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OUR
FAVORITES VOL.3
M I S S I O N S TO R I E S
FROM ASAP MINISTRIES
What’s Inside: MYINT’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Can you picture yourself working among a tribal people in a remote village of Burma?
MEET MAI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 When you look into the eyes of a child, do you wonder what their future holds?
A SMALL VOICE WITH A BIG CALL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Have you ever questioned whether you are doing exactly what God intended for you to do in your life?
FROM SAUL TO PAUL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Reacquaint yourself with God’s power to reach the unreachable.
JESUS STILL HEALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Lay Pastor Kao uses two powerful tools that help bring people to Christ.
THAT’S HIM! THAT’S HIM!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 What happened to Savy Sieng when a major crisis hit?
FINDING FREEDOM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 If you aim to reach someone for Christ, what approach do you take?
READY FOR THE HARVEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Find out why God moved Fabian Reid from Jamaica to North Carolina.
JESUS, NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 What do you think it would take for an idol-worshipping Cambodian to accept Jesus into his life?
A BATTLE FOR HIS BUCKS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Find out how this family became involved in supporting ASAP—it’s a mission story!
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When making a planned gift, the legal name to use is: ASAP Ministries, Inc.
How Great is Our God! “Name above all names, worthy of our praise, my heart will sing how great is our God!” I felt like going to the top of a mountain and exuberantly singing these lyrics from Chris Tomlin’s popular song with all my heart after reading ten of our favorite mission stories for this volume 3 issue. Each story reveals an aspect of God’s greatness. In these stories, you will see God, the Healer, and will gain hope for those you know who need His healing touch too. You will see God, the Guide, and trust anew that He is guiding you to that perfect purpose He designed you for. You will see God, the Deliverer, and will find hope that He will deliver those you know out of addictions. You will see so many amazing aspects of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit that you will conclude that He is definitely a GREAT God and worthy of our worship, our devotion, and our praise. These stories were intentionally crafted in a simple way so all the family can enjoy them for worship together. Our team imagined little Johnny telling his grandma, “Read Myint’s Biggest Challenge to me again tonight! That one’s my favorite!” Or Kathy thinking, “I have to share A Battle for His Bucks with my Sabbath School class next week!” These stories are meant to be shared. They are meant to bring God glory! Thankful we serve an awesome God,
Julia O’Carey P.S.
If these stories inspire you, visit our Priceless Gift Catalog online to get involved.
asapministries.org 3
Myint’s Biggest Challenge By Julia O’Carey
Can you picture yourself working among a tribal people in a remote village of Burma? Imagine the problems you would face and read Myint Aung’s story to discover his biggest challenge.
God says, “There is NOTHING
TOO HARD for me.” Jer. 32:17 Join Myint to help break the chains of poverty in Burma. Share your ideas for micro-loan projects! EMAIL: office@asapministries.org
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Church Planter Myint Aung* works to bring freedom in Jesus to the Akha tribe in Burma. Myint, his wife, and four children face many challenges, like trying to get the supplies they need during rainy season when the roads are slicker than a thousand snails. During the dry season the family treks an hour down the mountain to the river and another hour and a half to carry up buckets of water each day. But that is not their biggest challenge. Finances are tight because they want to send their children to an Adventist school, but Myint’s stipend is too small to cover the costs. This is not their biggest challenge either. Teaching kindergarten and first graders and church planting is difficult, but definitely not his greatest challenge. Soldiers come in to raid the village from time to time, but that, too, is not their biggest challenge. Myint’s greatest challenge comes in the form of a beautiful, brightly-colored flower, the poppy. These flowers flourish in the dry, cool climate of this mountainous, remote region. The majority of the impoverished farmers in his village not only grow and sell these flowers, but these seemingly harmless beauties have ended up ruling their lives. Men, women, and children (10 years and older) are addicted to opium that they produce from the sap of the flower pods and then smoke
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul…The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:7-10
in pipes. The morphine-based drug is their numbing “cure” for all the aches and pains of life. Though the drug brings about an initial feeling of euphoria, it is highly addictive, which leads them into poverty. Opium is destructive to the mind and body and is a hindrance to the people learning Bible truth and accepting Jesus, the true remedy for their aching hearts. One day, the village shaman heard that Myint was headed to town. He approached Myint and asked, “Can you sell this jar of honey and buy a big cigar for me with the money?” Myint held the jar of honey up to the light and gazed at it pensively. He looked back at the shaman and asked, “Have you ever noticed that honey is sticky and dark just like how the sap comes out of the poppy pods? Yet the honey has good nutrients in it and is tasty to the tongue but the sap produces opium which is death to the body.” The shaman scowled and walked away. Myint brought back the tobacco as requested. All the animist villagers gathered around in the shaman’s hut to share a little smoke from the new cigar. Myint was about to leave but then the Holy Spirit fell upon him and a powerful sermon poured from his lips. He held up a jar of honey and taught them how the law of the Lord is perfect and it will change their souls. He shared his pure, beautiful personal testimony of how the Lord transformed his life and gave him victory over his destructive habits. He said, “It is God who has given me wisdom to teach your children and joy to help you any way I can.” He held up his black book, the Holy Bible and said, “The words in here are sweeter than the honey in this jar.” Then he shared the destructive effects of smoking opium and tobacco and how it is a trick from the devil to numb the mind and mask pain. He shared how the tobacco and the drugs are created by humans and their intelligence will disappear just like the smoke in their pipes. Honey makes the rich man who can afford to buy it healthy. The Word of God works the same way, making those who read it rich with wisdom. The shaman tossed and turned all night. The words Myint said kept ringing in his head. Early in the morning he visited Myint with a bag of rice. “This rice is my gift to you. Thank you for sharing with us yesterday. I never heard this message before and I want to learn more.” He and his family now attend church every Sabbath, along with forty other members. Praise God for being the answer to Myint’s biggest challenge ever. PRAY FOR WISDOM, STRENGTH AND VICTORY Dear Jesus, Thank you for victory in Christ Jesus! Continue to give Myint and other ASAP national missionaries wisdom in how to win their people in Asia. Please give me the strength to face each challenge in life too. Amen.
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Meet Mai By Julia O’Carey
When you look into the eyes of a child, do you wonder what their future holds? I do! Catch a glimpse of one Vietnamese girl’s life. WHO IS MAI? Mai is a sweet-spirited girl. She shows up to school at 7:00 a.m. sharp each morning. The city of Phnom Penh is already awake with the bustling of cars, trucks, vendors, bikes, honking horns, and masses of people. She manages to arrive to school safely and smiles shyly at her teacher who waits at the gate to warmly greet her. Her stomach immediately begins to rumble as she spots the steaming heap of rice, tofu, fried greens, and juicy rambutans that she will be able to devour—once she waits her turn in line. WHO IS MAI? She is a fourth grader, one of 150 students attending the Vietnamese SDA School. This is one of ASAP’s Feed & Read schools in Cambodia. Mai loves going to school. She feels safe there. She says, “I want to learn more and more about Jesus here at school because I am not from a Christian family.” She especially likes the story of Cain and Abel because Abel said “YES” to Jesus and obeyed Him by bringing the right sacrifice. She wants to say “YES” to Jesus too. She hopes to keep studying with her teacher and be baptized soon.
In 2012, the International Labor
Organization estimated that 20.9 million
victims are trapped in human trafficking worldwide.1 This is the population of the
entire continent of Australia!
WHO IS MAI? She is a girl who loves the color red. She enjoys drawing, especially creating pictures of beautiful homes that she dreams of living in one day. Mai stays with her aunt and mom in a small room with no windows off of a coffee shop. She has never met her father. Drawing and listening to music makes Mai happy. Since she is often alone, she has a lot of time to think. She imagines herself teaching someday at the school she loves. She does not see her mother a lot, but she dreams of having a happy family. WHO IS MAI? Mai is seriously AT RISK of becoming a victim of human trafficking. Thirteen is the average age of entry into prostitution.2 Mai is thirteen. Cambodia is a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking. The traffickers are reportedly organized crime syndicates, parents, relatives, friends, intimate partners, and neighbors.3 Mai lives in Cambodia and
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“…He was moved with compassion for them…” Matthew 9:36
TAKE ACTION NOW! Be the voice and the rescuer for one child. Sponsor a student in the ASAP Feed & Read
schools, and spread the word about this serious world-issue. For ONLY $20 per month.
JESUS Restores Dignity JESUS Brings Hope JESUS Makes a Difference! her mother and aunt most likely are prostitutes since “coffee shops” are the fronts to brothels. Human trafficking in Cambodia has increased because of a number of factors, including poverty, socio-economic imbalance between rural and urban areas, increased tourism, lack of employment, poor education, and safe migration. Poverty is the most significant cause of trafficking.4 Mai is poor and often alone, two more factors putting her at-risk. WHO IS MAI? Mai is the daughter of the King of Kings. She is not a thing to be bought or sold. She is a precious child of God, which makes her your little sister in Christ. Exodus Cry Sarah Ann Friedman for ECPAT-USA 3 Humantrafficking.org 4 UNIAP: Cambodia Overview 1 2
PHOTO CAPTIONS: (L-R) A child in Cambodia, who may be at risk for human trafficking. Mai at age 13. A student blessed by the Feed and Read School’s lunch program.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS: 1. Request to sponsor a student. 2. Send in your first month’s gift. 3. We send you a profile and picture of your student. 4. You pray daily for this student. 5. You experience the joy of giving. 6. Your student’s whole life is changed!
PRAY FOR AT-RISK WOMEN AND CHILDREN Dear Jesus, Give me a heart like Yours that grieves for the women and children who have fallen into the hands of traffickers. Father, you know and care about each one. You want to rescue them and prevent others from a life of pain. Come through for them I pray! Amen.
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A Small Voice with a Big Call By Isah Young
Have you ever questioned whether you are doing exactly what God intended for you to do in your life? Isah Young knows for sure He is answering God’s call. When my friends asked me, “What are you going to be when you grow up?” I always said, “I will be a doctor or orchestra conductor.” When they pressed me further about the possibility of going into ministry since my father was a preacher, I would say, “If there is no other work on earth, I will be a preacher.” When North Vietnam took over the South in 1975 I was seventeen. My family and I narrowly escaped out of central Vietnam on a barge, pushed out into choppy waters by a small-engine boat. I remember chaos everywhere, people fainting and falling to the floor (my mother, brothers and sister among them). There was no food, no water, and the deafening sounds of the communists shooting rockets aimed in our direction. My mouth was dry and my lips bled because of thirst. I was so sure that this was the end of my life. Then Psalm 50:18 came to mind, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” (NASB) I said this sincere prayer, “Lord, if you save my life and everyone in my family, I promise I will SERVE You.” Ten minutes later, a large American cargo ship approached the barge and offered help. The captain used a PA system and asked everyone to calm down, to no avail. He gave orders that he would lower a ladder so everyone could get on the ship. It was mayhem as everyone tried to climb the ladders at once, fearing they would be left behind. Twelve thousand people got on that ship that dark night, including my family and me. We miraculously arrived in America and found out quickly how difficult life is as refugees. I did not forget my promise to God, but I did a good job of ignoring it. When attending college, I often heard a faint voice saying, “Son, you are not going the way I want you to go.” That voice bothered me to the depths of my heart and I had no peace and happiness. One day after church, I fell to my knees in my dorm room. While praying, I felt like I was leaving my body and realized I was having a vision. I met Jesus. He held my hand, then lifted me up and placed me on top of a mountain where I journeyed on a narrow, slippery path. He instructed me, “Be careful and do not to turn to the left or to the right.” I obeyed and kept moving. I was overcome by curiosity and looked to the left. There I saw a deep rocky cliff and ocean waves below, crashing onto boulders. I looked to the right and I saw a dark abyss. Finally, I saw a bright gate of a city far ahead with clouds around it. I was anxious to reach the gate and enter the city, but the Lord told me, “No, not yet, you have things to do and after you faithfully finish your task you will enter with others.” After two and a half hours, I awoke. During a vespers not long after, we sang “Have Thine Own Way.” Everyone left the church but I continued to sit in the pew, tears rolling down my face. “Lord, whatever You want me to do, I will do it. Whatever
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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Here I am, Send me!
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
I, too, want to answer God’s call and do everything I can to reach Vietnamese for Christ.
$10 buys one short-wave radio $95 supports one lay-pastor/mo. $1 produces 4 DVDs in Vietnamese
You want me to be, I will be.” I surrendered my life to the Lord that Friday night. But still my stubborn heart rationalized away His calling. I told the Lord, “I promised You in 1975 that if You rescued me, I would serve You but I did not say I would be a preacher.” I continued studying Science and went to graduate school until 1984. Then I decided to enter the Seminary to compare theology and Science for my own interest sake, but not to be a pastor. After finishing the seminary I continued to pursue higher education. The voice still said, “Son, you are not going the way I want you to go.” I received another vision after praying for six months for a sign. I was flying in the sky over tall skyscrapers. I stopped at a tall tower, went inside and saw it was full of broadcasting equipment for TV and radio. I could not make sense of the vision at the time. One Sabbath in 1987 when I was in medical school, I decided to attend a different church that I found from the yellow pages. We drove back and forth trying to find it until 11:30 a.m. I told Mai, my wife, “Let’s try one more time. If we cannot find the church, we will go home.” We found it and I am so glad we did. (story continued on the next page...) PRAY FOR THE PEACE & HAPPINESS VIETNAMESE MINISTRY Dear Lord, Have Your own way in my life. I too, want to serve you with all my heart. Bless the work of Pastor Isah Young and the housechurch movement. May every Vietnamese person come to know your Truth and accept it. Amen.
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We slipped into the last pew right when the preacher, who happened to be the head elder, stood up to give his sermon. I still remember his voice today as he read Ezekiel 3:17-19. “Son of man…” When he said that and read those powerful words from Scripture, he pointed right at me and made eye contact with me. At that moment it felt like 10,000 volts of current struck from my head to my toes. I started shaking. I clearly understood that this was the last time God was calling me to ministry. It was a powerful warning and a wake-up call. On the way home, I told Mai, “I have to get into the ministry! If one more person loses his soul on account of my stubbornness, I will be responsible in the time of judgment before the Lord. What about the millions of lost people? How can I stand before Him in that day?” After sundown, we gathered empty boxes and packed all night and left the next day. God called me to California where He wanted me to plant a Vietnamese church in Orange County and revive a small group in the inland area. After four years of ministry, the Conference organized the inland group into a church and asked me to do something dramatic for the Vietnamese work. I did not know what to do, but felt impressed to tell the Conference President, “I would like to try television…” We started Peace & Happiness Television, and then the Union asked to use the audio for a radio program aired by Adventist World Radio to Vietnam. The Lord blessed the television ministry in America and the radio program in Vietnam; they become fruitful for His glory. There are over 35,000 baptized Adventist house-church members and thousands more waiting for baptism and studying. The great response from radio listeners spawned the immense work of the house-church movement in Vietnam and now a worldwide ministry for Vietnamese people.
DID YOU
KNOW?
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DVD’s are one of ASAP’s greatest Ministry Tools and Needs for Vietnam!
“Then [Saul] fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? But the Lord said to [Ananias], “Go, for [Saul] is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” Acts 9:4,15
From Saul to Paul By Blan Le* as told to Julia O’Carey
Sometimes it is a great light that blinds, other times it is the glint of light from a DVD. Read how God changed Blan Le’s life and reacquaint yourself with God’s power to reach the unreachable. I was a policeman for the communist government in Vietnam. I worked hard to stop the activities of the Seventh-day Adventist house-church movement in my district, but was unsuccessful. I am ashamed to tell you, I used quite harsh interrogation tactics to get the Christians to stop evangelizing. I noticed how the people always responded with such love, wisdom and humility. One day I confiscated some DVDs from an ASAP lay pastor. They sat on a corner of my desk and my eyes kept being drawn to them. Finally, I picked one up and slipped it in the player. The Words of God touched my heart and changed my life that very instant. My superior came into my office and saw what I was watching. “You are not supposed to watch those contraband materials!” he said. I ignored his warning and excitedly said, “You need to watch one of these. I have never seen any church have amazing beliefs like this!” He sat down next to me and watched one, nodding in agreement that the message was good. After I was convicted by the Lord, I knew I could no longer work in the police force so I resigned and joined the army of God. Now I am serving the Lord and I experience so many of God’s blessings. My wife and eight boys joyfully serve with me. The two oldest give Bible studies and pass out DVDs. The six younger boys work with those their age during Sabbath worship. My wife helps with visitations. By God’s grace I oversee house-churches in fourteen locations with an average of fifty people in each.
The Words of God touched my heart and changed my life that very instant. I rejoice when I see the changes that come when our people learn truth from the Bible. They start keeping Saturday holy and God blesses them. They accepted the health message and stop eating rats and mice, drinking alcohol and coffee. Their health has greatly improved. Now they eat more vegetables. When our area experienced a drought, the people cried to God. “We are eating vegetables now and we need you to send the rain so the crops can grow.” God heard their prayers and blessed with rain for their crops. I thought it would be easy for me to get around the police because I was once one of them. I learned how difficult it is to be on the other end. I often was called in for interrogation. I understood that God was testing my faith and commitment to the work. Gold is not afraid of fire and God refines those He loves. Though the provincial police threaten me, I still was able to distribute 5,000 DVDs, 2,000 Bible study books, megavoice audio, and DVD players this past year. I find much joy in serving the Lord! PHOTO CAPTIONS (page 9): Pr. Isah Young and Judy Aitken pray with an ASAP lay-pastor. Pr. Isah Young baptizing during a secret training. (page 11): Blan Le publicly giving his life to the Lord in baptism.
PRAY FOR COMMUNIST PERSECUTORS AND THE PERSECUTED Dear Jesus, Thank You for having the power to turn Sauls into Pauls. Please convict many more government officials in communist countries. Give the workers and believers in countries like Vietnam protection and courage to stand for You and the truth. Amen.
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Jesus Still Heals By Julia O’Carey
Lay Pastor Kao from Laos remembers that special day like it was yesterday, the day he accepted the Good News into His heart and turned away from a life as a Buddhist monk. He often uses two powerful tools that help bring people to Christ. “When I became saved, I had a burning desire in my heart for others to experience that same freedom,” Lay Pastor Kao* said sincerely and earnestly. I could tell that this converted disciple of Jesus was a soulwinner at heart. As I thought of the joyful faces of his seventy-five church members, all crowded into his home, I wondered what it took for each one of them to make that decision to become Christian and leave their familiar religion behind. Lay Pastor Kao, with his bright smile, energetically shared these following two stories. TOOL #1: FAITH-FILLED PRAYER Khammin, Lay Pastor Kao’s brother-in-law, lay on the mat, doubled up in pain and moaned, “It isn’t working. The injection from the doctor is NOT doing a thing!” Kao knelt beside Khammin and put his arm reassuringly on his shoulder. “Do you want me to pray for you?” he quietly asked. Khammin looked to the floor. He hated how his brother-in-law would always try to get him to read the Bible. He thought it was plain and boring. Being a senior in high school, he had better things to do with his time. But after trying the doctors and seeing no improvement in his stomach pain or his ability to walk, he felt hopeless. “Go ahead and pray,” he said weakly. Kao gathered the family around Khammin and prayed from his heart. He reminded Jesus of how He healed many when He walked this earth. He prayed, “If it is Your will, loving Father, please heal Khammin completely, in the name of Jesus.” After the prayer, a bright positive atmosphere surrounded the group. Kao suddenly declared, “Let’s have a thanksgiving party for I trust the Lord has healed Khammin!” Everyone turned to look at Khammin at that moment. A peaceful look covered his face. He slowly stretched out his legs and felt his stomach. A smile began to creep over his face. “I think I’m healed!” he exclaimed with a surprised tone. “I think I’m healed!” He jumped up and tried to sing one of the songs Kao had taught him in the past. Not only was Khammin healed physically that day, he had a new heart. He decided the Bible was not a dull book after all. He found that church was worth going to. Because of Jesus answering Kao’s faith-filled prayer, Khammin received a new life, both inside and out. TOOL #2: CHARCOAL “Who is that hobbling over here?” Lay Pastor Kao thought as he squinted in the sweltering tropical sun, looking past the rice field. “It must be Mr. Lavae, my neighbor but he sure is walking like an old man!” Kao ran to meet him as he heard his urgent cry, “Help me! Quick! Help!” When Kao reached the man, sure enough, it was Mr. Lavae with one very swollen foot. “What happened?” Kao asked with concern in
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“The medical work done in connection with the giving of the third angel’s message, is to accomplish wonderful results. It is to be sanctifying, unifying work, corresponding to the work which the great Head of the church sent forth the first disciples to do.” E.G. White, Maranatha, p.185
his voice. “I was walking in the jungle by my farm and I got bit by a centipede. Oh, it hurts so much!” he cried. “There is no way I would make it home. So I came over here. Can you do something?” Lay Pastor Kao was prepared. He pulled out a chunk of charcoal from his pocket and found a big rock to grind it on. Then he ran to the little creek to get some water to mix it with. Before he applied the charcoal poultice, he knelt down, put his hands on the infected foot, and poured his heart out to God. “Father God, maker of heaven and earth, please show your power and love to Mr. Lavae. He does not know you, but in Your mercy, you can heal Him. Use this charcoal to suck the poison out of this foot. Amen.” Immediately after the charcoal was applied, the pain left Mr. Lavae’s foot. “This black powder is like magic!” Mr. Lavae said with a smile. “No, God used the charcoal and He has to power to heal. You can come to my home and thank God and learn more about Him on Sabbath if you like,” Kao warmly said. Sure enough, Mr. Lavae, his wife, his children and his son-in-law all came to church the next Sabbath, and the Sabbath after, and every Sabbath since. They all took Bible studies and have recently been baptized.
YOU CAN SPONSOR a Medical Missionary like Kao for $120/month! If this is a stretch for
your budget, consider
joining with friends to meet this goal. When you get to heaven and see the results, you will be glad you did.
PRAY FOR MEDICAL MISSIONARIES Dear Jesus, Thank you for working through simple remedies like charcoal. Continue to answer the prayers and bless the efforts of the medical missionaries in Burma and around the world. Give me faith when I pray, too. Amen.
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That’s Him! That’s Him! By Julia O’Carey
Savy Sieng loved farming and lived a happy life of beginning a family in the quiet village of Prey Veng, Cambodia. Then a major crisis hit! One day Savy’s husband suddenly got very sick and not long after, he passed away. She was left with a little baby, Som Thim, a great many bills, and dashed hopes. She knew of what a rough existence she would have because of how difficult life was for other widows in her village. She felt lucky that her parents allowed her to move back to live with them in their bamboo and thatch hut. Shortly after, she started getting very sick. Her parents brought in the shaman to appease the spirits. Then they took her to the small clinic in town, but they did not know how to help her. She gradually lost her hearing, her sight, and her speech. Savy barely had enough energy to eat. All they knew to do next was purchase a coffin and prepare for her her death. At that time, a Seventh-day Adventist believer named One night Savy had a Nam Nor felt moved by the Holy Spirit to go door-todoor and share his faith in Jesus. He stopped at Savy’s that her village parent’s home and asked if there was anyone needing help or prayer. Though Savy’s family was Buddhist, in was flooding and she did their desperation, they brought Nam in to see Savy. Nam not know shared, “I serve a God who created everything in this world. He sent His Son, Jesus, to this earth and He has the She heard a kind voice say, power to heal. He healed many when he was here and he can heal and save you if you believe.” Savy quietly listened. The energetic, friendly Christian came back often to pray for her. Savy started getting better. She realized that she had an appetite and could eat again. The nourishment strengthened her. Slowly her eyesight and speech returned and her hearing as well. No longer did she have to bang a stick on the ground to call her son to come over and help her.
dream
how to swim.
“Grab my hand!”
One night Savy had a dream that her village was flooding and she did not know how to swim. She heard a kind voice say, “Grab my hand!” It was a man with long hair that she did not recognize. The next Sabbath Nam Nor invited her to church to visit God. When she saw a picture of Jesus on the church wall, Savy got excited. “That’s Him! That’s Him!” she exclaimed. “That’s the man I saw in my dream.” She believed it was Jesus who wanted to rescue her from the storms of life. She believed that Jesus wanted to rescue her from hell. She started attending church regularly even though her parents were against it. They were convinced that the Shaman had healed her and they wanted her to have nothing to do with Christianity. She started attending literacy classes too and slowly learned to read and write. Then one day, Savy’s son, Som Thim got very sick. The clinic said that Savy should bring him to the government hospital in the capital city, Phnom Penh. Savy prayed that God would guide the doctors
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“Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” Isaiah 43:1,2
Help fractured families
survive in Cambodia. They will see God as “a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows.” (Ps. 68:5)
JUST $50 will feed a widow and her children for a month.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: (L-R) Savy Sieng with Som Thim. Sda Center residents. Savy with Jesus—the Man from her dream.
and heal Som Thim just like He healed her. She felt shock and disbelief when the doctor said that her son was HIV positive. They tested her and found out she was HIV positive too. This was devastating news because she knew she could never return to her village. She now was a disgrace to her family and she would be considered an outcast. She cried to God, “Where can we go? We only have you, Father, to turn to.” At the hospital, God’s messengers arranged for Savy to meet one of the residents of the Sda Center, the Seventh-day Adventist AIDS refuge supported by ASAP donors. There just happened to be a spot open for her and her son. She is so grateful for Jesus Christ and for a safe place she can call home. Time and again she shares of how God hears and answers prayer.
PRAY FOR THE SICK AND THE POOR Dear God, You know the name of every star in the sky and the name of every sick person and widow on this earth. Help Savy along with many more in her situation around the world to trust you with every detail of their lives. Help me to trust you, too! Amen.
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Finding Freedom By Tun Win*
If you aim to reach someone for Christ, what approach do you take? Read what Tun Win, a medical missionary for the Chin people did and then get ready to praise the Lord at the results! I am the eldest son in a family of six. My entire family lives in India, but I have been called by God to work as an ASAP medical missionary to my people, the Chin, in Burma. I pray every day, morning and night and read through the Bible each year because I know that it is through prayers and God’s Word that I can receive power for the work I do. God sends His Holy Spirit whenever I go to give health evangelism meetings. Many people who are suffering from arthritis, high blood pressure, TB, addictions and other sicknesses are healed by God through prayer and natural treatments. Word spreads quickly and so many sick people come to me to seek treatment and healing from God in each village I visit. A number of villages requested for me and a team to come. Pray that we can meet this big challenge. In a certain village where we were conducting health evangelism meetings, I noticed one family attended the first night and then did not come back. I wondered why, so I asked the neighbors where they lived and went to visit the family. Zeya*, the father, and Thanda*, the mother, both shared how they had too much work to do in their orange farm and had no time for health meetings. I cheerfully said, “I can help!” The next morning after united prayer with our evangelism team at 7 a.m., I went to the farm with them to help them harvest rice. I kept helping each day. I prayed for them every day and God gave us time to talk and words for me to counsel them on the way to the farm and when we stopped for lunch. I found out that the Zeya, Thanda and their oldest son were alcoholic. My heart ached for them.
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“Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.’” John 8:34-36
PHOTO CAPTIONS: (L-R) Villagers coming to health evangelism seminars. ASAP Medical Missionary, Tun Win. Zeya’s family on baptism day.
Toward the end I noticed tears rolling down Thanda’s cheeks. The tears would not stop.
On the fifth day of the meetings, I felt joy in my heart when I saw Zeya, Thanda and their oldest son slip into the back of the church. The Holy Spirit gave me words to share about health and also about the love of God. Toward the end I noticed tears rolling down Thanda’s cheeks. The tears would not stop. She told Zeya, “I must find out more about Jesus!” They never missed another meeting and all three of them prepared for baptism.
On December 17, Zeya and then their eighteen-year-old son went into the watery grave to be brought up into new life. Everything happened as expected until Thanda entered the water. She suddenly knelt down in the water and started shaking violently. My mind was racing as I held her arm. I immediately concluded it was not the very cold water that was making her shake. She was used to washing her clothes and bathing each day in that very river. It was Satan, trying to stop her from being baptized. I started singing a hymn, thinking about the beautiful words. I quietly and calmly told her, “Take some deep breaths.” She started crying uncontrollably and could not speak. The nervous pastor who was going to baptize her urged her to stand up, but she could not. Everyone attending the baptism saw God move as He overcame Satan that day. Thanda finally stood up and was able to be baptized. When she came out from the water, she was radiant, praising the Lord! We all joined her in praising God. Thanda, Zeya, and their son have remained alcohol-free to this day! Their lives are strong witnesses of God’s power to everyone in their area. My constant prayer is that I can tell more about Jesus’ love and bring many more lost souls to the feet of Jesus Christ.
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PRAY FOR MORE VICTORIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA Dear Precious Savior, I praise You for winning the war over sin at the cross. May many more souls in Burma experience victory in You. I totally surrender my heart to you today and ask that you fight my battles for me. Amen.
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Ready for the Harvest By Julia O’Carey
Find out why God moved Fabian Reid, a bright Math teacher from Jamaica, all the way to Greensboro, North Carolina. One night, Fabian dreamed he saw himself standing in the middle of a field full of bright yellow, ripe pineapples. He sensed urgency in his soul, for the pineapples were fully ripe and getting ready to rot and nobody was harvesting them. He knew he needed to act immediately. As he stood amidst the pineapples his attention turned to a giant outpouring of water that twisted and turned as it descended from the sky on top of a nearby hill. When he abruptly awoke, a bitter-sweet feeling swept over him. He clearly understood that the vulnerable, needy refugees in his area were the ripe pineapples God was asking him to carefully harvest. Though he felt excitement, he felt a small sense of dread since he had already faced some opposition when bringing some to church. He knew the work would not be easy, however, the waterfall in the dream reassured him that the Water of Life would send the Holy Spirit and this gave him the determination to go forward. God had placed Fabian to work in a school that was comprised of refugee children from all over the world, speaking 34 different languages. The third-largest group was made up of Karen (pronounced Kah REN) from Burma. One day in class, two of his Karen students, Than Than Nwe and Po Tu Tu were attempting to sing a Christian song (though it was Math class). Fabian quickly went online and printed the words for them. This opened the door for him to talk to them about Christianity. One day at lunch it came up that they did not eat pork because they were Seventh-day Adventist. “You are SDA?” Fabian asked incredulously. “Yes!” they exclaimed. “So am I!” Fabian responded. Fabian got their addresses and promptly visited their homes. From these visits, he found that there were many Seventh-day Adventist refugees in the city who were not going to an SDA church and many seekers. Some had no clue where the church was. Others felt forced to work on Sabbath. Most had no way of transportation. All were living as islands due to the language barrier. Fabian worked feverishly, visiting each family and in God’s power, breaking down obstacles. When he walked into the home of Blut Mu, he found the family of six wrapped in every piece of clothing they could find for it had just snowed and there was no heat in their small home. He told the church the next Sabbath and members donated a space heater. Fabian recalls, “When I delivered that heater and saw them all gathered around it with joy, it brought tears to my eyes. I never knew that such a simple gift could mean so much.” Finally the happy day came when they held their first Karen worship service. Fabian sold his car and bought a used van to transport the people to church. He moved his family to live within the Karen community. Because Fabian obeyed God’s call, there is now a large group of believers meeting each Sabbath. God is using Fabian to fulfill His promise in Isaiah 56:3, “Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, ‘The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.’” When the group was thriving under
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“The foreigner living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 19:34
trained lay-leaders, God called Fabian to church plant among the Nepalese refugees but still attend the Karen group each Sabbath evening to continue nurturing and supporting them.
Does your heart burn to share
Jesus with refugees and immigrants but you don’t know where to start? We can help you! Contact ASAP to learn more about the “REACH THE WORLD FROM HERE” KIT. This is a practical tool with great hands-on activities for you and/or your church that teaches how to reach out to refugees and immigrants and equips you with tools in doing so.
For over a year and a half, members of his small Seventh-day Adventist Nepalese church plant witnessed unsuccessfully to their Pentecostal neighbors. Their church had grown to over fifty to sixty attending weekly, but they were not content. Just when they felt like giving up trying to convince their neighbors of the truth, one of the Pentecostal members drank poison in an attempt to commit suicide. At 10:30 p.m., amidst the chaos happening around the lifeless body, three Seventh-day Adventist friends took up the body and rushed him off to the hospital, praying nonstop as they went. God answered their prayers as doctors found life in the body. Each day the friends visited the hospital to pray, bring food and share messages of hope from the Adventist World Radio Nepalese website. God opened the hearts of the Pentecostal Christians to the Advent message. After four weeks of Bible study, seventeen of them gladly decided to join the church! “Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’” (John 11:40). We have truly seen the glory of God! Fabian loves the immigrants and refugees! He is EFFECTIVE in reaching out to them though he does not speak their languages nor possess abundant resources to offer them. His passion for service stems from a love for His Savior. Though it has not always been easy, God has poured out numerous blessings that have paved the way for reaching the world from here.
PRAY FOR REFUGEES AND FOR MORE LABORERS TO REACH THEM Dear Father, We praise you for loving foreigners. Please give me a heart for them, too. Send many willing workers to meet the physical and spiritual needs of strangers within our gates. Thank you for bringing mission opportunities right to us. Amen.
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Jesus, Name Above All Names By Tab Tek
What do you think it would take for an idol-worshipping Cambodian to accept Jesus into his life? Before I became a Christian, my life was filled with misery. I gambled, drank alcohol and worshiped idols. I was very judgmental of others and I was always jealous of what others had. I did not have happiness at all in my life. I remember hearing once that Jesus defeated the devil, and that He had the power to change lives. Even though I was interested in that message, I did not believe it…yet. Then one day, I had an experience that I will never forget. I was leading my cows into the field and it was around noon, so I decided to take a nap. I was sleeping in the shade of a tree when suddenly I woke up and sensed a strange dark image approaching me. It was huge and I had never seen anything like it before. To my horror, it began to suffocate me! I started to shout for help, but no one could hear me. Suddenly, the name “Jesus” appeared in my mind. I immediately cried out, “Oh Jesus, please help me!” At once, the image, which I now know was an evil spirit, left me alone. I hurried to find my cows and took them home. When I got home I told my mother what had just happened to me. She explained to me that God is sovereign and that He created the entire universe. Even though I had just experienced God’s power in a mighty way, I still did not believe in Him…yet. A little while later, I went to Thailand in search of a job. On one particularly hot day, I was taking a walk and there were no clouds in the sky. The name “JESUS” came into my mind again, and I began to ponder Him. I thought about Him as the Creator who made heaven, the earth and the seas. I decided to call on His name again—not to save me from anything like last time, but to show me who He was. So I looked up at the sky and said, “Oh Jesus, please create a miracle for me to see.” As I was calling out to Jesus and
I decided to call on His name again—not to save me from anything like last time, but to
show me who He was. So I looked up at the sky and said, “Oh JESUS, please create a
miracle for me to see.”
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“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth.” Philippians 2:9,10
looking at the sky, it was still clear with no clouds in sight. I kept walking, hoping for a sign of His power. Then, the unexpected happened; the sky turned very cloudy and dark. I was very surprised to see this, but I was also happy. God had answered my prayer and showed me a miracle, and from that moment on, I believed. Later on I moved back to Cambodia and my mother invited me to her church and I eventually got baptized. Sadly, some people stopped speaking to me after this. I discovered that many people hate Jesus, and I wondered why. This led me to study the Bible even more seriously. As I got deeper into His Word, I saw His love and it touched my heart. By God’s grace, I was able to give up the besetting sins I had once loved, as my love transferred from worldly pleasures to Jesus, the Name above all names. Now I work as a literacy teacher in Cambodia. God has really helped my students learn how to read and understand the Bible well. I love getting to share the name of Jesus every day. My class keeps growing and I know this is because of Jesus. One of my students is a 17-year-old girl named Liep. She has been my student since she was in fifth grade and now she is in ninth grade. I played the Final Events DVD for my students and people in the village. After Liep watched this, she became very active in church and she wanted to learn more about the Bible. Her parents try to find ways to prevent her from attending my literacy class and going to church, but Liep stands firm. It is a constant struggle though, so please pray for her. PHOTO CAPTIONS (L-R): Tab Tek, happy with his new life working as a literacy teacher in Cambodia. Two literacy students being baptized.
YOU can introduce the name of Jesus to those in darkness by joining an
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PRAY FOR THE LOST Dear Jesus, Thank you for being an all-powerful Creator and friend. Please keep revealing Yourself to people in Cambodia and all over the world, including my loved ones who do not believe in You. Amen.
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A Battle for His Bucks By Susan Turley
Our family has supported the missionary work of ASAP in Cambodia and Vietnam for several years, but the way we became involved is a mission story! One day, God impressed me to write a new textbook for a subject I had taught for years: medical terminology. I looked through many medical terminology textbooks, and the Lord enabled me to see ways to improve them. I resolved to contact my editor the next day. He told me that, just the previous day, he had been promoted to medical terminology books! During the years of writing the textbook, there were many obstacles, but I kept this reminder at my desk: “Take your cares and fears to God…everything that perplexes and upsets you. Nothing…is too small for Him to notice and care about.”(Paraphrase of Steps to Christ, p. 100). At one point, I could not find information I needed in any medical reference book or the Internet. I asked the Lord to help me so I could continue writing. Days later, a college-level textbook was delivered to my door. I had not ordered it. I did not teach that college course, so a publisher would never send me a complimentary copy. It was a large, expensive book, but I was never billed for it, and it had the answer I needed to continue writing! Then I told God that I would donate the textbook royalties for missions. Also, my husband, Al, and I were simultaneously asked by God to adopt children. I was reading Testimonies Volume 2 (the chapter “Doing for Christ”) that talks of helping children! It was such a powerful chapter that I prayed and told God that I would adopt two children for Him. But I reminded Him that my husband knew nothing of this and I asked God to convince him! When Al returned from a trip, he said he had been reading a chapter in The Desire of Ages on the airplane and “felt convicted that we should do more for the poor and needy.” I had him read the Testimonies chapter and, after we shed tears over this amazing “coincidence,” we both agreed. In 2001, I traveled to Vietnam to bring home our daughters Minh, age 9, and Lien, age 8! Adoption agencies encourage parents to bring their children back to their birth country. When Minh and Lien were older, I wanted to do this, and I thought about visiting an Adventist mission project in Asia at the same time. As I was planning, we saw a program about ASAP on 3ABN. I contacted ASAP Ministries, and they warmly invited me to visit their Cambodian and Vietnamese feed-and-read schools in Cambodia and told us about evangelism work in Vietnam. We visited and have been supporting those mission programs ever since. Recently, this money for missions was delayed because of unexpected expenses charged against my royalties. Repeatedly, I tried to get an answer and was told the issue was taken care of, but it was not. Finally, I realized I was not struggling “against flesh and blood but against…the rulers of darkness in this world…” (Ephesians 6:12). I prayed and asked the prayer team at ASAP to join me. We pleaded with
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“Money is of value only as it is used to advance the interest of the kingdom of God. The Lord has lent men means for this very purpose, to use in sending the truth to their fellow-men.” Gospel Workers 1892, page 51
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God, reminding Him that this money was for missions and without it His children would suffer. When I was in Cambodia, the teachers gave me a beautiful wall hanging of Zechariah 4:6 in English and in Khmer: “’Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit’ saith the Lord.” Many times, I placed my hand on that promise and pleaded with the Lord. Months went by with nothing resolved. I felt impressed to contact the royalty department. The receptionist said, “I think they are in a meeting,” but I asked her to connect me. The person who answered sounded very ill. I asked her to just take a message but she said she would look up my account. As I explained the situation, she said she was the supervisor of the department and would take care of this. Although ill, she stayed after business hours, analyzed my royalty statement, and sent an e-mail to all involved, demanding the issue be resolved, and it was! A short time later, I was able to fulfill my continuing commitment to those ASAP mission schools and programs! Praise God! PHOTO CAPTIONS: (LEFT) Susan, Al, Minh, and Lien Turley in front of the wall hanging of Zechariah 4:6. (TOP) Pr. Khanh, principal of the Vietnamese SDA Feed & Read School with one of his students (RIGHT) Lien Turley with her class when working as an ASAP student missionary in Cambodia.
PRAY FOR MISSION FUNDS Dear Jesus, Please show me if You have entrusted me with funds that You intend for missions. May your power prevail and may You provide for all Your missions around the world through your people. Bless the donors. Amen.
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PHOTO CREDITS Tim and Jaymie de la Torre and Trevor Hernandez (cover, pages 2, 3, 4, 7, 13, 16, 21 & 23), A.J. O’Carey (pages 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 15 & 21)
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.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR/DIRECTOR Judy Aitken EDITOR/ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Julia O’Carey COPY EDITOR Wayne Labins DESIGN/LAYOUT Sarah Lee www.ambientlightstudios.com
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