Our Ten Favorites, Mission Stories, Vol. 2

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OUR

FAVORITES VOL.2



M I S S I O N S TO R I E S

FROM ADVENTIST SOUTHEAST ASIA PROJECTS

What’s Inside: TAMING THE BEAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Do you yearn for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit?

SPIRITUAL LITERACY 101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Have you ever been asked by God to accomplish the impossible?

A VILLAGE AWAKENED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Does Jesus have the same power to heal today that He had when He walked this earth?

REMEDIES FOR THE LOST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Can reaching lost family members for Christ be the most challenging mission field of all?

COFFEE, TEA, OR CHRIST? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Have you ever felt trapped in a situation with no way out?

THE LAST RESORT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 When you are in trouble, who do you turn to first?

NOT A WALK IN THE PARK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 As a disciple of Christ’s, are you sharing the gospel with those you come in contact with every chance you get?

OUT OF DARKNESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Have you ever been gripped with fear?

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Have you wondered how ASAP began? Find out what inspired our director, Judy Aiken (pictured on the cover).

GOD’S LIFE LESSONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Have you ever nurtured a plant only to see it wither away?

IS A CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY RIGHT FOR YOU?

Are you interested in financial and gift planning ideas that are win-win propositions for you and ASAP? We can put you in touch with planned giving professionals who can answer all your questions.

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When making a planned gift the legal name to use is: Adventist Southeast Asia Projects, Inc.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Last year we gathered ten of ASAP’s favorite stories from the national missionaries working on the front lines and reprinted them in a little booklet. They were so popular we thought we would do it again. Hence, you hold in your hand Our 10 Favorites Vol.2. Our prayer is that each story will strengthen your faith in God as you read them during your personal devotions, fire up your family members’ love for others as you share them in worships, and spur your church on to support missions in a greater way as they are shared from the front and in small groups.

These stories will show you it is true that prayers can be answered and that miracles DO happen today as they did in ancient times. “For with God, nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37). When you read these stories, remember the millions more in Southeast Asia who have yet to have the opportunity of accepting Jesus as the King of their lives. God wants each member of His royal family saved and you and I have the privilege of doing something about it—see the amazing testimony of the Macedonians, found in 2 Corinthians 8, who abounded in giving liberally with joy!

It is true that when you throw a pebble into the pond of faith-filled benevolence,

by God’s grace, it does ripple in magnificent ways to impact the lives of so many others—others you did not even know existed or could be touched.

It is true that one person can make a difference.

It is true that one person can be you.

I encourage you to drop your pebble or two in the ocean of possibility and partner with ASAP in reaching the lost in Southeast Asia. Others did it! That is why we have these stories of answered prayers, renewed hope, miracles, and faith to share with you today.

In Awe of His Power,

Julia O’Carey

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Taming the Beast

Based on Lay Pastor Thien Huong’s experience as told to Judy Aitken in an interview

Do you yearn for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit?

I carefully led believers in one of the house-churches in Vietnam through the book of Acts. We were so inspired that one of the members in one of our groups said, “We can do this. We can come together like those in the upper room and wait until God pours His Spirit on us in a greater way.” I agreed. So, we gathered day after day to search the scriptures, sing and pray for a greater measure of the Holy Spirit.

One day as we continued seeking the Holy Spirit in our “upper room,” loud cursing interrupted our prayers.

A large man burst into the worship room. Tattooed snakes and dragons decorated his body. The strong smell of alcohol overwhelmed us. Holding a wine bottle in one hand and shaking his finger at us with the other, he yelled profanity and insults at each member around the circle. I silently prayed for God to give me wisdom in knowing what to do. The church member whose home we were worshipping in walked up to the man, looked straight into his twisted, angry face and said, “I am so thankful that the Lord brought you here. Would you like to join us? If so, go outside and throw away your bottle of wine, come back and listen to the Word of God.” The man stared blankly for a moment, then turned and bolted from the room.

The owner of the house explained to the rest of the group that the man lived next door and that he had just been released after a long prison sentence. Minutes later we heard a firm knock on the door and in walked the very same man! He had changed to clean clothes, combed his hair, and actually appeared quite well put-together. He told us that his name was Vo. We made a spot for him to sit down and join us. He did, and he intently listened to me as I preached about a God who created the world and loved humankind in their wretched condition so much that He sent His Son to die on a cross and pay the price for our wrongdoings. I knew that others in the room were praying as I was speaking because we could sense the power of the Holy Spirit.

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“Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.” Mark 5:15

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We saw glimpses of the great controversy battle in that little room. As we read Bible passages, we would watch Vo’s response. At one point he became angry and pulled up his pant leg to display his tattoos. “Do you see this? I’ve killed people. There is no hope for me,” he said. We surrounded Vo and each took turns praying for him, laying hands on him. We pleaded with God on his behalf, rebuking Satan in the name of Jesus Christ. We asked that the Lord would forgive Vo for his past sins and claimed the power of Christ’s blood that was shed for him. We prayed that the Holy Spirit would transform Vo’s life into one that would be a profound witness for good. When we opened our eyes, tears were streaming down the cheeks of this very tough man. I asked him, “Do you want to receive Jesus?” Vo humbly said, “Yes, I want to receive Him into my life.”

“Do you see this?

I’ve killed people.

There is no hope for me,” he said.

Vo became an eager student of the Bible, a faithful member of the housechurch, and a testimony of what the Holy Spirit can do when we surrender all. He was truly a new creation. Later he told us that because his house was next door, he often heard the songs we sang. The words pierced his heart; however, at the same time they made him furious. He knew that if that much emotion came from those simple songs, it was a powerful force that he needed to learn more about. He hoped that it would be stronger than the demons and pain he lived with. He was right.

Vo’s family expressed an interest in our church group. They approached me and said, “We want to know about the God that made such changes in Vo. We want to study the Bible with you.” We thank God for the many lives that have been transformed by the power of His Holy Spirit.

PRAY FOR TRANSFORMATION Dear Heavenly Father, please fill me, my church, my community, and all the believers around the world with a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We need your transforming power in our lives.

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Spiritual Literacy 101

Based on Khaing Hlone’s* experience shared in an interview with Martin Kim

Have you ever been asked by God to accomplish the impossible?

If so, you will understand how Church Planter Khaing Hlone felt.

Fear gripped my heart when I was asked to plant a church among an animist tribal group living deep in the jungle of Burma, yet I accepted God’s call. The people were unfriendly to me. They made it clear that the only reason I was invited to the village was to teach them and their children how to read.

“NO CHRISTIANITY!” the village chief stated. How could I ever bring the Gospel to the Akha people?”

I wondered.

THE FIRST MORNING I knelt down and prayed earnestly, claiming Psalm 91. I stepped outside and smiled at a group of children, the ones with curious eyes that were moments before peering in through the bamboo slats of my hut. They scampered away like little scared mice.

A WEEK LATER I was able to gather about twenty children in the village to come to class. Most of their parents walk miles away to work in the rice and opium fields, leaving the older children to care for the younger ones. During the first class, I bowed my head and silently prayed. I was afraid that if I prayed out loud, the children would tell their parents and they would kick me out of the village. I prayed more during this time than I ever did before in my life. Praying helped ease my fears and softened the resistance of the people.

Why don’t you

bring money on a bamboo stick to your God before you ask for things?

AFTER THREE MONTHS I felt impressed I could start praying out loud before classes. This prompted the children to ask many questions. “Who are you praying to?” one bold boy asked. “I’m praying to God, the One who created every living thing,” I responded. “Why don’t you have to bring money on a bamboo stick to your God before you ask for things?”

(This is their tradition when they ask the village shaman to pray for them). “God the Creator made everything and He owns everything. He does not need me to bring Him money, but He does want me to give Him my whole heart.”

A special worship time arose out of all the questions and carried on each morning. In eight months, I had gone through all the stories from Genesis to Revelation using picture rolls. I asked the children if they would like to learn some of the songs they heard me singing. They enthusiastically responded “YES!” in unison.

FIVE MONTHS AFTER I BEGAN a group of parents came to visit me. With smiles they said, “You Adventists are very good. You teach very well.” I thanked them and inside praised the Lord for this

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“If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

day that marked a big victory. That night I privately celebrated, rejoicing in prayer and song because the villagers had finally accepted me.

The children loved the Bible stories and wanted to hear them again and again. So I told them, “If your parents let you, you can come back in the evenings and I will share more with you. They are invited to come with you, too.” Thirteen people (of all ages) began coming regularly to learn about God (eight students and five others). This surprised me because they would rather sing and hear stories of God’s love than watch the one TV in the village at the chief’s home.

Just two years ago, these kids did not know the

LIGHT OF JESUS. Someone provided them with a bright future.

ONE NIGHT I came to the story of how Jesus got baptized and I asked the group, “Do you want to be baptized?” They all said yes. A few nights later, I was summoned to the village shaman’s hut. “Was he feeling threatened?” I wondered. When I arrived he kindly greeted me and in hushed tones, he said, “My daughter told me she wants to be baptized. She is only twelve, but when she gets older, I will let her become an Adventist. She has been sharing everything she learns from you with me and I believe your God is the true god. I do not see how I could change my religion being that I have my shaman responsibilities in this village. I would have to move to another village if I were to become Christian. Maybe in the future I will.”

My heart felt like it would burst with joy when I heard those words.

ON SABBATHS I invite everyone in the village to worship with me and many come. I believe this is because of the power of God answering prayer. I know it will take time for the people to leave behind their superstitions and fears and fully accept the lifestyle of a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. Thank you for joining your prayers with mine so that each person in this village will get to go to heaven someday.

PRAY FOR THE MISSIONARIES Heavenly Father, please help me and the ASAP national missionaries to be strong and of good courage. Help us to remember that You will never leave us nor forsake us.

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A Village Awakened

Based on Hanh’s experience as told in an interview with Isah Young

Does Jesus have the same power to heal today that He had when He walked this earth? Read this amazing account in Vietnam for your faith in His power to be re-awakened.

Lay pastor Hanh* and his house-church took Pastor Isah Young’s challenge seriously to fast and pray for unreached areas in Vietnam. They started fasting and praying for a village 150 miles away, a village where not one Christian resided. Because this was the home-town of one of the couples attending the house-church, they prayed specifically for their relatives living there.

Yen* suffered from terminal stomach cancer. She came to the city from this village seeking medical care. Her nephew and his wife invited Yen to Hanh’s house-church where they attended and there she heard of Jesus Christ and was given a Bible. She readily accepted Him as her Savior. Because she was in the last stages of cancer, the doctors offered her no help; her only hope was in the Master Healer, her new-found love. The cancer made it impossible for her to keep food down, but her insatiable appetite for the Word of God sustained her. After two weeks in the city, she needed to return home to her family.

About one month later, Yen’s sister-in-law called Hanh with the sad news that Yen was about to die.

The house-church group immediately gathered to pray for her as they had done many times when she was with them and after she had left, but this time they prayed intensely for two hours, claiming Psalm 30 for her life. They reasoned with God, asking Him, “If You let this lady die, who will praise Your name in this village?” At the close of their prayer they felt peace and assurance that God would heal her.

The next day after another prayer session, lay pastor Hanh called to see if Yen’s health had improved.

He discovered she was in an unconscious state and was barely holding on to life. Talking to Yen’s sister-in-law, he earnestly asked, “Do you love Yen? If you do, listen to me! I am one of her friends from

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CONTACT US FOR MORE COPIES! EMAIL US: office@asapministries.org

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

the city. We have been praying that God will heal Yen. He is the only one who can help now. Please go get Yen’s book called the Bible, open it to Psalm 30, kneel down beside Yen and read the words, putting Yen’s name in the texts.” Hanh received silence on the other line. “God is able to heal and restore her,” he persisted. When Hanh hung up the phone, he was not sure if Yen’s sister-in-law, an un-believer, would do what he asked, but the group remained in prayer, trusting in the Lord.

If You let this lady die, who will praise Your name in this village?

When Hanh, Yen’s nephew, and their wives came to visit Yen a few days later, they were met with shouts of joy from a fully restored Yen, her sister-in-law, and a host of non-Christians, all praising the Lord. “Not long after you called, Yen stopped breathing,” the sister-in-law explained. “After I cleaned her and was about to dress her body for burial, I remembered what you said. I had no hope left other than your plan and it worked! After I did what you said, praying and putting Yen’s name in the verses of Psalm 30, the blankets we wrapped Yen in started to move. I stared in amazement and fear as she started vigorously kicking the blankets off. She sat up. She had not sat up in two weeks! She asked for some food and I quickly gave her rice soup and two long sugar canes that she sucked on. She kept the food down. Many came to console the family, but found an empty casket with Yen alive and completely healed.”

Hanh and his group, along with Yen, seized this opportunity to witness and spend time telling the villagers more about the loving Author of Life and His powerful words in the Bible. Over fifty people in this village have accepted Jesus’ gift of eternal life and the news has traveled to several villages in the area.

“O Lord, you have brought my soul

up from the grave; You have kept me alive

that I should not go down to the pit.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you

forever.”

Psalms 30: 3, 12b

PRAY FOR MORE OF GOD’S POWER Dear Heavenly Father, I praise you for your amazing power that is the same yesterday, today, and forever. May many more people in my community in Southeast Asia and around the world experience the miracle of an awakened life in Christ.

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Remedies for the Lost

Based on Wichien Songsawatwong’s experience as told in an interview with Martin Kim

Would you agree that reaching lost family members for Christ can be the most challenging mission field of all?

Wichien is an ASAP medical missionary/church planter from Thailand. Since he first became a Seventh-day Adventist Christian in 2004, he carried a strong burden in his heart for his whole family to accept the three angels’ messages and Jesus as their personal Savior. The chances of that ever happening were slim, for his parents and oldest brother hated Christianity and wanted nothing to do with it. “I can’t consider you a brother if you become an SDA,” his oldest brother threatened. “If you work for God, you will be a disgrace to us because you will not earn any money. We won’t give you a single baht” (Thai currency), his parents said angrily. At one point, they asked him to leave home. Wichien reflects, “That was a lonely time. I cried and prayed a lot.”

“I can’t consider you

a brother if you become an SDA,”

his oldest brother threatened.

Wichien made the choice to serve God anyway. He attended the medical missionary training with Pastor Phamor Poopichitprai in Northern Thailand. He enjoyed the rewarding work of visiting ill villagers, praying for them, applying simple natural remedies, and witnessing God’s healing power. He shared of one such visit that took place during his practical, hands-on training with Pastor Phamor:

I called out, nyob zoo, a friendly greeting in Hmong as we came up to a small hut in the Hay Taoru village. “Come in,” a timid elderly woman’s voice replied. As I scanned their simple home, I spotted the main reason we came: a quiet form lying on a bed in the corner of the room. “He has not been able to move from the bed for three days,” Mrs. Jarun said, of her husband, with worry lines covering her already wrinkled face. When the tree fell on him, we both did not think he was seriously injured. “Don’t worry, we will pray for him and God will help,” Pastor Phamor said with a reassuring smile.

After exchanging pleasantries, we went to work, performing natural treatments such as hydrotherapy and massage. As we worked, we chatted with them, sharing stories and tips from the Bible. They asked us for health advice and we gladly gave it. We saw Mr. Jarun rapidly recover during the two days we were there.

We said our good-byes to this lovely couple and I saw tears starting to flow down Mrs. Jarun’s face. “No one has ever visited us in our home and showed us such kindness before like you have. Thank you,” she sincerely said. “Thank you for your prayers. Your God is very powerful. He made my husband better so quickly.”

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“Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” Psalm 27:10

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This experience and many others increased Wichien’s faith. God has been using him to reach many in Thailand through medical missionary work and church planting. However, he never forgot his burden for his family to all accept Jesus and he prayed for their salvation every night. Pastor Phamor felt impressed to send Wichien home on a special assignment to witness to his family and those in his village.

When he arrived home, he discovered his elderly parents’ health was failing. Though his father was vehemently opposed to natural remedies in the past, he seemed more open this time. Through prayer and administering simple remedies, his parent’s health improved.

One day his uncle (whose son is a Christian) passed away and Wichien and his family attended his Christian funeral. Wichien does not know what song, sermon, or testimony it was that the Holy Spirit used, but immediately following the funeral, both his parents came to him and said, “We want to become SDA like you. We want to eat like you, go to church with you, and live like you.” Two of his older brothers have also accepted the truth in God’s Word and have become Seventh-day Adventists. Wichien said, “This is the greatest blessing of my life, to see how God changed my family.”

PRAY FOR LOST LOVED ONES Dear Heavenly Father, please do what it takes to save my loved ones in Your kingdom. If you want to use me to reach them, here I am! Send me! Please give me and the believers in Southeast Asia the right approach in witnessing to loved ones.

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Coffee, Tea, or Christ?

(A Story of a Prodigal Daughter)

Based on Thi Hien Nguyen’s experience as told in an interview with Julia O’Carey

Have you ever felt trapped in a situation with no way out? What did you do? Read what a Vietnamese girl in Cambodia did when she felt this way.

When I turned twelve I started working in a “coffee shop.” My father had recently passed away and life was hard for me, my five siblings, and my mom. I knew I must help my mother earn money. I sold more than coffee in this shop; I sold my body. I felt stuck, seemingly with no way out.

One day I noticed a tall American man coming into the coffee shop. To my surprise, he wanted only coffee. The first time he met me he asked, “Do you go to school?” “No,” I shyly answered, looking down at the floor. “Do you want to?” he persisted. I slightly nodded my head but thought to myself, “There is no way I ever could.” This man had hope twinkling in his eyes. He met my mother and told us about the Vietnamese SDA School, the kind principal named Mr. Khanh, and that there was a spot for me. My mother agreed to sign me up.

After I started to go to school, my life completely changed for the better. I learned how to read and write. School made me happy because the teachers and students were like loving brothers and sisters to me. The songs that we sang about Jesus were like medicine for my aching heart.

The songs that we sang about JESUS were like medicine for my aching heart.

All of a sudden, one day my mother firmly announced to my brothers and me, “We’re moving to Siem Riep!” There was no chance to say goodbye to my school family. Tears silently rolled down my cheeks as I sat staring blankly out the little window on the long bus ride into the unknown.

When we were settled in the new city, my mom set up a little shop in the market to sell bread. Throughout the day my mind would often drift back to my school and I would sing quietly to myself and think about what the students were probably doing. Quickly I discovered the real reason for our move. My mother planned to sell me as a bride to a man from Taiwan. When she told me this, I outright refused. She tried to convince me, saying it would be for the good of the family because we do not have money to live.

When the time came for me to go meet this man, I again refused. About a week later my mom told me that we were going to meet with one of our friends for lunch. When we got to the restaurant, our friends weren’t there. My mom walked up to a stranger and sat down. My mind kept racing, “I can’t believe she tricked me.” I realized what a serious situation I was in. If I married this man, I would never be able to study again and worship God. I prayed, “Father, please do not allow my mom to force me to marry him.”

God answered my prayer. For some reason, and only God knows, my mom stopped pushing for the marriage that day.

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“Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15

Not a day passed that I did not pray and ask God to bring me back to the Vietnamese SDA School.

There was no way that I would ever be able to get back there on my own, but I believed in my heart that someday it would happen. Early one morning, the miracle happened! We were making our way to the market and God directed Principal Khanh to be in that place at the same time. “How is your life?” he asked us. My mom bluntly replied, “We are really struggling to survive here.” Principal Khanh said that he and many of the students were in the area for a big Bible Camp (camp meeting). He invited us to come and attend, too. I was so happy to be able to see my friends and teachers. Everyone told me that they had never stopped praying for me. After the second day at the camp, my mom said, “Thi, I know you want to go back to school. I know that is a better place for you and your brothers. You can go live with my sister in Phnom Penh, but I need to stay here and try to earn money.”

I felt like the prodigal daughter. When I left the school, my faith wavered at times. I searched after money and the world along with my mom. When I returned to school, I felt God’s love accepting me back.

GIVE her the Perfect

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that casts out

ALL FEAR 1 JOHN 4:18

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PRAY FOR GOD’S LITTLE LAMBS Dear Father, draw those helpless children living in dark situations close to Your heart of love. Protect them and give them hope for a better future. Help me to not lose hope when I find myself in difficult times.

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The Last Resort

Based on Lay Pastor Loi’s experience as told to Judy Aitken in interview

When you are in trouble, who do you turn to first? For Loi* and Nhu*, along with many others in Southeast Asia, the shaman is who they call.

I fell in love with a lady named Nhu. She is a Hmong from the Tappon Village in Laos. Though I am from a different background (ethnic Laotian), I knew in my heart that she was the one for me. It was a joyful day when we finally were married. As is the custom, I moved in with her and her parents. I quickly learned that for the Hmong (who are animists), life is all about appeasing the spirits of their ancestors who in turn protect them from evil spirits.

One night I woke up to my wife’s cries. She had come down with a fever, chills, and pain all over her body. “Call the shaman,” she feebly said. The village shaman came right away to our home and chanted prayers to his spirit helpers to transport him to the spirit world so that he could identify the problem.

After a couple hours he came out of his trance and said, “I found your ancestors. They told me they are very unhappy with you for marrying this man.” You need to sacrifice a goat and tie the horns to the door.

The whole family must be in confinement for three days. You need to make sure that no visitors come into the home during this time because they are evil spirits in disguise.

We did exactly as the shaman said. We purchased the goat, killed it, and cooked it. We set out bowls of rice and meat and glasses of wine for my wife’s ancestors’ spirits. My father-in-law went back five generations, calling their names and praying to them. After going through the ritual, my wife’s health only got worse. We called the shaman back and he said that her ancestors’ spirits were not pleased with our sacrifice. They required us to sacrifice an entire cow. We had no choice but to do as the shaman said even though we had to borrow money from relatives in the village to pay the shaman. Helplessly, I watched my wife’s health worsen.

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“The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” Psalm 41:3

As a last resort, I decided to go to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the village. Maybe they had access to the spirit world, too. Maybe their powers were stronger than the shaman’s. I found the leader of the group and told him my wife was near death. He calmly asked me, “Do you know who the Hmong people call on when it is a matter of life or death? They call on the God of Heaven and Earth. We know this God. This is the only God we worship, the most powerful God because He created your wife. He loves her and wants to heal her.” My eyes lit up with a flicker of hope.

Can you come to our home and pray to this God?” I asked. “How much do we need to pay you?” He smiled warmly, “Yes, we are glad to come, and no, you do not have to pay me anything.” A group came to our home. Instead of chanting they started singing beautiful songs and reading from their thick black book called the Bible. They put their hands on my wife and prayed for her in the name of Jesus. They rebuked Satan and the evil angels from our place. They sang and praised the God who they said has all power on earth because He created everything.

After going through the ritual, my wife’s health only got worse.

Miraculously, my wife completely recovered from her sickness. From that moment on, we dedicated our lives to the true God. We learned that He gave the most expensive sacrifice, His only Son, in order to save us. This means there is no need for us to perform animal sacrifices. This God proved that He is more powerful than the spirits. We had much peace after we learned that the ancestors are sleeping in their graves and that our angels have more power than the evil angels.

Now I work as an ASAP lay pastor in this village. I know many people are open to accepting God in this area because they also want true healing and freedom from the spirits. Though they often choose to seek God as a last resort as I did, we are glad that one family at a time is making the choice for Jesus.

We thank God for His love and patience as He waits for His power and character to be known to all His children in Laos.

PRAYER is a heaven-ordained means of SUCCESS. —Ellen G. White

PRAY FOR HEALING OF MIND, BODY & SOUL Dear Heavenly Father, when I am in trouble, help me to not make You my last resort. Also, show yourself strong to the people of Southeast Asia so that many more will accept you as the one and only true God.

15

Not a Walk in the Park

Based on Youth Evangelist Hau An Bao’s* experience shared in interview with Julia O’Carey

As a disciple of Christ’s, are you sharing the gospel with those you come in contact with every chance you get? Youth Evangelist Hau shares some of the creative witnessing taking place in Vietnam.

My brother and I go out distributing DVDs and evangelistic tracks regularly. Others in our house-church come with us too. This may be something very ordinary for you, but where I live in Vietnam, it is illegal to publicly evangelize, to share your religious beliefs with people other than your immediate family. It is not a safe activity. We always gather together and pray fervently for God to bless our humble efforts before we head out. God often leads us straight to the people whose hearts are ready for these materials.

I believe Pastor Isah Young’s sermons on DVD are inspired by the Holy Spirit. We know the content of each DVD well because we have watched them many times. These DVDs made the truth in the Word plain and clear to my father. He shared what he learned with me and the rest of my family and now we are all working for the Lord. Many others are coming to believe in Jesus through the DVDs that are spreading everywhere throughout my country.

Twenty minutes later,

armed officers

handcuffed us and took us to the police station.

My father, who leads the work in one large district of Vietnam, tells me stories that he hears when he travels about what happens when people receive the DVDs. I am awed and amazed by the miraculous ways the DVDs are being heard by people. For instance, DVDs are being passed out to tourists on the beach, on ferries, and in the markets. They are played at weddings, funerals, birthday parties, pretty much any time people gather together for a special occasion. They are being played on public TVs in buses, in cafés, in factories, and in the seminary classes of other denominations. They are even played in communist police stations as I discovered one day when I got caught.

One afternoon, my brother and I were giving a Bible study to four young people in the park. Previously, we had separated the DVDs into categories for people of different backgrounds so we could quickly select one or two DVDs that would speak to them. Just as I handed some DVDs to our new friends, two park security guards approached us and started firing questions at us. “What are you handing out?” they demanded to know. “Do you have permission to do this?” They accused us of passing out religious literature without licenses. I told them that we were just college students sharing the Bible with our friends. Our answers only made them angrier. Twenty minutes later, armed officers handcuffed us and took us to the police station. We went through another intense interrogation with the police about our activities and the material we had in our possession.

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Unvarnished truth must be spoken, in leaflets and pamphlets, and these must be scattered like the leaves of autumn.” Testimonies, vol. 9 p. 231.

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When I faced the police, I prayed silently. My body was shaking but my courage was strong. When I heard what I was answering, I knew those were not my words, but God’s. They asked me to summarize what was on the DVDs. They must have thought I did not know what I was passing out, that someone asked me to do this for them. I shared about God’s gift of salvation with them. After summarizing two DVDs (which I praise God for the opportunity to give them mini-sermons), they could not take any more of what I was saying. They went into another room to discuss what to do with us.

My brother and I prayed the whole time. We knew in our head that our lives are in God’s hands, but we needed the comfort and reassurance the Holy Spirit can bring when we talk with Him. The officers took an unusually long time to return. We did not know if they would return with good news or bad, but we trusted that whatever happened, it was for the good. We were shocked to hear them say that they took the time to listen to more of the DVDs in our backpacks.

They could not find anything anti-government or wrong with the messages they heard. Still, they asked us to sign a paper stating we would not teach or pass out the material in public places again. I replied, “I cannot do that because I am a Christian and must do God’s will and work. The Bible teaches me that as a Christian, I am Christ’s disciple.” They left us in the jail cell until nighttime. At the change of shifts, the new police let us go.

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I thank God for every experience that I have had when sharing the gospel, no matter how challenging it has been.

Every trial builds my faith and strengthens my love for Jesus, my Savior, who suffered and died to save me.

PRAY FOR WITNESSING OPPORTUNITIES Dear Heavenly Father, may the people of Southeast Asia receive the messages on the DVDs with open hearts. May I seize every opportunity You present to share the gospel.

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Out of Darkness

Based on Church Planter Thor Bophal’s experience as told to Frank Spangler on video

Have you ever been gripped with fear? Thor Bophal from Cambodia struggled with these feelings until he saw the Light.

Religiously, before I began my day in the busy city of Phnom Penh, I tried to appease the spirits by offering food and incense to my idols. I lived with much fear; fear of my business failing, fear of sickness and accidents, fear of making the wrong choices. I had so much fear I decided to cover all my bases. Each day I visited the fortune teller AND I made a stop by the temple for the monk’s blessing. None of these rituals brought me peace. Misfortune did come but that is how I came to find the Light.

For so long I had resented my wife for being a part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I thought it was a cult. Yet she and her brother, Korn Kim Sok, had peace and happiness I didn’t have. They introduced me to their friend, Pastor Hang Dara, and he confidently told me that the only true power comes from God and that His perfect love casts out all fear. My hatred for God, Christianity, and the Bible started to melt away. Pastor Hang Dara opened his Bible and taught me patiently about Jesus and what it meant to be a Christian. When he got to the lesson about making God the one and only one in your life and getting rid of any idols, I knew I had to choose Christianity or Buddhism. I will never forget the morning I destroyed all the idols in my home. It was an amazing feeling to be free from Satan’s grasp.

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I will never forget the morning I DESTROYED all the idols in my home.

“You, LORD, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.” 2 Samuel 22:29

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I wanted to share my story of freedom with others so I asked Pastor Hang Dara if I could accompany him as he went from home to home to witness. He answered, “Yes, definitely! I was just praying God would send someone to assist me!” After a few months, Pr. Hang Dara told me, “Thor Bophal, God has gifted you with a strong ability to encourage others. Your testimony is powerful and when you share from the Bible, people listen to you. I think you should pray about becoming an ASAP church planter.” I did pray and the Holy Spirit impressed me to close down my business and accept His call to plant churches. Now working as God’s servant, I often help set free the oppressed as I once was.

Kim Hy started coming to church after her husband passed away. She was shy at first, but eagerly accepted my invitation to study the Bible. Her late husband had worked as a shaman. Since his death, Kim and her daughter were plagued with one sickness after another. They could not sleep at night for they would hear strange sounds and feel tormented by the spirits. The heavy darkness she lived with set her on a search for light. She wanted to be free.

After she heard my testimony she made the bold decision to get rid of all the idols in her home too. A group of praying church members and I visited her home. We prayed for her, asking in Jesus’ name that Kim would be released from the devil’s hold and that her home would be filled with Holy angels instead.

We claimed scriptures like John 8:12 where Jesus told His disciples, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” We burned the idols. We sang songs to comfort the small family. I told Kim to open the Word of God and claim scriptures and sing songs each evening. Praise God, the demons left that little bamboo and thatch hut. Kim’s health was restored. She is so grateful to God for delivering her from the heavy darkness that used to fill every crack of her home.

PRAY TO BE SET FREE Dear Heavenly Father, please show me and those living in Southeast Asia the idols in our lives we need to get rid of. Please give us the power to do so in order for us to be free indeed.

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As Soon As Possible

by Judy Aitken

Every ministry has a story of its inception. Have you wondered how ASAP began? God uprooted a quiet housewife from Michigan and used her in mighty ways.

My attention and prayers turned to Southeast Asia after I saw an emaciated Cambodian child, lifeless in her mother’s arms, pictured on the cover of Time magazine’s November 12, 1979 issue. The look of grief and terror in the eyes of the child’s mother resonated with me, a mother of three. A strong impression from the Holy Spirit urged me to GO help these suffering people. I promised the Lord, “I will go if you open up an opportunity!” Only a week later, I heard an urgent appeal from SAWS (Seventh-day Adventist World Service, now ADRA) for volunteers to go AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to assist the Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese refugees flooding into the camps, dying of starvation, war wounds, and disease. My family and I responded and stepped into a world of suffering.

My attention and prayers turned to Southeast Asia after I saw an emaciated Cambodian child, lifeless in her mother’s arms, pictured on the cover of Time.

Communism coupled with war prompted the masses of men, women, and children to flee for their lives with only the clothes on their backs. As many witnessed the horrors accompanying war, such as losing loved ones before their eyes, they secretly wondered, “Where is Buddha and our ancestors when we need them now?”

Those who reached the refugee camps on the border of Thailand made it against all odds. The Cambodians left work camps—the “killing fields”—caused by the Pol Pot Regime. They scavenged food and water along the way to survive, bypassing land mines each step of the dark journey. The Laotians endured hours of swimming the Mekong River trying to stay under water as long as possible to avoid the bullets fired from above. The Vietnamese often arrived on boats, narrowly escaping pirate raids and a watery grave. Their survival was not by chance; God wanted to reveal Himself to them. He yearned to turn a devastating, heart-breaking situation into blessings.

I worked as a nurse in this tumultuous environment. It was like nothing I had ever done before. Seeds of love planted in practical ways, sprouted questions like, “What does Seventh-day Adventist mean?”“Who is this Jesus you pray to?” These questions led into Bible studies that grew into small groups. Through God’s miraculous leading, fifteen Adventist churches were established and over ten thousand refugees were baptized from 1980-1987. What started out as a short-term mission trip turned into a passion that continues to this day.

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“This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Matthew 21:42

Jerry and Judy Aitken in the 80’s, with their daughter, Julia, and friends in the refugee camp.

Is God CALLING you? Then GO! ASAP has short- and a few long-term volunteer mission OPPORTUNITIES for faith-filled, surrendered individuals.

In order to support the new believers spiritually and physically, I ceased nursing in the ADRA clinic and began a non-profit ministry called Projects Asia. God sent volunteers from all around the world to share Jesus with a people who were eager to hear the gospel message. My family and I were privileged to witness miracle after miracle where God used a lack of political freedom and the confinement of camps to loosen Satan’s bonds and bring spiritual freedom.

Between 1986 and 1987, the refugee camps closed down and those who had not immigrated to the United States, Australia, and other countries were forced back to their home countries. These new believers arrived to their home villages much different than when they left. With a burning love for Jesus in their hearts they began sharing their testimonies. Worship groups spontaneously began throughout the country. I had returned to the United States, however my heart remained in Asia. In 1988, the Southeast Asia Union Mission established Cambodia Adventist Field. God made it possible for me to work with Adventist Frontier Missions where I prayerfully and readily began refugee projects to help support the work in the war-torn country of Cambodia.

In 1995, God opened the doors for the birth of Adventist Southeast Asia Projects, a non-profit supporting ministry to the Seventh-day Adventist Church that works to spread the gospel to the people of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar. This came about in response to a request from Elder Robin Riches, the president of the Southeast Asian Union Mission at that time. The gospel continues to spread through the dedicated national missionaries and as a result of your united prayers.

I marvel at the way God moves the work forward for His glory. If you were to travel to Southeast Asia with me today, you would meet many faithful brothers and sisters, who endured much and are faithfully working for the Lord. Some of these individuals first came to accept the Lord in the refugee camps many years ago. Others are the fruit of their labors. There is still a great work to do, but by remembering how God led us in the past, we gain hope for the future.

PRAY FOR THOSE IN NEED Dear Heavenly Father, may the Lord’s message spread rapidly and triumph wherever it goes, winning converts in every corner of Southeast Asia. 2 Thessalonians 3:1

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God’s Life Lessons

By Scott Griswold

Have you ever nurtured a plant only to see it wither away?

Perhaps then you can relate to the Griswold’s first church planting experience in post-war Cambodia.

It was 1992. Cambodia had suffered genocide and occupation. Several hundred thousand refugees were in the process of repatriating from the refugee camps in Thailand. Many of them lived in disappointment of not getting a chance to immigrate to the United States and fear of returning to their country. There was no Seventh-day Adventist Church in the entire nation.

My wife, Julie, and I were green missionaries straight out of college, volunteering for ASAP (then Adventist Frontier Mission Refugee Projects). We found 300 church members still left in the camps.

Soon these 300 refugees would also return to Cambodia and would be scattered from village to village in a country without a gospel witness. We were thrilled at the opportunity to help prepare them to start churches wherever they would go.

But what did we know? We had never planted a church. We had not learned their language and we really did not know their culture. So, we shared some of God’s church planting principles from Scripture, and urged each of them to lead people to Christ, starting with worship groups in their homes. Over the next couple of years we would hear stories of churches planted by these very people. Church planting for them was not an optional. It was something that had to be done if they were to have a place to worship and if their country was to know God. I suppose God feels that way, too. In the same way, should it not be every Christian’s priority?

Time and again God uses weak and inadequately-trained people to plant His church. We slowly came to realize that was us! Julie poured herself into helping slum-dwellers have jobs. We taught English and took people to the hospital. We partnered with three young Khmer men to share the gospel. Finally, there were baptisms and two small house churches. What a joy!

But God had more to teach us. Within a short time, unfaithfulness and even immorality blasted our two groups. With tears, we asked God why this had happened. We worked so hard! In the stillness we heard Him say, “You did not pray.”“Not pray?” we questioned.

“We are missionaries. Of course, we prayed.” Again we were sure we heard Him say, “You did not pray, as if what I can do is greater than what you can do.”

Scott Griswold and family with one of their church plants in Thailand.

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“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” I Corinthians 3:6-7

I knew it was true. We began to pray and God began to work. The twenty Khmer lay pastors were struggling with the same things. God brought us together to seek Him for answers. In our weakness, He taught us. In our dependence He began to bless.

Julie and I returned to the United States in 1998, taking our Thailand-born children, Joelle and Nathan, with us. After three years of pastoring in California, we returned to Southeast Asia to direct the Buddhist Study Center in Thailand, seeking to find more effective ways to communicate God’s love among Buddhists.

In 2002, Cambodia Adventist Mission began a training program where ASAP church planters were closely supervised by Khmer pastors who taught them in the morning and went out to do ministry with them in the afternoon. That is what Jesus did with His disciples. The entire city of Phnom Penh was divided into sections with church planters and pastors evenly divided throughout. The vision was to reach everyone. The method was to care holistically for people one-by-one.

Nine months later we watched approximately 1,500 interested people crowd into the first SDA public evangelistic meetings in Cambodia. We rejoiced as we watched the baptism of nearly 1,000 baby Christians become new members of the church. More national missionaries have been trained and now each new member is in the process of becoming a strong witness to others using a set of lessons called “Growing in the Spirit,” lessons we developed to grow new believers into strong disciples.

God’s church has been planted in Cambodia. How did it happen? Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. People have needs that should be cared for. But God’s church has been planted in Cambodia mostly because pastors and national missionaries knew they needed a great God to do anything worthwhile and they pleaded with Him to do something great and He did.

DID YOU KNOW? It’s easier now than ever for YOU to reach Buddhists for Christ.

CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES TO START:

Reach Buddhists: bridgesforministry.org Laotian Resources: laochristian.org Vietnamese Resources: peaceandhappiness.us Khmer Resources: voiceoflove.us

PRAY FOR SUPPORT OF MISSIONS Dear Father, may I gently plant seeds of truth at my workplace and in my neighborhood. May I water new interests and new members with kindness and careful mentoring. Let me unite with you in the joy of service to others.

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PHOTO CREDITS Denzil McNeilus (pages 5,15 & 19), A.J. O’Carey (pages 2, 7, 8, 13 &17)

P

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

God’s workers.

*Where needed names have been changed for the safety of

ASAP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair: Bruce Bauer, Judy Aitken, Peter Van Bemmelen, Christopher Carmen, Steven Chang, Chan Sun and Esther Hwang, Denzil McNeilus, Mary Ann McNeilus, Byron and Carol Reynolds and Trudi Starlin.

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

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Judy Aitken EDITOR/ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Julia O’Carey COPY EDITORS Linda Bauer, Jeanette Yeboah-Amoako, AJ O’Carey and Wayne Labins DESIGN/LAYOUT Sarah Lee / www.ambientlightstudios.com

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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.

MORE ABOUT ASAP 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) nonprofit organization, your donations are tax-deductible.

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