ASAP Newsletter, September/October 2011

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Luke 19:10

Adventist Southeast Asia Projects

SCRIPTURES TO CLAIM FOR THE LOST: God Would Open Their Eyes (Acts 26:18) Believe on the Lord Jesus (John 5:24)

 To

 That They Would Turn

from Sin (Acts 3:19)

 To Take

Root and Grow in Jesus (Colossians 2:6,7)

Desperate for Souls

BY HIEN THANH DUNG*

“Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Savior died. The distress of every one touches His heart…

He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth” (Desire of Ages, p. 480).

I

cannot explain to you how deeply I believe in my heart that the truth in God’s Word needs to get out to every person in Vietnam. The Bible truth I accepted when listening to Pr. Isah Young’s sermons on Peace & Happiness radio radically changed my life, my family’s lives, and over five hundred of my members of the former Christian church where I was pastor. Now we share a burden to let as many people as possible know about these truths…as soon as possible. An evangelism team regularly goes out to distribute sermon DVDs. It does not matter that Vietnam is communist and against us publicly sharing our faith. We completely rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and go anyway.

Each time we entered one city with a population of about 4 million, we encountered hindrances and difficulties of every kind. People would say, “We pride ourselves in being a Buddhist city. We don’t want your literature. Leave this city and never come back.” Without fail, the police would arrest us, which resulted in hours of interrogation and big fines. Though some people appeared interested in the DVDs we gave them, we saw little results. What should we do? We decided to pray more. We gathered believers in our region for a one-month

DID YOU KNOW? There are over 1.5 BILLION people who will NEVER hear the gospel …unless SOMEONE goes and tells them.

long prayer session, which included three days of fasting. We pleaded with God especially for the people in this one big city.

Not long after this, I heard a loud knock on my door. When I opened it, I stood speechless, frozen in fear. My heart beat fast and my mind raced as I asked myself, “What would this man want from me?” I immediately recognized Binh De Long* as the notorious former Viet Cong commander turned mafia gang leader of the big city we had just been praying for. This man’s face had been splashed over the newspaper headlines and in the news because of the illegal activities he and his network of gangsters were involved with, such as drug dealing, gambling halls, brothels, etc.

Binh De Long demanded, “Where is the man who preaches on these DVDs? I need to meet him. Why is your name and contact info on this DVD and not his?” I responded, “The man on the DVDs is my teacher and you can meet him some day, but the most important person for you to meet is Jesus Christ who can save you.” Binh nodded in agreement. “Can I come in?” he asked.

To tell you the truth, I was a little nervous inviting this

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2011

 That

Thoughts From: JUDY AITKEN

PHOTOS: (left) Binh De Long after his conversion. (right) Leaders in the house-church of Vietnam pray together for God’s guidance. (bottom left) One of the major cities in Vietnam (bottom right) ASAP Lay Pastor/ District Leader Hien Thanh Dung

ASAP DIRECTOR

“Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.” John 4:35-36

If you were at the lake and a child started to drown, without hesitation, you would jump in the water or do whatever you possibly could to rescue the precious little one, right?

What drastic measures are you willing to take to help save those drowning in sin? We picked “Desperate for Souls” as this issue’s theme because we see how serious and committed our ASAP missionaries are about saving the lost around them.

One question that I ask when interviewing the missionaries is, Why did you decide to work for God? Often, without hesitation, they respond something to the effect of, “I work for God because I love Jesus.” This burning love for Jesus and appreciation for His death and intercession for us is what drives them to seek out the lost, to fast and pray for the lost, to shed tears for the lost and do whatever it takes for them to give their lives to the Lord.

Jesus Christ is the best example of one who was desperate to save souls, in that He gave all, even His life for them.

The prophet Ellen G. White asks, “Who among God’s professing people will take up this sacred work, and labor for the souls who are perishing for lack of knowledge? The world must be warned. Many places are pointed out to me as in need of consecrated, faithful, untiring effort” (Selected Messages, p. 404). May you and I pray for a greater burden for those who have never heard of a loving Savior and for wisdom from the Holy Spirit in how to reach them. We thank you for your dedicated partnership in praying and sacrificial giving in order to spread the everlasting gospel to Asia while there is still time before Christ’s soon return.

dangerous man into my home, but my desire to share Jesus with him overpowered my fears. I reminded myself there is nothing too hard for God (Jer 32:17). Binh stayed with me for awhile. Soon we were intensely studying the Bible together day and night. Bit by bit, he discovered how much God loved him. The Holy Spirit convicted his heart and he confessed his sins and accepted Jesus into His life.

Binh realized the sacrifice he was making when he gave his life to God. With holy boldness, he immediately went to work to dissolve his mafia organization after returning to the city. He asked me to come with him and explain Christianity to his “men.” I prayed for God’s protection and wisdom in how to reach the gangsters’ hearts. I praise the Lord that the police did not stop me from sharing (I think they sensed their job would be easier if these men became Christian). Forty of them, along with their families, followed their leader’s example in accepting Jesus as their Savior and decided to give up their criminal lifestyle.

Everyone Binh knew and came in contact with saw a major change in his/her life, even the police detectives assigned to his case. Each week I sent Binh a new DVD full of truth from God’s Word. He got so excited about what he was hearing he decided to attach loudspeakers to the roof of his home to blast the messages to his neighbors. He did this each night from five to nine and the authorities dared not stop him.

This past May, Binh decided to hold a “Celebration of Christianity.” This is probably the first time in the history of Communist Vietnam that such a large public Christian event was successfully pulled off. Masses of people poured into a rented hall in this city. Binh invited me to be the guest speaker for this celebration. Binh shared his powerful testimony of how God changed him from being an evil and stubborn person into a joyful, good-hearted person. After this event, four house churches were established in the city. The people are on fire for the Lord and His Word. Over 30,000 DVDs have been copied and shared with people throughout this city. Many are hearing the everlasting gospel message and preparing for Jesus Christ’s soon return. I praise God for the power of the Holy Spirit that comes in answer to our prayers for the people, especially in this large city.

COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT: Cambodia

CAMBODIA

BY JULIA O’CAREY

W

hen I think of missionaries in Cambodia, desperate for souls, Khanh Quoc Pham immediately comes to mind. This dedicated worker came to Cambodia eleven years ago with a mission to reach the displaced Vietnamese people for Christ. God showed him the best way to reach this community is to start a school and rescue the at-risk street children. In God’s desperation to save souls, He guided Pham, His humble and willing servant/friend, to impact the lives of hundreds of children and their families.

Today, there exists a growing church and two thriving schools with over 300 students. In these “life changing schools” as they are referred to in the community, students learn English, Khmer and Vietnamese, along with computers, how to sew, reading, writing, math, culture, science, and most importantly about Jesus Christ their Redeemer and Intercessor.

When one is desperate for souls, every day becomes an adventure. Pastor Khanh’s recent email message illustrates this. He wrote, “Last Sunday one of our school teachers (seventeen years old) ran away from home because her mother threatened to sell her. I went out searching for her. At the same time, her mother, brother, sister and the shaman they hired all went out looking for her.

At 1:00 a.m. I decided to go back home but I kept trying to reach her through instant messaging. Finally at 3:03, she responded. For an hour and a half, we talked. I was relieved she had found a safe place to hide and gave her some advice and prayed for her. Her mother came to the school in the morning in tears. She said that she would commit suicide if her daughter didn’t return home. I could see she was genuinely remorseful and got in touch with her daughter and encouraged her to return home. I reassured her that I, along with other school staff, would be there to support her and help keep her safe. She listened and obeyed. Later, she thanked me and the Lord for giving her the courage to face her problems. I know that we are in a battle against Satan, but I praise the Lord for God’s power and protection over His children.”

Khanh Quoc Pham with some of the students

NOTES from the field: LAOS

I used to ask myself, “What will it take for people in my village to accept Jesus as their Savior?” I realize that the answer is for them to understand John 3:16, which says God loves them so much. We do whatever we can to show God’s love to our villagers. For instance, when I loan villagers my pregnant cow and give them the calf, they are so touched. This teaches them the generosity and love of God who even gave His only son to save them.

KHAMPONG PISAY*, LAY PASTOR

CAMBODIA

Everyday, before I go door to door, I earnestly pray for the “lost sheep” because I learned of backsliders in my area. One day I met Prong Samol. He used to serve God as leader of a small group, but had gotten discouraged and quit. He took me to meet former members of his group who also had drifted away from God. Prong Samol and these members have returned to church by the power of God. Pray for him and others I am studying the Bible with.

NET CHHOVARM, CAM CHURCH PLANTER

THAILAND

ASAP volunteer, Andrew Michell (pictured above), needs Bible studies in the same way drug addicts need their next fix.

www.asapministries.org Read about a recent amazing adventure God took Andrew on.

tear and share

Meet Nga Nguyen* POSITION ASAP Lay Pastor LOCATION Vietnam NEW ASSIGNMENT I have always lived and worked in smaller towns and villages, so when I was asked to relocate to a major city in Vietnam and begin new work there, I was terrified. I know the mentality of people in the city is totally different. I thank the Lord for showing me this was His plan through Pr. Isah Young’s encouraging sermon about Elijah who went on a mission from a small town to a big city and God went with Him. A DRASTIC NECESSARY MEASURE I knew I would confront evil powers in the city and felt I needed clear direction and power from God so decided to fast and pray for forty days. I drank only water, but ate one meal a week with my church members on Sabbath. During this time, the Lord taught me a lot. He showed me that when I moved to this city and began my ministry, I needed to focus on the book of Revelation.

RESULTS Two months after moving to the city, the Lord gave me a dream. I felt like I flew out of my window and went straight to heaven. When I saw the Lord I told him, “There are only thirty people attending church. Please help me bring more people in.” I felt the reassuring presence of God and knew that He would help me. After that point, I started new outreach programs involving the youth and women. Three months later, the group had grown to 52 members and caused attention in the community and with the police. To make a long story short, the police and the devil were not able to stop what God purposed to accomplish. Eight months after moving to this city, I praise God that four groups are established.

Join Nga Nguyen!

Plead for the souls of those living in big cities in Vietnam who are surrounded by evil influences and the deception of worldly pleasures.

Intercede for Asia

BY MARTIN KIM

John Knox, the Scottish Reformer, was known for his power in prayer. His heart was deeply moved as he saw God’s children suffering beyond description, as they were being burned alive for their faith and devotion to the Protestant religion. Night and day he cried out to God to save Scotland. At one time Knox was so greatly burdened for Scotland that he retired for secret prayer, but was soon discovered by some of his friends by his groans. They heard him groan out, “Give me Scotland, or I die!” After a few moments they again heard him repeat those same words.

“Give me Scotland, or I die!” They heard him breath out the longings of his soul until he found relief. God gave him Scotland.

In response to Knox’s prayers, Mary Queen of Scots is reputed to have said: “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe.” There is mighty power in prayer. We are told: “At the sound of fervent prayer, Satan’s whole host trembles” (Testimonies for the Church 1:345).

Please join us in praying that God would give us Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

MISSION CHALLENGE Do you long to have a greater burden for souls?

You can do this by asking God to give you a prayer assignment each day.

“Lord, if someone is in special need of my prayer today, please bring that person to my mind and put this person on my heart.”

Always Saying A Prayer

In Loving Memory and Honor

BY WIN KO*

IN MEMORY OF:

I would never survive in this work without prayer. I pray all the time, even when God wakes me in the middle of the night. The Lord puts heavy burdens on my heart for the people of Ho Howe Village here in Myanmar.

When I came to this village the people told me, with fear written over their faces, that many people in this area get sick and die. I started to pray that not one person would die because of sickness or illness. I praise God because so far no sick have died in this village since I started praying.

I have an even greater burden for the people in my village who are dead spiritually because of animistic beliefs. I pray for my students that their hearts will be touched by the gospel. I pray that every person in this village will become Christian in the next five years or sooner.

I pray for peace for families here. They marry young in the Akkha culture (even as young as eleven or twelve). They do not have the skills to cope with married life at that age and the high use of opium does not help matters. By the time they are sixteen many have already been divorced twice. I pray for political peace also. We never know when soldiers will attack. It’s stressful for the people to always be thinking of having to run for their lives and hide in the jungle. Please pray for me and my village!

GRAHAM MAXWELL by Jane Barker Banta •PAUL AND ANNA BOWERS by Judith Beeson • ESTHER KANNENBERG by Victoria Berecz • AGNES CHRISTENSEN by Kenneth and Sheryl Christensen • WILLIAM P. FRAVEL by Delphine Fravel • DOROTHY EISELE by Miriam Glovatsky • EDITH LAWRENCE by Noel Lawrence • JOAN MINCHIN NEALL BELOVED WIFE OF 55 YEARS by Ronald Neall AND BELOVED MOTHER by Byron and Carol Reynolds • ALICE PENNER, MY WIFE by Bernard Penner • THELMIRA JONES-RILEY

by Merna A. Riley-desVignes • JOHN DESILVA by Roslyn Storey • IRENE KAM by Randolph Sun • FLORENCE SNIDE by Loma Linda University • LOUISE KROSSNER, MY GRANDMOTHER by Douglas and Melody Wheeler

IN HONOR OF: ALEX THOMAS’ GRADUATION by Julian and Seleta Arroyo, John and Heidi Barrett, Ron and Michele Schoepflin, Sheila Vonberge, Eng Saw, Sandra Saw • AMY HAHN, STUDENT MISSIONARY AT CAS DURING 2009-2010 by Reedsburg Seventh-day Adventist Church • DEE DEE’S MEGAVOICE PROJECT by Barbara Miller • HEIDI DONAVAN by Kim Goodge • JOSEPHINE LITVIN by Bella Almario • KYOUNG AND SANG KIM by Martin and Liana Kim • RALPH NEALL

by Cheryl C. Johnson • RUTH TAYLOR by Matthew Peterson

P P.S. We Love Hearing from You  When the MI Conference pastors leading the youth tent challenged us to raise as much money as we could for missions in 24 hours, our group, Team Ignite, got excited. Starting with only $20 of seed money, we knew that God could abundantly multiply our efforts. Our charity of choice was ASAP. We wanted to raise money for ten Feed and Read students to attend school for a year. With a prayer on our lips and the help of promotional materials from ASAP, we set out using various approaches such as massage therapy, direct donations and selling cookies to raise funds. One hour before our deadline, we had about half of our goal of $2,400. Though we were happy to see how the Lord had already blessed, honestly, we were a little disappointed. Then several large donations arrived just in time to bring our grand total to $2,840.67! All of us were astonished at how God had blessed and were thankful for this faithbuilding experience. GLESNI MASON (17) FROM MI Go online to read the complete story!

www.asapministries.org/news

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CALL for your FREE copy today!

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at re g e ak ! m s ies tion r sto nta ” e t as pres e L n he ssio t i o nt m U “

Adventist Southeast Asia Projects is fueled by mission-minded, faith-filled individuals whom God impresses. Be assured that 100% of your gift will go 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 the suffering in Southeast Asia. Because ASAP is a §501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your donations are tax-deductible.

ASI MEMBER ASAP has been a member of ASI (Adventistlayman’s Services and Industries) since 1996 and is grateful to be an ASI grant recipient.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR/DIRECTOR Judy Aitken EDITOR/ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Julia O’Carey COPY EDITORS Martin Kim, Wayne Labins DESIGN/LAYOUT Sarah Lee / www.ambientlightstudios.com ASAP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair: Bruce Bauer, Judy Aitken, Steve Chang, Denzil McNeilus, Mary Ann McNeilus, Byron and Carol Reynolds, Trudi Starlin, Kenneth Straw, and Max and Linnea Torkelsen.

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.

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Adventist Southeast Asia Projects P.O. BOX 84, BERRIEN SPRINGS, MI 49103

TOLL FREE 1-866-365-3541 PHONE 269-471-3026 FAX 269-471-3034 EMAIL office@asapministries.org WEB www.asapministries.org

*Where needed names have been changed and photos blurred, to protect the safety of God’s workers.

P

ASAP serves people from the countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.

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