1st Quarter 2018 Newsletter

NEWS FROM ASAP MINISTRIES—ADVOCATES FOR SOUTHEAST ASIANS AND THE PERSECUTED

FIRST QUARTER 2018

REACH THE

WORLD

ASAP

Feature Story:

Isaiah Fifty-Eight Today

FEATURE STORY

Isaiah Fifty-Eight Today The following article is adapted from Elder Dean Coridan’s sermon at the ASAP Missions Alive! program on Sabbath, November 4, 2017, at the Village Seventh–day Adventist Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Elder Coridan is the President of the Iowa– Missouri Conference and the Board Chair for ASAP Ministries. them. They even fasted and prayed for the purpose of winning arguments! I suggest that religion today is not far off from religion back then.

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ften you hear three words used interchangeably: immigrants, undocumented immigrants, and refugees. Please separate them. Immigrants are here by choice; refugees are not. Refugees have lost everything, had their homes taken away, witnessed family members killed, fled their countries and lived in camps, sometimes for many years.

There are more displaced people on planet Earth today than there ever have been in the history of humanity. If anybody should have a heart for refugees, it is Seventhday Adventists because of our theological foundation.

Isaiah 58 should be a primary focus of believers in these last days. It starts: “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, and did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God” (vv. 1–2 ).

This passage speaks of people who pled for God’s presence and sought Him when they were in church, but during the week they were enslaving people, gossiping, fighting, and engaging in strife and debate that divided

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Verses five through seven state, “Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out?” Verse eight starts with the word THEN. God says to do this, THEN your light will break forth like the morning.

THEN you shall call out and I will hear your voice.

There is a key difference between verses ten and seven where it talks about extending your soul to the hungry.

Verse seven could look like dropping off cans at a food bank. I’m not degrading that. But God wants us to go a little deeper when He says extend your SOUL, everything you are, to the hungry. Ministry that pleases God cannot be done from a distance. I should not disassociate myself from the war weary, the suffering, the refugees, and live a separate life from them, throwing something their way from time to time. Ministry that pleases God includes my personal involvement, trying to help somebody in a tangible way. Donations can never take the place of your personal touch to a hurting person.

When I first heard about refugee ministries, I wondered, “Do I have refugees near me?” I discovered there were many in my area, like a group of Chin refugees from Myanmar. I found an interpreter and set out to locate them. I knocked on doors, sat in their homes, talked to them, got to know them. Gail and I took food and a bunch of stuff to them. I thought I knew the need but it amazed me how little I truly understood. The number one need of refugees is fellowship, connection. They are lonely.

Imagine being a refugee. You pack all you own into a little bag, get on a plane, and arrive somewhere strange, left standing alone! Maybe someone picks you up, takes you to an apartment and says, “Here you are.” It would be nice if they showed you how to open the door, turn on the heat, work the appliances … loneliness! You have been cut off from everything familiar to you. In every home where we sat down and talked in that town, people cried. “You are the first person who ever came to visit us. Thank you!” Every Chin family I visited had an American flag and a map of the United States. They wanted to fit in. They wanted to be part of their new country, not ostracized. Take the initiative. Say, “I want to get to know you.” Refugees want to be treated like family. They will respond and you’ll never regret making lifetime friendships with them.

My daughter, Anna, spent a year in Nepal and learned to speak the language. When we learned that there were many Nepalese-speaking refugees in Kansas City, she moved into an apartment complex where they lived, to live among them. Most refugees from Nepal are Hindu. It’s tough evangelizing them in Nepal! But here in America, Anna has many opportunities to share.

Three teenage girls came to visit her. They wanted to know what her apartment looked like and what she eats. They picked up a Bible story book and turned to a picture of heaven. Staring, they asked, “What is that and where is it?” Anna said, “That’s heaven!” and went on describing it in detail and how Jesus is coming back to take His people there someday. Spellbound, all three looked up at her with wide eyes and asked, “Would He take us to heaven, too? Can we go?” Anna led them in their first prayer. “Jesus, when you come, will you take us to heaven? We want to go.”

Refugee children are vulnerable and at risk for sex trafficking and gangs. A fourteen-year-old Hindu young man often joins in the community service activities, meals, and youth fellowship Anna organizes. He has a hard life. One day he blurted out, “I can’t sleep at night! I see ghosts and they won’t let me alone.” She said, “If you pray to Jesus, they will go away.” He responded, “I’m not going to pray to Jesus; I’m Hindu, and I’m going to stay a Hindu!” About three weeks later Anna was getting ready to go to the Iowa–Missouri Conference camp meeting.

All the kids asked, “Where are you going?”

“To campmeeting!”

“What’s that?”

“It’s where Christians get together and sing songs and play games. There’s lots of food and fun.”

Anna called me. “There are a few Hindus that want to experience campmeeting. Can they come?” They came and observed everything. At the end of campmeeting this young man came to Anna and said, “Last night I prayed to Jesus and they are all gone! I can sleep at night.” He is now a Jesus follower. Throughout that apartment complex he walks around and sings the songs he learned at camp meeting. If he finds a person who is having a bad day, he says, “Let’s pray to Jesus.”

We decided to start Pathfinder clubs as church plants in our conference. The vast majority of our 47–member Nepalese Pathfinder club is Hindu. I explained to the community leaders what it was and how we can help their young people. They all agreed to it. Someday we are going to have a church there and the teenagers are going to operate it! The answer to church growth for the Seventh-day Adventist Church is working with the underprivileged. That is where Jesus is. We can make a difference!

(Cover) Anna Coridan with one of her friends, “palling around.”

(Left and above) Anna with some of her Nepalese-speaking friends, fellowshipping

THEN your light will break forth like the morning. THEN you shall call out and I will hear your voice.

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A Double Answer, A Sign from God

BY JULIA O’CAREY

Have you ever asked God for a sign? Sometimes when people are starting to believe something new, they need affirmation that they are on the right track.

This was the case for a young, energetic couple in a closed country. They are active Christians in charge of youth activities in their church and they received some interesting DVDs. They watched them right away. On one DVD, the pastor spoke of the Sabbath being on the seventh day. This interested and scared the couple at the same time. “Could this be true?” they asked each other. Finally, they approached their church members about this strange belief. They, too, were praying that God would make it clear if Saturday was the true day of worship.

The wife, Kim,* was pregnant and right around this time, she gave birth to a precious baby boy. Her joy turned into panic and fear when she realized she couldn’t move her legs. They were totally paralyzed. They rushed her and the baby from her little rural village to the hospital. There, the doctor prescribed some antibiotics and said it should help with her paralysis. She was hopeful, but then another

problem cropped up. She thought the medicine may have caused her milk supply to dry up and she was not able to nurse her baby. Her husband, Hinh,* decided to go up to the mountains in search of beehives to harvest some of the honey to sell so that he would have enough money to buy milk for his newborn baby. He prayed as he went, half expecting an answer.

The church had been fasting and praying unitedly for him and his family, as well. The Holy Spirit impressed them to also pray about the Sabbath truth they were studying. On the third day of prayer, the mother could walk again and she was able to produce milk for her baby! Imagine the joy of her husband when he returned from the mountain to discover a healed wife and a happy, well-fed, thriving baby.

This double miracle helped confirm to the couple and the church members that they were on the right path. They believed God had given them this special sign that the seventh day was His true Sabbath. God spoke to them in a beautiful way and the whole church decided to become Seventh-day Adventists after witnessing these miracles!

Here in developed countries like the United States, we do not need as many signs because we have the Bible and many resources to help explain it. Please pray for the seekers in closed countries. Pray that they will find the truth they are looking for and that the Lord will make His beautiful Word clear to them. *Note: These pictures reflect the nature of the story but are not the actual individuals involved.

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PROJECT UPDATE

Living Springs Lifestyle Center

BY JULIA O’CAREY

Can you imagine loving the Lord with all your heart and soul but not being able to share your faith without dire consequences? Christians living in closed countries risk persecution and even death when they actively witness.

Did you know there are only a few hundred Christians left in Somalia because of the persecution from Islamic terrorist organizations and tribalism? Take a look at the situation in Sudan. According to opendoorsusa.org, persecution is fueled in Sudan by the authoritarian state’s desire for a one language, one religion, one nation policy. Should we sit back and wait for countries to open up before we take the Gospel to them? Absolutely not! The Lord did not commission us to go only into safe countries where it would be easy to share.

He said to go into ALL the world and promises, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).

The lifestyle center has already offered ten sessions.

God miraculously led three Muslim former government detectives to the center. Initially, the staff at the center were frightened, but they put their trust in God and continued the full schedule, including morning worships. The visitors did not know they were attending a Christian program at first, but because of the love of the staff and the positive health results they experienced in just ten days, the last day they were in tears, not wanting to leave. God is working in amazing ways!

Three courageous, faith-filled families followed Christ’s commission to GO. They started a lifestyle center in a closed country within the 10/40 window to carefully reach out to Muslims. God prepared them for this with one being a medical doctor, one a pastor, and the other a nurse and health educator. Because of the poverty in this country, healthcare is substandard and many people seek alternative healing methods. This outpost is situated near a major city where very few Christians reside.

Oswold,* the director of the center, grew up in this country as a Muslim. One of his professors invited the whole class to attend some evangelistic meetings. Praise God for this brave person!

Oswald and his friend decided to attend because his friend needed the extra credit. As the choir was singing up front, his friend asked, “Do you see the halos of light over their heads?”

“Are you doing drugs?” Oswold replied. “There’s nothing on top of their heads.”

However, Oswold was seeking truth, and during the meetings, the pastor answered all of his questions. Through a series of miracles, Oswold finally gave his life to God. His stepfather struggled with addiction and was abusive to him and his mother when they both became Seventh-day Adventist Christians. Oswold’s faith was tried in the fire and he came out as gold.

You can help through your prayers for extra angels to surround this new initiative and the special people running it.

Claim John 16:13a for the unreached in this country. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.

Thank you for helping to bring the Gospel to Muslims in this closed country.

EXCITING EVANGELISM

Welcoming Unseen Angels

BY HUDSON MULLER*

He was puffing away on a cigarette, yet the experience was so beautiful. He sat there observing, with a halo of smoke surrounding him. I didn’t mind it, nor the singing that was terribly off key. It sounded incredibly beautiful to me. I was just thrilled that so many lepers had showed up for Sabbath worship today. And I was so thankful that Jesus “did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mark 2:17). A few weeks ago we had 28 lepers show up on Sabbath morning for worship. It was an unusually high turnout.

We decided to encourage our volunteers to pray daily for 30 lepers to come the following Sabbath. To our pleasant surprise, 32 lepers showed up the next Sabbath. We then decided to pray for 35 lepers to come the next Sabbath. And God answered our prayers. We had 35 lepers worshipping with us today! What a joy it was to see lepers who were coming to worship for the very first time. I can think of only one thing sadder than an abandoned, disfigured leper with missing limbs; that’s an abandoned, disfigured leper with missing limbs who does not know Jesus.

heaven here on earth each Sabbath as we worship together.

It is a joy to know that we are welcoming unseen angels, and also making music in heaven. Consider these words: “As you open your door to Christ’s needy and suffering ones, you are welcoming unseen angels. You invite the companionship of heavenly beings. They bring a sacred atmosphere of joy and peace. They come with praises upon their lips, and an answering strain is heard in heaven. Every deed of mercy makes music there” (Desire of Ages, p. 639.2).

Please pray for our work as we seek to reach many unreached lepers. Our greatest needs are twofold: 1) We need a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and 2) We need more consecrated laborers who can speak the local language.

One of the highlights of each week for me is Sabbath morning when our missionaries go out to invite the lepers to join us for worship. We have learned that we need to work together unitedly as a team. We make sure to visit every building and knock on every door. Some lepers do not respond to the first invitation. But some will come after the second or third invitation. We also recognize that the lepers respond better to those who are very warm and have the gift of hospitality.

Therefore, we have these gifted individuals visit every room to give a second invitation to all the lepers.

I can’t wait for that day when we will one day be in heaven.

There will be no more pain, no more tears, no more suffering, no more heartaches, no more disfigurement, no more leprosy.

The lepers will have their limbs restored; they will be made whole. But until that day, I thank God that we can get a taste of

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I can think of only one thing sadder than an abandoned, disfigured leper with missing limbs; that’s an abandoned, disfigured leper with missing limbs who does not know Jesus.

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HELPING HANDS

A Budding Ministry

BY BILL WELLS

Pictured (left to right): Refugee Sabbath at Village SDA Church with the Wyoming, MI Chin refugee group sharing special music; youth participating in the refugee simulation; the newlyweds, Bill and Rahel Wells.

“I’m hungry!” “My feet are cold!” “I can’t wait to go home and sleep in my own bed!” said the young people from my Sabbath School class after finishing a grueling 16-hour refugee simulation.

In 2016, God placed on my heart, along with my Sabbath School co-leaders, a desire to engage our young people in a local mission trip. In a seminary class at Andrews University, I had heard about a growing nearby church planted by a refugee group. That spring, with help from ASAP, we took about twenty young people from the Village Seventh-day Adventist Church to the refugee church. After worshipping with them and visiting half a dozen new arrivals, our young people were energized with a newfound interest in mission here in America.

God showed Himself mighty through those young people during the rest of the year. As a class we decided to raise funds for a minivan to help the refugee group grow their ministry.

We organized a special Sabbath program where we invited our new friends from the refugee group to preach, sing, and lead the worship service with us. That evening, about a dozen young people gathered to participate in a refugee simulation.

The grueling experience involved memorizing Scripture in order to eat, ID cards that allowed them to sleep if they still had them, challenging group exercises, fleeing in the night after being dramatically awakened, and several worships and inspiring talks by our leaders and ASAP’s Julia O’Carey, whose stories helped the young people better understand what refugees experience. Between church and the refugee simulation, the kids raised nearly $3,000 for the refugee group.

Praise be to God!

Leading the one-day mission trip, refugee Sabbath, and simulation experience engaged practically my longtime interest in missions. Thanks to my seminary professors, who introduced me to refugee ministry, and a dear friend who took me to the Middle East to visit refugee camps, God has clarified my life’s calling.

I have seen God open doors and hearts as my Sabbath School class and co-leaders engaged in these ministry activities. It changed my life and challenged me to discover what more I could do. Last fall, God provided the opportunity to join ASAP in the role of Refugee Coordinator. My wife and I, newly married, believe that ministry along these lines can help hasten the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ into distant corners of the world. We long to see the world lighted up with the glory of God and the good news of Jesus Christ. Will you partner with us to meet and reach refugees for Jesus?

If you’re interested in planning a refugee awareness Sabbath for your church or a refugee simulation for your youth group, or if you want to start a refugee ministry in your community, please contact us. We would love to partner with you in reaching the world next door.

www.asapministries.org bill.wells@asapministries.org https://www.adventist.org/en/ information/special-days/refugees/ 7

REACH THE WORLD NEXT DOOR

What started out as a vision for outreach to refugees is also becoming a lifestyle of outreach to whoever is nearby. During Thanksgiving break, several students went home to celebrate with family. Isaiah was able to share health information he learned at RWND with his grandfather, who suffers from diabetes. Isaiah told him about the eight laws of health and the NEWSTART program, helping his grandfather make a plan for simple, effective dietary changes. In addition, he also helped restart family worships.

Soe Soe, Eh K, and Sweet celebrated Thanksgiving together at a Karen camp meeting for refugee young people from Myanmar. Soe Soe shared his RWND experiences with the Karen youth, encouraging them to reach out to all unreached people groups in their circle of influence. These three students witnessed God’s powerful moving at the meetings.

What God Did In One Month

BY BRENDA KIŠ

The students and staff of Reach the World Next Door (RWND) training center in Willis, TX, continue to reach out to the Houston area, building cross-cultural relationships. Here’s what happened just in the month of November.

In order to get to know communities in the Houston area, students passed out invitations to evangelistic series, knocked on doors and met neighbors. As a result, they witnessed the baptism of seven community members at one Spanish church and built relationships with a Vietnamese group that sponsored a Thanksgiving celebration for the community.

Mandarin-speaking William and Rachel met a depressed Chinese woman with twin infants. She was so excited to meet them that she invited them to Thanksgiving dinner so they could meet her husband. When they were leaving, the husband thanked William and Rachel and told them to come visit any time.

Antoine and staff member David met and invited Juan, a Spanish speaker, to some meetings. As a result of attending these meetings, Juan is studying to join the Adventist church today!

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Antoine, impressed by an amazing story of forgiveness on the part of an African woman who forgave the murderer of her husband and child, made copies of a class handout on forgiveness and arranged with his pastor in St. Louis, MO, to present the Sabbath School program for fifty church youth. “I saw the young people start to apologize to each other after I finished talking,” Antoine says. “I was so amazed. Some of them even texted me later to let me know that they were continuing to apologize to those they had hurt.”

On his way back from Thanksgiving break, Caleb started chatting with Mike, a man sitting nearby in the airport. Mike asked him what he was doing in Texas and Caleb shared about the cross-cultural missionary training of RWND. “So are you training to be a minister?” Mike asked. “If the Lord leads that way,” Caleb responded. Mike then told him that he kept feeling the Lord impress him to come talk to Caleb. For an hour they talked about the Bible. When Caleb’s ride showed up, they gave Mike a ride to his house, too, plus a Steps to Christ and a Great Controversy. Mike and Caleb have remained in contact and will soon start Bible studies!

Ultimately, the outcome of this program will be to make students better soul winners, both to refugees and to the lost of all cultures, including our own.

Reach the World NEXT DOOR

IN GRATITUDE

IN MEMORY OF

Reach the World Next Door Training Center Dedication

BY SCOTT GRISWOLD

Around 50 people streamed through the property at the Reach the World Next Door training center for its dedication in December. Some were church members from Houston who had been on the roofs and floors of the men and women’s dorms in the summer to renovate them for the students. Others were donors who had given significantly.

Several pastors who have opened their churches for the staff and students to speak at were also there to add their encouragement and prayers. Even a realtor and the previous owner were there.

The students gave special music numbers in Chinese, Karen, and Swahili. They shared testimonies of how they have been blessed by the first three months of training and involvement in outreach. The story of God’s miracle in providing this property, now known as Cedar Shade, was shared. Slides were shown of the relief work done for Hurricane Harvey. No one seemed in a hurry to leave as they enjoyed a feast provided by the staff. It seemed everyone sensed they were part of a special mission to see God’s work finished.

LANE MICHAEL VAN ARSDELL, by Kent and Joan Van Arsdell • PEARSON & PEARL VAN METER, by Betty Hunsaker • JACK PENNER, MY FATHER WHO LOVED MISSION WORK, by Laurie Larson • WHITNEY WATSON, by James and Marilene Watson • RALSTON HENRY PURKISS, by E. Denise Purkiss • PASTOR GERALD FILLMAN,

by Kenneth and Marilyn Owen • WILLIAM R. HOWELL, by Harold and Livvie Gates • E. JENICKE AND J. KRAVIG, by Sandy Monette • BILL ENGLE, by James C. and Judith A. Culpepper • CHERYL SIMMONS HORNER, by Cherilyn Typaldos • MY DAD, ALLEN ISEMINGER, by Karen E Iseminger • MARK ASHWORTH, by Warren and Carolyn Ashworth • WILLIAM GUTKNECHT AND BERNICE WEISZ, by Donald and Helen Myres • DARCY SMITH, by Adam and Nanette Haley • EUNICE WISEMAN, by David and Esther Duffy • WILFRED STUYVESANT, by Kenneth and Marilyn Owen • GORDON S. TRAVIS,

by Verna Travis • ALBERT SIMPKINS, by Anthony Wayne Simpkins • BARBARA BLACK, by Deer Park Adventist Church

IN HONOR OF CINDY WATSON, by Hsueh-Rong Chang • DR. RALPH NEALL, by Daniel Chaij • JOSEPH KIM, by Ronald Kim • HANNAH NGO, by Eric Ngo • BYRON AND CAROL REYNOLDS, by Johanna Rita Vital JANET AND LUTHER KENNER, by Erik and Janae Smith • JOHN 5:23,

by Wyman Kingsley • EH K PAW SOE WAH, by Christy Labrenz

IN THANKFULNESS FOR GOD’S BLESSINGS, FAITHFULNESS, GOODNESS AND MERCY, by Adoracion Aranas, Joshua Boram, Kevin and Teresa Jepson, John E. and Joyce B. Marter, and Renee Sanabria • JESUS, by Letitia Crowe and April Warkentin • CHRIST AND THE PASSION HE HAS GIVEN ME FOR THOSE WORKING IN MISSIONS, by Joshua Young ADRIA PURKISS, by E. Denise Purkiss • THE LORD’S WATCH CARE OVER OUR COMPUTER AND CELL PHONE WHILE TRAVELING TO THE UKRAINE, by George E. and Dena R. Guthrie • THE JESUS UNDERSTANDS BOOK, by Zane Bischoff • STABLE, YEAR–ROUND EMPLOYMENT, by Marc S. Black • THE BLESSING OF A NEW CAREER IN TEACHING, by Jeanette Yeboah-Amoako • KHAMPHO OHNO, by Anna Ursales • TIM SIEDENSTRICKER, by Brian D Boyle SHERRI NEUROH’S BIRTHDAY, by Kyle and Sherri Neuroh • THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM AT THE SOUTHCENTER CHURCH IN DES MOINES, WHERE ASAP WAS FEATURED, by Evonne Osorio • JESUS’ LOVE TO MY FAMILY, by Susan McPherson • GREAT FAMILY, by Kevin and Teresa Jepson

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MEET OUR WORKERS

HAN ZAW THIEN*

BY JULIA O’CAREY

MYANMAR FORGING INTO NEW TERRITORY: During this past quarter God opened the way for me to do outreach in some new homes and areas. Some of these homes belonged to church members who are now open to God’s healing ways and some were homes of non-believers. I am giving Bible studies to nine individuals right now. I have another group of Buddhists who live twenty minutes away, who are open to the Gospel. I’m studying with them and I am trying to encourage the three Seventh-day Adventist friends who introduced them to me, to be stronger in their faith. In one city, fifteen Buddhists and many children came to our tenday health/evangelism meetings. The majority asked for Bible studies and we are following up with them.

I was able to minister in many homes through health screenings, and individual health education and counseling to help relieve their suffering and meet their needs. Nothing thrills my heart more than to see the Lord produce results.

These health improvements help strengthen their faith and belief in the Master Healer, Jesus.

RELIEF FROM A TERRIBLE SKIN DISEASE: Mrs. Daw Aye Aye suffered from a chronic skin disease. She often was plagued with boils and itchy rashes. She would go to the local clinic for a cure. Often, they gave her an injection, but the problem kept recurring. She finally came to me for help because of a huge boil on her left elbow. I could tell she half believed in natural cures. I prayed for her, trusting the Lord to do what only He can do. I encouraged her to put her full trust in God and what He can do for her. I applied a cabbage poultice to the boil. That night, she slept well and the swelling subsided a bit. The next day, I used a charcoal poultice. Her condition greatly improved. On the following days I used some traditional herbs. Every time I removed a leaf, pus came out. I changed the poultice whenever it dried up. I could tell that God was working through these simple methods. On the fifth day, the wound was clear of drainage and the root came out. On the eighth day, the boil was completely gone. Mrs. Daw Aye Aye and I praised the Lord for His healing power. She gave a testimony in church of her healing and said that she will depend fully on the Lord from now on.

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Would you like to sponsor a medical missionary in Myanmar as they exercise the “right arm of the Gospel”?

It costs $120 per month. Call today or check out workers needing sponsorship in the online gift catalog at www.asapministries.org

HELP BUILD A CHURCH IN KAMPONG SOM GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE A PLACE TO The church members in Kampong Som, Cambodia SOCIALIZE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT JESUS worship in a rundown building infested with mold. It can be swamped with three to five feet of water during heavy rains. The building is beyond repair, but the land is located in a prime spot for a center of influence. Your contribution will help provide a suitable structure for worship that more honorably represents the wonderful, caring God of the believers who meet there.

$38,300 NEEDED

A simple church hall can become a great mission field for God, offering young people a central place for interaction and participation in uplifting activities. The Bak Chum Church in Thailand wants to build an outreach and recreational center for the young people in the community. This facility will not only meet the young people’s social needs but also provide space for teaching and sharing about Jesus and His love.

$3,736 NEEDED

GO ONLINE TO VIEW MORE PROJECTS

EQUIP MISSIONARIES WITH MINISTRY AND VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING

SUPPORT EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS IN MYANMAR

Missionaries in a closed country are eager to know more about Jesus so they can share Him effectively with their people. They also need vocational skills to make their ministry self-sustaining. With your help, ASAP can provide the needed training. While they are learning more about the Bible, these missionaries will also learn a skill such as cell-phone repair, hairdressing, motorbike mechanics or tailoring. Providing such services will create opportunities for missionaries to share Jesus with those who need Him most.

Local pastors in Myanmar want to conduct large-scale evangelistic work across ten districts. Similar messages will be presented in these districts via satellite and on site over a three-week period, with personal follow up.

Through these meetings, unreached people will hear about Jesus and learn the principles of healthful living.

This is a great opportunity for Jesus to be lifted high in these ten districts. Through your support, the local pastors can plant churches in regions not yet acquainted with the Gospel of Jesus.

$38,000 NEEDED

$2,500 NEEDED

($250/DISTRICT)

ASAP Ministries is fueled by mission-minded, faith-filled individuals whom God impresses. Be assured that 100% of your gift goes directly to the projects you specify. However, in the blessed event that the project you chose is fully funded, ASAP will use your gift for a similar project or where most needed to help spread the gospel and ease suffering where ASAP operates. Because ASAP is a §501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your donations are tax-deductible in the USA. ASI MEMBER ASAP Ministries has been a member of ASI (Adventist-layman’s Services and Industries) since 1996 and is grateful to be an ASI grant recipient.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR/DIRECTOR Julia O’Carey COPY EDITORS Brenda Kiš, John Press DESIGN/LAYOUT Robert Mason PHOTOS Dean Coridan, Andrew Hosford BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair: Dean Coridan, Judy Aitken, Christopher Carmen, Steve Chang, Shirley Freed, Darryl Hosford, Chan and Esther Hwang, Denzil McNeilus, Mary Ann McNeilus, Carmelo Mercado, Amy Montevilla, Julia O’Carey, Byron and Carol Reynolds, Trudi Starlin

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PHONE 269-471-3026 FAX 269-471-3034 EMAIL office@asapministries.org WEB www.asapministries.org

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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version® copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ASAP serves people from the countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Beyond! *At times, photos are blurred and names changed to protect the safety of God's workers.

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