3ABN On the Road

Members In Action - Friday Morning

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

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Series Code: OTR

Program Code: OTR000835


01:01 You know we serve a risen savior, did you know that?
01:04 Isn't that good news? He's alive today
01:07 and I know he is alive because he lives in here,
01:10 that's how you know it. He's in the world today,
01:15 no matter what anybody may say, he lives.
01:32 I serve a risen Savior He's in the world today.
01:39 I know that He is living, Whatever men may say.
01:47 I see His hand of mercy; I hear His voice of cheer;
01:54 And just the time I need Him He's always near.
02:02 He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
02:09 He walks with me and talks with me
02:13 along life's narrow way.
02:17 He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
02:25 You ask me how I know He lives?
02:32 He lives within my heart. In all the world around me
02:48 I see His loving care,
02:51 And though my heart grows weary,
02:55 I never will despair; I know that He is leading,
03:03 Through all the stormy blast;
03:06 The day of His appearing Will come at last.
03:12 He's coming my friends.
03:13 He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
03:21 He walks with me and He talks with me
03:25 along life's narrow way.
03:28 He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
03:37 You ask me how I know He lives?
03:44 He lives within my heart.
03:56 Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
03:59 Lift up your voice and sing
04:03 Eternal hallelujahs To Jesus Christ the King!
04:10 The Hope of all who seek Him,
04:14 The Help of all who find, None other is so loving,
04:22 So good and the kind.
04:25 He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
04:33 He walks with me and talks with me
04:36 along life's narrow way.
04:40 He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
04:49 You ask me how I know He lives?
04:56 He lives within my heart.
05:10 That is my testimony this morning,
05:12 may God richly bless you. Amen.
05:17 Good morning and welcome to ASI,
05:20 how are all of you this morning?
05:23 Bow your heads with me for prayer.
05:26 Dear heavenly Father we are thankful to be here
05:28 at ASI this morning, we are thankful for the
05:31 testimonies we are about to hear how lives
05:35 have been changed actual miracles Lord.
05:38 Please be with these people that are
05:40 about to share with us. Give them peace
05:42 in their heart as they honor and glorify you Lord
05:47 and we thank you that ASI has 60 years of service
05:52 for you Lord, but we don't want 70,
05:56 please come soon Lord, in Jesus name, amen.
06:09 Good morning, good to see all of you this morning.
06:13 I'm so privileged to be here this morning, to share
06:16 another one of our favorite parts of ASI right?
06:20 This is the time period where we see what
06:22 our members in action are really doing.
06:25 So this morning my real distinct pleasure to
06:29 introduce to you 3 members of the corporation of BMW,
06:34 aren't you impressed? Yes, these are all my
06:39 Korean friends from Bicycle Ministry to the world and
06:43 Family Building Ministry also known as BMW and FBM.
06:51 Jessica, how did you get involved in this ministry?
07:03 [Foreign Language].
07:17 We started by God's grace. Higher.
07:19 Yes, I know we started because after hearing
07:23 how pastors in Africa were walking everywhere,
07:27 taking care of 10 or 20 churches and hearing
07:30 the difficulties that they were having with
07:34 the transportation, we started this ministry.
07:37 How many years ago did this happen?
07:42 [Foreign Language].
07:44 This ministry started four years ago.
07:47 Jessica is the daughter of Pastor David Jim,
07:54 that is Pastor Jim and this is his daughter
07:57 and about four years ago they found out that
08:01 all these pastors had no way to get to their places.
08:04 They had no idea that ASI was doing
08:08 a Bicycle Ministry in Africa, did they?
08:11 Nothing at all, this is the first time you've
08:12 heard about it. Isn't it? Yes.
08:15 Okay, so how did you find out which people
08:19 actually needed anytime, any of these bicycles?
08:22 [Foreign Language].
08:33 We met pastors from Africa who were
08:36 studying in Philippines. And all of this came about
08:40 because of your interest in, how did you find out
08:45 about these people in Africa, you found
08:48 all of them through the school in the Philippines
08:52 and when you started there, where did it spread
08:56 from Africa where also has this spread this ministry?
09:02 [Foreign Language].
09:09 The work that started in Africa, now it's spreading
09:12 to South America and Asia as well.
09:14 And I understand you have a picture of some of
09:16 these bicycles and that you also have been
09:21 involved in digging wells in Africa, is that correct?
09:25 Yes. Alright and you know ASI has been involved
09:29 in sending bicycles to Africa but we have never
09:33 thought of paying for somebody
09:36 to have a horse or a donkey.
09:38 I understand you even help people find a horse
09:41 or a donkey to get to places where
09:43 no one else can get, is that right?
09:45 That's true, that's correct.
09:47 Because we've seen so many roads that bicycles
09:51 can't reach, they requested us for mules and horses.
09:55 So we are providing those transportations as well.
09:59 And how do you get the money to pay for
10:02 all these thousands of bicycles.
10:06 [Foreign Language].
10:12 Because of the language limitation we could reach
10:15 out to only Korean communities so far,
10:18 so Korean STA members from US
10:21 and Korea have been helping us.
10:24 Okay and you are also building medical clinics.
10:27 Yes. [Foreign Language].
10:42 After having started this bicycle ministry,
10:45 we've seen too many needs when we got there.
10:48 So we started medical rallies and also God has
10:51 expanded our work to evangelistic meetings
10:55 and also church constructions,
10:57 hospital buildings and scholarship as well.
11:02 Did you guys know that there was actually almost
11:05 a separate ASI within the Korean community
11:07 and none of us ever knew about it.
11:10 This is their first introduction almost to ASI
11:13 and I was interviewing these people last night
11:18 I found out something even more exciting.
11:22 Dr. Sung Um, where do I know you from,
11:28 have I ever met you before? Well, you look familiar
11:32 but I don't think I never met you.
11:35 He is involved with his ministry that are joining
11:37 together they're Family Building Ministry
11:40 that go to all the Korean churches
11:41 in the whole United States.
11:43 He lives how far away from me, where do you think?
11:47 I live in Glendale, California.
11:48 And I live in Glendale, California.
11:52 We are just neighbors. We never met,
11:53 we're neighbors and guess what he has in roads
11:57 to all of the Korean professional people in the
12:01 United States and he and I are going to be
12:03 witnessing and bringing in the Koreans into
12:06 the ASI movement, isn't that amazing?
12:08 Amen, amen. That's our goal.
12:11 I just wanna let you know that you know that
12:13 FBM Ministry, our Family Building Ministry
12:16 is all about building family and this was
12:18 my first time to come here.
12:20 I came to realize that ASI is all about building
12:24 family as well and so we're gonna build
12:26 families together. I am gonna bring all the
12:30 young professionals from all over the United States
12:32 to come and to sense the God's direction in their
12:36 lives and to really come together to finish
12:40 God's work so that he may come soon.
12:43 You know, we know how much the Korean people in
12:45 Korea and in this country are on fire for the Lord.
12:48 We have never tapped into that.
12:50 We've tried really hard to reach the Korean
12:54 and the Asian community in California;
12:56 we have not been able to get through to them
12:58 but now we have this connection,
13:01 the Lord is providing. The other important thing is
13:05 they accept all types of donations specially BMW's.
13:11 We accept car donations. Yes, so as we work
13:16 together I'd like to know what do you think
13:19 we can accomplish in the future if ASI joins
13:23 with the Korean Adventist Community.
13:26 [Foreign Language].
13:37 With our unity I think we can spread the Gospel
13:39 faster and would see Jesus coming soon.
13:44 Thank you very much, it's been a pleasure.
13:53 You know, young people have been
13:55 the focus of ASI now for about 10 years.
13:59 About 6 years ago in Columbus, Ohio.
14:04 I met for the first time the Oliver Family.
14:08 They came to sing and they sing for us again
14:13 this time and Richard I understand that you came
14:16 with your parents that year to ASI in Columbus,
14:19 is that correct? That's right,
14:20 that was my first year. That was your first year,
14:22 how old were you about at that time?
14:24 I wanna say about 15 may be. About 15 years old,
14:27 so Richard came to ASI and did that inspire you
14:30 or did you get turned on by ASI or did you
14:34 just so to go along your usual way.
14:36 I think what it there for me the most was
14:39 it opened my eyes up to see that it didn't matter
14:42 where you are from or how old you were,
14:45 that God could use you in whatever way he wants.
14:49 So you went on and you are now in college
14:53 and about a couple of years ago I understand
14:56 you and some friends were getting together,
14:59 trying to see what you could do for the Lord
15:01 and as you were brainstorming
15:03 what did you guys come up with?
15:05 we had a group of young people that were meeting
15:08 on Friday nights at our church and we were
15:12 meeting with the sole purpose of coming together
15:14 to pray, to read the Bible and to spend time asking
15:20 God what we could do for Him, for his cause.
15:24 We didn't know what it was and we were just looking
15:27 for the Holy Spirit to just tell us what to do.
15:31 And what did some of your friends decide
15:34 they would like to do? They had a lot of great ideas,
15:38 some of them live closer to the city and they had
15:42 some ideas like going into say a cafe or a bar
15:47 and holding Bible studies there and then inviting
15:50 the people that were already there in the
15:52 establishment to come and join the Bible study
15:55 and then talking to them about God afterwards.
15:57 And I thought this was a great idea but it just
16:01 didn't seem like something I would be
16:03 completely comfortable with. So as you were
16:06 thinking about this and thinking about
16:08 how could you personally witness, what came to
16:11 your mind and how did you decide
16:14 what you decided to do. Well, my initial human
16:18 tendency was Lord, I am out of my comfort zone;
16:23 give me something to do in my comfort zone.
16:26 Little did I know that I would not be in my
16:30 comfort zone if I was witnessing that's just how
16:32 it works I guess. Okay, so what college were you at,
16:36 at this time? I was at Amherst College Amherst,
16:39 Massachusetts half an hour from Chicago.
16:41 And studying what? Psychology,
16:42 I am a Psychology major. Alright, so you are a
16:45 Psychology major and so Psychology majors
16:49 they would probably want to do something in the
16:51 Psychology field right? In asking God
16:56 and the Holy Spirit what I could do I was impressed
17:01 with an idea that was so obvious it made me feel
17:07 humbled and just I couldn't believe that
17:11 it hadn't occurred to me and that was
17:13 I felt the Lord speaking to me saying you are student,
17:16 so witness in your environment.
17:19 Witness in school, I mean how simple does that sound.
17:23 That's right, where are we supposed to witness
17:25 everybody in our market place where we're at.
17:29 Not somewhere else, not go some place where we
17:31 don't know anything about it, witness where you are.
17:34 So what did you do Richard? Oh it dawned on me that
17:37 it wasn't a coincidence that I was alive,
17:39 that I was a student at this time and that
17:41 there were these eople around me that I had
17:43 been put in that position and witness to,
17:45 Amherst college is a Christian school,
17:47 it's not a Seventh-day Adventist school
17:49 and I guess you could say it's not as Christian
17:54 as you would think it is. It's more Christian
17:56 by name, not so much by appearance and action.
18:01 Okay, so tell us what you did? I would stand outside
18:05 after class by the administration building
18:08 where people come in to eat or on their way
18:11 out to class to in from class and I would ask
18:15 if they wanted to pray. And the initial response
18:18 was pray? Why would we wanna pray? Who prays?
18:22 Pray for what? And. This is a Christian college.
18:25 Right and I would just tell them that we can pray
18:29 for anything, it can be school related,
18:31 home related, job related it doesn't matter.
18:34 Wherever you want to pray about,
18:35 we'll pray about it and that's how it started,
18:38 we would do that and over a courses of few days
18:42 people started warming up to the idea and
18:44 you would see soon start to see groups of people
18:49 praying together in the middle of campus
18:50 just completely unbelievable. Well anything
18:54 come out of that, did you make friends,
18:56 did you get any Bible studies started
18:58 out of that or anything. I did I think the first
19:01 encouraging time I had wondering if this was
19:05 having any positive affect, how this was working.
19:08 Was sitting in class and over hearing people
19:11 talking about hey, that weird guy that prays?
19:14 Have you seen him? He is a real nut you know
19:17 but they would and then they would talk
19:19 about it as if, wow I can't believe someone's doing,
19:22 this is great. My friend, she prayed with somebody
19:25 and now things are better for her and
19:28 they really seem to get into it.
19:30 That was really encouraging.
19:31 Well thank you so much Richard, you know
19:33 I think it really is worth it to bring your
19:36 kids to ASI, would you agree? Certainly.
19:38 Okay, have a wonderful life. Thank you.
19:47 Friends, I don't think we can underestimate
19:50 the privilege of bringing our friends with us to ASI,
19:55 especially our children. Good morning.
19:58 Good morning. How are you this morning?
20:00 Marvelous. Marvelous.
20:02 Well I think you are Marvella Burton
20:03 isn't that right? Yes I am.
20:05 Does that have anything to do with
20:06 your ministry Marvella? Absolutely.
20:08 What is the name of your Ministry?
20:10 Marvelous Lifestyle Ministry. And Marvella,
20:14 I understand that you operate a self supporting
20:16 school, can you tell me about that? Yes,
20:20 when I was about 4 years old my mother
20:22 started teaching. She was my first teacher
20:24 and since that time she taught for many years
20:27 and then she went and taught for the
20:29 public school and send us to Oakwood but then
20:32 she reopened the school and now it has been
20:35 in existence for about 40 years.
20:37 What age group do you teach?
20:39 I teach grade 6 and up. And the school itself
20:43 has how many grades? Last year we had
20:46 46 students pre-k through 12.
20:48 And I understand that you are running a school
20:52 for exceptional children is that correct?
20:54 Yes, it's a special education program,
20:57 what makes it special is that we teach true
21:00 Christian education and the students are special
21:03 because they are an heritage from the Lord,
21:05 and we are special teachers because we love
21:09 the Lord and we are missionaries.
21:10 So special education does not have to mean
21:13 that the children are handicapped.
21:15 Oh no, well they are handicapped because.
21:18 Are all children handicapped?
21:19 They come into the world disabled.
21:22 Disabled from what Marvella? Sin.
21:24 That's right, can you tell me how this is affected
21:31 the children that come to you, tell me a little
21:34 bit about some of the children that have been
21:36 affected by this school. Well one story comes
21:39 to mind that involved an 8-year-old boy who came
21:43 to our school and he had been to several schools
21:47 who had said that he could not learn.
21:49 So did he learn anything at your school?
21:51 Boy did he ever learned and then he became a teacher,
21:54 I remember we had a smoking Sam and I was
21:58 teaching a health class about smoking and show
22:01 them pictures of the lungs and told them that
22:04 anybody that smoked had a habit that God
22:07 could deliver them from. And so, he went home
22:10 that night, both of his parents smoked and he
22:13 told his parents what I had said and said that
22:16 Jesus can deliver you, let's pray and so they
22:19 got down on their knees and they prayed.
22:22 They had been smoking 20 years or more.
22:25 That night ended their smoking career and today
22:30 the entire family are Seventh Day Adventist.
22:34 Isn't that marvelous? And this is a child that
22:39 people had told you was difficult and could not
22:42 learn and he learned how to witness for the Lord.
22:46 And a tag on that was that they sent their relatives
22:51 to our school, three little children and the
22:53 7-year-old girl would go home every Friday and say
22:56 we've got to go to church tomorrow it's Sabbath.
23:00 Well after a couple of years of doing that
23:03 about two summers ago, eight members of her
23:06 family were baptized at a tent
23:07 effort in Huntsville, Alabama.
23:10 So can we witness in every place that we are,
23:12 whether it's a school or business or anything,
23:16 do you feel that way Marvella?
23:17 We must witness. We must
23:18 and Marvella, is this your first time at ASI?
23:22 This is a first convention but I just found out of
23:24 about ASI couple of years ago
23:26 and I joined this past spring.
23:28 So she is a new member, I want you to remember
23:31 to come up and say hello to Marvella.
23:35 Marvella, I understand that you had another
23:39 experience that was really exciting about an
23:41 8th grader, can you tell me about this.
23:44 Yes, I could write volumes about my exciting
23:47 stories but this exciting story was about a
23:51 young man who came from New York and his mother
23:54 wanted him to attend our school so badly but I told
23:57 her that we didn't have a boarding academy.
23:59 So she begged for me to take him into my home
24:03 and so I talked to the Lord and he told me okay.
24:06 The first day he arrived there on the bus,
24:09 I wanted to ship him home and so I called his father
24:13 and said, this is not going to work.
24:16 Now I believe in children being respectful
24:19 and even though he had a street background,
24:21 he had been raised in a Adventist's home
24:23 but he was just off the chain and so the father
24:28 begged and pleaded for me to just give him
24:31 one more chance and today I stand here rejoicing
24:35 in the Lord to let you know that a week later
24:39 I was in the kitchen preparing food and he said
24:41 Mrs. Burton, I want to be baptized,
24:44 I want to be a Christian and I want to be a
24:46 medical missionary. After just one week.
24:48 One week. What did you do? I almost fell out,
24:53 and I am saying okay Lord and then my mind went back
24:57 what if you had send him home. I am so glad
24:59 I can hear the voice of God speaking to me
25:02 and being willing to yield my will to the Lord.
25:07 Well, he stayed with me 2 ½ years and he went
25:10 back home and I just spoke with him
25:15 last week he called me. He keeps in touch,
25:17 he has been in the CNA program.
25:21 He attended our seminar there in job core he found,
25:24 he called me to find the nearest Adventist church
25:27 and he took 6 to 8 young men
25:30 to the seminars every night.
25:33 And today he is preparing to enter the LPN program,
25:39 now when he came to me as an 8th grader,
25:41 he could barely read. I had to send him
25:44 to my mother side, she teaches grades 3
25:46 and up to start him on basic reading
25:49 and spelling skills. He had no Math skills
25:53 and I said how did you get to the 8th grade?
25:55 He said I don't know they just move us to
25:57 the next grade but today he is going to be a nurse,
26:02 can you say amen to that? Amen and Marvella,
26:06 I understand that in your little school there
26:12 that your mother is still working,
26:14 why doesn't she retire? Well she retired from the
26:18 public school system and I guess she remembers
26:21 the story about Moses, until God sits you down,
26:25 you keep on working and she is way up there in age.
26:27 How old is your mother? She is in her 80s.
26:30 Okay, so ASI members, I want you to know this,
26:34 we don't retire. Praise God.
26:36 Okay, thank you very much Marvella.
26:38 You're welcome. God bless.
26:44 As Elder Folkenberg says, we do not discriminate
26:48 on age here at ASI. Good morning. Good morning.
26:53 I have got here with me Jessica and Robert,
26:56 Robert, I can pronounce your last name but Jessica
26:59 I am going to just call her Jessica K
27:02 and this is Robert Kuczek.
27:04 Robert, you're from Poland, is that correct?
27:07 Yes. And what organization are you with in Poland.
27:11 I am involved with ministry called
27:13 Springs of Life Foundation. And what does
27:15 Springs of Life Foundation do?
27:18 Well our goal is to publish books on the health,
27:20 on the Bible and books for the children and since
27:24 I am coming from a Catholic country,
27:26 we would like to place those books
27:27 in every house in Poland. That's wonderful.
27:31 And I understand that you have been very successful
27:35 with the project "The Great Controversy,"
27:38 is that right? Well the Lord really blessed,
27:40 it was some years ago we're together with the
27:43 Polish Union when we took up on the
27:45 project of the great controversy.
27:47 Our goal was to publish the 100,000 copies of
27:51 The Great Controversy but the Lord really blessed
27:54 and it came to the point where in our print shop
27:58 we were actually printing 10,000 copies of great
28:00 controversy every second month and it went like
28:03 this for the whole year. As a result until now
28:07 we sold more than close to 200 thousand copies of
28:11 great controversy and the great controversy became
28:14 the fourth best selling book in the country.
28:17 You say the fourth best selling book
28:19 in the whole country? Fourth best selling
28:21 and I am. Of Christian books?
28:23 No, not just Christian books, of all books,
28:25 all commercially published books.
28:28 That's fantastic, isn't it. Alright,
28:33 now I understand that Springs of Life is
28:35 also involved in health ministry and health work.
28:39 Yes, Springs of Life about five years ago took on
28:42 another avenue of our ministry;
28:46 we don't have a lifestyle center.
28:48 We don't have any building to conduct a
28:50 New Start program but we decided to do them
28:53 anyway in a rented places. So, 5 years ago
28:57 we decided to rent the facility and start our
29:01 first 10 day New Start program and what was
29:05 interesting about this we didn't know that
29:07 the Lord will really bless this to the point where
29:10 right now we have people waiting for the program,
29:15 there is no. We are not able to handle more than
29:18 what we are doing. So you have a waiting list
29:20 for your program? Yes. That's fantastic
29:23 and have you had any interesting experiences
29:26 in your lifestyle center, I am sure you've had a
29:29 few and what, how do you reach out to
29:32 the upper class in Poland. Is it through this center?
29:36 Yes, actually this is the way where we can reach
29:39 people who are not, we're from the upper class group
29:44 I could tell you many experiences, many stories.
29:47 What is interesting that for the first,
29:49 during the first five programs that we conducted,
29:53 we already had 5 baptisms. One baptism for
29:57 one program and of course I could tell you
30:00 more stories but I have a friend with me
30:02 who can tell the real story. Right, Jessica
30:05 I understand that a few years ago you suddenly
30:10 heard about this program, how did you
30:12 hear about it the first time?
30:13 Okay, it's quite a long story, but for the
30:16 first time my mom actually heard about the program
30:19 and she signed up for it and the way that
30:22 God has been leading us to this program
30:24 is just amazing. So how long do you think
30:28 the Lord has been preparing you before you
30:30 have even heard about Springs of Life?
30:33 My whole life but I think around 4 years ago
30:38 was the most important time in my life when I
30:41 knew that God is speaking to me personally.
30:44 I guess it all started, I come from a wealthy family
30:48 and a lot of people wonder if I come from such a
30:51 family than why am I searching
30:54 for something more. Do you think that God
30:57 has everybody trying to search for something more,
31:01 is there a place in our heart, in our head
31:03 that we're missing something?
31:05 Jessica was missing something.
31:07 What did you feel you are missing Jessica?
31:09 Well I knew that I am missing somebody that
31:11 I am missing love and I am missing someone
31:14 who really loves me, and this is really amazing
31:16 but at one point of my life I actually wrote a
31:18 letter that someone who I miss so much and I
31:21 didn't know who it was. Who do you think
31:25 it was now? It was Jesus;
31:28 He was putting that in my heart.
31:30 So tell us how you actually got to this center
31:33 or how your mother got to this center and then
31:35 what happened? Okay I'll start perhaps from
31:39 how the Lord was preparing me just before I
31:41 found out about the New Start program,
31:44 this was during my entrance into university
31:47 and at this point of life I was going through
31:50 a huge depression. I really didn't know
31:52 what the sense of life is and I was studying
31:55 and it didn't make sense to me. And so the Lord
31:59 was watching all this and he said okay,
32:01 I can't leave Jessica alone anymore,
32:03 I have to tell her I'm here. So what the Lord
32:07 did is he gave me love and so I was asking
32:10 the question, what is the point of life?
32:12 And the Lord gave me love, so when I found
32:14 love I knew what the sense of life is and I said
32:18 now I know why I am living. So how did you
32:22 get to Springs of Life? Okay, and from that part
32:27 and I was going through an experience,
32:31 because you know when you love someone so much,
32:33 you don't want to miss them, you don't want to
32:35 lose them and me and my boyfriend we were going
32:39 through a hard time and during this time the Lord
32:42 was by my side and I don't know how he spoke
32:45 to me but I just knew that whatever is going on
32:47 it's gonna be okay. And at the same time my mom
32:50 was going through depression as well and
32:52 she found out through her friend.
32:54 She got the number to the Springs of Life Foundation
32:58 and she called them and found out about the
33:00 New Start program and signed up.
33:03 So she signed up and that's how it started.
33:06 And she came back and what did you notice that
33:09 was different about your mom? Everything,
33:12 I was so shocked when I saw mom because she was
33:15 full of peace and she had a new sense of mission.
33:19 She came home and she made us a wonderful
33:22 vegetarian breakfast and this was like
33:24 amazing to me, because beforehand we would
33:27 all just eat separately and then here comes mom
33:29 and she made a wonderful breakfast.
33:31 It was the best breakfast I ate and I was observing
33:34 mom and I am just watching her like this is something
33:37 for me and I am like you know how it is
33:40 when you love someone you want to know
33:41 how to cook the best foods. So I'm like,
33:43 I have to go there and I have to learn how to cook
33:44 the best food. So then you got there and what
33:47 happened once you came to Springs of Life
33:49 and how are you involved now? Okay, so when I got
33:53 there then it was then that I knew that it was
33:57 Jesus speaking to me and I was, I just knew
34:03 it was God who was preparing me all the way
34:05 and I was there with my mom and I was listening
34:09 to the lectures and the person who is giving
34:12 out lectures, my good friend now.
34:16 She had no idea about the impact that the words
34:19 she was saying had on my heart.
34:21 I just felt something breaking up in me
34:23 and I was sitting there with my mom
34:25 and I started crying and I was crying and crying
34:28 and that was the beginning. And from that point
34:31 on I was just like sponge you know,
34:33 I was so eager to learn everything.
34:36 I was reading all the books that I just got into
34:38 my hands and the Bible; I said we need a Bible.
34:41 And it was so obvious to me because I knew it was
34:44 the voice of the Lord who was speaking to me.
34:47 He was there with me through all
34:48 my experiences; he is with me right now.
34:51 And did you get baptized or anything?
34:54 Yes, two years ago. So two years ago
34:56 you got baptized, praise God. Two years ago.
34:59 And are you anxious to have everybody else
35:02 here about this as well? Absolutely yes,
35:04 I know that there is no greater joy for me
35:08 in my life but to tell people about Jesus
35:11 what he did in my life and that he is near every
35:15 single person, he misses every single one of us
35:17 and this is not the end because he is working
35:19 so wonderfully in my family. I just can't
35:22 express how grateful I am, you know just two weeks
35:25 ago I was praying together with my mom and my dad.
35:28 Four years ago this would be impossible.
35:32 And so I know that the Lord is guiding us.
35:34 So when God reaches into the heart of one person,
35:38 the repel effect goes everywhere,
35:40 goes out to your neighbors, goes out to your
35:42 loved ones, your friends, your family and then
35:45 from there where do you expect it would go Robert?
35:48 Well we hope that there would be many other people
35:51 who will also find the same joy. That's right,
35:55 so we want to pray for Springs of Life Foundation
35:59 and I know that you will be blessed by being here
36:02 and we look forward to seeing you
36:05 and all of your family in the kingdom of heaven.
36:07 Thank you. Thank you ASI.
36:10 You know some 28 years ago Madeline and I attend
36:14 our first ASI convention and there were two things
36:18 that really hooked me onto ASI.
36:21 One was hearing the testimonials, the other
36:24 was hearing the project reports and you know
36:27 that was the thing that really opened my eyes
36:30 to ASI and the potential of working together
36:33 as a group and in our own market places being
36:39 able to be a positive influence and so
36:43 this morning it's a delight to bring you to
36:45 what I consider to be very important
36:48 project reports. Joining me for the
36:51 first report is Steven Grabnier,
36:55 he is Vice President at OCI. Steve, we often hear
37:01 OCI mentioned, some of these folks may not know
37:04 who OCI is and some may. But tell us what
37:09 OCI is about and some of the interesting things
37:13 going on currently. Sure it'll be my pleasure Ray,
37:17 OCI is an acronym like ASI and many people
37:21 don't know what ASI stands for or what OCI stands for
37:25 but OCI stands for Outpost Centers International
37:29 and the name came from a concept found
37:33 in writings of Ellen White where God's people are
37:36 encouraged to minister to the cities through centers
37:40 located out in the rural areas.
37:42 And so Outpost Centers International is a
37:46 network organization of around
37:48 seventy ministries world wide.
37:51 United States, South America, Asia, Africa,
37:54 Europe, Eastern and Western Europe, Australia
37:57 and each of these ministries have a history
38:00 that's actually closely connected to ASI's origins.
38:04 Okay and what are you excited about today,
38:07 you've, I first met Steve in Africa back in
38:11 how many years ago? That was probably 11 years ago.
38:14 And since then Steve and his family were at
38:17 River Side and that was one project that really
38:20 caught my interest early on. So now I had a
38:24 privilege of visiting there, but tell us
38:25 you've been back serving as Vice President
38:27 at the Head Quarters in Collegedale now for
38:30 how many years? About a year and a half.
38:32 About a year and a half, from your perspective
38:33 what is that you are excited about?
38:35 It was just as, as Debbie was sharing yesterday
38:39 her excitement about ASI members,
38:40 OCI members are doing tremendous exciting things
38:44 in a variety of places around the world.
38:47 One of our interesting projects for example
38:49 you'll see it in your brochure is Blue Projects
38:52 down in South America working along the
38:54 Amazon river basin. They have Bible workers,
38:58 lay pastors training, a medical launch
39:01 where they go up and down the river,
39:03 a plane o help them reach the more remote places.
39:07 I remember Ray one time you were visiting
39:09 one of our projects in Tanzania, Kibidula
39:12 and you went out to visit one of the Bible workers,
39:14 how long did it take you to drive out the two.
39:17 You flew out there right? Bill Norton and I flew us
39:20 in there, to place, took this about 20 minutes.
39:23 20 minutes and the Bible workers who took
39:25 their bicycles took about 8 to 10 hours? Something
39:29 like that? 8 plus hours, they got there just
39:31 before Sabbath school, we had breakfast and flew
39:34 over there in 20 minutes. That's right and so
39:37 aviation can be a tremendous help,
39:39 South America, in Africa other parts of the world.
39:43 So our member organizations and again
39:46 we have about 75 different OCI member organizations
39:50 and members of ASI as well and they are doing
39:54 tremendous things, they like to be on the front
39:56 edge of evangelism, an outreach.
40:01 For example one of the most difficult places
40:03 I think we all realize to reach are the cities,
40:06 particularly the secular cities,
40:08 Western Europe for example.
40:10 So, in Prague we have several restaurants
40:13 reaching out to the secular people in that
40:16 city and they had done a tremendous work doing
40:18 health clubs and education and evangelism.
40:21 Even starting a church, a Sabbath school in their
40:25 restaurant on Sabbath mornings.
40:27 Customers come in, there's no restaurant service
40:30 but there is Bible study, they get a meal and
40:34 through this venue they're able to reach many, many
40:37 souls who otherwise would not come to a
40:40 regular evangelistic series. I am gonna tell
40:43 you another. Sure. Kind of like
40:44 cutting edge one of our ministries,
40:46 just kind of a new baby ministry.
40:48 It's being birth out of Kibidula and it's called
40:51 Congo Frontlines Missions. Now Congo, a huge country
40:55 in central Africa, there is a good sizeable
40:59 Adventist population in certain parts of it but
41:02 in certain regions in Congo it's very,
41:06 the Adventist presence is very small.
41:08 So young man by the name of Keith Moser
41:10 is planning on moving to the Congo to a very humid,
41:13 somewhat dangerous part of the country
41:15 and he is hoping to start a medical outreach,
41:18 evangelistic training, training local workers to
41:22 minister to the people in that area,
41:24 we're really excited to be part of that
41:26 just new birth venture. That's really
41:28 progress isn't it? OCI birth Kibidula
41:31 farms in Tanzania. That's right.
41:33 And now they are birthing.
41:34 And then Kibidula Frontlines Congo Missions,
41:37 Congo Frontlines Missions. Steve, OCI has been a
41:40 member of ASI for a long time. Since our beginning.
41:44 You mentioned that it start kind of parallels
41:47 ASI's, how has the association of OCI with
41:51 ASI affected OCI over the years?
41:55 ASI has been a tremendous blessing to
41:57 OCI and OCI members through both the fellowship
42:01 we get to convention but also financial help
42:03 through the donations that come in.
42:05 If you look in your program there is
42:07 something called the missionary assistance
42:08 program and that's money is that people donate
42:12 that OCI administers for expatiate missionaries
42:17 that are going overseas on a sacrificial wage,
42:20 this helps us give them a little bit to help carry
42:23 their burden while they're there plus gives them a
42:25 little bit of financial help when they come back
42:28 for furlough. So it's, ASI has been a real
42:31 blessing both to OCI and our member organizations.
42:33 And I also think that OCI participation as an ASI
42:37 member has had a positive result as well.
42:40 That's right, I think there is a good
42:41 relationship between the two. Just like to
42:43 close with one thing who really like to help
42:45 people get involved in missions and we like to
42:48 send somebody on an all expenses
42:49 paid on the mission trip. I don't know if anyone
42:51 is interested in that, all expenses paid for a
42:54 mission trip. Stop by the OCI booth and pickup
42:56 your passport and it might give you the opportunity
43:00 to go on an all expenses paid mission trip
43:02 with one of our OCI and ASI project member.
43:05 Do you know the booth number?
43:07 It's right between 200 and 300, we have about
43:10 4 booths together, they're easy to find.
43:11 Alright, look them up, go on a free mission trip.
43:13 Thanks very much. Thanks Steven. Blessings to you.
43:21 Our next two guests are also members of
43:24 an institution, an OCI organization
43:28 Dr. Viriato Ferreira and Pastor Daniel Bastos,
43:34 they are from the country of Portugal.
43:37 You see ASI is indeed an international organization
43:42 Dr. Viriato, what is it that you are doing as an
43:47 ASI, OCI member in Lisbon? What are you upto?
43:53 Well, Brother Ray, about 5 years ago,
43:57 we went to Portugal to try and establish a lifestyle
44:00 center in the school of health evangelism.
44:03 But due to property costs with ASI help we were
44:08 able to open the small clinic in downtown Lisbon,
44:11 right in the heart of Lisbon. Lisbon has about
44:14 3 ½ million people and we thought that in this
44:17 country where most people do not go to church,
44:19 they are closed to any most forms of evangelism
44:23 that medical work once again would be the
44:26 Jesus method to work in that community.
44:29 So we opened that center but another door opened
44:32 which was for us to get involved in health expo's,
44:35 now you will have a chance to see what the
44:38 health expo is if you go to the blue section here
44:42 and to the exhibit hall. Health expo's in Portugal
44:45 have reached in the past 5 years over 65,000
44:49 people and now this has been amazing,
44:52 we were not expecting such a response and what
44:55 has done is helping to break down tragedies.
44:58 It's bringing people from the community that would
45:00 never come to evangelistic series, they come in
45:04 contact with the church and these opens the doors
45:08 for follow up work and I would like to ask by
45:11 my colleague and partner, Pastor Daniel Bastos.
45:14 He is the health expo coordinator for the
45:16 whole country and he has some stories
45:20 to tell you as well. Being a pastor, I am totally
45:25 I'm totally convinced that the health
45:28 way is the only almost way.
45:33 Our country is a very Catholic country and
45:37 becoming more and more secular and so we have
45:42 had these many health expo's like 70 in the
45:46 last 5 years and every health expo we have
45:51 many opportunities to share. Recently, we had a
45:55 health expo where almost thousand people
45:58 sign up for, by a correspondence Bible study.
46:03 But the thing is, how can we follow this people up.
46:06 Normally what we do we have health expo,
46:10 we invite people for health seminars,
46:13 like health secrets of the Bible, five day plan
46:17 to stop smoking, stress, nutritional seminar
46:20 and then we arrange to meet these people at home
46:24 when we have done the seminars.
46:28 And normally we ask people, what do you feel
46:32 about the seminars, has there anything that
46:35 has touched you? And people opened up
46:38 they we can pray with them, so I firmly believe
46:42 that health work and personal evangelism
46:47 is the way. Now my question is why if it is
46:52 so clear, why so many people are not doing this
46:56 and the answer may come when we don't have a
47:01 training center, where we don't have a lot of
47:04 people knowing and experimenting this.
47:08 Dr. Viriato, I know you mentioned the downtown
47:11 medical center, clinic. Yes. And I know that
47:14 for sometime you've had your eye on some property,
47:18 I understand that there is some good news,
47:20 would you like to share that with us.
47:22 Well this good news, yes we've seen many people
47:24 at the down town medical centre and we have
47:27 wonderful opportunities to pray with these patients
47:30 and it's wonderful to see that when you come
47:33 to a point of need the people just open up
47:36 and if you treat them respectfully and you try
47:39 and help, they just open up to the point that
47:42 I am convinced today. That everybody is
47:45 spiritual, they may be irreligious, they may be
47:48 secular but they have to deal with spiritual issues.
47:50 So well once again with the help of ASI last Thursday,
47:57 that was last week from since last Thursday
48:00 we are able to move into a property that will have
48:04 the lifestyle center where we can follow up
48:06 these patients in the more personal care that we'll be
48:10 giving and also a school of health evangelism.
48:13 We would like to train young people on practical
48:16 lines in evangelism, also practical lines for them
48:19 to get a living to make a living and I tell you
48:21 the projects, the prospects are just opening up.
48:25 This is from Thursday last week and it was with
48:27 ASI's help from last year's offering, which we
48:30 would like to thank you very much in the Lord
48:33 to thank you for your contribution.
48:35 Now, I believe this is going to be a wonderful
48:37 tool for evangelism in Europe and I just want to
48:40 share you that the health expos are now in
48:44 all western countries except for one
48:47 which is Belgium and Luxemburg.
48:49 But Luxemburg is planning a health expo in Belgium,
48:52 I got an email from the health ministries
48:54 personally in that union saying that they are
48:58 planning to have a health expo as well.
48:59 So it's in Switzerland, in Germany, in France,
49:02 in Spain and they are getting exited and they're
49:04 using these method more and more and I believe
49:07 that this center in Portugal is going to
49:10 provide the spiritual bases for follow up of these
49:13 people as well as patient care like we haven't
49:17 been able to do before and you know people
49:21 might say well you know, have you had any
49:23 experience in doing new start programs
49:26 for a week or two? Well we did, we started,
49:28 we rented a hotel and we started doing
49:31 life style programs in the rented hotel
49:34 but let me tell you, it's not the same.
49:37 The team is good but you know the personnel
49:40 in the hotel they don't have the same vision.
49:43 They are out on mission field as well but they
49:45 don't have the same vision, the same care
49:47 for the patients. We are not able to do all
49:50 the treatments that we would like to do.
49:52 So this clinic, this new property will be
49:54 able to do that. Thank you. I don't want you
49:57 to loose the thought, the message that
49:59 Dr. Viriato and Pastor Dan has brought to us
50:03 that the health message can be the entering bridge
50:06 and it can be bridged from medical to spiritual
50:11 and for many people that's the only way
50:13 we will be able to reach them. I also want you to
50:16 take this thought with you from these
50:19 two project reports. These two projects
50:24 represents 70 sum OCI members who are working
50:28 on sacrificial wages and for ASI we consider
50:32 it a privilege to be associated with them
50:34 and our prayers are with each member wherever
50:36 they are this morning, thank you.
50:38 Thank you ASI and thank you. Thank you.
51:06 My Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
51:13 He leads me beside the still waters.
51:20 Though he prayeth and he gathers
51:24 and foes they oppress.
51:28 I find strength in the hands of our Father.
51:37 We will walk through the valley,
51:41 we will walk in peace. We will walk through
51:46 the valley, believing in God.
51:52 We will walk through the valley,
51:56 we will walk in peace.
52:00 We will walk through the valley, with the God.
52:19 He prepares us a table before all our foes.
52:27 And goodness and mercy are there.
52:34 At the end of the valley in the hands of a boy,
52:41 there forever his goodness will shine.
52:50 We will walk through the valley,
52:54 we will walk in peace.
52:58 We will walk through the valley,
53:02 we will live in God.
53:05 We will walk through the valley,
53:09 we will walk in peace.
53:15 We will walk through the valley,
53:19 We will walk through the valley,
53:23 We will walk through the valley, with the Lord.
53:29 With the Lord. With the Lord.
53:33 With the Lord. With the Lord. With the Lord.


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Revised 2014-12-17