NEWS FROM ASAP MINISTRIES—ADVOCATES FOR SOUTHEAST ASIANS AND THE PERSECUTED
FOURTH QUARTER 2016
REACH THE
WORLD
ASAP
Education:
Build a Future Now
FEATURE STORY
Education: Build a Future Now BY SCOTT GRISWOLD
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y wife Julie asked the circle of Cambodian mothers, “If you had an extra $50, what would you do with it?” Immediately a lady answered, “I would put my girl in school.” She knew the huge value of education to help her daughter have a better future.
One of our schools started because a national missionary saw children scrounging through the garbage dump for recyclables to sell for supper. He couldn’t stand the thought of their hungry and desperate future. He started a little school with grade one and added another grade each year.
Even though government education is free, this mother could not spare the money for school supplies or the tutoring the teacher would require before her daughter could pass the tests. She could not afford to spare a big sister who could watch the smaller children at home while she worked in the market.
Another school began because a Vietnamese man was concerned for the children of illegal Vietnamese immigrants. These children were at risk for dangerous child labor, including prostitution. He began a school that has touched hundreds of children in the last ten years.
That girl, who had to watch other children go off to school in their blue and white uniforms, is why ASAP Ministries is involved in education. Yearly, we send $167,000 to support over 40 schools or literacy centers, impacting 2,323 students and their families.
The education crisis is a worldwide tragedy. UNESCO reports 124 million children and adolescents that were not in school in 2013. That means 1 one out of every 11 children does not have the privilege of learning. Their futures are almost guaranteed to be a struggle in poverty.
How much of a difference does a Christian education make in the lives of the children? It’s life-transforming!
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The work of education is definitely part of the mandate God has given us. If we will get involved, we can, like Jesus have a mission to “proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18). Perhaps the least known of ASAP-sponsored schools is Karen Adventist Academy (KAA) on the border of Thailand and Myanmar. Principal Thien Tan Aye runs a K-12 school with over 1,000 students. The children study within the confines of a refugee camp that houses about 15,000 people. Most are from the Karen tribe, which has fought a civil war with the Burmese of Myanmar. The camp provides safety and a chance at a decent future through education. Principal Thien has the motto of the school posted everywhere. It says, “Make God First!” He makes sure each teacher starts each class with prayer. They tie the Bible and God’s principles into every subject. The students don’t just sit around studying. They are active in community service projects. Often one of the classes will head out to pick up garbage throughout the camp. Recently they helped other denominations build a prayer room. They even donate blood together—15 different times as of the last count. ASAP Ministries has committed to support all 32 of KAA’s teachers. At our sponsor page you can select to be responsible for one of them for $70 a month. Try it for a school year and think about how your influence has been multiplied through a whole classroom of students. You can also give directly towards schoolbooks and building repairs. How much of a difference does a Christian education
make in the lives of the children? We will only really know once we get to heaven. Jesus said, “Let the little children come…the kingdom is made up of these.” It is very true that they are the most open to receiving God’s salvation. Last year, just after the week of prayer at KAA, eleven students were baptized and another five after graduation. Pastor Thien said, “This is not our good work, but this is the blessing by God and answers to prayer.” Where church members cannot yet have a school, they are often holding literacy classes. Recently, a national missionary reported the excitement of a girl who had begged him to teach her how to read and write. He had simply taken the Bible, some lessons he received at an ASAP training, and a picture book of Jesus and the disciples. She soaked up every minute he taught her. Soon she was running around the village telling people stories with the pictures. “What are you talking about?” someone scoffed. “You don’t know what’s in that book. You can’t even read or write!” She simply opened the Bible and shared a story. Now other children are flocking around to get an education from her. You can be a part of welcoming children to Jesus by praying for these workers, participating in their salaries, or finding a way to teach children yourself. Whether you go as a volunteer overseas or participate in a local Vacation Bible School, God can make an eternal difference through you. Photos: (Cover) Principal Thien Tan Aye and family. (p.2-3) Students from ASAP sponsored schools. 3
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Morning Bright BY BRENDA KIŠ (from Morning Bright’s interview)
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y name is Morning Bright, but my life has not always felt like a beautiful morning. Let me tell you my story.
I was working for God in 2007, living in an isolated mountain village about twelve miles from any decent road. Our village was poor and had no cars or bus service, so we walked everywhere or used carts pulled by animals on dirt paths. One night our one-year-old son Sithu got very sick. As his fever increased, so did our worries. Little Sithu needed a doctor now. The hospital was forty miles away in the city. How could we get there? I asked everybody, but found no help. Finally, I picked up my baby and started walking through the mountains in the dark. It took me three hours just to reach the road. I found someone to drive me to the hospital in Pantanaw. The doctors and nurses worked hard with little Sithu. They gave him oxygen and tried to determine why he was sick. His fever climbed higher and higher until he was unconscious. I was wildly desperate. I cried out, “God, save my son, my innocent child!” My faith was highly tested. I had no peace, no calm, so I went outside to walk around the hospital for a few minutes. When I returned to Sithu’s room, I saw that he was dead. Even then I prayed, “Lord, if it is Your will, please raise my son to life again! But if not, may it be according to Your will.” Oh, how my fatherly heart yearned for a miracle, but it didn’t happen. In my anguish, I now had to find a way to return home with him. No one in my culture wants to carry a dead body in their vehicle because they are afraid of the evil spirits. I couldn’t rent a taxi for the same reason. Finally, I located a dedong, a trailer for carrying goods, and in this lowly vehicle I carried the precious body of my Sithu. What discouragement overwhelmed me! “Why? Why did this happen? Is there really a living God?” I wondered. “Why didn’t He answer my prayer?” I gave in to my grief. I determined to leave God’s work and go back to raising ducks and selling their eggs. Soon I was in terrible debt
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and my business was failing. Finally, I began to pray again and persisted in asking God what He wanted me to do with my life. For seven days I prayed before He answered. He gave me peace of mind and heart as I recommitted myself to His work. My business failed, but God’s business succeeded. Today, I pastor a church that was dying, just like my son was. The mission leaders had decided to close the church since so few people were coming. When I arrived as an ASAP medical missionary, I began to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit. I visited the church members in their homes and encouraged them. They learned to stop fighting and forgive each other. Praise God, we have fifty members attending each week now! Half of these meet every day for morning and evening testimonies, prayers, and Scripture reading. Wet or cold weather does not stop them. Twice a month some members go with me to a branch Sabbath School where five to ten visitors meet. Revival and reformation has come to our church and members are now eager to engage in soul-winning. The secret to success, I believe, is self-sacrifice and total commitment to God, whether we face life or death. Yes, we face financial and health problems. My children’s education is unsure. Our church building is old and falling down. However, God is always faithful.
NEWS UPDATE
Response to the Myanmar Floods BY JULIA O’CAREY
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SAP received urgent emails last fall from our brothers and sisters in Myanmar who were drastically affected by flooding. The rising waters had a devastating impact on the agricultural livelihoods and many were going hungry.
The United Nations reported more than half a million hectares of rice paddy were affected and almost a quarter of a million livestock were killed. Fishponds were wiped out along with the fishing equipment. A huge number of chickens and ducks were killed, destroying many women’s livelihoods. ASAP reached out to you and you responded with open hearts. You gave $38,930! ASAP provided rice, oil, salt, fresh drinking water, and dried peas to sustain many families in Hakha, Kalay, Singgail, Yakhine, and Ayerwaddy areas. ASAP provided bags of rice seedlings for them to replant. The ASAP national missionaries worked hard to meet the needs of the affected communities. In one village, ASAP provided new benches for the elementary school and in another village we helped repair a bridge. The people saw Jesus’ love through these acts of kindness.
THIS JUST IN:
This month we have just received news of another flood disaster in the Ayerwaddy Mission. Please consider helping by contributing to the disaster fund. May the Lord flood them with help and also an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
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REACH THE WORLD NEXT DOOR
Salvation in the Concrete Jungles BY SCOTT GRISWOLD
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hanla (James) Dok met God in the refugee camps after fleeing the genocide in Cambodia (Read his book Salvation in the Killing Fields). He repatriated to the concrete jungles of California and helped start a Khmer (Cambodian) worship group at the Seventh-day Adventist church in Long Beach. They met in the youth room of the English-speaking church. Chanla wanted to be a policeman, but he heard God calling him to gospel ministry. He applied to La Sierra University and the door opened the day before he received his acceptance letter to the police academy. Chanla raised up a solid group of Khmer believers. Then he moved to be an associate pastor at Norwalk and later pastored other English-speaking churches. He could not forget his own people. The amount of Khmers had grown to around 70,000 in Long Beach alone. Chanla felt they were like sheep without a shepherd. With the help of his district leader and the conference president, he put together a proposal for a center of influence that would be focused on Khmers. The Southern California Conference recognized the great need and opportunity among this immigrant group. In 2015 they voted in partnership with the Pacific Union to open the Sua Sdei (Welcome) Center. They provide Khmer and English classes, as well as paralegal advice. You can learn more about the ministry at www.suasdeicenter.com. Recently, ASAP’s founder Judy Aitken visited Pastor Chanla Dok, his wife Vandie, and the Sua Sdei Center. She was thrilled to see many people visiting. Chanla had posted her picture on the program advertisement, hoping that some in the community would remember her from the
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humanitarian work she did in the refugee camps during the 1980s. A Khmer gentleman named Tom Ly saw the picture. He came to the program and excitedly pressed forward to greet the one who had touched his life with Jesus’ love 35 years previously. After the program, various individuals and Cambodian members from another worship group met together to earnestly pray for God to bring many more to the center. Some members offered to help run a health fair. They also committed funds to build a church back in Cambodia through ASAP Ministries. It was a reminder to everyone of the great amount of work yet to be done. Many Khmers live abroad in Vietnam, the U.S.A., France, Thailand, Australia, and Canada. As far as we know, there are Khmer Seventh-day Adventist worship groups only in Toronto, Canada; Adelaide and Perth, Australia; Lowell, Massachusetts, Charlotte and Lexington, North Carolina; and Long Beach, Stockton, and Loma Linda, California. There is a particular need for outreach in Boston, Seattle, and Philadelphia. Perhaps you will meet someone from Cambodia like I did on a recent flight. I was thankful for the opportunity to share my faith. The Khmer lady was a high ranking bank official who had, as a student, visited Christian churches. Her interest in a relationship with God was renewed by our visit. I was able to hand her the MyLanguageMyLife.com card and I’m sure she will be watching some of the videos or reading the lessons in her own language. You can do the same. We can reach the world next door.
TAKE ACTION!
Children for Children Just think what the children in your family or church could do to save lives around the world! Dear ASAP Ministries, For our Vacation Bible School…in looking over your catalog, we decided to go for a well project, along with any other project which will help feed hungry children. I expected to collect about our usual amount of $200-300. The children and some of the adults heard about the project and decided to try to help us raise as much as possible. God surely blessed our efforts! I am thrilled to enclose a check in the amount of $945.50.… Thank you so much for the work that your organization is doing to help show God’s love to His children. Sincerely, Kathy Oroville Seventh-day Adventist Church
ASAP’s Feed and Read program was able to provide many school lunches with the donated funds.
Churches for Pastors
Some of the members of the Thai SDA Church of Southern California.
Thai Seventh-day Adventist Church of Southern California is nestled between orange trees not far from Loma Linda University. Quite a few of the members have been in America for many years. They have not forgotten the need for the gospel in their home country of Thailand. Every month they send funds to ASAP Ministries to support three dedicated national missionaries— Boonrod, Ruangwit, and Wanaluk. Thank you for your support, Thai friends!
www.asapministries.org/give
Would you like to inspire your Sabbath School class or group of friends to sponsor a church planter, medical missionary, or teacher in Southeast Asia? Visit our website today to learn more about these and other giving opportunities. 7
EXCITING EVANGELISM
The Fruits of Revival in India BY SCOTT GRISWOLD
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o you really believe these words: “A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work” (Christian Service 41)? Pastor Chawngthu does. It’s more important than evangelism. It’s more important than education. It’s more important than development and relief work. He believes it because he’s seen the difference it makes. Chawngthu is the pastor of the Mizo church plant in Indianapolis, Indiana that has burst into existence in the last few years. We’ve told his story in the Leave Your Sushi and Go! podcast. Part of his ministry is to return periodically to Myanmar and India to hold revival meetings among the Seventh-day Adventist Mizo church members. Recently, a group of Pastor Chawngthu’s friends from India visited ASAP Ministries. Three of them were principals of schools they had started privately to help the children of Northeast India. They had formed a ministry called Paul’s Missionary Band. Chawngthu had joined them for a three-day revival meeting. Each principal stood to share with the ASAP staff. “We didn’t know we were just nominal Seventh-day Adventists,” one said. “He taught us to shed tears,” another added, emphasizing how the love of Jesus and a straight message of true Christianity in light of Christ’s soon coming had opened their eyes. The third said, “I used to watch TV a lot and I couldn’t eat anything unless it had meat in it. Now I don’t want to watch TV any more. I’m even eating as a vegetarian. There’s nothing so enjoyable as having God’s Spirit in us.” The preaching of the word of God had led to conviction of sin and changed lives. That led to evangelism and beautiful humanitarian work among drug addicts and the sick. The district has gone from 30 members to 500 members!
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That’s why ASAP recently invited you to partner with us to raise funds for the Hunthar church building in Mizoram, India. We had the privilege of placing $6,000 in the hands of the Head Deacon of the Hunthar SDA Church, who is also the director of the Sub-Headquarters of the Final Messengers. The Final Messengers established their headquarters here in America and their vision is to reach the Mizo people and prepare for the later rain in other American cities like Des Moines, Iowa, countries like Canada and Australia, and the many other unreached people in India, Myanmar, and beyond. A revival of true godliness is our first work, for its fruits will follow.
*To hear more of the Mizo church’s story, scan this QR code or visit our podcast archives at asapministries.org and watch “Leave Your Sushi and Go!” Call us at (269) 471-3026 to order MyLanguageMyLife.com cards.
IN GRATITUDE
IN MEMORY OF:
Group (L-R, Front to Back): Richard L. Haokip, Pastor Chawngthu, Lalawmpuia Chhakchhuak, Andrew Ramdinsanga, Lalnunhlua Chhakchhuak. Back Row: Vanlalliana Haokip, Julia O’Carey, Pam Vitug, Scott Griswold, Lalzidinga Mangchin, Judy Aitken, Amy Montivilla, Tracia Smith, Playdel Reid, and Dallian Haokip Below: Pastor Chawngthu, when he was a sushi chef.
CINDY WATSON by Dale Miskin, Michael and Giselle Eerdengbilige, Paul and Darleen McMillian, Paul and Ruth Watson • ANN LITTLE by Robert and Madeline Johnston • CAROL SQUIER by Rhonda Johnson, the O’Carey’s • DAVID AND ALANNA PULLEY by Ann Pulley • DAVID MILLS by George and Elaine Mills • E. JENICKE AND J. KRAVIG by Sandy Monette • DON KNIGHT by Muriel Tooley • ELDER C.D. BROOKS by Lawrence and Alice Gullie • EUNICE MAYS RUTH BARTON by James and Judith Culpepper • GEORGE E. VANDEMAN by Jason Hopkins • LEON ROBERSON by Robert and Debra Mastera • JOE HAGAN by Emma Hagan • MOLLY MYAING by Akiiki Kiiza, Alva Rhea Cooper, Ann Laurence, Ed and Jacquelyn Beck, Harry and Patricia Bowman, John and Carol Pack, Neal and Stacy Dennis, Neelambram and Elizabeth Tenali, Vivienne Lettsome, Willard and Wanda Hackett • HARRY OLSON by Janet Olson • GLENN HOWELL by Judy Howell • PAUL W. ESSIG by Karen Bowen • RONALD PYKE by Bill and Elizabeth Pyke • THERMAN AND DORIS GIBSON by Anonymous • WALTER, AMANDA AND HARRY KAISER by Ruth Kaiser
IN HONOR OF: GOD by Dion Fields • BYRON AND CAROL REYNOLDS by Johanna Rita Vital • CHAD BUMGARNER, DARRELL HAWLEY, DEBBIE HAWLEY, JERRY PAGE, SHENALYN PAGE, TYSON PAGE by Zachary Page • J. GENE ZIMMERMAN FOR FATHER’S DAY AND 68TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY by Donald and Ellen Amador • JOSEPH KIM by Ronald Kim • NATHAN STOLL by Cherilyn Typaldos • THEODORE WALTER NICKEL JR by Ted and Lisa Nickel
IN THANKFULNESS OF: GOD’S BLESSINGS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS AND MERCY by Dr. Richard Ruhling and Soonchin Rauls, Rosa Miller, Dianne Norwane Flood, Jonathan and Kathy Ross, John and Joyce Marter, Jeff and Caroline Gates • A NEW LIFE by Aily Kraulins • ALICE SENOGA by Jackie Musoke • JACK PENNER by Laurie Meservia • MY SISTER’S GRADUATION by Tim Riesenberger • SCOTT AND JULIE GRISWOLD by Janice and Gene Cobb • SHARON LYNCH by Eldon and Sharon Lynch • TIM SIEDENSTRICKER by Brian D Boyle 9
MEET OUR WORKERS
WASANA Advocate for those in Need BY BRENDA KIŠ
POSITION: Church Planter/Medical Missionary LOCATION: Thailand When Wasana, a Muslim, married into a Christian family, she loved them, but had no interest in their religion. However, under the power of their love for her, she gradually had a heart change and was baptized. Now she lives that same lifestyle of love and care for others as she nurtures four groups in an outlying area one hour from her home church. She and her husband work tirelessly to bring hope to the lost. Her young son, who has learned fluent English, translates for church service when needed. Wasana’s ministry often involves prayer for the sick in their homes. Sixtyyear-old Nai Na Suomkan used to be an angry man who abused his wife whenever she went to church. Then he developed an infection in his foot that the doctor could not help. Wasana visited him but was not welcomed. As the pain increased, Nai finally asked his wife to call Wasana to come pray again. When God healed his wound, He healed his heart as well. Today Nai is a baptized church member. Wasana understands that God can change hopeless situations. With sweet friendliness, she reaches out to the rejected undesirables of her community. Drunkards who attend her groups are not chased away, but rather allowed to sit in the presence of God while the others study. Chanai Manith is one of those who has been changed under God’s power and now memorizes Scripture and lives a sober life. Through prayer, Wasana has seen blindness recede and unbaptized church attendees get excited about evangelizing their own communities. She makes weekend visits to worship with members who live far from a church. This year Wasana attended the training offered by ASAP in Thailand. She said, “As a result of this training, I have a vision to start a new group in the marketplace where we already have one church member.” Successes come with challenges. How to pay the rent for the church? How to help a member whose daughter gambled away everything the family owned? How to cope with a wayward daughter who no longer communicates with her family? However, Wasana presses on, training those in her groups to become lay leaders as well.
Take Action Now:
Help Wasana reach Thailand with Christ. She needs your prayers and financial support. It takes $160 per month to sponsor a worker like Wasana. Scan this QR code or visit our podcast archives at www.asapministries.org/videos to hear more of Wasana’s story in a podcast called “Woman of God in Thailand”.
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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 EDITOR/ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Scott Griswold COPY EDITOR Wayne Labins, John Simon DESIGN/LAYOUT Sarah Lee www.sarahlee.design PHOTOS Tim de la Torre, Josiah & Scott Griswold, AJ O’Carey BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair: Tom Evans, Judy Aitken, Christopher Carmen, Steve Chang, Dean Coridan, Chan and Esther Hwang, Julia O’Carey, Denzil McNeilus, Mary Ann McNeilus, Byron and Carol Reynolds, Saengthong Saengthip, Trudi Starlin
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TOLL FREE 1-866-365-3541 PHONE 269-471-3026 FAX 269-471-3034 EMAIL office@asapministries.org WEB www.asapministries.org
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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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