Participants:
Series Code: JFAN
Program Code: JFAN000088S
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00:00 (dramatic orchestral music)
00:22 - Hello, and welcome to "Jesus for Asia Now." 00:24 My husband Jon is here with me today, 00:26 and we'll be talking about the mountains of Mindoro. 00:29 You may remember that project, and today, 00:31 we get to see a little bit 00:34 of a glimpse into what's happening now, 00:36 how the Lord has blessed and is progressing this project. 00:41 Welcome to the show, dear. 00:43 - Hi, darling, how are you? 00:44 - I'm doing fine. 00:45 You know I'm excited about this show 00:46 because it just, it's so good 00:49 to see how things are progressing. 00:52 Sometimes, we don't get to see it. 00:54 We just hear that the work is going forward, 00:56 but to see the progress, 00:59 and to see how the Lord has expanded the ministry 01:01 is such a privilege. 01:03 - Well, every project starts out with a vision, 01:06 and a lot of effort, and a lot of sacrifice, 01:09 and a lot of pain, and it goes forward little by little, 01:13 but after a few years, you start to see the results. 01:16 - Right, and you see how God has expanded the vision, 01:18 or redirected the vision. 01:20 - And you see the lives changed. 01:22 - Right, that's the main thing. 01:23 - Yes, that's the big payoff. 01:25 So today, we're gonna see an amazing miracle story 01:29 in a physical miracle story 01:31 and in the lives of some of our kids over there. 01:34 - Right, right. 01:36 Well, the first video we have today is kind of 01:38 an introduction to what's going on in the ministry now. 01:42 (soft orchestral music) 01:46 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 01:51 - [Translator] If you ask any Mangyan 01:52 whether they're educated or still wearing a loincloth, 01:55 ask any of them, and you'll hear the same answer. 01:59 All of them are discriminated against. 02:01 - All of them are discriminated. 02:03 (speaks in foreign language) 02:04 - [Translator] They've all been told 02:06 that they're only a little bit higher than the ape. 02:14 (water sprinkles) 02:15 - [Pete] I was before public school teacher. 02:17 - [Translator] I was a public school teacher. 02:20 I quit my job to focus on the mountains. 02:22 (Pete speaks in foreign Language) 02:27 But what can I do? 02:29 Why did I leave teaching? 02:30 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 02:32 I'm now full time in this effort to teach these natives, 02:36 especially the Mangyan in the mountains. 02:38 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 02:42 From my perspective, it would be unfair. 02:45 - It would be unfair to give so much privilege 02:49 (speaks in foreign language) 02:51 - [Translator] To give so much privilege to those 02:52 who live on the coast 02:53 while those who are truly in need are the Mangyans 02:55 in the mountains who have never been given any help. 03:15 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 03:17 - [Translator] Those who benefit 03:18 from our medical evacuation work 03:20 are those who need health assistance. 03:23 We bring patients to the hospital. 03:27 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 03:28 Before we leave them there, 03:29 we make sure they have food 03:31 and enough money to pay for their medicine. 03:35 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 03:37 Then we continue visiting them. 03:43 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 03:45 - [Translator] My wife and I prayed, 03:47 Lord, give us a way to help these natives. 03:50 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 03:53 - [Pete] And then, less than two weeks after that. 03:57 - [Translator] And then, less than two weeks after that, 03:59 a native came from the mountains, asking for a teacher, 04:04 so that is how this ministry started 04:05 sending teachers to the mountains. 04:07 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 04:11 We connected with another ministry 04:13 for our volunteer teachers. 04:14 - [Pete] Volunteer teachers, Hasulag, specifically. 04:17 - [Translator] Hasulag specifically. 04:18 They sent two volunteer teachers at first, 04:22 and that's how it started. 04:25 From then until now, we have been working 04:27 for seven years in the mountains. 04:29 In the beginning, the children didn't even know 04:31 how to take a bath or use a toothbrush. 04:34 They knew nothing but to play all day 04:36 and wait for their parents to return 04:38 from foraging in the jungle. 04:40 Now, praise the Lord, most of them are now 04:43 in grade six or seven, and I am grateful to the Lord 04:47 that most of them get the highest grades in their class. 04:50 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 04:54 After Kimali, other villages learned 04:56 that we could send teachers to them. 04:59 Saramayba followed, then Bayabasan, 05:01 and other villages, on and on. 05:07 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 05:09 - [Translator] We find they can learn much better 05:12 since we started the free lunch program. 05:14 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 05:16 Now they can concentrate on the lessons. 05:19 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 05:25 It's not just the free lunch food in every school, 05:28 it's not just the hospitalization, 05:31 and how we bring them there and help them with their needs. 05:35 It includes their coming to our house. 05:38 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 05:40 - 19 villages under our care. 05:46 - [Translator] There are so many of them. 05:48 Every now and then, somebody comes knocking, 05:51 often in the early morning. 05:53 Ma'am, there is hunger in the mountains. 05:56 They stop by here because we always feed them. 05:59 It would be nice 06:00 if every group was only two to three people. 06:03 Sometimes, there are more than 10 of them, 06:06 especially groups that have walked 06:07 for two days just to get here, 06:10 and there's a lot of them. 06:20 - That's such a cool thing to see, 06:21 that, after these years, these kids 06:24 that were considered, you know, hopeless, 06:27 unintelligent, unable to learn. 06:30 - They were filthy children, unhealthy children. 06:33 - They could hardly concentrate 06:35 'cause they were so hungry all day long, 06:37 and now, the kids that have gone 06:39 into the public school system are getting 06:42 the best grades in the class. 06:43 - I know, that's really awesome. 06:45 That's really, really, really awesome. 06:48 - Oh, yeah, it makes everything worthwhile, 06:50 because it shows that these are, you know, 06:53 all men are created equal, 06:55 it shows that to be really true, 06:57 that God loves these people, 06:58 and they just haven't had the advantages, 07:01 a mindset, or a religion, or a way of thinking 07:04 has held them back from doing 07:07 and being all that they could be in Christ. 07:10 - Right, right. 07:12 - And we're gonna see a little video 07:13 about one of these kids, 07:16 and how she's doing. 07:18 - In a little bit. 07:19 - Yes. 07:20 - But first, we have another video, 07:21 and this is from a little while ago, 07:23 showing and describing 07:24 what it was like before for the children. 07:26 - That's right. 07:27 You know, we don't really understand, 07:29 I mean, if we say, well, I'm hungry, 07:30 that means that, you know, 07:33 I've been an extra 20 minutes 07:34 or half hour, an hour, you know, 07:36 since my regular lunch. 07:38 - It's been five hours since I've eaten, or six hours. 07:40 - Yeah, but these kids, 07:43 their parents leave early in the morning 07:44 to go foraging in the forest, 07:46 and the kids have no food all day, 07:49 just waiting for their parents 07:50 to get home in the evening, 07:52 hoping that they'd found something, 07:53 and so this describes what these kids are like 07:55 when they're trying to study in school with no food. 08:00 - Okay. 08:01 (lively orchestral music) 08:05 (Alexia speaks in foreign language) 08:09 - [Translator] Their parents don't grow anything 08:11 because they fear many spirits, 08:13 so they don't make permanent gardens, 08:15 and so the kids are undernourished. 08:17 Often, all they can think about is food. 08:20 They can't concentrate. 08:21 The thing about them is 08:23 that you will never hear them complain 08:24 or murmur about being hungry. 08:26 Instead, you will notice their behavior. 08:29 While the morning class is in session, 08:31 they will often ask, ma'am, what time is it? 08:34 Then, after a few minutes, 08:35 they would ask the same question again. 08:38 They would have no breakfast, but drink lots of water 08:41 to stave off the hunger pains. 08:43 They go to the faucet outside 08:45 and drink water every now and then. 08:49 The children see lots of plants 08:50 on their way to school, and they eat the leaves. 08:54 They will first try to touch and feel the leaves, 08:57 and then taste them. 08:58 If it tastes bad, they spit it out, 09:01 but if it's tasteless, they will just swallow it. 09:04 This is what happens when the children have nothing to eat. 09:09 Extreme hunger causes severe headaches, 09:11 and you will usually see them hitting their heads. 09:14 (Alexia speaks in foreign language) 09:18 They're always looking around 09:19 to find something to eat. 09:27 - So it's really neat to see, after all these years, 09:30 how the kids start improving, 09:32 but it's so sad to remember what it was like, 09:35 and how hard their life was, and the headaches. 09:39 - And the death of the children. 09:41 There's quite a number of kids 09:42 that would die every year 09:43 from complications of malnutrition, 09:46 and now, that's gone. 09:48 - And one of the scary things is 09:50 that they'll go taste a leaf, or a plant, piece of plant, 09:56 and see if it tastes anything bitter or whatever. 09:58 If it's bitter, they'll spit it out, 10:00 but if it has no taste, then they'll eat it. 10:02 It's like, what are they eating? 10:05 - Well, I know a friend, her father, 10:10 she's seen him so hungry, she's seen him go out 10:12 in the backyard and eat dirt 10:14 just to fill his stomach with something, 10:17 and so, you know, this extreme hunger is real 10:20 in a lot of parts of the world, 10:22 and it's a privilege and an honor 10:23 to be able to serve that and to. 10:27 - Help them with food. 10:28 - Yeah. 10:29 (laughs) 10:31 - Yeah, what a blessing. - And then see them 10:32 do so well because of that. 10:34 - Right, and speaking of doing well, 10:36 that's our next video. 10:38 Our next video, we go to, we call it graduation, 10:41 they called it, I think, a recognition, 10:44 and it's a recognition of how well they've done 10:46 in the current grade level, 10:47 and that they're going to the next one. 10:49 - Yeah, and I want to point out 10:51 that the teacher that you'll see talking 10:53 about this recognition is the same young lady 10:57 that was in a previous show 10:59 where she was talking about the faceless man, okay? 11:02 So this is that village, 11:04 and this is after that experience that she had. 11:08 It's just really awesome 11:09 because you'll see some of the people, 11:12 the parents of the children, how much they appreciate this. 11:15 - Okay. 11:17 (soft orchestral music) 11:37 (people chatter) 11:43 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 11:44 - [Translator] Kamambugan is about a 30 minute hike 11:46 from the highway. 11:48 No one has gone to high school from this village, 11:49 even though it's close. 11:51 That is why they're happy to have a school recognition day, 11:55 because these students will just play 11:57 even when attending public school. 12:03 (Krezzia speaks in foreign language) 12:05 - [Translator] You can see the happiness 12:06 in the faces of the youth and the parents 12:08 because it is their first time to see 12:10 or experience this kind of program, 12:15 a program that inspires them 12:17 and teaches them the value of education. 12:23 - [Translator] Earlier, I was having a conversation 12:25 with the village elders, and they are thrilled 12:28 that, for the first time in their entire lives, 12:31 they get to witness a recognition program 12:33 with their children as the lead characters. 12:47 (woman speaks in foreign language) 12:48 - [Translator] I was happy when I heard 12:49 that there will be real teachers coming. 12:52 (woman speaks in foreign language) 12:56 Finally, my children can go to school 12:57 instead of just playing all day. 13:02 (woman speaks in foreign language) 13:06 I can't help but cry knowing 13:08 that my child will finally have a chance to learn. 13:15 If it were up to me, 13:16 I hope they will be able to continue. 13:25 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 13:28 - [Translator] Our dream is to not just teach them to read, 13:30 but to produce professionals 13:32 that would go back to their villages 13:34 and become missionary teachers 13:36 that would benefit their own tribes 13:38 and the rest of the Mangyan people. 13:40 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 13:44 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 13:49 (Krezzia speaks in foreign language) 13:52 - [Translator] They're a continued presence 13:53 here in this village. 13:54 They are gradually learning about God. 13:58 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 13:59 - [Translator] We still need volunteers. 14:00 We need people that will sacrifice 14:03 for these native groups. 14:30 - Wow, that's really beautiful. 14:32 - Yeah, just simple people, one little village, 14:36 the world has passed them by. 14:37 Nobody would notice them, 14:39 but the heart of the father in heaven inspires the hearts 14:44 of his children that know him, that go out, 14:47 and go out of their way 14:49 to make a difference in their lives. 14:51 - Right, and the mother's happiness is just beautiful. 14:55 - It really is, and I know 14:57 that makes the heart of the father happy also. 14:59 - Yes, yes. 15:01 The next video that we have is the story 15:03 of one of the young people 15:04 that came up through the school, 15:07 and then is now in a public school. 15:09 - Yeah, so she's from the original village 15:12 that we started in, Kimali, 15:13 that we visited, that you and I walked to and almost died. 15:17 - Yeah, well, we felt like we were, 15:19 but we survived, it was very hot. 15:22 - It was an awesome experience though. 15:23 - Yeah, so this is neat. 15:25 This is the next step for her 15:27 when she came down out of the mountains 15:28 to go to the next grade level 15:31 beyond where they teach in the mountains. 15:33 - Yeah, and so she's actually living 15:35 with Pete and Jessica to go to that school. 15:38 - Right, right, so here's the video. 15:41 (soft orchestral music) 15:46 (Carmita speaks in foreign language) 15:48 - [Translator] If I had not been sponsored 15:49 to go to high school, 15:51 maybe now, I would just be another ignorant Mangyan, 15:54 always afraid of our Tagalog visitors. 15:57 (Carmita speaks in foreign language) 16:01 I feel indifferent about our way of dress, 16:03 being barefoot all the time, 16:05 and shaking when we talk to the Tagalogs 16:07 because we don't know anything. 16:09 (Carmita speaks in foreign language) 16:23 - [Pete] Our daughter, Kay. 16:24 - [Translator] Our daughter Kay was the first one 16:26 to befriend Carmita. 16:30 The first time I saw Carmita, 16:32 I thought she was mentally retarded 16:35 because of the way she behaved. 16:37 - She behaved (speaks in foreign language) 16:41 - [Translator] She stared at everything in the house. 16:44 It made me wonder what kind of character she has. 16:47 Then I realized that she just 16:49 never had seen any of these things. 16:52 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 16:53 She had never been in a modern house. 16:55 - Civilized home. 17:00 Almost three years ago. 17:01 - [Translator] That was almost three years ago. 17:03 - [Pete] Look at her now. 17:04 - [Translator] And look at her now. 17:06 She is trusted by the teacher. 17:08 She is one of the most faithful readers 17:10 when it comes to the Bible. 17:11 She's always bringing her Bible to school with her. 17:14 At first, we thought that Carmita was a hopeless child. 17:17 - Hopeless. 17:18 - [Translator] But she is strong evidence 17:19 that Mangyan children are not hopeless. 17:22 - Mangyan children are not hopeless people. 17:29 (Carmita speaks in foreign language) 17:32 - [Translator] Some of my friends are already married 17:34 and have their own children. 17:38 Some are pregnant without husbands. 17:41 (Carmita speaks in foreign language) 17:44 Most of them tell me, you're lucky you're not yet married. 17:51 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 17:54 - [Translator] Carmita is a lesson 17:56 that we want to show to the village of Canron 17:58 and nearby villages that their children can learn like her. 18:02 - [Pete] By God's grace. 18:04 - [Translator] By the grace of God, 18:05 we continue to support her. 18:07 It's our joy to see when people change 18:10 because of the sacrifices that we make. 18:13 - All of us, you. 18:17 (speaks in foreign language) 18:19 - [Translator] To those who have been watching our videos, 18:20 and to those who keep on praying 18:22 and supporting this ministry, 18:24 let us continue to change lives just like Carmita, 18:29 because she is just one of the many Mangyans 18:32 that have been reached. 18:49 - Isn't that beautiful? 18:51 - Yeah, just to think about where her life would be 18:57 without these schools. 18:58 I mean, she said her friends are married 19:01 and husbandless, basically, and pregnant. 19:05 - Two or three children by now. 19:07 Yeah, so the contrast 19:09 between what her life could've been, 19:10 and what her life is now, 19:12 and what benefit she could be to her tribes back home 19:16 with the education that she's getting, it's just inspiring. 19:19 - Right. 19:20 You know, Pete said there that she was like, 19:24 she had no brain. 19:25 It was like she was just looking around the house, like. 19:31 - What is everything? 19:32 What is this? 19:33 How do they live? 19:34 - I think it's really key to realize 19:36 what a difference education makes. 19:38 You know, people that we think, 19:40 I mean, he thought she was stupid at the beginning, 19:42 he thought she was incapable of learning, 19:46 but that's not true. 19:47 Now, she's one of those ones 19:49 that's at the top of the class, 19:51 so that's really a God thing. 19:55 - Yes, it's very special, 19:57 and it's a privilege to be able to support a ministry 19:59 that does that graphic a change, 20:02 an impact in people's lives. 20:03 - Yeah, that's true. 20:05 - So this next video is just a little bit more 20:06 of a summary of the ministry 20:09 to give you an overview of what's happening, 20:11 and it's kind of a joyful, kind of a reason 20:15 why they do what they do. 20:18 - Okay. 20:20 (soft orchestral music) 20:21 (woman sings in foreign language) 20:24 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 20:25 - [Translator] While in the eyes of many, 20:26 they are little better than monkeys or apes, 20:29 I believe their case is not hopeless. 20:32 Now, they have aspirations. 20:34 Some of them see a higher calling 20:36 in learning to read and write 20:38 instead of marrying at 13 or 14 years of age. 20:41 They want to study and have dreams. 20:44 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 20:47 - [Jessica] It's really heartbreaking 20:49 that they are hopeless 20:51 unless someone has the heart to help them. 20:53 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 20:57 They will just barely survive 20:59 until their last breath leaves them. 21:03 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 21:07 But since we have a lot for these people, they see hope. 21:11 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 21:17 And their life is made better by the grace of God. 21:21 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 21:23 - [Translator] We don't have a retirement plan in place. 21:26 We don't have plans to retire from this work. 21:30 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 21:32 When will this end? 21:33 When Jesus comes. 21:35 If we don't do this, then who will? 21:38 If we leave this work, 21:40 the next generation will once again be victims 21:43 of the same cruelty. 21:46 (Jessica speaks in foreign language) 21:49 - [Translator] That is why we have schools 21:51 in their places and choose to stay with them. 21:54 We endure many things 21:56 and overlook the difficult parts 21:58 just to be with them, 22:00 to be able to change their perspective in life 22:03 and help them see that God has wonderful things 22:06 in store for them. 22:10 Their life should not just be the way it is 22:13 and always has been. 22:17 (Pete speaks in foreign language) 22:18 - [Translator] We want those who help here 22:20 to really make sacrifices so that they will see 22:23 that true joy comes from serving others, 22:26 not in costly clothes, or touring around the world. 22:30 You will only find it when you see somebody needing help, 22:33 and then you help them, and it changes their lives. 22:36 - There's a higher joy and peace in it. 22:38 - [Translator] There's a higher joy 22:39 and a peace in doing that. 22:55 - I love what he said there, you know, 22:58 that seeing someone needing help, 23:02 and then helping them is a higher joy and peace. 23:06 I love that. 23:07 - Yes, and this is what's such a beautiful thing, 23:09 is that missionaries first went 23:11 to the Philippines a long time ago, 23:13 and now, they are getting the identity 23:16 of being missionaries, and they're tasting that joy, 23:19 and that blessing that only comes from mission work. 23:24 Christ's way. 23:25 - Right, right, of course, 23:27 and you know, this brings out a point 23:29 that we say over and over again, 23:30 and that is, wherever you are, you are a missionary. 23:34 When you believe in Christ, 23:36 Christ was a missionary, and when we want to be like Jesus, 23:40 then we will identify ourselves as missionaries. 23:44 Wherever we are, wherever God has put us, 23:48 wherever he's given us the privilege to grow up, 23:50 we start there as missionaries. 23:52 Sometimes, he sends us to another land, 23:54 or he sends us to another place 23:56 in our own land as missionaries. 23:58 - Yes, and sometimes, we look for that sending, 24:02 you know, we say, well, if God sends me, then I'll go, 24:06 but the truth is that he's already sent us. 24:10 He's already given us the word, 24:11 and it's a call for obedience. 24:15 A lot of times, we sit there waiting for something, 24:18 for a word from God, when he's already given it to us. 24:21 These people are finding that, you know, 24:23 they have to go up into the mountains, 24:26 and sometimes, it's harder to go across the mountain 24:29 than it is to go around the world. 24:33 Sometimes, that's a more difficult thing to do 24:36 because it's so easy just to relax at home. 24:40 I found a huge blessing in going overseas 24:42 because, when I go, there's a big commitment to go, 24:45 and then, when I get there, 24:46 I identify myself as a missionary, 24:49 whereas I tend to fall into, you know, when I'm at home, 24:53 kind of a normality, 24:55 taking care of myself. - I'm at home. 24:56 I can relax. 24:57 - Just doing my thing. 24:58 - [Natalie] Be comfortable. 24:59 - Mm-hm, and so there's a huge blessing 25:02 for the church in going, changing our physical location, 25:08 and finding where the need is the greatest, 25:11 and filling that need, 25:12 because where the need is the greatest 25:13 is where the holy spirit is the strongest, 25:17 and you can see the greatest evidence of his work. 25:20 - At the beginning of this episode, 25:22 we saw, when they were taking people to the hospital, 25:24 they had a van that they were using, 25:26 and then, later, when they were going to the village, 25:28 they had a truck that they were using. 25:29 We rode in that truck when we went up there, 25:32 but both of those vehicles are a present broken down. 25:35 - They're dead, completely. 25:37 - They need new vehicles. 25:38 They're riding bicycles right now, 25:40 which doesn't help with transporting rice, 25:43 and it doesn't help with transporting people. 25:46 - To the hospital. 25:47 - To the hospital, or to the base 25:49 of the mountains where they can hike back in 25:51 with the vegetables and rice 25:53 for the children's ministry. - Children's meals, sure. 25:56 - So we need to provide them a new vehicle. 26:00 - A new vehicle is about $18,000, 26:02 and so, if they put a down payment 26:06 and then pay the rest off over five years, 26:08 it'll end up costing $22,000, 26:10 so I don't see the reason 26:12 why we should spend another $4,000 in interest alone. 26:15 - Right. 26:17 - So if we can just get them that $18,000 vehicle, 26:20 that's gonna allow them to transport people, 26:22 transport the food, and missionaries, 26:25 and medical needs, and things like that. 26:27 You saw the human ambulance. 26:29 You know, this vehicle's not gonna be able 26:31 to go up into the mountains like that. 26:34 - But, once they get to the base of the mountains, 26:36 that's how they take them on to the hospital from there. 26:39 - That's correct, yeah. 26:41 - What a blessing it is to be able 26:43 to partner with them, and be a tool for God to use 26:49 to facilitate their ministry there. 26:50 - This is one of those seed planting ministries 26:53 where we here in America, 26:55 or in the western world, can plant a seed, 26:59 and we won't see the fruit until the second coming, 27:03 but when we see that fruit. 27:05 - [Natalie] That will be awesome. 27:06 - Yeah. 27:07 - That will be awesome. 27:07 - Can you imagine the look 27:09 on some of these little Mangyan children 27:11 when they walk into heaven? 27:13 - No. 27:14 - And they see such a clean beauty? 27:16 - Beautiful, beautiful place. 27:18 - And to see Jesus put a crown on their head, 27:21 that's gonna be amazing. 27:24 - It makes your heart full. 27:25 - Yes, even now. 27:28 - Right. 27:29 I invite you to pray for this ministry, 27:31 that they'll have the vehicle that they need, 27:33 and that this ministry 27:35 that makes such a huge difference 27:37 in the lives of these simple people would continue 27:39 to go forward, and blossom, 27:41 and become everything God needs it to be. 27:44 If you would like to be involved, 27:46 please contact us at Jesus For Asia, 27:48 PO Box 1221, Collegedale, Tennessee, 37315. 27:54 Call us at (423) 413-7321, 27:59 or visit our website at jesus4asia.org. 28:03 May God richly bless you 28:04 until we see you next time on "Jesus For Asia Now." 28:08 (dramatic orchestral music) |
Revised 2020-07-02