be here next weekend,
00:09:55.29\00:09:57.03
he will be interviewed also,
00:09:57.06\00:09:58.49
the Minister for Communication,
The Honorable Jim Miringtoro,
00:09:58.53\00:10:02.13
we went to the same High School,
00:10:02.20\00:10:04.37
he's a Minister
for Communication
00:10:04.40\00:10:06.47
of the Government
of Papua New Guinea,
00:10:06.53\00:10:08.90
we have the
Minister for Environment,
00:10:08.94\00:10:11.27
the Minister for Lands,
the Minister for Education,
00:10:11.31\00:10:15.18
all Seventh-day Adventists.
00:10:15.21\00:10:16.54
They're all Adventists,
They're all Adventists...
00:10:16.58\00:10:17.91
and they all went
through the same System
00:10:17.95\00:10:20.08
the Director for
Customs, Mr. Kowuropa
00:10:20.12\00:10:22.25
who is also here at the session,
00:10:22.32\00:10:24.25
the Deputy Chief
Justice whom you met
00:10:24.29\00:10:26.59
is Seventh-day Adventist,
00:10:26.62\00:10:28.76
the Director of the
Internal Revenue Commission
00:10:28.79\00:10:30.79
Ms. Betty Palaso
also went through the
00:10:30.83\00:10:33.23
Seventh-day
Adventist School System
00:10:33.26\00:10:35.43
so there you are,
00:10:35.46\00:10:36.80
the Country of Papua New Guinea
00:10:36.83\00:10:38.73
is benefitting a lot
00:10:38.77\00:10:41.10
from people
00:10:41.14\00:10:42.70
who have gone through the
00:10:42.74\00:10:44.87
Seventh-day
Adventist Education System...
00:10:44.91\00:10:46.64
Yes, yes, amen, amen, so,
you went through this System
00:10:46.71\00:10:51.38
you were an Adventist,
you went to the State School,
00:10:51.41\00:10:56.08
what happened
when you went there
00:10:56.12\00:10:57.62
in terms of spirituality?
00:10:57.65\00:10:59.79
The State University
was completely different.
00:10:59.82\00:11:02.16
How so?
00:11:02.19\00:11:03.76
There's really no control,
00:11:03.83\00:11:05.16
here, I was coming
from a managed, controlled,
00:11:05.19\00:11:08.00
coordinated environment
from education school
00:11:08.03\00:11:11.07
and then I was just
like... thrown into the deep end
00:11:11.10\00:11:14.00
where so many
things were thrown at me
00:11:14.04\00:11:17.41
especially, I learned
to associate with people
00:11:17.47\00:11:20.68
my roommate smoked,
00:11:20.74\00:11:23.01
he drank alcohol,
00:11:23.08\00:11:25.31
my roommate at Fulton
College was just like me
00:11:25.35\00:11:28.25
we got up in the
morning and had devotion
00:11:28.28\00:11:31.65
and it's a
different environment.
00:11:31.69\00:11:34.56
Fulton College was
an Adventist School?
00:11:34.59\00:11:36.26
Yeah, but in the State
University it's different,
00:11:36.29\00:11:37.63
they put you in a room with
somebody completely different.
00:11:37.66\00:11:40.80
Right...
00:11:40.86\00:11:42.16
You see, then, you've got
access to everything there
00:11:42.20\00:11:47.20
so, you just now...
00:11:47.27\00:11:49.74
have to swim,
00:11:49.77\00:11:52.21
spiritually
you've got to survive
00:11:52.24\00:11:55.58
in the kind of environment
with so many new things
00:11:55.64\00:11:58.95
being thrown into your face,
00:11:58.98\00:12:02.05
and so, we begin to
also learn about new things
00:12:02.08\00:12:09.46
and associate with professors
who are telling us new ideas
00:12:09.49\00:12:13.90
you know,
political, philosophical,
00:12:13.93\00:12:15.73
and all kinds of new concepts
00:12:15.76\00:12:19.37
are beginning to
come into my head
00:12:19.40\00:12:22.10
and then also the power,
00:12:22.14\00:12:23.67
of standing in
front of a microphone
00:12:23.71\00:12:25.54
and speaking so that
students can go on strike
00:12:25.57\00:12:28.71
or they can go on a protest,
00:12:28.74\00:12:30.91
and then you see the impact
of the power of your speech
00:12:30.95\00:12:35.42
influencing people,
telling them to do things,
00:12:35.45\00:12:39.19
you know, face
the police and then...
00:12:39.25\00:12:44.36
and so power gets
a bit into your head
00:12:44.39\00:12:48.23
and then my time
is now divided between
00:12:48.26\00:12:52.17
the things that I
learned from my parents,
00:12:52.20\00:12:56.00
from the Adventist
School, I hardly prayed anymore,
00:12:56.04\00:12:59.47
I hardly studied the Bible,
I was now more into politics
00:12:59.51\00:13:06.05
I was more into
discussions on...
00:13:06.08\00:13:09.35
and then I started
traveling around the world
00:13:09.38\00:13:11.99
when I became involved with
00:13:12.02\00:13:14.09
the International
Union of Students,
00:13:14.16\00:13:15.52
I traveled to...
mostly to Eastern Europe,
00:13:15.56\00:13:18.09
the International Union
of Students during the '80s
00:13:18.13\00:13:21.60
was mostly
financed by the Soviet Union
00:13:21.63\00:13:26.70
and so, I mostly
did my travels to Russia
00:13:26.80\00:13:31.74
and the Headquarters of
the Organization was in Prague,
00:13:31.77\00:13:35.18
22nd November
Street, I can't forget,
00:13:35.21\00:13:38.65
in the former Czechoslovakia
which is now the Czech Republic
00:13:38.68\00:13:45.09
so I spent a lot of time there
00:13:45.12\00:13:47.02
and then I began to be
introduced to the ideas
00:13:47.06\00:13:50.63
of thinkers and writers like
Karl Marx and Engels and Lenin
00:13:50.69\00:13:56.23
and you know what they
call the Dialectic Materialism
00:13:56.26\00:14:00.04
and they then told me that,
00:14:00.07\00:14:03.14
"You're wasting your
time on this religion,
00:14:03.17\00:14:05.04
God is just an
old man in the sky
00:14:05.07\00:14:08.11
how can you
believe in such a God
00:14:08.14\00:14:11.08
that allows so much
suffering to happen in the world
00:14:11.15\00:14:14.12
so many unemployed
people, the hungry people... "
00:14:14.22\00:14:17.02
and so they took me to
00:14:17.09\00:14:19.55
some of the big
places in the world.
00:14:19.59\00:14:21.26
I went to Mumbai,
00:14:21.29\00:14:23.73
I went to places like Jakarta,
00:14:23.76\00:14:27.03
I went to some of the
big cities in Asia, Manila,
00:14:27.10\00:14:30.27
and to go deeper
into those kinds of places
00:14:30.33\00:14:34.90
where you see human beings
living below the poverty line
00:14:34.94\00:14:37.61
and then you see ten
people sleeping in a little room
00:14:37.64\00:14:41.58
that in
America... a baby sleeps in
00:14:41.61\00:14:45.98
Yes, yes, and...
00:14:46.01\00:14:47.85
and I began to see,
00:14:47.92\00:14:49.72
"Oh, you know, this
could be the reality of life"
00:14:49.75\00:14:54.49
you know...
00:14:54.56\00:14:55.89
Isn't it interesting that during
the first part of your life
00:14:55.92\00:15:00.43
right, you were settled
into the missionary mindset
00:15:00.46\00:15:06.50
a Biblical mindset,
00:15:06.53\00:15:09.00
but when you went
into the Secular Schools,
00:15:09.04\00:15:13.38
you lost the connection
00:15:13.41\00:15:16.08
and by losing the connection,
00:15:16.11\00:15:18.31
you were able to
drift into something else
00:15:18.35\00:15:21.18
because you
weren't reading your Bible,
00:15:21.22\00:15:23.99
anymore, Yes.
00:15:24.02\00:15:25.35
you weren't
praying... praying anymore...
00:15:25.39\00:15:27.56
so you lost your
connection to God...
00:15:27.59\00:15:30.43
But I was reading
the Communist Manifesto
00:15:30.46\00:15:33.29
yes, Karl Marx, you
were reading Karl Marx,
00:15:33.33\00:15:36.06
you were reading all these other
Lenin and Stalin and whatever...
00:15:36.10\00:15:39.53
you were reading all of this
00:15:39.57\00:15:41.27
and not reading the Bible.
00:15:41.30\00:15:42.94
In 1987, I went to
Cuba and I met Fidel Castro.
00:15:42.97\00:15:45.87
How was that?
00:15:45.91\00:15:47.91
What was that like?
00:15:47.94\00:15:49.91
Well, you know, see... I
idolized Fidel in my mind
00:15:49.94\00:15:54.62
and as a student, I was
wearing Fidel Castro wear
00:15:54.65\00:15:57.45
and all these
things at the University,
00:15:57.49\00:16:00.09
it was a mark of
respect in the Student Movement
00:16:00.12\00:16:02.72
in the '80s... if
Fidel was your hero.
00:16:02.76\00:16:07.03
You shake his hand...
00:16:07.13\00:16:08.43
I didn't wash my
hand for one week.
00:16:08.46\00:16:10.87
Wow!
00:16:10.90\00:16:14.24
Isn't that amazing
how... when you're... again...
00:16:14.27\00:16:17.21
when you're in the world,
00:16:17.24\00:16:18.57
the people of the
world become your heroes.
00:16:18.61\00:16:21.08
I met Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985
00:16:21.11\00:16:24.15
in Moscow when I attended a huge
00:16:24.25\00:16:26.55
International Student Festival
00:16:26.58\00:16:28.82
and I also met
00:16:28.85\00:16:32.52
the late Kim Il Sung of
North Korea when I went there
00:16:32.55\00:16:35.59
I went to places that no people
from the free world used to go,
00:16:35.62\00:16:40.20
Vienna and Kiev.
00:16:40.23\00:16:41.53
And they welcomed you there.
And they welcomed me there.
00:16:41.56\00:16:43.53
So now how
did... wait, wait, wait
00:16:43.57\00:16:45.17
like... I can't
believe how time is...
00:16:45.20\00:16:47.00
It's almost scary,
because all these Heads...
00:16:47.04\00:16:48.74
these are people in
the Student Movement
00:16:48.77\00:16:51.14
these are people we
idolized, they were gods to us,
00:16:51.17\00:16:54.44
and I was
touching them in the flesh,
00:16:54.48\00:16:57.41
and there you
are... Isn't it amazing...
00:16:57.45\00:17:00.75
Yes, so, how did you
come back to the Lord?
00:17:00.78\00:17:06.15
We were having this function
00:17:06.19\00:17:08.02
I was just telling you
00:17:08.06\00:17:09.82
and I was at the
Travel Lodge at that time
00:17:09.89\00:17:17.57
now it's the Crowne
Plaza Hotel in Papua New Guinea
00:17:17.60\00:17:20.54
it used to be the premier hotel
00:17:20.64\00:17:22.27
we organized a fundraiser,
00:17:22.30\00:17:25.21
to raise funds for somebody
00:17:25.24\00:17:28.08
and I was sort of... in
charge of this Fundraiser
00:17:28.11\00:17:32.15
and I invited the
Prime Minister of the Country
00:17:32.18\00:17:36.18
some leading business people,
and diplomats and there we were
00:17:36.22\00:17:41.69
and in that cocktail sort
of a standup cocktail party
00:17:41.76\00:17:47.20
Like a Cocktail party...
00:17:47.23\00:17:48.60
I was holding a
glass of whiskey with coke
00:17:48.63\00:17:51.37
and I was drinking the thing
00:17:51.40\00:17:54.44
and then talking
to the Prime Minister,
00:17:54.47\00:17:57.01
Sir Mekere Marauta at that
time with some other people
00:17:57.07\00:18:00.61
and a
Filipino-looking guy walks up
00:18:00.64\00:18:04.28
and excused me
from the Prime Minister
00:18:04.31\00:18:06.65
and we walk over to
the side and he said,
00:18:06.68\00:18:09.25
"Hey, you don't know
me but I know about you
00:18:09.28\00:18:11.82
you are the most
influential person
00:18:11.85\00:18:14.52
to that guy there... "
00:18:14.56\00:18:15.99
he was saying... that
guy... to the Prime Minister,
00:18:16.02\00:18:17.86
"listen, the Lord
has a work for you
00:18:17.89\00:18:21.60
I know that you're a
Seventh-day Adventist"
00:18:21.63\00:18:23.67
Wow!
00:18:23.70\00:18:25.63
"I know that you're
a Seventh-day Adventist
00:18:25.67\00:18:27.64
and God has a work for you"
00:18:27.67\00:18:29.00
It was on a Sunday
afternoon and then he says,
00:18:29.04\00:18:30.91
on Monday evening,
00:18:30.94\00:18:33.68
I am inviting you for dinner
to my house at the Embassy"
00:18:33.71\00:18:36.44
"Oh, you are the
Philippines Ambassador,
00:18:36.51\00:18:40.82
Excellency, okay,
okay, I'll be there"
00:18:40.85\00:18:45.12
and when I went to see him,
00:18:45.15\00:18:47.46
amongst other
things we discussed
00:18:47.49\00:18:49.82
he was telling me,
"You know, Brother Ben,
00:18:49.86\00:18:51.73
we have been having
problems now for two years
00:18:51.76\00:18:54.00
trying to get a
license so we can introduce
00:18:54.10\00:18:56.93
a Christian Broadcasting
Television Network... "
00:18:56.97\00:18:59.80
and so, that was it,
that was my introduction
00:18:59.83\00:19:05.07
to 3ABN, to
Ambassador Tejano who has
00:19:05.11\00:19:08.08
become a lifelong
friend and brother to me,
00:19:08.11\00:19:11.08
and he's been my
mentor in my spiritual life
00:19:11.11\00:19:14.98
and also to 3ABN
that I continue to support
00:19:15.05\00:19:18.89
with all my heart
and with all my soul
00:19:18.92\00:19:21.66
and with all my
strength, Amen...
00:19:21.69\00:19:23.02
in Papua New Guinea Amen.
00:19:23.06\00:19:24.39
and my road to
come back to the Lord.
00:19:24.43\00:19:28.16
It's was just an
accident, unplanned, unprepared,
00:19:28.20\00:19:33.97
but you know what?
00:19:34.04\00:19:35.37
When God decides
to give you a work,
00:19:35.40\00:19:38.71
Come on now
Brother... you have no...
00:19:38.74\00:19:40.18
That's right...
00:19:40.21\00:19:41.68
you can't stop
it, He will get you
00:19:41.71\00:19:44.71
and you have no
excuse to run away.
00:19:44.75\00:19:47.68
That's right, well you
know, it's funny because
00:19:47.72\00:19:50.29
I always say on this Program
00:19:50.32\00:19:53.09
that we talk
about Jeremiah 29:11,
00:19:53.12\00:19:56.62
God has a plan for every life,
00:19:56.66\00:19:59.76
every life has a very
important work to do for God
00:19:59.79\00:20:03.93
and so, you didn't realize
it but all of your experiences
00:20:03.97\00:20:09.27
were getting you ready
to do what you're doing now,
00:20:09.30\00:20:12.67
Yes. God was getting you ready
00:20:12.71\00:20:14.64
and you didn't even realize it,
00:20:14.68\00:20:16.51
you thought you
had put God aside,
00:20:16.58\00:20:18.61
you had thrown Him
aside but He never threw you.
00:20:18.65\00:20:23.45
So, this is the
first invitation by God
00:20:23.49\00:20:29.29
through Ambassador Tejano
and then later... Danny Shelton
00:20:29.32\00:20:34.03
Yes... yes...
00:20:34.10\00:20:35.40
and Moses Primo and
all these lovely people
00:20:35.43\00:20:36.93
that have become
my lifelong friends
00:20:37.00\00:20:39.77
Amen... and then,
that was not the end,
00:20:39.80\00:20:42.44
I helped them...
in one of the ways...
00:20:42.47\00:20:45.04
in my position to
get the license for 3ABN
00:20:45.07\00:20:48.51
next, another invitation...
00:20:48.54\00:20:50.08
So, wait, wait, wait,
now, you just went past it,
00:20:50.11\00:20:53.98
so you helped to get the
license for 3ABN for New Guinea?
00:20:54.05\00:20:58.29
Yes. Praise
God... and that's... wow!
00:20:58.32\00:21:01.59
you see how
God... God is so good
00:21:01.62\00:21:04.73
He used you to get the word
out to the millions of people
00:21:04.76\00:21:09.26
there in New Guinea.
00:21:09.30\00:21:10.63
It was very difficult, Really?
00:21:10.67\00:21:13.03
it was very
difficult to get a license
00:21:13.07\00:21:14.44
Why? because, at
that time, you know,
00:21:14.47\00:21:16.77
there was only one
channel in Papua New Guinea
00:21:16.81\00:21:22.14
a telecommunication
regimentary... what you call...
00:21:22.18\00:21:27.18
spectrum... this is
the pipe that transmits
00:21:27.22\00:21:33.76
the signals...
right? Yes... yes...
00:21:33.82\00:21:35.69
it's the
terminology for licenses.
00:21:35.72\00:21:37.19
Spectrum, it's the
space that they allow
00:21:37.23\00:21:40.86
for broadcasting channels. Okay.
00:21:40.90\00:21:42.63
Only three... one is
reserved for the Government,
00:21:42.66\00:21:45.83
one is private,
which a private company
00:21:45.87\00:21:49.20
called MTV
already... was issued,
00:21:49.24\00:21:51.71
there was only one for
churches that was left and
00:21:51.74\00:21:54.38
ten... twenty different
churches had been vying for it
00:21:54.41\00:21:58.71
Wow! and the
former Prime Minster,
00:21:58.75\00:22:01.25
Bill Skate, had already
committed it to Benny Hinn
00:22:01.28\00:22:04.99
Benny Hinn, you know,
the Evangelist who visited
00:22:05.02\00:22:08.69
Papua New
Guinea... Yeah... yeah...
00:22:08.72\00:22:10.06
he had committed it to him,
00:22:10.13\00:22:11.46
but... so... it
was very difficult.
00:22:11.49\00:22:14.00
Only when the
Government changed,
00:22:14.00\00:22:17.03
and Sir Mekere Marauta
became the Prime Minister,
00:22:17.07\00:22:21.57
he appointed me
as his Chief of Staff
00:22:21.60\00:22:24.17
Oh... you see...
00:22:24.21\00:22:26.54
see, now I feel
like you're "Joseph"
00:22:26.57\00:22:28.61
I feel like you are a
"Joseph," in the Government,
00:22:28.64\00:22:32.65
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:22:32.68\00:22:34.45
Except now
you're a "number one. "
00:22:34.48\00:22:35.98
Yes, I became a Civil Staff,
00:22:36.02\00:22:37.65
and later he appointed me
to become Executive Chairman
00:22:37.69\00:22:41.46
of the Privatization Commission
00:22:41.49\00:22:43.39
the Commission that
the Prime Minister set up,
00:22:43.43\00:22:46.03
to privatize State investments,
so all the State Companies
00:22:46.06\00:22:49.53
that I am now Minister
for I actually privatized them
00:22:49.56\00:22:53.47
and Corporatized
them ten years ago
00:22:53.50\00:22:55.50
so I've just come back to
take them to a higher level
00:22:55.54\00:22:58.27
but when I was in the position
all these things happened
00:22:58.31\00:23:04.05
and it's a long story
but 3ABN got the license
00:23:04.08\00:23:07.22
That's tremendous...
00:23:07.25\00:23:08.88
and has been broadcasting
for how many years now
00:23:08.92\00:23:11.49
impacting the
lives of many people
00:23:11.52\00:23:13.86
Amen. creating positive change
00:23:13.89\00:23:16.32
Amen. in the spiritual message,
00:23:16.36\00:23:19.39
in the health
message, the exercise programs,
00:23:19.43\00:23:23.03
kids' programs, your program
00:23:23.06\00:23:24.73
Praise God...
00:23:24.77\00:23:26.10
amazing how so
many people are touched
00:23:26.13\00:23:28.77
and so many people are
00:23:28.84\00:23:30.51
now being encouraged
to live positive lives
00:23:30.57\00:23:32.64
because of these Programs Amen.
00:23:32.67\00:23:34.04
and I played a small part.
00:23:34.08\00:23:35.74
Well, I think
you're being modest though
00:23:35.78\00:23:38.28
we praise the
Lord for you Thank you.
00:23:38.31\00:23:40.78
and for people like
you who have the vision
00:23:40.82\00:23:44.59
to do something great for God
00:23:44.65\00:23:47.76
because God is great.
00:23:47.79\00:23:49.36
Where do you see...
00:23:49.39\00:23:50.93
we only have about
a minute or so left,
00:23:50.96\00:23:54.03
where do you see God
taking your ministry...
00:23:54.10\00:23:57.20
you're doing so many
different ministries,
00:23:57.23\00:24:00.44
tell us about some of the
other ministries you're doing.
00:24:00.47\00:24:02.54
These days...
that's why I was...
00:24:02.57\00:24:04.51
because that is
the climate zone Yes.
00:24:04.54\00:24:06.44
this transformation
00:24:06.47\00:24:07.84
where they invited me again
to attend a prayer breakfast
00:24:07.88\00:24:12.05
by an Evangelist
called, Pastor Mark Finley.
00:24:12.08\00:24:16.05
Yes. Now, I
hardly knew for 20 years
00:24:16.08\00:24:19.35
who was the President
of the General Conference,
00:24:19.42\00:24:21.86
who was this... who was that...
00:24:21.89\00:24:23.46
I was completely in the dark,
00:24:23.53\00:24:24.99
I knew more about Fidel
Castro and Mikhail Gorbachev
00:24:25.03\00:24:29.23
and all these
other people, right?
00:24:29.26\00:24:30.63
Hmmm... hmmm...
00:24:30.67\00:24:32.00
So, they invited me
to this Prayer Breakfast
00:24:32.03\00:24:35.20
and Mark Finley
opened to me the Word of God
00:24:35.24\00:24:38.81
especially the story of Daniel,
that story touched my life
00:24:38.87\00:24:42.54
I'm now living the kind
of life that Daniel lived.
00:24:42.58\00:24:47.28
I read Daniel's story,
especially of his diet, you see,
00:24:47.32\00:24:50.05
Yes... yes. the
diet, water and vegetables
00:24:50.09\00:24:52.65
okay, that's the
health message Yes... yes...
00:24:52.69\00:24:55.69
plus uncompromising
values and principles
00:24:55.72\00:24:58.46
Godly principles in Government,
00:24:58.49\00:25:00.66
that story about Daniel
from Pastor Mark Finley in 2000
00:25:00.73\00:25:05.83
transformed my life
and put me on the road
00:25:05.87\00:25:09.90
to where I am today and
that is the life that I live.
00:25:09.94\00:25:12.67
Praise God, we
praise God for you.
00:25:12.71\00:25:15.38
Thank you so much,
thank you for taking the time
00:25:15.41\00:25:18.21
to be on this Program
and to share your story.
00:25:18.25\00:25:20.98
So, I got re-baptized in 2002,
yes, I got re-baptized again.
00:25:21.02\00:25:24.65
Praise God, we are so thankful,
00:25:24.69\00:25:28.42
we're thankful for
you, your ministry,
00:25:28.46\00:25:30.36
your service to
the people of God
00:25:30.43\00:25:33.60
and for your time, coming here,
00:25:33.63\00:25:36.56
thank you so much, may
God continue to bless you.
00:25:36.63\00:25:39.93
Viewers, make sure
that you support...
00:25:40.00\00:25:43.77
if you hear about
Brother Ben Micah anywhere
00:25:43.81\00:25:47.68
doing any kind
of missionary work,
00:25:47.71\00:25:50.31
please support him.
00:25:50.35\00:25:51.85
God bless, thank you.
00:25:51.91\00:25:53.38
Oh! it's so great to see people
00:25:53.42\00:25:59.79
that are letting
their light shine
00:25:59.82\00:26:01.76
in the work place in
their personal lives,
00:26:01.79\00:26:04.59
we have to do that too.
00:26:04.63\00:26:06.56
You know, Matthew 5:16 says,
00:26:06.59\00:26:08.86
"Let your light
so shine before men,
00:26:08.90\00:26:10.87
that they may
see your good works
00:26:10.97\00:26:12.83
and glorify your
father which is in heaven. "
00:26:12.87\00:26:15.67
We can all let our light shine
and we all have to do that.
00:26:15.70\00:26:19.91
We want to thank you so
much for coming up to us
00:26:19.94\00:26:25.38
during the
General Conference Session
00:26:25.41\00:26:27.55
and letting us
know how Dare to Dream
00:26:27.62\00:26:29.68
is impacting your lives.
00:26:29.72\00:26:31.05
I heard great
stories about people
00:26:31.09\00:26:33.39
who are coming to
Jesus through Dare to Dream,
00:26:33.46\00:26:36.22
people who are going
to their local church,
00:26:36.26\00:26:39.03
and saying, "We
want to get baptized
00:26:39.06\00:26:41.00
because we're
watching Dare to Dream"
00:26:41.03\00:26:43.33
and those of you
who are supporting us
00:26:43.37\00:26:45.40
through prayer
and financial support,
00:26:45.47\00:26:47.50
we couldn't do it without you,
00:26:47.54\00:26:50.27
so you are an intrinsic
part of this whole thing.
00:26:50.31\00:26:53.54
Thank you so very
much for helping us
00:26:53.58\00:26:56.28
and for standing
in the gap with us
00:26:56.31\00:26:58.91
and for those of you
who haven't given yet,
00:26:58.95\00:27:01.32
please ask the Holy Spirit
how you can help Dare to Dream,
00:27:01.35\00:27:05.25
what He would have
you to do to assist us
00:27:05.32\00:27:08.02
to get the gospel
out to the whole world.
00:27:08.06\00:27:10.69
Our address here if you
want to send us a donation is
00:27:10.76\00:27:16.23
Dare to Dream, PO Box
220, West Frankfort, IL 62896
00:27:16.26\00:27:21.77
or you can call, 618-627-4651
00:27:21.80\00:27:28.24
that's 618-627-4651 or 3abn. org
00:27:28.31\00:27:34.68
or D2Dnetwork. TV
00:27:34.75\00:27:38.32
There are a whole
bunch of ways to reach us
00:27:38.35\00:27:41.99
but pick one and again,
pray about it and ask the Lord
00:27:42.02\00:27:46.36
how He would
have you to help us.
00:27:46.39\00:27:48.76
Thank you so much for tuning in
00:27:48.80\00:27:51.13
and we so
appreciate you, we love you,
00:27:51.17\00:27:54.10
and we ask that you
just continue to watch.
00:27:54.14\00:27:56.77
Join us next time
because you know what?
00:27:56.81\00:28:00.91
It just wouldn't be
the same without you.
00:28:00.94\00:28:04.88