Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY190096A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:13 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:24 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:46 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:09 Hello and welcome 3ABN family 01:11 to another edition of 3ABN Today. 01:14 I'm your host Ryan Day, 01:15 and we are so excited that each and every one of you 01:18 are joining us and taking the time 01:20 out of your day, 01:21 to be with us during the special program 01:23 and we do indeed have a special program for you. 01:27 We are going to be talking about missions, 01:29 and evangelism, and miracles, 01:32 and just the wonderful work of God on this program. 01:35 And I just, before we go any further, 01:37 I want to thank each and every one of you 01:40 for your love, your prayers 01:41 and your continual support of 3ABN 01:44 because I wouldn't be able to sit here, 01:46 and we wouldn't be able to do what we do here at 3ABN 01:49 without you, and we are so blessed 01:52 that each and every one of you support this ministry 01:54 in the way that you do. 01:55 Because right now this is gonna go 01:57 all over the world 01:58 and someone is gonna be blessed and so we give God the glory, 02:01 and we praise Him continually each and every day. 02:04 I said we had a special program for you 02:06 and I mean with all of my heart, 02:08 I think we should go ahead and introduce our guests 02:11 for today. 02:12 We have Miss Reva Moore, 02:14 she is the founder and president 02:18 of Adopt a Minister International, 02:21 powerful ministry and then sitting next to you, 02:23 of course, is Mary Grace, 02:25 she is a musician and fundraiser 02:28 for Adopt a Minister International. 02:31 And, Mary Grace, 02:32 I have to just say something real quick 02:33 as we're getting started here because 02:36 the last time you came to 3ABN was around 2016, 02:40 you had told me that. 02:41 Well, I had never... 02:42 I never heard of you, 02:44 I've never seen you play before. 02:45 And I was flipping through the channels one day 02:48 and I came across 3ABN and I saw her playing. 02:50 I saw you playing the piano and I was just amazed 02:53 and overwhelmed like wow, God has really blessed you 02:57 with a special ability to play the piano 03:00 in such a marvelous amazing way. 03:02 And, in fact, we're actually gonna open this program 03:06 with a special music number by Mary Grace on the piano 03:10 and she's gonna be playing for us, "People Need the Lord." 06:44 Wow, praise the Lord. 06:46 Mary Grace, the Lord has blessed you abundantly. 06:49 That's one of my favorite songs, 06:50 "People Need the Lord." 06:52 And we know that people do need the Lord 06:53 and I just praise the Lord for the talents 06:54 that God has given you. 06:56 We're gonna talk a little bit more about those talents 06:57 in just a few moments. 06:59 But you know, 07:00 you guys are not necessarily new to 3ABN. 07:03 I know you've been here several times before 07:05 I think was two or three times before today. 07:08 Three. Three times before today, okay. 07:10 But there may be someone that may be watching 07:12 that may not know who you guys are. 07:14 So, Reva, why don't you introduce yourself? 07:17 Tell us a little bit about you and then also you, Mary Grace. 07:20 Okay, my name is Reva Moore. 07:24 I'm from the Philippines originally, 07:27 but I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 07:29 Awesome! 07:31 So how long have you lived there? 07:32 Forty something years. 07:33 Forty years! 07:35 Okay, so you were born and raised in the Philippines? 07:36 In the Philippines. 07:37 Okay, and how long were you in the Philippines 07:39 before you came to the US? 07:40 I think I came in 1971, so. 07:42 Okay, okay. 07:44 Wow, praise the Lord. Long time ago. 07:45 Awesome, and you are the founder 07:47 and president I guess you would say or... 07:52 So you're basically... 07:53 It's a nonprofit organization so we have to have a president. 07:56 So you are the president and founder 07:58 of Adopt a Minister International 08:00 which we're gonna talk about in great detail today 08:02 in just a few moments, then, of course, Mary Grace, 08:04 we've seen you play but where are you from? 08:07 Tell our viewers a little bit about yourself. 08:09 Originally from the Philippines as well in the Visayas, 08:12 and I live in Baton Rouge now with her. 08:14 Awesome. 08:16 Okay, so where you born and raised 08:17 in the Philippines as well? 08:18 Yes. 08:20 And how long did you were in the Philippines 08:21 before you came to US? 08:23 I moved here in 2003, so it's been 15, 16 years. 08:24 Wow, praise the Lord. 08:26 I've always wanted to go to the Philippines. 08:27 I had never been to the Philippines 08:29 but maybe one day the Lord will bless me 08:31 with an opportunity to do so. 08:33 But we are here to talk about the incredible ministry 08:36 and just hearing you tell a little bit about this, Reva. 08:40 I know without a doubt that this was inspired by the Lord, 08:44 and we're here to talk about Adopt a Minister International. 08:48 And as I said you were the founder and president, 08:51 so why don't you give us a little bit of a back-story? 08:54 How did this ministry come about? 08:56 Give us a little bit of the origins 08:58 of how the Lord inspired you 09:00 to start this incredible ministry? 09:03 I would say it's started because I just wanted... 09:06 As a child, I was always volunteering to God. 09:09 I'll do anything for You. 09:12 I don't know why but I will say, 09:13 "God, I'll do anything for You." 09:15 And as I got older and when I came over here, 09:18 God gave me the privilege to come to America 09:21 and it really started when in 1998 09:26 I had two sons and their dad 09:30 came down with a malignant brain tumor irreparable. 09:33 Sure. 09:35 And even after 14 months of crying to God and pleading, 09:40 His answer was no. 09:43 But he was totally surrendered to God. 09:45 But in that eight years before he passed on, 09:51 I had recurring dreams of this. 09:53 We're building houses. 09:55 My husband is a carpenter 09:57 and he was building our third house 09:58 and I would dream that I had my beautiful house 10:01 but in the yard as they run down, 10:05 you know, not finished little building 10:08 that look like a church. 10:09 See. 10:11 These were recurring dreams for eight years, 10:12 and that the last dream was, 10:14 I saw this big beautiful church on a beach. 10:19 And, I saw two-storied building 10:22 where people go to after the church, 10:24 and then I saw this little rest areas 10:25 and I didn't know what it was all about. 10:27 And, my husband passed away. 10:32 A week after the funeral, 10:34 it was a very, very devastating time for us. 10:38 It's amazing I'm not crying now, 10:40 but very devastating. 10:42 A week after the funeral, I heard this voice. 10:45 I was getting ready for Sabbath school. 10:47 Build me a church and I said, "Wow." 10:52 The idea came to me I said, "I ought to build a church? 10:55 But where am I gonna get the money?" 10:58 And the idea keeps coming and it says 11:01 my husband's life insurance money. 11:03 And I looked, 11:05 yeah, the little bit of life insurance money 11:06 and we've built this church through email. 11:09 God gave me the directions on how it should be, 11:13 more like instructions on how it should be built. 11:16 And all I did was find a friend 11:21 whose brothers were engineers and they built this church. 11:24 And when they saw it, it's on my parent's property 11:29 and is given to the Lord. 11:31 Praise the Lord. 11:32 So, when you received this dream, 11:35 you were here in the US at the time? 11:37 Yes. Okay. 11:38 And you were married to your husband, 11:40 or did you receive it before or after him? 11:42 Before. Eight years before he died. 11:44 Wow. 11:46 Every so often I would dream this. 11:48 Like you're building beautiful houses, 11:50 look at my house of worship. 11:52 House's of Worship in the Philippines. 11:55 And is said, "Okay," 11:56 so the money was my children's college money. 12:01 Sure. 12:02 I gave it up. Wow. 12:04 And I ran out of money. 12:05 Wow! 12:06 That must've been a big step of faith for you? 12:08 Yes. 12:09 Wow. 12:11 I got excited about it. Of course. 12:12 At first, I was upset because my husband died 12:15 and was upset at God. 12:16 But then, the idea of building the church 12:20 in memory of my husband, I ran out of money. 12:24 But the family who brought me to America, 12:28 Doctor and Mrs. McLardy gave me part of the money. 12:31 And my family and friends part of the money. 12:33 So that is how this church is built. 12:35 Wow. 12:36 So how did you come to the conclusion 12:38 that church needed to be in the Philippines 12:41 versus where you were? 12:43 It was in the dream, it was in my town. 12:47 Okay, so in the dream God specifically... 12:49 Yeah, on my parent's property and I'm thinking like, 12:51 "We don't have any property in the Philippines!" 12:54 But my brother said, "Yes, we still have a property 12:57 in the Philippines." 12:58 And the only property on the beach that was not sold 13:02 or given away. 13:03 And that's where it was built. 13:05 That is where it is today. 13:06 Wow. Praise the Lord. 13:08 And we're gonna look at a picture of this 13:10 in just a few moments. 13:11 Actually it's right here. There it is. 13:13 That is a beautiful church. 13:14 So you saw this vividly in your dream just like this? 13:17 Vividly, yes. 13:18 And God gave you all the instructions of just 13:20 how to build it specifically. 13:22 That's amazing. 13:23 Even the stained glass inside of the picture, 13:29 I have to send them up... 13:31 Take all those things pictorial. 13:33 Right. 13:34 And then added flowers, 13:35 and this is the most beautiful stained glass picture 13:38 about seven foot tall. 13:40 Wow. And they got it. 13:42 They did such a beautiful job. 13:44 I was amazed how they did this 13:46 and everything was done through email. 13:48 My brother, my second oldest brother 13:51 went there to supervise, he was retired at that time. 13:53 And he supervised the construction 13:56 for six months. 13:57 Amazing. And he started there. 13:59 Okay, so you... 14:00 God gives you this dream, build me a church, and you... 14:06 Now what happens? 14:07 So you built this church and then how does this 14:09 Adopt a Minister International come from this? 14:12 I think, I feel like I was being tested, can you? 14:15 I'll do it. Okay. 14:16 I did it. 14:17 And so, when I came back 14:19 after the grand opening of the church, 14:22 I came back and I had a dream. 14:24 Right. 14:25 And in the dream, I'm seeing... 14:26 At that time I was a full time worker, 14:28 sending two kids to college, a widow, and in dream, 14:32 I'm seeing this woman in a white outfit. 14:37 I don't know who she was and she just, 14:39 she said she told me, "Come, I'll show you." 14:42 Took me to this building, and I went inside a building, 14:47 room like this with wooden floor. 14:49 And I see little babies sitting on the floor. 14:53 Naked, malnourished, dirty babies, 14:57 like a foot apart. 14:58 And on one side would be a little older 15:00 and I'm thinking like 15:03 who are these babies and then the woman said, 15:06 this is your job. 15:08 You need to take care of their babies and she left. 15:11 And I went there and I started taking one baby at a time, 15:16 bathing them, scrubbing the floor, 15:18 putting them clothes and putting one of them, 15:21 one at a time until get done. 15:24 And I didn't know what it was 15:25 and then, I said I dream all the time 15:28 so I wonder what that was. 15:29 That's when I started trying to put ministers 15:32 to the church that I built. 15:34 So I contacted the mission, the local mission 15:37 who actively helped me 15:39 with the building of the church, 15:41 I said, "I'd like to put three ministers there." 15:45 A month later, I'm not receiving any answer. 15:49 "Are you all gonna put the minister there?" 15:51 And they said, "We cannot decide 15:54 who to put there 15:55 because there're so many who wants to go there." 15:57 Oh. 15:58 I said, "What do you mean?" 15:59 They said, "We have about 30 in these missions alone 16:01 who are unemployed." 16:04 I said, "Place three over there." 16:05 And then I'm saying, "Thirty." 16:10 What are you doing? 16:11 Unemployed. 16:12 These are young people 16:14 who went to our Adventist universities 16:18 and colleges. 16:19 Okay, and this is in the Philippines? 16:20 In the Philippines. 16:22 And so about how many universities 16:23 and colleges do they have in Philippines? 16:24 We have five. Five, okay. 16:26 Four colleges and one university. 16:27 All right. 16:29 And so we are producing theology graduates, 16:30 working students. 16:32 Some of them had to work till 8 to 10 years in college. 16:36 Wow. 16:37 Working in the farm whatever to become, 16:40 God had called this young people. 16:41 Sure. 16:43 Mostly, most of them, 16:44 they're only Seventh-day Adventist 16:46 in the family. 16:48 They attended an evangelistic meeting. 16:51 The Holy Spirit speaks to them, they get baptized. 16:54 And then they get excited, they want to be a minister. 16:58 But wow, they're so poor. 17:00 They go to college, working students, 17:02 we have some sponsored students too, 17:05 but that's how it started really the babies. 17:09 Right. 17:10 And when I found out that there were so many, 17:12 it's like God did not want to leave me alone. 17:15 And I'm thinking like wow, if they are that unemployed 17:20 and they have no funds, 17:22 how do they feed their families if they have a family 17:24 or even themselves? 17:26 He did not leave me alone. 17:28 I would go to work, 17:29 I would go to sleep still in my mind. 17:31 Amen. 17:33 And every 2 o'clock in the morning, 17:34 I see Jesus was standing by my bed, 17:38 waking me up and saying, "Wake up, 17:41 what are you gonna do about them?" 17:43 And I would just cry. 17:45 I said, "Leave me alone, I don't know." 17:48 Every 2 o'clock, I thought this lasted for weeks. 17:52 He'd stand there and wake up 17:53 and I just sit on my bed and I said, "I don't know." 17:59 Then, I have to tell you this part. 18:01 Sure. 18:02 It was like a couple months later, 18:04 I was invited to speak at a Gulfport Church. 18:14 And I'm talking about raising funds 18:16 to build a church school in the church that I built. 18:18 Sure. 18:20 Guess what comes out of my mouth? 18:21 This hundreds of unemployed theology graduates 18:24 and I'm talking about it. 18:26 And I said, "What in the world?" 18:30 When I got done with my talk at the potluck, 18:34 there was a Filipino man who happened to be 18:38 just visiting the all American Church. 18:41 And he came and he said, 18:45 "What are we gonna do about those ministers?" 18:46 I said, "I don't know." 18:48 He said, "I tell you what? 18:50 I will pay for the salaries of five of them." 18:54 I said, "Okay." 18:56 And then another and some doctor, 18:59 we still are sponsored today. 19:01 Right. So I'll pay for one of them. 19:03 When I went home, I said, "I've got to do something." 19:06 That's how it got started. 19:07 Okay so that you just mentioned that this gentleman volunteered 19:10 to pay the salary of five of them and another one, 19:13 I'll pay for one's so what is the salary of... 19:17 It never changed really even from 20 years ago, 19:20 I said, I just came up with a $130 a month. 19:24 Okay, let's take in that for a moment, 19:26 $130 a month in the Philippines 19:30 For their salary. 19:32 For the salary for the pastor, 19:33 and these are young men 19:35 who have come out of university, 19:36 they've been trained, 19:37 they have given their heart to the Lord, 19:39 they've committed to the mission of the church, 19:41 into the mission of Christ. 19:42 But yet, there's just not enough funds. 19:44 No. 19:45 So I have to ask this 19:46 'cause as you're telling this story, 19:48 at least from where I grew, 19:49 'cause I haven't always been 19:50 Seventh-day Adventist Christian. 19:52 I grew up in Pentecostal Church 19:54 and going to many different denominational churches, 19:56 but as you're telling me 19:57 this that the Lord give this to you in a dream, 20:00 automatically especially here in America, 20:02 you're gonna run into some skeptics 20:03 who are gonna say, okay, but how do you know? 20:05 So did you have anyone that was skeptic about, 20:09 you know, or questioning you about, 20:10 you know, was this dream really from the Lord? 20:12 What were some of the responses that you got? 20:14 Oh, I still get that today, even today 20:16 because I dream all the time. 20:17 Right. 20:18 I dream about and they say, 20:20 well, you know the devil can also give you a dream 20:21 but I said, "But this one, he did not leave me alone." 20:25 I had to do something and so I started out, 20:28 I was still a widow and two kids in college 20:33 and we started out with the six and then... 20:39 By the way I have nine siblings. 20:42 There are 10 siblings, 9 brothers and sisters. 20:45 And so they said, "Well, we'll help you." 20:47 And then, my son said, "We'll help you." 20:49 And so next thing you know I have about 60. 20:52 We have 60 and then I started getting letters, 20:56 application letters. 20:57 "Mom, can we be part of this Adopt a Minister?" 20:59 Wow. 21:01 So these are the babies of my dream coming up, 21:02 you know, and so I said, "Okay, God, I'm still working, 21:08 I don't know how to do this, I cannot do it, I go home, 21:11 I go to work, I do my computer work, 21:13 send me help." 21:15 That's when God sent me help. 21:16 This was like four years later. 21:18 Okay, so this is where Mary Grace 21:20 comes into the picture. 21:22 So now really quick, Mary Grace, 21:23 so just to set kind of the timeline here. 21:25 This Adopt a Minster International, 21:29 its official founding year was what year? 21:32 2000. 2000, okay. 21:34 So 2000. 21:35 You had received these dreams many years prior, 21:38 that you felt were from the Lord obviously. 21:40 It was really like within the six months timeframe. 21:45 I went hearing... 21:47 That's when He started sending me people to do it 21:49 and then it got done. 21:50 Right. 21:52 And so... That's powerful. 21:53 That was 2000 until today. 21:56 This is our 20th, going to our 20th year. 21:58 Right. 22:00 And here we are looking in hindsight 22:02 nearly 20 years later 22:04 and you know that this is from the Lord 22:05 because of how many lives have been impacted 22:08 and how many young men have come through this program 22:11 which you're gonna tell us in just few moments. 22:12 I don't wanna spoil the story but 2000 and this thing, 22:17 obviously it's now gaining awareness, 22:19 more and more people are learning about it, 22:20 but you still need to spread the awareness, 22:22 obviously you want this thing to be influential 22:25 and worldwide and so, 22:27 this is where Mary Grace comes into the picture. 22:29 So, Mary Grace, how did you get connected 22:32 in this ministry of Adopt a Minister International? 22:35 In 2001, I came here 22:37 to do a fundraising concert in a school, 22:42 gymnasium from where I came from. 22:44 Okay. 22:45 And I did a concert in Alexandra, Louisiana. 22:49 Her sister goes to that church that I did a concert at 22:53 and the sister called her and asked her. 22:56 She lives by the way 2 hours and 30 minutes away. 22:59 So the sister called her and tell her that 23:01 why don't you come see this one-handed girl play the piano. 23:05 At first she didn't wanna go. 23:06 I think she went to the mall. 23:08 And she even asked the sister that can she sing, you know? 23:11 Okay. 23:12 But the sister won't let up 23:13 until finally she was able to convince her. 23:16 Oh, no, what convinced me is that she said, 23:18 well, if you don't want to come and see her, 23:20 you may want to see the people 23:21 who are talking about your Adopt a Minister. 23:25 All right, that's a trick. 23:27 She didn't come for me but for... 23:29 Yeah. 23:30 But when I saw her, that's when I cried. 23:31 I said, "Wow, this is it." 23:35 I knew then, I dream about her too 23:38 but in the dream it was a boy. 23:41 The Lord, He had a plan, He had a different plan. 23:44 He threw you a curve ball... Her hair was really short then. 23:47 Oh, I see. 23:48 Yeah, when she saw me. 23:50 I see, okay. It was her backside. 23:51 So I didn't see the hand. 23:53 So you perceived that it was the boy 23:54 but really obviously we know who was. 23:55 Yes, but I really didn't know what it was. 23:57 That's amazing. 23:58 Oh, yeah, I had a dream about it anyway, 24:00 but I'd find you. 24:01 Absolutely, yeah. 24:03 And I just wanna pause for a moment 24:04 just to remind our viewers, you know, when we hear this, 24:06 it's not that it's rare but then again it is 24:09 that you hear someone say the Lord gave me a dream 24:11 or I had a dream about that, 24:12 oh, and the Lord gave me this dream. 24:14 It's not unheard of because in the Bible obviously 24:16 the Lord gave many of His followers 24:18 and His young men and women dreams, 24:20 that's how He communicated to them. 24:21 And so, it's just powerful 24:24 because you know people have dreams all the time, 24:26 but you very rarely ever see this type of thing 24:28 come to fruition which obviously in hindsight. 24:31 Now we're looking back we see, 24:32 it was a God thing from the beginning. 24:34 And that is powerful. 24:35 So, Mary Grace, you finally connect with Mary Grace, 24:38 then what happened next? 24:40 And then so we met and we bonded. 24:43 And I went back home to the Philippines, 24:45 came back in 2003 to attend her wedding. 24:50 She remarried. Right. 24:52 And she tells me, I don't want to say it, 24:54 but she tells me that I was probably 24:57 answer to her on prayer 24:59 and the Lord gave her another husband. 25:01 So it's the three of us to this ministry. 25:03 Oh wow. So your husband is... 25:07 Are you guys 25:09 obviously you called her mother. 25:10 Adopted mother. Adopted mom, that's awesome. 25:13 Praise the Lord. 25:14 Adopt a Minister... 25:16 That's true. 25:17 That's nice, okay. Wonderful. 25:19 So, Mary Grace, I just wanna take time for the moment, 25:21 just press the pause button on the story. 25:23 I would like for you to tell us a little bit about yourself 25:27 because obviously we look at these videos of you 25:31 playing the piano so gracefully and amazing. 25:34 But we notice a little something about you. 25:36 Tell us a little bit about how you got started 25:38 and how the Lord has led you where you are now? 25:39 Yeah, as you can see, 25:41 I was born with physical limitations, 25:43 you know, I'd have a right arm, 25:45 but it's stub and my right leg is 8 inches shorter 25:48 and smaller than my left 25:50 and I have to wear a platform shoe. 25:52 Otherwise I would limp when I walk 25:54 but I remembered growing up, 25:56 I always wanted to be a missionary through my music. 25:58 I don't know why but I felt it that's what my purpose in life. 26:03 That's where the Lord has called me to do. 26:06 And, when every time I come home from school, 26:10 actually there were, 26:12 you know, the first day, I went to school, 26:14 I was so anxious I didn't wanna leave the house 26:17 and I was so right. 26:19 The moment I stepped into the classroom, 26:20 the kids made fun of me because of how I looked. 26:22 They called me names and stuff like that. 26:25 So every time I would come home from school, 26:26 I would run into my bedroom and I cry myself to sleep. 26:30 And every time I look at myself in the mirror, 26:32 I would cry because I look different 26:34 from everybody else, 26:35 but I am so blessed I guess that I have a grandmother 26:39 who taught me about Jesus and how much Jesus loves me, 26:42 and she told me every time I feel alone, 26:43 I can just talk to Jesus and that's what I did. 26:46 And Jesus has become my very best friend, 26:48 you know, and I would 26:51 from school I would usually go to my grandparent's house 26:54 and I would watch my aunt play the piano 26:57 and a few days later, my grandma thought that 27:00 maybe I was interested as well in playing the piano. 27:03 So I started taking piano lessons 27:04 when I was six years old. 27:06 Wow, six years old? 27:07 Yes, but you believe that my grandmother 27:10 had to go through three piano teachers. 27:12 The first teacher that we went to, 27:14 she told us that we were just wasting our time, 27:17 and she told us that 27:19 I will never be able to play the piano at all. 27:22 But, thank God, grandma didn't give up, 27:24 you know, until she was able to find one 27:26 and she made a bargain with the fourth teacher 27:28 and she told her, "Why don't we do this, 27:30 you can teach Mary Grace you know, 27:32 even with her left hand only 27:33 and I'll pay for the price of both hands!" 27:35 Wow. 27:37 So the first few months, I played the piano 27:39 using my left hand only but later on, 27:41 we realized that I could also use my stub. 27:43 Right. 27:45 I modify the pieces that I play, 27:46 my stub plays mainly the melody 27:48 and my left hand picks up the rest of the chords 27:50 for the right. 27:51 That is amazing. 27:53 And I was thinking and I'm so thankful that, 27:55 you know, if my stub was cut just right, 28:00 because if it were any longer or shorter, 28:02 it would probably be hard for me 28:04 to play the piano 28:05 and to have an elbow joint right here 28:07 which I could not bend 28:09 and I was thinking if it were bendable, 28:10 perhaps it would be difficult for me 28:12 to play the piano as well. 28:14 And there's like a fleshy protrusion 28:16 right at tip of my stub that's just the right size 28:18 to hit one key so you know, I was created perfect. 28:22 You were created very perfect. 28:23 The Lord had a plan in mind 28:25 and He knew exactly what He was doing. 28:26 Exactly. That is amazing. 28:28 So you've been playing since you were six years old? 28:30 Six years old. 28:31 You started taking piano lessons at six. 28:32 So you know how to read sheet music? 28:34 Yes. 28:35 Okay 'cause I noticed when I was watching you 28:37 in the videos we have, you don't have sheet music 28:39 so you memorize your pieces which is awesome. 28:42 And I was amazed as I'm watching you play 28:45 because again 28:46 someone who doesn't have this special ability, 28:50 it's like how accurate are you on the thing. 28:52 You're so accurate and swiftly changing 28:56 and making the transition from each key and it's just... 28:59 It's incredible the gift God has given you. 29:02 In fact, I wanna take a moment. 29:03 Let's go to another song 29:05 that Mary Grace is gonna play for us at this moment. 29:07 We're gonna go to a cut 29:09 where she is playing one of my favorite songs, 29:11 "The Lord's Prayer." 32:06 Praise the Lord. 32:08 If Danny Shelton was here right now, 32:09 he'd say that's a two hander. 32:11 So that is just incredible. Praise the Lord. 32:13 Lord has blessed you so much. 32:15 I know I cannot say that enough 32:16 because it's just fascinating to see 32:19 how, you know, the world would view someone 32:22 with your disability and they would say, 32:24 "Oh, it's impossible." 32:26 But all things are possible through the Lord 32:28 and we just praise the Lord 32:29 for what God is doing through you. 32:30 And on that same note, the Lord obviously brought you 32:34 you two together and He's using you Mary Grace 32:37 to help bring awareness 32:39 to this incredible ministry Adopt a Minister International. 32:42 So talk a little bit about how you do that? 32:44 So I travel doing concerts all over in churches 32:47 and camp meetings 32:49 and I show the video about Adopt a Minister 32:53 and I talk about it. 32:54 So that has been a answer to my prayer 32:58 and a dream come true for me to be able to share Jesus 33:02 and to help others at the same time. 33:04 Amen. Praise the Lord. 33:05 So you just travel all over the place. 33:07 Yes. 33:08 And so what are some of the places 33:10 you've been so far? 33:11 I don't know if you've heard of Bethel, Alaska. 33:13 Okay, I've heard of Alaska. 33:14 Yeah, it's very remote, 33:15 it took me like 16 hours one way 33:18 that everybody were still warm and welcoming 33:21 and yeah, I've been to almost... 33:24 I've been to 48 states out of 50. 33:26 That's amazing. 33:28 Oh, the Lord has blessed me 33:29 and I thought I have one short story 33:32 to share with you. 33:34 Sure. 33:35 In 2014, I traveled by myself most of the time by the way, 33:39 and I thought that I was already doing 33:41 what the Lord has called me to do. 33:44 For some reason, I was supposed to be going to Boston 33:48 to perform in one of the churches there 33:50 doing the disability awareness, 33:52 and I don't know 33:54 what, I was in Atlantic getting ready 33:55 to board the jet bridge. 33:57 I don't know what happened, 33:59 all I know is that since I'm wearing an elevated shoe, 34:01 if I step on something even as tiny as a tic-tac, 34:04 it would throw me off. 34:06 I was standing on jet bridge and next second later, 34:08 I found myself lying under the floor 34:10 and I broke my right femur. 34:12 And can you imagine how terrified I was? 34:14 I was in Atlanta all by myself. 34:16 Wow. 34:18 I've never been to a hospital, 34:19 I've never seen a doctor all my life up to that day, 34:22 and the first 20 minutes I didn't have any pain, 34:24 you know, so I was thinking maybe I could catch 34:27 the next flight back home. 34:28 'Cause I just wanted to be with family, 34:30 but I prayed and I prayed, 34:32 and I'm glad that the Lord helped me. 34:34 I stayed in Atlanta 34:35 because of 30 to 40 minutes into it, 34:38 the pain was so excruciating 34:40 that I couldn't even lift my leg. 34:42 I stayed in Atlanta, 34:44 my adopted parents drove from Baton Rouge 34:46 to be with me. 34:47 We stayed up for almost a week, drove back home to Baton Rouge, 34:51 saw a local orthopedic surgeon, 34:53 did another X-ray only to find out 34:55 that the bones were not connecting. 34:58 There was only like 5% chance for it to heal. 35:02 So in less than a month, 35:03 I had to go through two major surgeries. 35:07 I started to question God, 35:08 you know, because it took me a long time 35:10 before I finally made peace with my past, 35:12 accepted my disability 35:14 and something like this happened, 35:16 but I'm so blessed that 35:17 I have a very prayerful support system, 35:19 and they help me realize 35:20 that I should be thankful instead 35:23 because had it been my good leg, 35:24 or good arm, or had it been my stub, 35:26 it probably would've been worse. 35:28 The devil was trying to stop me from serving God, 35:31 but I'm glad I know to whom I belong. 35:32 Of course, praise the Lord. 35:34 The devil throws, 35:35 you know, he comes at us attacking us 35:37 when the Lord has something good going on in the lives 35:39 of his children. 35:41 Of course, that's expected 35:42 but you know, the Lord comes through. 35:44 That is powerful story. 35:45 And so you were traveling all over the place, 35:49 you're bringing awareness 35:50 to this Adopt a Minister International, 35:53 powerful ministry. 35:55 If you're joining us, just now joining us, 35:56 we just want to remind you, Adopt a Minister International, 35:59 it was founded in the Philippines, correct? 36:03 Founded in America. 36:04 Oh, founded in America but the bulk of the work 36:06 is in the Philippines. 36:08 So how far of a reach or influence does this have? 36:11 Tell us a little bit about that? 36:12 When we started out, and we were into 3ABN 2005, 36:17 I told God, I'm gonna do this, but you... 36:19 I'm not gonna fundraise. 36:21 You're gonna have to find the sponsors. 36:22 And that's how we found our sponsors. 36:24 When we told our story at that time, 36:25 we didn't really know what we were doing. 36:27 Sure. And God is so good. 36:29 We have ministers, adopted ministers in Haiti, 36:34 mostly in the Philippines, I'd say 95% in the Philippines 36:37 at that time when we started. 36:39 Laos, Thailand and Africa. 36:42 And then, later on we don't have that many. 36:47 So mainly now we're still just focusing on the Philippines 36:50 because we have hundreds. 36:53 We still have over 300 now unemployed. 36:57 And they are at the Minister International 36:58 and I get applications for new students. 37:00 Absolutely. 37:02 New applicants, and there's hundreds of them 37:05 before who are now employed. 37:07 Right, right. 37:08 And you know, I just want to speak for a moment 37:10 on this because, you know, it's very biblical. 37:14 God used His church, used His people 37:17 to support the priesthood 37:20 and God and throughout His Word, 37:22 He's very clear on the importance 37:24 and significance of the men 37:26 that He calls to minister for Him 37:28 and so, it doesn't surprise me 37:30 that the Lord would inspire someone like yourself 37:33 to create such a ministry because it is important that, 37:36 you know, God has raised up these young men and women 37:38 to take the gospel to the world. 37:40 And in this case, 37:42 in the Philippines which by the way, 37:44 I was shocked by the numbers you were sharing with me 37:47 because you said the country of the Philippines 37:49 is about the size of what state in the US? 37:52 Arizona. 37:54 Yeah, I think Arizona if you put all of them. 37:56 In about, what's the population? 37:58 Maybe 80 million or around that. 38:00 Eighty million people in this one little... 38:03 More than that now. 38:04 More than 80 million people in this one little, 38:07 I mean saturated hub 38:09 of the place the size of the state of Arizona. 38:11 Yes. 38:13 And so there are so many people to reach with the gospel 38:15 and so, but there are young men who are willing 38:18 to take the call of the Lord, they're inspired by the Lord. 38:21 I wanna take this gospel 38:22 to all of the people in the Philippines, Laos, 38:25 you said Thailand, Africa 38:27 which is where this ministry 38:29 has influenced a lot a lot of people. 38:31 And so, how many up to date have gone through the program 38:37 since from the beginning? 38:39 We flooded in 2016. Okay. 38:42 You gotta tell us the story because this is powerful. 38:44 Because all our records were there, 38:49 all our records, our binders, 38:51 our computers, we lost everything. 38:53 Right. 38:55 In 2016, seven feet of water, flooded water, 38:58 we lost everything. 38:59 Look at these pictures here. Wow! 39:01 So our... 39:02 This ministry, we do not get paid. 39:06 I decided, I could've decided though, 39:08 hey, whether we make a ministry that we could get paid, no. 39:12 Every dollar donation goes to the ministry. 39:16 And so we converted our game room into our office. 39:20 Right. That's where we work every day. 39:22 You can go till 12 o'clock at night, we're still working. 39:24 So just to repeat, you guys don't take a penny. 39:27 No. 39:28 All the money that is brought in, 39:30 goes directly to this ministry. 39:32 Wow, praise the Lord. 39:33 So when you said you have something good going. 39:37 Right. Well the flood came. 39:40 The flood came 39:42 and for three months 39:45 we couldn't even get in touch with anybody. 39:47 We had to live with my son, my older son 39:51 until, you know, everything gets back 39:54 and he gave us a house where we are staying now. 39:57 So we converted the game room again into our office again. 40:01 So this is what's happening with Adopt a Minister. 40:05 We still have 300, around 2005 40:09 we have about 400 or 500. 40:12 Most of them are already employed. 40:14 So, so many are coming in. 40:16 And this is our 20th year, most of this are new, 40:21 new graduates 40:22 within the last four, five years. 40:24 It takes them about from four year, 40:26 a four year college course to ten years 40:28 because they're working students... 40:30 Sure. 40:32 For them to become ordained. 40:34 Right. 40:36 First, you know, to be able to be baptized. 40:39 It takes them a waiting period of about maybe 10 to 15 years 40:44 before ordination. 40:45 I had a letter, an email last night 40:48 for my last sponsored student from Laos, 40:51 and he was so happy he got ordained. 40:56 I think I have pictures there later on I'll show you. 40:58 And he showed me his first 21 precious souls he baptized. 41:03 He said, Mom, they all call me mom by the way 41:06 so those are the babies in my dream. 41:08 I have hundreds of them. 41:10 Right. 41:11 Praise the Lord, that's awesome. 41:14 Before... 41:15 Because our time is dwindling, 41:16 I want to look at some of these pictures 41:18 that you brought, 41:19 and you can kind of tell us 41:20 a little bit of the story behind these. 41:22 So what is this picture here? 41:23 This picture right here is we, in 2005, 41:28 my husband JR Moore and I went home 41:30 to meet our first adopted ministers. 41:33 We went to Mountain View College. 41:36 And they're still in the Lord's work, okay. 41:42 This is how they, most would travel. 41:44 That's amazing. 41:45 Especially the one 41:46 where they're driving through the mud. 41:48 And that's a normal day. 41:49 'Cause in the US that wouldn't happen. 41:51 Most people would just stay home 41:52 if they had to drive through that, 41:53 but that's amazing. 41:55 That's a normal day. Wow. Praise the Lord. 41:56 So this is how the ministers travel? 41:57 Yes. Okay, what is this one here? 41:59 Okay, we have over 30,000 baptisms every year 42:02 in the Philippines. 42:04 They're amazing. 42:06 And, but we have to also remember that 42:09 many of them are really going out there 42:12 but we also have many of them nurturing. 42:15 Sure. You gotta keep them. 42:16 Of course. They're nurturing. 42:18 Thirty thousand baptisms, that's amazing. 42:21 Okay, 30,000. 42:23 Well, this one here is, 42:24 an adopted minister send me these 42:26 and these are young men 42:28 who joined the Philippine military 42:30 and they get baptized 42:32 because they're going to this southern tip of, 42:34 southern part of Mindanao, 42:36 the Mindanao part of the Philippines 42:39 where there's a war going on all the time. 42:43 They get killed. 42:44 I see. 42:46 Some of them got killed, 42:47 but they have given their lives to Jesus 42:49 before they got killed. 42:51 They had to find out 42:52 how many of the group so they are there. 42:57 Right, so these young ministers, 42:59 who are again a part of this Adopt a Minister International 43:04 that's being funded through your program. 43:06 They're taking the gospel even to military, to everyone 43:12 and that's why I love these pictures because... 43:13 Even to prisoners. And to prisoners. 43:16 Yeah, there it is right here. 43:17 You could see they're in shackles there 43:19 in chains. 43:21 And they baptized them in drums or ponds of course. 43:25 Or swimming pool, yes it is, we're afraid of swimming pool. 43:26 Yes. Oh, praise the Lord. 43:29 There's so many of this. 43:32 We have thousands of thousands of these 43:35 and this is just amazing, Jesus' way to come in. 43:37 Right, amazing. 43:39 Okay, this is a... 43:40 This one is, like I said the ordination of this 43:43 was they have to wait. 43:44 Right. 43:46 You know, not many of them gets employed. 43:48 You have your waiting time to be employed 43:50 and then waiting time to be ordained. 43:52 These are the ones from Laos. 43:54 Four students that we sent to Mountain View College. 43:57 They wrote in and they said, we want too, 43:58 these are from Laos students. 44:00 and we wanna go to Mountain View College 44:01 in the Philippines take theology 44:04 and they stay there for four years, 44:06 then they go back home. 44:07 And they got ordained and now they're... 44:11 But we need more for them. Right. 44:13 Of course. 44:14 In the Philippines it's just baptizing 44:16 but there are other countries that are not. 44:18 Sure. That's incredible. 44:23 Here's another one right here. 44:25 Adopted Ministers in the Philippines 2019. 44:27 This is the current group? 44:29 This is the current group. 44:30 Last February I was privileged to go home 44:34 and I met about 200 plus of them, 44:39 about 300 of them altogether. 44:40 I went to from one island to another 44:42 and we had a picture taken. 44:46 That's amazing, that is powerful. 44:49 And this one is the one that probably got me the most 44:52 is this statistic here, 44:54 more than 51,000 baptisms... 44:57 In last year. 44:58 Just within the year of 2019. 45:02 That is incredible. 45:04 This is actually 2018. 45:05 Oh, is it 2018? Yes. 45:07 Okay, that is just... 45:09 That's amazing 45:10 because I just heard just the other day, 45:12 I was speaking to a pastor and he was giving me an update 45:14 on just like in the United States 45:16 one single conference, 45:17 the amount of baptisms 45:19 and it was just like a little over like 120. 45:21 And I'm thinking a conference of several states 45:24 but you have one little saturated area 45:26 in the Philippines were 51,000 people. 45:30 So there's a powerful work that's being done 45:32 by these ministers 45:34 and by the ones that God is calling to, 45:36 to take the gospel to the world. 45:38 My friends, I just wanna make it 45:39 a quick appeal. 45:40 If you're tuning in and you're hearing this, 45:42 you know, we should be praying for this ministry, 45:44 we should be supporting this ministry 45:47 because Jesus is coming soon. 45:49 And this is evidence that 45:50 there are people in the Philippines 45:52 and all around the world that are hearing the good news, 45:54 hearing this powerful truth 45:56 and their lives are being transformed. 45:58 And you could have an opportunity 46:00 to support such a ministry 46:02 to help fund these individuals 46:05 who have given their life to Jesus 46:07 and are gonna go on to make an incredible impact 46:10 in the kingdom of God. 46:12 And I just praise God for this amazing opportunity. 46:17 And so like the culture of the Philippines, 46:19 I just wanna talk about that for a little bit 46:20 because, there's obviously a lot of people there, 46:25 but there's a need for ministers obviously. 46:27 So do you know the statistics as far as the ratio 46:30 of ministers to churches 46:32 or ministers to the population about? 46:36 There's a lot, almost about a million. 46:39 At one time, there were like 900 something 46:42 Seventh-day Adventists. 46:43 Seventh-day Adventist. Wow. 46:45 That was many years when I look at it so... 46:48 That's amazing. 46:49 We need that many but when we're saying, 46:52 when they're doing this, actually it's over. 46:55 Wow, praise the Lord. 46:57 We know what, Mary Grace, 46:59 I wanted to go to another clip of one of your songs 47:01 because you played this one earlier 47:04 and I love the title of it "God and God alone." 47:06 And when you think of this ministry, 47:07 you know that God and God alone is the one 47:09 who is blessed you guys and helping get this started 47:13 and helping continue the work in the mission 47:15 of Adopt a Minister International. 47:17 And so I would like to go to the cut right now 47:19 of the song you played 47:21 "God and God Alone," a beautiful song. 47:22 Here it is. 50:58 Amen. Praise the Lord. 50:59 I love that song, God and God alone. 51:01 And I love as I was watching you 51:03 play that. 51:04 You go, you make some really quick transitions 51:07 in that song and it's just so amazing to see 51:09 how God is using you to play some of these difficult pieces. 51:13 These are not easy pieces to play, 51:14 so praise the Lord for your talent. 51:16 We have been discussing the amazing miracle story 51:20 of how God raised up this incredible ministry 51:23 Adopt a Minister International 51:25 and what for $130 a month? 51:30 I can't even wrap my mind around that. 51:31 That's the month's salary of a minister. 51:34 For $130 a month, you at home can help support 51:37 this incredible ministry and helping someone else 51:40 take the gospel to the world 51:42 and take the gospel to someone else 51:44 that's gonna change their lives. 51:45 And so at this moment, 51:46 we would like to just take a quick break 51:49 and actually show you how you can contact them 51:53 and support this ministry 51:54 if the Lord has laid this on your heart to do so. 51:56 And so we're gonna take that break right now. 51:58 We'll see you in just a moment. 52:02 Adopt a Minister International helps hundreds of unemployed 52:06 theology graduates with stipends 52:08 that allow them to preach the gospel 52:10 because of your gifts, 52:12 thousands are being baptized 52:13 as the result of their efforts. 52:15 To donate or to find out more, 52:17 please visit their website at a-a-m.org. 52:22 That's a-a-m.org. 52:27 You may also call them at (225) 664-8174. 52:31 Or write to Adopt a Minister International, 18027, 52:37 Glen Park Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70817. |
Revised 2020-02-26