Participants:
Series Code: JFAN
Program Code: JFAN000139S
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00:00 (triumphant music)
00:14 (dramatic triumphant music) 00:22 - Hello and welcome to Jesus for Asia Now. 00:24 I'm Natalie Wood, 00:25 and my husband Jon is here with me today, 00:27 and we're going to be sharing some stories 00:30 from the Philippines. 00:32 Hello, love. 00:33 - Hi, darling, how are you? 00:34 - I'm good, I'm looking forward to this show. 00:36 - Yes. - We've got some stories. 00:38 - Yeah, some testimonies from different place in the planet. 00:42 - All right, well, why don't you explain to us 00:44 where we're going today? 00:45 - Okay, so we're going to a place 00:47 that is on the southern most part of the Philippines. 00:51 - Okay. 00:52 - The big island on the south is Mindanao. 00:54 - Okay. 00:55 - And in the southwest of that is a peninsula 00:57 with a bunch of islands trailing all the way to Malaysia. 01:01 And so these are testimonies from that whole area. 01:05 - So what's the first one? 01:06 - So this is Rosa, 01:08 and she comes from a background of not just animism. 01:12 Animism, by the way, is spirit worship. 01:14 - Okay. - Everything is animated, 01:16 you know, the ground has a spirit. 01:18 The trees have spirits. 01:20 Their lives are ruled by fear. 01:22 And a lot of people in the west would think, 01:24 "Well, that's just superstition." 01:27 - [Natalie] Mm. - It's not. 01:28 There are really spirits. 01:30 - Mm. - And they actually 01:31 have power over people's lives. 01:33 - Right. 01:34 - And the only thing that can break that power 01:35 is the spirit of Jesus. 01:37 - Okay. 01:38 - So this is a lady that was not only an animist, 01:40 didn't believe in, didn't know about Jesus, 01:42 but she was also a sorcerer. 01:44 - Okay. - So she dabbled in the arts. 01:47 - Okay. - Yes. 01:48 - All right, let's watch that now. 01:49 - Okay. (suspenseful music) 01:50 (Rosa speaking in foreign language) 01:52 - [Translator 1] When I was young, I got sick. 01:54 (Rosa speaking in foreign language) 01:56 - [Translator 1] My father brought me to a witch doctor 01:57 named Angeles. 01:59 (Rosa speaking in foreign language) 02:00 - [Translator 1] The witch doctor said, 02:02 "She got sick because she has an invisible playmate, 02:04 and it is a boy." 02:06 The witch doctor could see the boy, 02:08 the spirit coming near me, 02:10 but my father and others couldn't see him. 02:12 The spirit told the witch doctor 02:14 that if my family didn't take care of me, 02:16 he would kill me. 02:17 (dramatic suspenseful music) 02:19 (Toto speaking in foreign language) 02:20 - [Translator 2] In the Subanon tribe, 02:21 we have pagan practices like offering sacrifices. 02:24 When we get sick, we usually go to our witch doctors, 02:27 commonly known as balians. 02:29 We go to them to offer chickens, pigs, 02:32 or whatever they ask. 02:33 (Toto speaking in foreign language) 02:35 - [Translator 2] The witch doctors ask for advice 02:37 from the spirits, 02:38 and the spirits inform us how many animals to sacrifice 02:41 to remove the sickness. 02:43 (gentle suspenseful music) 02:46 (Rosa speaking in foreign language) 02:48 - [Translator 1] I always got sick, 02:49 and it came to a time when I couldn't get up. 02:52 Since we are used to spiritualism, 02:55 my children agreed to call the witch doctor to do something. 02:58 (Toto speaking in foreign language) 03:00 - [Translator 2] We are imprisoned in this doctrine. 03:02 We call the spirits from trees, from farms, or wherever, 03:06 so they can guide us. 03:08 (Toto speaking in foreign language) 03:09 - [Translator 2] We also need to offer sacrifice 03:10 to prevent getting sick. 03:12 (gentle suspenseful music) 03:15 (Rosa speaking in foreign language) 03:16 - [Translator 1] Despite my difficult situation, 03:18 I asked my children to buy me 13 chickens. 03:21 I told them that the 13th chicken should be a red one, 03:23 as instructed by the witch doctor. 03:27 Then the witch doctor 03:28 formed a (speaking in foreign language) 03:29 a statue made of wood and chicken feathers, 03:31 and started the ritual to determine the cause of sickness. 03:35 He said the reason why I always got sick 03:37 was that the spirits wanted me to serve them. 03:39 After the ritual, I got well, 03:41 but the sickness came back again. 03:43 The witch doctor came again and said, 03:45 "You need to sacrifice chickens again." 03:47 I said, "I can't do anything now. 03:50 I have already done my part. 03:51 I have sacrificed chickens. It should be enough. 03:54 I don't want to get involved in spiritualism." 03:57 I would go to distant places to get away from the spirits, 04:00 because when I was here, the healers would visit me, 04:02 and the spirits would bring sickness to me again and again. 04:06 (gentle hopeful music) 04:15 (Toto speaking foreign language) 04:18 - [Translator 2] An evangelistic meeting 04:19 was done here by the volunteers and Pastor Hamoy. 04:23 Rosa attended the meetings. 04:25 She learned that the spirits that gave her sickness 04:27 didn't love her. 04:28 But the one who died on the cross did. 04:31 - [Translator 1] After I got baptized, 04:33 I still had headaches sometimes, 04:35 but they were not as strong as before. 04:37 Sometimes I get headaches. 04:39 I don't call the spirits who gave sickness to me, 04:41 but I call God. 04:43 (Rosa speaking in foreign language) 04:45 - [Translator 1] He doesn't require any chicken 04:46 to be sacrificed. 04:48 All I do is call His name. 04:50 (Rosa speaking in foreign language) 04:56 (Toto speaking in foreign language) 04:57 - [Translator 2] I saw that the darkness 04:59 couldn't penetrate them anymore 05:00 because of the light in their hearts and minds. 05:04 - [Translator 1] After Toto shared the gospel with me, 05:06 I found the truth. 05:08 One reason I was baptized, 05:09 was also to test if I would no longer see the spirits. 05:13 I'm thankful that I don't see them, 05:15 and they don't trouble me anymore. 05:18 It was a significant change in my life. 05:21 (dramatic inspirational music) 05:32 - Isn't that amazing? 05:33 - That is. 05:34 - The light. - That's beautiful. 05:35 - Yeah. 05:36 They didn't have to convince her 05:37 about the fact that they're spirits, unseen spirits. 05:40 - Right. 05:41 - The thought that was really impressing me 05:43 while we were watching that video- 05:44 - Mm. - Is what is she 05:45 gonna look like 05:47 when Jesus places a golden crown on her head? 05:49 - Oh, beautiful. 05:50 - Just gonna be an amazing, I wanna be there. 05:53 - [Natalie] Yeah. 05:54 - That's gonna be an amazing event. 05:56 - Yeah and just to recognize that difference 06:00 between what she's always known. 06:02 - [Jon] Mm. - And the light. 06:04 - [Jon] Yes. - You know, 06:06 and the beauty of Christ. - [Jon] Yes. 06:07 - And the power of his name. 06:08 - The difference between the darkness and the light. 06:11 - [Natalie] Yeah. (Jon chuckles) 06:12 That's awesome. - It's very clear to her. 06:13 - That's awesome. - [Jon] Yeah. 06:14 Now you noticed that last scene of, 06:17 it's like a structure, a roof on the top of a hill. 06:19 - Mm-hmm. 06:20 - That is gonna be part of our next episode. 06:24 Also talking about the need for churches. 06:27 - Okay. - And stuff. 06:29 But we're gonna keep focusing on the testimonies of those 06:31 who have come into the faith 06:33 through those that have sacrificed 06:36 and are sacrificing to bring the truth to them. 06:38 - Okay. 06:40 So this next video is the same lady, 06:42 and she's showing what she used to use 06:45 to call the spirits. 06:46 - [Jon] Okay. 06:47 (Toto speaking in foreign language) 06:48 - [Translator 2] In the past, 06:49 Rosa was responsible for performing rituals. 06:52 This is the item that she used in the ceremony, 06:55 striking it to make a sound. 06:56 But before that, 06:57 she used a (speaking in foreign language). 07:00 She would take some of this powder and put it in the fire, 07:03 and it would turn into a fragrance smoke. 07:05 And this (speaking in foreign language) 07:06 is what they used to call spirits. 07:08 (gentle suspenseful music) 07:09 Also, she used this piece of wood 07:12 to hit the (speaking in foreign language). 07:13 In kneeling position, 07:14 she played the (speaking in foreign language). 07:16 Every witch doctor has their (speaking in foreign language). 07:19 (suspenseful music) 07:23 - Yeah, creepy. 07:24 - Yeah. (chuckles) 07:27 It has no power anymore. 07:28 - No, praise the Lord. 07:30 - [Jon] Amen. 07:31 - Praise the Lord. - [Jon] Amen. 07:32 - The power's been broken over her life, 07:33 as well as those whose lives she was affecting. 07:35 - [Jon] Yes. 07:36 - Now she has truth and beauty to share with them. 07:38 - Yes and a smile on her face. 07:40 - Right, right. (Jon chuckles) 07:41 - So this next video is about the youth director 07:44 for the Zamboanga Peninsula Mission. 07:47 And he has taken a bunch of student missionaries 07:50 to this church to do evangelism. 07:52 - Okay. 07:54 - This is a little glimpse of the student missionaries 07:56 doing their mission service for this church. 07:59 - Okay. 08:01 (gentle inspirational music) 08:12 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 08:14 - [Translator 3] The Sindangan 08:15 student missionary volunteers, 08:17 started with just two or three volunteers 08:19 through the discipling process, 08:21 they were able to recruit more members. 08:24 After two years, the number of volunteers grew. 08:27 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 08:28 - [Translator 3] Most of them are newly baptized. 08:31 Some of them were previously inactive in the church, 08:34 and some were backslider. 08:36 They met together and formed this group. 08:39 - The volunteers, they have come to us just to help, 08:44 to start with, 08:46 they're not doing anything because they don't have classes. 08:48 And so they decided they will come and help. 08:52 And so they have come sometimes 20, sometimes 30, 08:58 regular 12, as you have seen. 09:01 These students have put in their heart, 09:04 their time, their effort. 09:06 They have decided to live in the mountains as well. 09:09 During any activities, especially evangelistic series. 09:12 We only have one worker, for instance, only one JFA worker. 09:17 That worker cannot cover the whole area. 09:20 So therefore the students help out. 09:22 So they're the ones, 09:23 they were taught how to provide Bible studies. 09:26 They will do the serenading and visitation. 09:30 And also they do the health approach 09:34 for the family and the Muslim ministry. 09:37 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 09:39 - [Translator 3] We didn't hire layman 09:40 nor paid workers for our area 09:42 because these student missionaries were already working. 09:46 - The student Missionaries have played a vital role 09:49 in our evangelism in those areas, 09:51 in the very remote areas. 09:53 And because they are young, 09:55 you know, young blood, they have the energy, 09:57 so they can hike for hours on end. 10:01 You know, just to reach a certain village. 10:03 But then, like we always say, when we do these things, 10:07 when we do this work, 10:09 we are basically only scratching the surface, 10:12 because there's still more people, 10:15 unimaginable how to reach. 10:18 And yet these are souls. 10:21 - So that was during their summer vacation. 10:23 They had time to go and they decided instead of hanging out, 10:26 let's go help the pastor that has all these huge, 10:29 you know, range of mountains to cover. 10:31 Let's go help 'em out. 10:32 - Yeah. (Jon chuckles) 10:34 That's awesome. 10:35 - Have you ever ridden a motorcycle like that though? 10:37 - [Natalie] Not with five people. (Jon chuckles) 10:38 We did four, but the kids were little. 10:41 (both laughs) 10:43 There were several larger people on there. 10:45 - Yeah, I remember when Maryanne was between you and I. 10:47 - That was fun times, but we didn't have to do that. 10:50 That wasn't our only method of transportation. 10:52 - Right. 10:53 - Ever, you know, that's like, 10:55 this is a normal thing for them. 10:57 This is normal life. 10:58 - Yeah. 10:59 It's an amazing concept to think 11:00 that these youth would wanna do that 11:01 instead of hanging out at home 11:03 and playing video games - [Natalie] Right. 11:04 - And watching TV or you know- 11:05 - Hanging with their friends, go to the mall, 11:07 whatever, you know. 11:08 - Right, they enjoy that. 11:09 And that's something I've noticed in the Philippines. 11:11 I've never seen youth so actively involved 11:14 as in the Philippines. 11:15 Like Wednesday night prayer meeting. 11:16 - Mm. - I've seen, 11:18 it's like 80% of the church members 11:21 are there on a Wednesday night 11:22 as show up on Sabbath morning. 11:24 - Mm. - And the whole program 11:25 was run by by youth. 11:27 - Wow. 11:28 Yeah. - And then 11:29 Friday night vespers, 11:30 probably 90% of the church attendance. 11:33 - [Natalie] Hmm. - Whole program 11:34 was run by youth. - Mm. 11:35 - And then Sabbath school, 11:36 I was, you know, getting up early and getting ready to go. 11:39 And I was ready by 8:30. 11:42 And they're like, "We've been waiting for you, we're late." 11:45 (both chuckles) 11:46 And Sabbath school was run by the youth. 11:48 - Hmm. - I was amazed. 11:49 - [Natalie] Wow. - And so this youth movement 11:51 in the church is so strong, 11:53 and youth revival is happening there. 11:55 And it's a beautiful thing. - [Natalie] Yeah. 11:57 - And to see these young people say, 11:59 "Hey, I think I'll spend my summer months volunteering, 12:02 taking the gospel and doing evangelistic series 12:04 and helping out the pastor." 12:05 - Yeah, you have to hike for hours on end (Jon chuckles) 12:08 to reach an extra village. 12:09 - But you saw that smile on their faces. 12:11 - [Natalie] Mm-hmm. - They were just knowing 12:13 that they're serving God 12:14 and that's what they wanna do. 12:16 - Yeah. 12:16 - [Both] That's awesome. 12:17 - Yeah. - [Jon] Yes. 12:18 So, praise God. 12:19 - Okay, so what's our next video? 12:20 - So this next video, 12:22 you know when these youth go out to do this work, 12:25 Satan's not happy. 12:26 - [Natalie] Hmm. 12:27 - And so they were attacked really heavily by evil spirits, 12:31 even though they were warned 12:32 that there's a lot of evil spirits in that area. 12:35 - [Natalie] Mm. - They went anyway, 12:36 and they were attacked. 12:37 - All right, let's watch that now. 12:38 - Okay. 12:39 (gentle eerie music) 12:40 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 12:41 - [Translator 3] When I held her arms, 12:42 she was not normal because what I was holding 12:44 was like sand from the beach. 12:46 (gentle eerie music continues) 12:50 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 12:52 - [Translator 4] That day we were baptizing 130 people. 12:55 In the afternoon, 12:56 the program was started for the nightly meetings. 12:59 Our volunteer young people who attended the children 13:01 got suddenly possessed. 13:04 The first youth turned pale. 13:06 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 13:07 - [Translator 3] Somebody told me, 13:08 "Pastor Hamoy, your volunteers were poisoned, 13:10 and are now possessed by devils." 13:12 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 13:14 - [Translator 3] I hurriedly went to the place 13:15 where the volunteers were, 13:16 there I saw how terrible the scene was. 13:18 - [Translator 4] The attendance 13:19 was about 200 to 300 persons nightly. 13:23 - [Translator 5] We were so confident 13:24 about our work in that area. 13:26 We knew God was happy for the work being done, 13:29 but the enemy was not happy at all. 13:32 We faced many heavy challenges in that area. 13:35 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 13:37 - [Translator 3] Our shaman or which doctor said to me, 13:39 "Sir, our place here is very dangerous 13:42 because there are many evil spirits." 13:44 (interviewee speaking foreign language) 13:45 - [Translator 4] Because of the many conversions 13:46 and baptisms, 13:48 the evil spirits wanted to take revenge toward us. 13:51 They wanted to get our volunteers. 13:54 - [Translator 3] The shaman said, 13:55 "Sir, these volunteers of yours, 13:57 you would be lucky if four of them will survive." 14:00 I was in intense trouble and fear 14:02 because it was me who had asked permission from the parents 14:04 for their children to be our volunteers and assistant. 14:07 So at that moment, 14:09 the pastors were in intense prayer. 14:11 - [Translator 4] As we prayed, the person would float. 14:13 - [Translator 5] All four of us men 14:14 were holding one lady volunteer. 14:16 We could not subdue her. 14:18 Her strength was stronger than any human strength. 14:20 - [Translator 3] When I held her arms, she was not normal, 14:23 because what I was holding was like sand from the beach. 14:26 When I wiped my hands on my pants, I saw like sand. 14:30 - [Translator 4] We would lay down the Bible 14:31 on the volunteers 14:33 and they would calm down for a moment. 14:35 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 14:36 - [Translator 4] But when the Bible was lifted momentarily, 14:38 the devils would attack again. 14:41 - [Translator 3] In one corner, 14:42 a volunteer was being attended to, 14:44 in another corner was another. 14:45 Behind my back was another being attended to, 14:48 on my right side, another was being attacked. 14:51 That night, 14:52 four volunteers were being possessed simultaneously. 14:55 For four long hours, from 6:00 PM until 10:00 PM, 14:58 there was no letting up of our struggle 15:00 against the evil spirits. 15:02 There seemed to be no hope, 15:03 because after kneeling down in prayer, 15:05 as we would end, the evil spirits would attack again. 15:09 We were helpless. 15:10 Even after the many hymns and prayers. 15:13 The bad spirits would not leave. 15:15 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 15:17 - [Translator 3] At about 10:00 PM, 15:18 while we were struggling against the evil spirits, 15:21 one lady of our team named Lenlen, 15:24 told me, "Pastor, I saw a hand touching my shoulder." 15:27 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 15:28 - [Translator 3] "It was white. 15:30 The clothing was so bright, 15:31 I could not see the face because of the brightness." 15:35 At that very moment, as all of us heard that comment, 15:38 we were strengthened. 15:39 Shortly after, 15:41 the possessed person said that the three black evil spirits 15:44 left when the white hand appeared. 15:46 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 15:50 - [Translator 3] We learned the lesson 15:51 that when we engage ourselves in the work of God, 15:54 even if it is with plain volunteers, 15:56 there is leading from God. 15:59 It was Him who called the volunteers. 16:01 (Pastor Hamoy speaking in foreign language) 16:02 - [Translator 3] During those times when we seemed hopeless, 16:04 God sent a hand to encourage us to go forward 16:07 and persevere in his work. 16:15 - Wow. 16:17 So they were truly harassed. 16:19 - Right. 16:20 - But God was stronger. 16:22 - Yeah. 16:23 - And they were told that maybe four of them might survive. 16:25 - Yeah, the shaman was predicting death. 16:28 - Yeah, but God didn't allow it. 16:30 - It's beautiful how they felt a hand and they looked, 16:33 and the clothes were so bright 16:34 and they couldn't look at the face. 16:36 - 'Cause it was so bright. 16:37 - It was too bright. - Yeah. 16:38 And then it drove the other spirits away 16:40 and they had freedom. - Yeah. 16:41 - And you see the youth that are there, 16:43 you know, in the video, 16:44 they're smiling and singing and- 16:47 - [Natalie] Yeah. - No mark of darkness on them. 16:49 - Right, praise the Lord. 16:51 - [Jon] Amen. - He protected them. 16:52 - [Jon] Yes. - He really did. 16:53 - [Jon] Yeah. - Yeah. 16:54 - That's awesome. - So, I like 16:55 what the pastor said, 16:56 "We might have asked them to come and made arrangements for, 16:59 but it was God who called them to come here." 17:00 - [Jon] Hmm, amen. - So that, 17:02 that's a neat way to look at it. 17:03 - And to imagine that all that is being overseen 17:06 by a pastor that gets 150 a month. 17:09 - Yeah. - You know. 17:10 Anybody can at least help a large part of their salary. 17:14 - [Natalie] Right. - Every month, yeah. 17:15 - Okay, so what is our next one? 17:17 - So our next one is one of the most remarkable stories 17:19 I've ever heard. 17:21 And this is from a man who used to be a rebel prince. 17:24 A prince in his tribe, 17:26 who was next in line to be king of his tribe. 17:29 He was a bad guy, he was an assassin. 17:33 And I don't wanna give away the rest of the story. 17:36 I'd like him to tell it himself. 17:38 - Okay. - His face has been concealed 17:40 because it's a very sensitive story 17:42 and where he's working. 17:44 And so we we don't reveal his identity. 17:48 - Okay. 17:49 (gentle suspenseful music) 17:50 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 17:51 - [Translator 6] I have committed many sins in my life. 17:53 I have killed here, there, and anywhere. 17:57 I have murdered people for a fee. 17:59 Sometimes just for the price of a cigarette, 18:01 I would shoot a man to death. 18:03 (gentle suspenseful music) 18:08 (dog barks) 18:12 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 18:17 - [Translator 6] From fourth grade until I reached college, 18:19 I have done many ugly things. 18:21 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 18:23 - [Interviewer] You had guns when you were in fourth grade? 18:25 - [Translator 6] There were many weapons and guns 18:27 in our home. 18:28 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 18:30 - [Translator 6] Many feared me 18:31 because there were many things I could do 18:33 that they couldn't. 18:34 It was a trend for us to kill people. 18:36 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 18:38 - [Translator 6] Many of us enjoyed doing it for fun. 18:40 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 18:42 - [Translator 6] We didn't hide, but did it openly. 18:44 Our lives were so different before, 18:47 we did not know God at all. 18:49 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 18:55 - [Translator 6] I started as a commander of pirates, 18:57 then I became a commander of the Abu Sayyaf rebel group. 18:59 Then of the New People's Army, our communist rebel group. 19:02 Then of the Kuratong Baleleng group, a group of hoodlums. 19:06 Finally of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. 19:09 We did notorious activities. 19:12 We had so much money. 19:13 Our money was in the millions, 19:14 8 million, 20 million, 19:16 because we were into kidnapping for ransom activities. 19:19 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 19:23 - [Translator 6] When I had a share of the loot, 19:24 I would hold it in my hands and it would be gone quickly. 19:27 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 19:29 - [Translator 6] I knew money from illegal and wrong sources 19:31 would not last long. 19:32 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 19:36 - [Translator 6] The bus ran over me in an accident. 19:38 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 19:42 - [Translator 6] I was brought to the Adventist sanitarium 19:44 and was invited to a Bible study. 19:46 My right hand was positioned over my chest 19:48 and stayed that way. 19:49 I couldn't move it. 19:51 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 19:55 - [Translator 6] During the Bible study, 19:57 when Pastor Diaz asked who would accept Jesus, 20:00 the Christian patients did not raise their hands. 20:03 As for me, who was a Muslim, I had no plan to raise my hand. 20:06 And it was paralyzed on my chest. 20:10 But suddenly, when the call was made, 20:11 my hand miraculously raised above my head. 20:14 When Pastor Diaz said that I could now lower my raised hand, 20:18 I said that I could not do that 20:19 because my hand was stuck as it was raised 20:21 and would remain that way. 20:22 At that instant, pastor Diaz went close to me, prayed, 20:25 and my hand slowly went down to my chest again. 20:28 I called my friends to tell them 20:30 I needed to leave the hospital. 20:31 On the way to my baptism, 20:33 many of my friends waited along the road with their guns. 20:36 They wanted to stop me before I get baptized. 20:38 The miracle of it all was that they did not see me, 20:40 and I did not see my friends. 20:42 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 20:45 - [Translator 6] After my baptism, 20:46 I was brought back to the Adventist hospital. 20:48 My friends have had a chance to kidnap me 20:50 so that my baptism would not go through 20:52 and our crimes would continue. 20:55 When I was baptized, I decided to become a pastor. 20:58 I studied in Mountain View College. 20:59 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 21:01 - [Translator 6] I had to pretend I was a good person, 21:03 not a criminal. 21:04 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 21:06 - [Translator 6] Slowly I learned many things. 21:08 We had medical missions 21:10 in the rebel camps I used to frequent. 21:12 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 21:15 - [Translator 6] The rebels there knew me very well. 21:17 But then they started being afraid of me and asked, 21:19 "What happened to you?" 21:20 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 21:22 - [Translator 6] They knew me to be a notorious 21:24 and bad person. 21:25 Now, all of a sudden, 21:26 I was bringing the message of the Lord. 21:29 Personally, I was asked what had happened to me. 21:31 I replied that I was a pastor now, 21:34 They knew I was previously a killer. 21:36 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 21:38 - [Translator 6] They used to call me the devil. 21:40 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 21:42 - [Translator 6] My relatives said I was better off now 21:44 because I had a change in life. 21:45 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 21:47 - [Translator 6] When I became a Seventh Day Adventist- 21:49 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 21:52 - [Translator 6] I did not expect 21:53 that I would be obedient, become more human, 21:57 and have a changed life. 21:59 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 22:02 - [Translator 6] I learned in the Quran 22:03 about Jesus Christ and there is no other. 22:07 Even when I study the Bible, 22:09 I can see that only Jesus Christ is the truth. 22:11 (interviewee speaking in foreign language) 22:17 (gentle hopeful music) 22:22 - So he says that he had an accident. 22:24 The accident was that when he hit, 22:25 when the bus hit him, it ran over him, 22:28 ran over his chest and leg, 22:30 and then it backed up over him- 22:33 - [Natalie] Hmm. - And ran over him again. 22:34 And the reason for that is that they say that 22:36 funeral bill is a lot cheaper than a medical bill 22:39 than a hospital bill. - [Natalie] Hmm. 22:40 - And so they wanna make sure 22:41 that he's dead. - Wow. 22:42 - But he didn't die, he went to the hospital. 22:45 And then that hospital is an Adventist hospital. 22:47 He was converted to Jesus Christ. 22:49 - Right. 22:50 - And as he was working for us, 22:53 he got offered because he was the prince of his tribe. 22:57 He got offered to be the king of his tribe. 22:59 - [Natalie] Hmm. - And he turned it down 23:01 to be a Bible worker. 23:02 - [Natalie] Wow. (Jon chuckles) 23:03 Wow, beautiful. 23:05 - [Jon] Yeah. - Beautiful story. 23:06 - He was somebody that would be able to bring 23:08 some friends of mine from America 23:10 into these rebel camps. - Hmm. 23:12 - And they would put on evangelistic series, 23:15 which were called Family Reunions, 23:18 reunion between Isaac and Ishmael. 23:21 - Hmm. 23:22 - And I've got video of them hugging and talking, 23:25 Adventist and Muslim. - Hmm. 23:27 - [Jon] Who were mortal enemies. 23:29 - Right. 23:29 - He told me the story once of, 23:31 he was kneeling in a circle and he was asked to pray. 23:34 And around him were his old buddies. 23:37 The people that you know if they hear of a Christian, 23:40 if somebody say the name Jesus, 23:42 if they kill him, 23:43 then they get rewarded when they get to to heaven. 23:44 - [Natalie] Hmm. - So they're excited. 23:45 They wanna kill Christians. - Hmm. 23:48 - He was praying and he's like, 23:49 "Lord, I don't wanna say the name Jesus." 23:53 And the Lord says, "Say Jesus, say the name Jesus." 23:56 He said, "I don't wanna do this." 23:57 He says, "No, say it." 23:58 And so he is like saying it, 23:59 and he's looking up at his friends, 24:00 he has his eyes open during prayer as he says it. 24:03 And the guy is just standing there, 24:04 you know, against the wall like this, with the gun. 24:07 And then he finished the prayer, 24:08 and afterwards he went and asked him, 24:10 "How come you didn't kill me?" 24:11 He says, I wanted to, but I couldn't move. 24:14 - [Natalie] Hmm. (Jon chuckles) 24:15 - Something was holding me that I couldn't kill you. 24:17 - Wow. 24:19 - And so he's been able to make inroads 24:21 into these very violent, rebel armies. 24:24 - [Natalie] Mm-hmm. 24:25 - And do some amazing work there. 24:27 - You know, sometimes we think about these people, 24:29 like as a group. 24:31 - [Jon] Mm. - You know, 24:32 we think about the rebels. 24:33 - [Jon] Mm. - We don't think about 24:35 the individual, 24:36 you know, people. - Yes, that's true. 24:38 - [Natalie] And their individual need for Christ. 24:41 - Yeah. - Yeah. 24:41 And so that's so beautiful 24:43 that God has given him opportunities 24:46 to witness to those he used to work with 24:48 to kill people. - Yes. 24:49 Yeah. - And you know, 24:51 like he's like, "That was just something we did. 24:52 It was almost exciting." 24:54 (Jon chuckles) You know. 24:55 - Who would've thought 24:56 that somebody that would kill people for fun 24:58 would be converted. 24:59 - [Natalie] Yeah. - And God could use him 25:01 to bring others to Him. 25:02 - Yeah, God can do anything. 25:04 - [Jon] Yeah. (Natalie chuckles) 25:05 - You notice when he says, "I became more humane." 25:08 - Yeah. 25:09 - It's a whole different meaning when he's talking about it. 25:10 - Right, exactly. 25:12 - [Jon] Amazing story. - Wow, wow. 25:14 - This is such an exciting work to be involved with, 25:17 to see the gospel go to these dark places 25:20 in the earth. - Yeah. 25:21 And it's so neat how God takes people like that man. 25:24 - Hmm. - And changes them 25:26 to become Bible workers. - Yeah. 25:28 - And then takes them as Bible workers 25:31 and then changes other people's lives. 25:32 Like for example, the lady that was a shaman, 25:36 or whatever she was called in that tribe. 25:38 - Uh-huh. 25:39 And The story continues. - God is amazing. 25:40 - Right, exactly. - The one is changed, 25:42 and then that one changes another one. 25:44 And that one is able to plant the seed of the gospel 25:47 in another one. 25:48 And he changes, and so on, and so forth. 25:50 And it grows and it continues on. 25:52 - Yeah. 25:53 - And we get new tribes entered and new villages entered, 25:56 and new people broken free from the power of darkness. 26:00 - Yeah. 26:01 - And brought into the God's marvelous light. 26:03 And you see smiles on their faces 26:05 where there was fear before. - Yeah. 26:06 - And I see Jesus going forth on His white horse 26:10 conquering and to conquer. - Yeah. 26:12 - You know, that conquering is setting people free. 26:14 - Yeah. - It's free from lies, 26:16 from deceit, from the power of darkness, 26:18 from the power of Satan. 26:19 - Yeah. - It's a beautiful thing. 26:21 - Yeah, and it's a privilege to be a part of it. 26:23 - [Jon] Yes. - We are so privileged 26:24 that we get to hear these stories. 26:26 - [Jon] Yes. - And share them 26:28 with others. - [Jon] Yes. 26:29 And God's calling everybody to be a part of it. 26:31 - Right. - Not everybody can go, 26:33 but everybody can be a part of it. 26:35 - Right. - By sending, by praying, 26:38 by, you know- 26:39 - Sharing the story with someone else 26:40 that might send and pray. 26:42 - Yeah. - Yep. 26:43 - By sending encouraging words, 26:44 anything like that. - [Natalie] Yeah. 26:45 - Any little part. - Right. 26:46 - It will ring throughout eternity. 26:48 - God will make changes. 26:49 - Yes. 26:51 - God will use each thing that He calls each of us to do. 26:54 - Yes. 26:55 - And it will be one of the pieces of the puzzle. 26:59 - Yes. - For eternity. 27:00 - Well, I just praise the Lord that at this point, 27:02 we have about 27 full-time workers in that mission. 27:07 - Wow, yeah, that's awesome. 27:09 - And there's a request for many more. 27:10 - [Natalie] Yeah. 27:11 - And churches. - [Natalie] Yeah. 27:13 - And vehicles. 27:15 - Right. - And schools. 27:16 - Yeah. 27:17 - So there's so many opportunities. 27:18 - Right. - And we see that as like, 27:20 "Oh, you know, that's a burden." 27:22 It is not burdens, it's opportunities. 27:25 Opportunities for God's kingdom. 27:27 - Right. - And so we're just happy 27:28 to do the little bit that we can do. 27:30 - Right. - Yeah. 27:31 - Right. (gentle inspiring music) 27:32 I would like to invite you to be a part of this amazing work 27:35 by praying for them. 27:37 This is real. 27:38 The spiritual warfare, 27:41 the spiritual battle is real, 27:43 but God is bigger. 27:44 If you would like to help in any way, 27:47 please contact us at Jesus for Asia 27:49 PO Box 1221, 27:51 Collegedale, Tennessee, 37315. 27:55 Call us at 423 413 7321 28:00 or visit our website at jesus4asia.org. 28:04 May God richly bless you, 28:05 until we see you next time on Jesus for Asia Now. 28:09 (dramatic triumphant music) 28:24 (dramatic triumphant music continues) |
Revised 2023-01-10