Participants:
Series Code: MTK
Program Code: MTK000001A
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00:00 (uplifting music)
00:05 - [Mary Ann] We've grown up in the church 00:06 and have always been somewhat involved in outreach. 00:10 But how can we get involved in missions overseas? 00:13 My name is Mary Ann. 00:15 - [Lilyann] And I'm Lilyann. 00:16 We wanted to find out. 00:18 Join us, on our journey, 00:20 (bell donging) 00:22 to discover the culture, 00:24 the lifestyle. 00:25 - [Mary Ann] The need and the mission, 00:27 - [Lilyann] in two of Southeast Asia's 00:29 least reached countries. 00:31 - Welcome to MissionTREK. 00:40 Hello and welcome to MissionTREK. 00:42 - We're so excited to have you join us. 00:44 - My name is Mary Ann. 00:45 - And I'm Lilyann. 00:47 - So this is so crazy. 00:48 Like, we're actually here on the MissionTREK set. 00:50 - It's been so long getting here. 00:52 - We had this idea, what was it, like-- 00:54 - Over a year ago. 00:55 - That's so crazy. 00:56 - God has blessed so much. 00:57 - He really has. 00:58 - So what can the viewers expect this series? 01:00 - Well, this series we went to a lot of different countries. 01:04 We were able to visit a lot of missionaries, 01:06 experience the culture, 01:07 even got to try some of the food. 01:08 - Mm-hmm. - That was really good. 01:09 - It was. - Yeah. (laughs) 01:11 - We have so much to share with you, 01:13 and here's some of what you can expect to see 01:15 over the next ten episodes. 01:17 (uplifting music) 01:37 No, no, no, no, I am not a snake person. 01:39 I would rather just watch them. 01:42 (uplifting music) 01:50 - Trembling is to shake. 01:53 (uplifting music) 02:00 (water sloshing) 02:04 - Because he loved every person so very much. 02:07 (uplifting music) 03:13 - It is so good. 03:20 Holy father, we pray you that you please 03:23 pour your spirit upon us. 03:26 Pour your spirit upon the city. 03:37 - Isn't that exciting? 03:38 - Yes, just watching that helps me to relive 03:40 some of those moments. 03:41 - That was so much fun. 03:43 - It was. - Yeah, so, this wasn't 03:45 either of our first times going oversees. 03:47 - Mm-mm, we'd both been before. 03:48 - Yeah, I don't really remember how I felt 03:50 the first time, 'cause I was four. 03:52 - Yeah, well I was 10 the first time I went 03:54 and I remember feeling nervous and excited. 03:58 Uncertain about what was to come. 04:00 - Yeah, I think that's a lot of the reason 04:02 people don't go, because it's unknown what's over there, 04:06 and you know, the unknown is scary, 04:07 and they don't want to get out of their comfort zone. 04:09 - But you can't let your fears stop you. 04:11 - Yeah, and I think the only way to overcome those fears 04:15 is just by surrendering. 04:17 - Exactly, that's what we have to do before we go. 04:20 We spend a lot of time praying. 04:21 - To make sure that we're surrendered, 04:22 that we're going for God's reasons. 04:24 - And claim promises, because we never know 04:26 what situations we might encounter. 04:27 - Yeah, but when you're in God's will, 04:29 He'll take care of you. 04:30 - Exactly. - It's not scary. 04:31 - No, another challenge that people have to overcome 04:34 is finances, where to get the money. 04:35 - It takes money to go overseas. 04:37 - Exactly. 04:38 - Plane tickets are expensive, 04:39 living is expensive. - We didn't have the money 04:41 for this show when we started. 04:42 - No, we didn't. - And, God provided. 04:44 - Yeah, we had to pray a lot for the finances, 04:47 but He provides. 04:48 If it's His will, He will provide. 04:49 - Mm-hmm. 04:50 - But people that actually live overseas 04:52 that do this work, have said that they've never seen 04:54 anybody not be able to go because of finances. 04:56 If it's God will, He will provide. 04:58 - He always does. 04:59 - He always does. 05:00 - It's one thing to talk about it, 05:02 but we can actually show you. 05:04 This is where we started. 05:06 - We bought a plane ticket from Atlanta to Bangkok. 05:09 - And we had a 15 hour layover in Beijing. 05:13 - But the real trip started before that. 05:16 (gentle ambient music) 05:32 (bright piano music) 05:59 - [Lilyann] After waiting in Atlanta for a couple of hours 06:02 we boarded the flight. 06:04 We were all excited, but also a little bit anxious 06:06 to see what this trip would actually be like. 06:20 - [Lilyann] Our first stop was in San Francisco. 06:40 (bright music) 06:43 - [Lilyann] That morning, we had an 11 hour flight to China. 06:46 We got there the next morning. 06:50 We had a 15 hour layover in China, 06:52 so we asked some friends to show us around, 06:54 since none of us had ever been there before. 06:57 Our first impression was that it was really cold. 07:00 Of course it was January. 07:01 But 30 degrees and no warm clothing, was really harsh. 07:05 Thankfully, our friends lent us coats, 07:07 which made the visit much more enjoyable. 07:13 As we drove, I noticed it was modern in the city, 07:16 but as we got out into the more rural areas, 07:18 it became more neglected looking. 07:21 When we got to the farm, we ate breakfast, 07:24 which was really good. 07:26 Then, we headed out to the Great Wall. 07:50 It's interesting here, because it's an Asian country, 07:53 obviously, but they drive on the right side of the road 07:56 just like we do at home. 08:01 It took over 1,800 years to build the wall 08:04 to what it is today. 08:05 The most popular parts still, 08:07 see up to 70,000 people per day. 08:15 China is a beautiful country. 08:17 Getting to see the Great Wall, and all the people 08:19 who live there, really made me think. 08:22 The majority of them live their lives appeasing the spirits 08:25 and believing in superstitions. 08:29 And yet the Adventist Church in China, 08:31 has over 43,000 members. 08:34 But that is a small number, 08:36 compared to the 1.3 billion people who actually live there. 08:42 Even though China is smaller than the United States, 08:45 one in every five people in the world is Chinese. 08:55 - Oh right, yes. 09:38 Unfortunately, since we were short on time, 09:41 we did not get to visit the Forbidden City. 09:43 Instead, we went to eat. 09:45 The food, which was a variety of authentic Chinese dishes, 09:49 was really good. 09:50 It was very different from the Chinese food 09:52 that we are used to in America. 09:54 (plates clattering) (people chattering) 10:13 - [Lilyann] After we ate, they took us down this street 10:15 where they were selling a lot of interesting things, 10:18 like Scorpions and surprisingly, 10:21 we weren't too excited to try them. 10:27 - [Mary Ann] China is a busy country, 10:29 with lots of culture and diversity. 10:31 We were able to have small glimpse of what it's like there. 10:34 The food, the culture and the customs 10:36 are different from anywhere else that we've ever been. 10:41 (bright music) (street chatter) 11:07 We were able to do a lot in the short 11:08 amount of time that we were in China. 11:10 - [Mary Ann] Afterwards, we headed back to the airport. 11:16 - Even though it was really cold, 11:18 and we were fighting jet lag, I'm so glad we were able 11:20 to take advantage of the opportunity to see a new country. 11:24 China is a huge country. 11:26 But, since it's communist, a lot of risks are involved. 11:29 Please pray for the people of China. 11:37 So, neither of us had ever been to China before. 11:39 - No, we hadn't. 11:40 - It was, totally new experience. 11:41 - It was, it was the first communist country 11:43 we'd ever been to either, and it had such a different 11:45 feel to it. 11:47 - I mean, just the people that we were around. 11:49 - We couldn't show their faces in the camera, 11:51 the people who were helping us. 11:53 They had to be careful not to be seen with us very much 11:56 because to be seen with a white person 11:57 can be a sign of rebellion. 11:59 - And the people that we were around on the wall 12:01 and at the restaurant, 12:03 they just looked fearful and cautious. 12:05 - Yeah, like, there isn't really any freedom. 12:09 And after we left, sadly, the people who helped us out, 12:11 the Christians that were running the ministry there, 12:14 they actually had to leave, not because of us, 12:16 but for reasons they had to move to South Korea. 12:19 - 'Cause they weren't safe anymore. 12:21 - And that's really sad, 12:22 because who's gonna take their place? 12:23 - Being a missionary in China, would take somebody 12:26 that's very dedicated. 12:27 - It would, yeah, and 'cause it's really dangerous. 12:30 - Mm-hmm, there's still work being done, 12:33 but it's very little compared to all the people there 12:35 that need to be reached. 12:36 - Yeah, there's so many people in China, 12:38 that need to hear about Jesus, 12:39 and there's nobody to tell them, because it's illegal. 12:42 It's really dangerous to work there, 12:43 and be a Christian at all, is illegal. 12:47 - Compared to Thailand, where we usually go, 12:49 China has a very closed, oppressed feel to it. 12:53 - Yeah. 12:54 - But getting back to our trip. 12:56 After the restaurant, we had a rushed trip 13:00 to get back to the airport. 13:01 - Yeah, because we only had, what was it, 13:03 an hour before our flight left? 13:05 - Yeah. - And we got stuck in traffic. 13:07 - Yeah. 13:08 - It was like, rush hour. 13:09 It was super stressful. - Rush hour in Beijing, 13:11 was really bad. - It was really crazy, yeah. 13:13 But, we finally got back, by God's grace, 13:16 in time for our flight. 13:17 - Yes, definitely. 13:19 We had a five hour flight from Beijing to Bangkok. 13:22 - And we got in at about one o'clock in the morning. 13:25 We were so tired, because then 13:26 we had to wait in line for immigration. 13:28 - Like, two hours. 13:29 - It was so crazy. 13:30 - We didn't even get to our hotel 13:32 'til like, five o'clock in the morning. 13:34 - Yeah, so the next morning, 13:35 we were really jet lagged and tired, 13:38 so I don't think we got up, until, what was it, 10:00? 13:41 (Mary Ann laughs) - Yeah. 13:42 - So we, but we still only got about five hours of sleep. 13:45 - Yeah, we didn't do much because we were so tired 13:48 and jet lagged, getting used to the time. 13:50 - Yeah, but we do get to share with you 13:52 our first meal at our favorite restaurant. 14:36 - [Woman] Take one down, pass it around. 14:43 - Okay, dry this off. 14:46 - Oh my goodness. - There we go. 14:49 - [Mary Ann] I'm officially in Thailand. 15:04 - Mm, yeah. 15:08 Yep! 15:18 - Mm. 15:24 - Mm-hmm. 15:43 (restaurant chatter) 15:51 Mm, mm. 16:08 (laughing) 16:11 - Mm, mm, mm. 16:22 (chattering) 16:25 Jet lag set in early Friday afternoon, 16:27 so we didn't do anything the rest of that day. 16:30 After a good night, we headed across town to church. 17:09 We borrowed some footage from a TV series called, 17:12 I Want This City, where the interviewer asks 17:14 random people in Bangkok if they've heard of Jesus. 17:23 - Okay, ready? 17:25 - [Camera Man] Yes. 17:26 (speaking in foreign language) 17:41 - They said they never heard about Jesus. 17:43 - [Camera Man] Really? 17:44 - Yeah, they didn't... 17:44 (speaking in foreign language) 17:48 - [Camera Man] Would you like to know? 17:50 Would you like to find out-- 17:51 (speaking in foreign language) 17:54 (bright music) 18:01 (camera clicks) 18:06 (speaking in foreign language) 18:52 (speaking in foreign language) 19:10 - [Mary Ann] It's amazing to actually see people 19:12 who have no idea who Jesus is, 19:14 but are interested in learning. 19:16 We thought about this as we arrived at Yanhee, 19:18 one of the few Adventist churches in this city. 19:21 (people singing) 19:25 - We draw closer to him, like this flower here, 19:29 but then we have to take what we've gained from God 19:32 and the blessing, to take it to the world. 19:34 - Through this here, where he's got the spoon and the fork, 19:37 and the bible, and so... 20:09 - Pretty much. 20:14 (skipping rope whipping) 23:06 (gentle music) 23:09 - [Mary Ann] Lumpini Park was nice ending 23:10 to our Sabbath in the city. 23:12 It was time to head back to the hotel, 23:14 which meant we had to take the Skytrain, or BTS, 23:17 that would carry us over the traffic of Bangkok. 23:20 Most people think of missionary life 23:22 as living a bamboo hut in the jungle. 23:24 Not in a city like Bangkok, where it's modern and wealthy, 23:27 with complex transportation systems 23:29 and high-rise luxury shopping malls. 23:48 - [Mary Ann] But this is where the people are, 23:50 and God loves people, so he is here too. 23:54 If you think about it, the early church was established 23:56 in the cities, and that is where they concentrated 23:59 their evangelistic efforts. 24:01 So, please pray for people to be willing 24:03 to bring the Gospel to the big cities, 24:05 without getting distracted by all the glitter 24:07 and wealth they see around them. 24:10 We finally got on the train. 24:12 We were tired, but we decided to make a quick stop 24:15 for a fish massage on the way back. 24:29 - I can't believe I'm doing this. 24:31 (gasps) 24:33 (squealing) 24:45 - This is embarrassing. 24:46 (squealing) 24:51 - Oh my God. 24:52 - Look at my feet, Lilyann. 24:53 - I know, I know, your feet aren't as sensitive as mine. 24:56 - Oh, I can't believe I'm doing this. 24:58 (squealing) 25:02 - [Woman] Oh, oh, oh, oh, that is so... 25:05 (laughing) 25:11 - [Woman] Little fish, just little suction things. 25:16 - [Camera Person] Do you like it? 25:18 - [Woman] I can't look down. 25:19 - [Camera Person] Do you like it? 25:21 - Look at, I, I'm not like, just (squealing). 25:24 - Hold 'em still Lilyann. 25:26 (squealing) 25:44 (people chattering) 25:56 It was so great to be back in Thailand again. 25:58 - It was, it's amazing how fast 26:00 it becomes like a second home. 26:01 - Yeah. - Like the atmosphere, 26:04 the city, it just, it feels safe. 26:06 Like, you wouldn't think about that in a city. 26:07 - Like, here. 26:09 - Everybody's so friendly. 26:10 - And they just treat you like normal. 26:12 - And the weather was like, really nice compared to China. 26:15 'Cause in China it was so cold. 26:17 - Exactly, it was so warm 26:18 in Thailand. - It was. 26:20 I mean it was a little extreme, but we got used to it. 26:22 - Yeah. 26:23 - Out of what we've experienced so far, 26:26 my favorite part was definitely the Great Wall. 26:28 - Yeah, that was such an amazing experience. 26:30 It was something neither of us had ever done before. 26:32 - And like, probably will never have the chance to do again. 26:34 - Yeah, so as we're coming to the close of this episode, 26:37 just reminiscing about being there, 26:40 just made me think about, 26:41 like, there's so many people that still need to know 26:43 about Jesus, and that these are, it's our mission in life 26:49 as Christians to tell them. 26:51 But so many times when you think about our goals in life, 26:54 we don't take them into account. 26:55 We're just like, what would be good for me. 26:57 - Mm-hmm. 26:58 - So this really made me think about, rethink my goals 27:01 and stuff, and we hope that it made you guys 27:03 think about that too. 27:04 - And as you do, keep in mind that millions out there 27:07 still have not had a chance to learn about Jesus. 27:11 Don't let your fear of the unknown keep you from doing 27:13 what Jesus may be calling you to. 27:15 - It is so easy to just be a Christian on Sabbath, 27:18 but we wanna invite you to make it an everyday experience. 27:21 Every day this week, make it a point to do something 27:25 for someone, just a little something, 27:27 that will show them what Jesus is like. 27:29 - It doesn't have to be anything big. 27:31 It can be as simple as holding the door open 27:33 for someone, or smiling. 27:35 - Yeah, if you do little things like that, 27:37 it'll become a habit and it'll become easier 27:39 to do large things for God. 27:40 - We have so much more to share with you, 27:42 so make sure you check out our next episode. 27:45 Thank you for joining us this week on MissionTREK, 27:47 - And remember to pray for the unreached. 27:49 - See you next time. 27:50 (uplifting music) |
Revised 2019-11-11