Frontline Edition by Global Mission - 4th Quarter 2009

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t was a Sabbath afternoon in early July. The day was cloudy and rainy. However, for the three young people this was a day to remember.

They were baptized in the River Oka, not far from the Adventist Seminary in Zaoksky, Russia. What impressed me that afternoon was the openness and freedom with which the baptismal service was conducted. The local pastor read Bible texts, we sang Christian hymns aloud and the whole event was watched by a large group of tourists cruising the river.

What a different picture of Russia? Only two decades ago this was almost unimaginable.

Christians, of all persuasions, had a hard time. They were persecuted, imprisoned, and treated as second-class citizens. During the early years of communist rule many disappeared without any trace.

Today, however, the doors are open for Christian evangelism and witness.

Go and Make Disciples of all Nations Recently, I came across a book by Johannes Reimer, “Operation Soviet Union,” published in 1990. The book lists 160 peoples groups living in the former Soviet Union unreached by the gospel. I was astonished not only by the diversity of ethnic groups, languages, and cultures living in this region of the world, but also by the enormity of the task that the Adventist Church faces.

Since the publication of this book many thing have changed. However, one thing has still remained – the many unreached peoples groups.

Many of these groups need Bibles and other basic Christian literature in their own languages and above all they need someone to go and share the gospel with them.

Taking seriously the Great Commission of Jesus, Adventist Church in the EuroAsia is making every effort to send Global Mission pioneers to those unentered territories

and this way further the kingdom of God. The Global Mission pioneer school in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan, trains dozens of people each year from Southern Asia and sends them to unentered territories and unreached people groups. Encouraged by the success of the Tokmok School other missions are now working on opening their own Global Mission pioneer schools.

We praise the Lord for what has been done so far, and for the work of the many dedicated pastors, missionaries and Global Mission pioneers.

We thank you for your prayers and financial sacrifice with which you support the work of Adventist mission work.

MICHAEL L. RYAN –Chairperson, Adventist Mission FRONT LINE EDITION HINDU STUDY CENTER is published quarterly by G. R. Mohan Roy GARY KRAUSE –Director Global Mission, part of the Southern Asia Division Office of Adventist Mission, Post Box 2, GANOUNE DIOP –Study Centers Director at the Seventh-day Adventist HCF Hosur 635110 RICK KAJIURA –Communication Director Church World Headquarters.

Tamil Nadu India Taxdeductible gifts for Global Phone: 91 (4344) 26-2170 MARTI SCHNEIDER –Programs Director Mission projects can be sent to Fax: 91 (4344) 26-2090 HOMER TRECARTIN –Planning Director Global Mission mohanroy@sud-adventist.org RUTH DUNBEBIN –Donor Services Representative 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 WORLD JEWISH LAURIE FALVO –Communication Projects Manager 800-648-5824 FRIENDSHIP CENTER www.global-mission.org Richard Elofer CHARLOTTE ISHKANIAN –Mission Editor P.O Box 592 94186 Jerusalem GLOBAL CENTER FOR ANDREW KING –Video Producer/Editor Israel Phone; 972 (2) 6251 547 ADVENTIST-MUSLIM HANS OLSON –Communication Projects Manager RELATIONS Fax: 972 (2) 6251 391 www.jewishadventist.org Jerald Whitehouse SHYAMALA RAM –Senior Office Assistant rielofer@netvision.net.il AMRNET PO Box 1223 NIMFA SUMAGAYSAY–Donor Response Coordinator Loma Linda CA 92354 USA Phone: (909) 558-4563 BUDDHIST STUDY CENTER STELLA THOMAS –Administrative Assistant Fax: (909) 558-4845 Scott Griswold 2 G L O B A L M I S S I O N • w w w . g l o b a l m Box i s 15, s i Nakhon o n . Luang, o rg • E-mail: jwhitehouse@gcamr.org DANIEL WEBER –Video Producer/Editor P.O.

By Branislav Mirilov Adventist Mission Director Euro-Asia Division

Ayutthaya Thailand 13260 griswold@loxinfo.co.th Phone: 66 818 515 414 www.BridgesForMinistry.org

CENTRE FOR SECULAR AND POST-MODERN STUDIES Miroslav Pujic 119 St. Peter’s Street; St. Albans, Herts AL1 3EY; ENGLAND Phone: 44 (1727) 854-229 Fax: 44 (1727) 866-312 www.reframe.info ask@reframe.info ©Copyright 2009 Seventhday Adventist® Church.

ADVENTIST® and SEVENTHDAY ADVENTIST® are the registered trademarks of the General Conference of 8Seventh-day 0 0 - 6 Adventists 4 8 - 5 ®8. 2

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Church in the Fields – Sydney, Australia This story is from the Fourth Quarter 2009 Adventist Mission DVD, which features stories from the South Pacific Division. You can watch the Adventist Mission DVD in your local church or online at www.AdventistMission.org.

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he city of Sydney, Australia, is quickly becoming a postmodern metropolis filled with people who have a deep yearning to seeking for spiritual values.

Some four million people living in Sydney, but only 6,500 are Adventists. Church leaders in Australia feel they need to reach out to more people, especially those with no religious background. To meet this need, the leaders began looking to plant churches in areas of the city when Adventism has historically struggled to grow. Macquarie Fields was chosen as one of those places.

One reason “The Fields” was chosen is that a school already exists there, Macarthur Adventist College, a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school, but no church. “When I came in here 2004, it was pretty evident that the area was in dire need of Jesus Christ,” says Jill Pearce, principal of Macarthur Adventist College.

Jill Pearce encouraged church leaders to do something to help the families in “The Fields” with their spiritual, emotional, and social needs by starting a church in the college classrooms. The result was The Church in the Fields, a congre-

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gation that considers itself a seven-day a week church, as they feel they minister to the community daily through the school presence.

We believe that God has placed the church here to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to proclaim the gospel, and not to just proclaim it, but to actually show it to people as well and to live it out,” says Andre Afamasaga, current pastor of The Church in the Fields.

The Sabbath services are built around creating a worshiping community. “We all get breakfast in the morning, and then all sit down and do testimonies and giving, and we all just sit there and talk about God. We sing songs and pray, and it’s just so awesome,” says Ashleigh, a high school student at MacArthur Adventist College.

“It has a real family atmosphere, and mostly you can walk in off the street and you’re welcomed, you don’t find that at a lot of churches, says Gwenda, a church member at The Church in the Fields.

Your Global Mission Offerings help to establish church groups like this one all over the world. Thank you for your support of Global Mission.

Your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will support various projects in the South Pacific Division, including Australia. To learn more about Thirteenth Sabbath Offering please visit www.AdventistMission.org.

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By Daniel Weber Adventist Mission DVD Producer

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Finding Hope in Siberia

By Hans Olson | Communication Projects Manager

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ooking out the car window I saw what seemed like endless Siberian grasslands, punctuated with small groves of trees. Now and then a small town rose on the landscape. The casual driver might pass through these towns without giving them a second thought. He or she might never know the struggles people face in these towns as they seek peace in their lives. He or she might never realize the great mission fields that exist in these towns.

I certainly didn’t at first.

On this day I was on my way to visit an unusual Global Mission pioneer, Alexander.

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Now 25 years old, Alexander started doing drugs at 14.

“I’ve sort of tried everything,” he says. When he wasn’t doing drugs he drank—a lot.

About a year ago, Alexander ran into an old friend who suggested that it was time for Alexander to change his life. His friend told him about a drug rehabilitation center in the nearby town of Tishek.

“It changed my life,” says Alexander.

At the rehabilitation center Alexander started studying the Bible daily. For the first time in his life, he was learning about the Bible and God. While at the center Alexander

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accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

When Alexander went into the center there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. However, because he was in the center, he was able to work out an agreement with the local prosecutor to have the charges dropped. Alexander praises God for this. He looks at it as a second chance to make a difference in the world. “I want to dedicate my life to God and help people like myself,” says Alexander.

Late last spring Global Mission started a second rehabilitation center, similar

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renovations to turn it into a proper center. Alexander says he didn’t mind taking on the additional challenge of fixing up the house. He uses the manual labor as part of the program for the three men.

Alexander says it is important to have a place for people like him and the other men to go.

A place for people who’ve hit rock bottom in their lives and are looking for a way out, a place

to the one where Alexander stayed, in the nearby town of Suzhensk, about an hour away. Over time Alexander had established himself as a leader at the Tishek center

and now he was asked to become a pioneer and run the new center himself.

He readily agreed.

When I met Alexander he’d been at the new center for about three months. It was obvious he had his work cut out for him.

He and three other men were living in a house donated to the local Adventist church.

Rundown and out-of-date, the house needed major

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for people like Sergei. Sergei was basically living in a train station—his life ravaged by drugs and alcohol—when someone invited him to come to the center in Tishek. He

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says, “I just couldn’t even imagine how I could do anything without vodka.“ Sergei had asked another religious organization to help him, but they turned him away saying, “You’ll scare good people away if we let you stay here.” When he went to the Tishek center he found a place where he was accepted, a place where he found friends and found God. Since that center was bursting at the seams he was invited to move over to the new center with Alexander.

Another man at the new center, Yuri, was so dependant on alcohol that he was usually drunk and was constantly being arrested for getting into fistfights. He couldn’t keep a job. For years relatives and close friends let him live with them.

Eventually he wore out his welcome, as he continued to drink. He was living in an apartment building hallway when he happened upon an Adventist church one day. “I didn’t know anything about Adventists when I saw the church, says Yuri, but I felt impressed to knock on the door.”

The church caretaker opened the door. She

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told Yuri that a rehabilitation center was opening in Suzhensk, which happened to be just across the river from where Yuri was living. She called the center and made all the arrangements for him.

She even gave Yuri ferry fare to make it to the center.

The first few days of rehabilitation were hard, says Yuri.

He didn’t know how to study the Bible or pray. Alexander showed him how and bitby-bit Yuri found God. As he grew closer to God, he discovered that he no longer needed the cigarettes he smoked every day. He is not an Adventist yet, but Alexander hopes that Yuri will be baptized one day.

Sasha, the third man of the trio at the Suzhensk center, was abandoned as an infant and ended up in an orphanage. He apprenticed to become a plasterer/painter.

However before he could finish he lost his job as a night watchman and couldn’t afford to rent an apartment anymore. He had nowhere to go and ended up as a vagrant going from town to town drinking, smoking, and doing drugs along the way.

At first he was looking for his parents, but ended giving up.

One day someone found him passed out under a tree in town. They said, “What are you doing here?”

“I asked them ‘where e ere can I go?’” says Sasha..

They told him to go to the Adventist church and see if someone could help him. He did and ended d up at the new center with Alexander.

These three men, and Alexander, demonstrated to me that people need to meet a loving God in Siberia. That Global Mission needs more centers and pioneers to meet the deep physical and spiritual needs of people not just here, but around the world. Please pray with me for Alexander

and the other some 3,000 pioneers working daily to tell the world about God. Meet Alexander, Sergei, Yuri, and Sasha on the Adventist Mission DVD next quarter.

They will be featured in a story on the DVD. Ask your local Sabbath School leader to show the video or watch it online at www.AdventistMission.org.

By Hans Olson Communication Projects Manager

RUSSIA R CAPITTAL: Moscow OFFICIA AL LANGUAGE:

Russian Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2%; and none 65-75%

RELIGION:

POPULATION: 141.7

million*

ADVENTIST MEMBERSHIP:

51,875* ADVENTIST TO POPULATION RATIO:

1:2,731*

CHURCH GROWTH IN THE LAST YEAR:

-1%*

*General Conference Office of Archives and Statistics, 145th Annual Statistical Report

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along an ancient road For centuries a vast network of trade routes linked Europe and Asia, the East and West. Today this ancient Silk Road marks a path where Christianity is hardly known — vast cities with no Adventist believers, whole regions with no Christian congregations.

This path travels through places such as China, Central Asia, the Middle East, Turkey, Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. A special offering will be taken for this region of the world as part of the 2010 General Conference Session in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 26 and July 3, 2010. You can also give to this offering in your local church in North America on January 30 and May 29, 2010* or online at gcsession.adventistmission.org.

Please visit our website for offering dates in your area.

2010 General Conference Session Offering NAD: January 30, 2010 & May 29, 2010* WORLD: April 10, 2010 FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: GCSESSION.ADVENTISTMISSION.ORG *These offering dates refer to the North American Division offering schedule, dates may vary.

ADVENTIST® and SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST® are the registered trademarks of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

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ON THE MENU:

4Q WHAT’S COOKING IN RUSSIA? 09 TSARINA’S EGGPLANT “CAVIAR” Serves 6-8 Originating in the Trans-Caucasus mountain region where Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan interlock like puzzle pieces, many versions of this favorite appetizer are enjoyed in all parts of the former Soviet Union.

INGREDIENTS: • 2 tablespoons oil • 1 large onion, minced • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and minced • 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into small cubes • 5 tablespoons tomato paste • 2 teaspoons lemon juice or water • 1 teaspoon sugar • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste PREPARATION: Saute the onion and green pepper until the onions begin to brown. Add the eggplant and cook until soft. Add the tomato paste, stirring well, and simmer for five minutes. Add the lemon juice or water, sugar and salt. Cook slowly for 30 minutes over low heat, stirring often. Add a little oil if necessary to keep it from sticking or burning in the pan. Bring to room temperature, then refrigerate.

Serve cold on thinly sliced bread or crackers.

BABUSHKA’S SWEET POTATO BAKE (Serves 10-12) This sweet-tasting recipe could be described as a curious riddle. Is it a side dish, or is it a dessert? Either answer would be correct. It might even be served as a special breakfast treat with hot buttered toast. It can be made ahead and reheated before serving.

INGREDIENTS: • 6 small sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and grated

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• Tsarina’s Eggplant “Caviar” • Red Square Cabbage and Cranberry • Babushka’s Sweet Potato Bake

RED SQUARE CABBAGE AND CRANBERRIES Serves 6-8 This lovely combination of red ingredients can be served hot as a holiday side dish, or cold as a festive relish. To save last minute fuss, it can be made ahead of time.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 tablespoon oil • 2 cups coarsely shredded red cabbage • 2 tablespoons lemon juice or water • 2 cups of canned beets, cubed or julienne style • ¾ cups whole cranberry sauce • ¼ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves PREPARATION: In a large pot, toss the red cabbage to coat with the oil. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for five minutes or until limp, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and add the lemon juice or water. Continue to cook until the cabbage is completely cooked. Add the beets, cranberry sauce, salt, and spices, stirring to combine. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat or until cabbage is tender.

• 3 apples, peeled and grated • 1 cup raisins or currants • 1 cup dry bread crumbs or cracker crumbs, rolled fine • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1 cup walnuts or pecans (optional) • 1 cup fruit juice or water

–Nancy Kyte is enjoys experimenting with new recipes and confirms that global cuisine is one way to travel vicariously.

PREPARATION: Mix all ingredients together. Press into a baking dish and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes until crisp on top. continue to cook for 10 on medium-low heat or until cabbage is tender.

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WORLD NEWS Israel Cherrylyn struggled to find happiness. She’d go to nightclubs to fill the loneliness in her life. It seemed no matter how often she’d go she always left empty inside. Then one day she met Cris. Cris is an Adventist church member who befriended Cherrylyn, invited her to church, and studied the Bible with her.

Cherrylyn soon discovered real happiness through Cris’ ministry, a kind of happiness that stayed with her. Cherrylyn was one of nine people baptized in the Jordan River last summer as part of the “Ancient Words Ever True” evangelistic series held in the Tel Aviv Filipino Church by Julio Mendez.

The series was the conclusion to three months of small group meetings in both the Tel Aviv Filipino and Tel Aviv Ghanaian churches. For weeks church members invited community friends to attend the small group meetings and then the evangelistic series.

Cherrylyn is grateful that Cris took an interest in her, “Please pray for me as I journey on,” says Cherrylyn. “I want you to be like new brothers and sisters to me.” Courtesy: TED News

Unnamed Country “I’m going to heaven soon,” Iris,* who is not a Christian, pro-

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claimed. Her statement astonished the Global Mission leader who was visiting her. “What do you mean you’re going to heaven soon?” he asked.

“Well I’m old and sick, and I feel I’m about to die,” she said. I’ve lived a good life; I’ve obeyed the tenets of my faith and I think I deserve to go to heaven.”

The Global Mission leader asked Iris, “Do you expect to be paid for taking care of your children, for feeding them and loving them?”

“Of course not!” she said.

“Then why then do you think God will reward you for just doing the “right” things?

He’s not your employer. He wants to have a relationship with Him.” Iris seemed to think about that for a while. It had never dawned on her that having a relationship was necessary.

She’d always tried to work her way to heaven.

“He wants to give to us freely the best He has in mind to take us to Heaven and be with Him forever,” the leader continued.

“Wow! I never thought of it that way,” Iris said.

Iris is one of many people in this world looking to work her way to heaven. She has wrapped herself in a faith were she constantly worked her way

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to heaven, trying to make sure she hadn’t done something unforgiveable, making sure her good acts in life outweighed her bad ones. Please pray for her and others like her today. *Not her real name

Thailand More than 65 million people live in Thailand. The capital, Bangkok, is a blended modern and traditional city, with countless tall office and apartment buildings intertwined by hundreds of Buddhist temples. Ninety-five percent are Buddhist. Less than 1 percent are Christians.

Despite having an Adventist presence here for more than a century, there are still only a small handful of Adventist churches. The Hope for Bangkok program, started in part by Global Mission, began with nine outreach language centers four years ago. Now 21 new congregations meet each week in this city of 13 million. Global Mission uses a variety of methods to reach out to Bangkok and give hope to the millions of people who live in the city. Please pray for this city.

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Help make mission possible

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Your gift to Global Mission makes frontline mission work a reality. Each day we’re reaching new communities with the gospel thanks to your support. Without your support we simply couldn’t send out as many Global Mission pioneers or support outreach and church planting projects. Please don’t wait, today there are more than 2.4 billion people living in the 10/40 Window who are still waiting to hear about Jesus.

Where will your Gift be Used?

Your gift will go to high priority places such as: • China and other countries of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division • India and other countries of the Southern Asia Division • Bangladesh and other countries of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division • West Africa

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• The Middle East and other countries of the TransEuropean Division Your gift will support various project such as: • Starting small groups in unentered areas • Supporting Global Mission pioneers through training, transportation and a monthly stipend • Building churches for newly formed congregations

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Ways to Give Here are a few options you might consider as you plan your gift. You may give securely online, call our tollfree number, or mail your donation in the envelope provided in this magazine.

Whichever method you choose, please accept our heartfelt thanks for your gift.

For your convenience you have the option of having

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your credit card automatically billed each month, but any gift is welcome. When giving online or by phone you may use American Express, VISA, Discover, or MasterCard.

Checks must be sent by mail.

Online: www.Global-Mission.org Phone: 800-648-5824 Mail: Global Mission 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904-6601

Year-end Giving Perhaps this is the year you can make an excep-

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SPECIAL OFFERS

tional gift to Global Mission. If you want to receive your charitable income tax deduction in time for this year’s taxes, your gift must be made before Dec. 31.

Keep in mind that there are different rules governing the date of the gift.

Credit Cards/Checks: The postmark date is the date of the gift.

Securities: If electronically transferred, the gift date is the day the securities enter Global Mission’s account. For hand-delivered securities, the day they are received by Global Mission is the date of the gift. If

mailed, the mailing date is the gift date.

Real estate: The day the signed deed is delivered to Global Mission is the date of the gift. If your state law requires recording of the deed to fulfill the title, though, then the date of recording is the gift date.

One hundred percent of your gift goes to fund frontline mission work carrying hope in Jesus to unreached people around the world.

Thank you for helping touch hearts and lives for Jesus.

Free Book Offer

Front Line Irian Jaya Come bounce over rutted jungle tracks, fly low above uninhabited rainforests, or hike up the mountain to a church wedding. Our special free book offer, Front Line Irian Jaya takess you into the heart of it. This classic collection of mission stories from this east Indonesian island will remind you that God’s hand is at work, even in one of the most remote areas of the world.

To order the book and to learn more about how Global Mission is reaching the unreached with hope please visit www.adventistmission.org/book-offer, or call us at (800) 648-5824. We’ll send your free book right away, while supplies last.

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What would you give to see them in heaven?

2009 ANNUAL SACRIFICE OFFERING

NOVEMBER 14 Every day Global Mission pioneers help people around the world learn to love Jesus. But they can’t continue without you.

Every dollar given to the Annual Sacrifice Offering goes directly to the front lines of mission, reaching people who have never been told “Jesus loves you.” Your financial support will help to expand their work even farther.

Three ways to give: 1. Mark your tithe envelope “Annual Sacrifice Offering” 2. Mail to Global Mission at 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD, 20904, USA 3. Give Online at www.global-mission.org

For more information about the Annual Sacrifice Offering, visit www.global-mission.org

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904