Participants:
Series Code: AWR
Program Code: AWR360009S
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00:01 Adventist World Radio is proclaiming
00:02 Jesus soon return all over this world. 00:06 Follow along as I am traveling to uncover 00:09 the incredible stories of lives transformed 00:12 through the airwaves 00:13 from the dangerous red zone in Madagascar 00:16 to terrorists in the Philippines. 00:18 The three angels' messages are encircling our globe. 00:23 Madagascar is one of the poorest countries 00:26 in southern Africa, 00:27 but despite this, 00:29 in 1996 church leaders managed to step out in faith 00:33 to establish one of the very first 00:35 Seventh-day Adventist FM stations in Africa. 00:39 Today there are more than 22 FM stations 00:42 covering the urban areas, 00:44 and this combined with two hours 00:46 of daily shortwave broadcast. 00:48 This has triggered the birth of over 40 churches. 00:52 With just a handful of paid staff 00:55 and the hundreds of committed volunteers, 00:57 God is using AWR in a mighty way 01:00 to proclaim the good news of Jesus love 01:03 and His soon coming. 01:07 I am in Madagascar and this is AWR360. 01:29 I used to hate the Adventists. 01:34 If they had evangelistic series, 01:35 I would throw stones on the roof. 01:50 One day Sihalavo watched 01:52 as many beautiful young ladies 01:53 walked into the Adventist meetings. 01:56 An idea popped into his head. 01:58 I need a good wife he thought, maybe I can find one here. 02:07 He entered the meeting 02:09 and sitting in the back surveyed his options. 02:11 One girl stood out to him 02:13 and after the meeting he introduced himself. 02:18 I didn't tell her about my bad past 02:20 and I started praying to impress her. 02:23 We were married soon after, but instead of marriage 02:26 and a beautiful wife fixing my problems, 02:29 things got worse. 02:31 Sihalavo had a criminal record which caught up to him. 02:35 And after being found guilty of murder, 02:38 he was placed on the most-wanted list. 02:41 Realizing his situation, 02:43 Sihalavo fled to a remote forest. 02:52 He lived here for four years. 02:58 I was living like an animal in the woods. 03:00 I had made a mess of my life 03:03 and felt like there was no hope for me. 03:08 Like the prodigal son 03:10 who realized he had nothing to lose, 03:12 Sihalavo ventured out of the forests, 03:14 knowing his family had surely abandoned him, 03:17 he went to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 03:20 An elder met him and assured Sihalavo 03:22 that his place was in the church 03:24 and he was always welcomed. 03:26 These words brought a glimmer of hope to his heart. 03:31 Though the church elder was very welcoming, 03:34 the other members avoided me. 03:36 My past began to haunt me again. 03:39 And in fear, I returned to the woods. 03:48 But this time Sihalavo took something with him 03:51 to the woods, a radio. 03:56 This was his only connection to the outside world, 03:59 and he listened eagerly to different programs. 04:11 One day he stumbled across an AWR broadcast. 04:16 The word stirred his soul 04:18 and he began to fall in love with the Jesus 04:20 who would forgive a sinner like him. 04:27 Excited about his new friend Jesus, 04:29 Sihalavo began inviting other thieves and criminals 04:32 in the area to come and hear the AWR programs too. 04:37 Convinced of their salvation through the blood of Jesus, 04:41 Sihalavo and 15 other ex-criminals 04:44 came out of the woods and were baptized 04:47 into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 04:52 Together with my friends who were once thieves, 04:55 we built a church 04:57 where we all worship together on Sabbath. 05:03 Today, Sihalavo also leads out in a small group study 05:07 where they listen to AWR programs 05:09 and pray together. 05:15 Sihalavo preaches like John the Baptist 05:17 wherever he goes, and he is often called Apostle 05:20 by those who know him. 05:24 AWR changed my life. 05:27 Through it, I found forgiveness and hope. 05:50 As Christians our family is much larger than 05:53 our immediate biological family. 05:55 In fact, we have brothers and sisters 05:56 that live in more than 200 countries 05:58 all around the world. 06:02 We want to remember them in our state plan. 06:05 We can help you with that process, 06:07 just log on to awr.org. 06:16 Adventist World Radio has been broadcasting 06:18 God's last day message 06:20 to the unreached people groups of the world 06:22 in their own languages from its very beginning. 06:26 AWR began 48 years ago in 1971. 06:29 And our mission and vision 06:31 have grown beyond all expectations. 06:35 I believe Jesus is coming very, very soon. 06:38 And all God's people must take part in 06:40 spreading the gospel all around the world, 06:42 all around this little ball of mud. 06:44 Our expanded focus of AWR360 broadcast of baptism 06:48 reaches people not only through the radio, 06:51 but also through most media platforms, 06:53 cell phone evangelism and mobile medical clinics. 06:57 Now incredible results 06:58 are happening all over the world 07:00 because of this enhanced direction 07:01 which by the way was the dream of Allen Steele, 07:04 the founder of Adventist World Radio. 07:07 One of those meetings took place one year ago 07:10 on the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. 07:13 Along with the broadcasts, many meetings took place 07:16 and more than 2,000 were baptized. 07:19 Then soon after over 77 new villages 07:23 turned their lives over to the Lord 07:25 as the laymen radio hosts kept preaching. 07:28 But then some of the new listeners 07:30 made a surprise visit 07:31 to one of our AWR radio broadcasters, 07:35 Robert Dulay. 07:37 As he was biking home one day, 07:39 he saw four strangers at his front door. 07:43 They told him there were rebels. 07:47 On March 29, 1969 07:49 the New People's Army was formed, 07:51 armed with weapons 07:53 they gradually infiltrated the country. 07:56 Their goals have been to overthrow the government 07:59 and establish a Maoist style communist regime. 08:04 They regularly ambushed police and military forces. 08:09 Are these men and women to be feared 08:10 for their brutality to be rejected 08:12 and abandoned or is God calling 08:15 His faithful to go out into the highways 08:18 and byways to preach there too? 08:20 They pleaded with us to send someone 08:22 to the village to preach. 08:24 As they had been listening to the radio 08:26 and wanted to know more about Jesus. 08:29 It is now four months later, 08:31 AWR360 is heading to the forbidden mountain area 08:35 in the midst of where these rebels live. 08:39 Where Jesus went, 08:40 He often healed those around Him. 08:42 In like manner, we are bringing in a team 08:44 of medical laymen who are committed 08:47 to following God's healing message 08:48 across the Philippines. 08:51 Helping take the medical supplies 08:52 to the staging point is the Philippine military, 08:55 the 4th Division Scorpion Unit. 08:58 Seeing the good work that AWR has done 09:00 in reaching the rebel soldiers, 09:02 they put forth their full support 09:04 of what we are doing. 09:06 They load the supplies 09:07 and before we head out we have a prayer. 09:09 AWR, the medical laymen, and the military 09:14 all praying hand in hand to our God 09:17 for His blessing in what we are about to do. 09:20 Finally, after a long and difficult drive 09:23 we reached the staging point. 09:25 As we wait, we notice many porters 09:27 coming down the trail. 09:29 They will help carry the supplies 09:31 the rest of the way up the mountain. 09:33 This will be a long trip with a very heavy load. 09:37 Some of the porters are members of the rebel group. 09:41 Once again we have a prayer 09:43 and then the supplies are loaded 09:45 for the journey ahead. 09:47 We say goodbye to the laymen 09:49 and the villagers as they make their way up the trail. 09:52 It will be a tiresome trek 09:53 through the jungles, rivers, and mud. 09:57 It will take at least eight hours 09:59 for some to reach the village, 10:01 for others it will be an overnight walk. 10:06 The next morning we board a small mission helicopter 10:09 and it takes us to the top of the mountain. 10:12 I smile as I relive God's miracles 10:15 and how He reached 10:16 the rebellious militant minded soldiers 10:19 that we were about to meet face to face. 10:23 As the helicopter comes to a halt, 10:25 I look at the crowd gathered before us. 10:27 They are lit with smiles. 10:30 We are welcomed 10:31 and the natives eerily give us a tour. 10:33 It's amazing to see how these precious people live. 10:38 Then I sit down with Ephran, 10:39 the first one who started listening to AWR. 10:44 My life was always on edge. 10:47 And I did many things I would rather not talk about, 10:50 but one day as I was listening to the radio, 10:54 something different came on. 10:56 It was AWR's health program. 11:00 As I listened, I discovered 11:01 that these people were helping many 11:03 with their health problems. 11:05 They also talked about the supreme healer, 11:08 one whose life was devoted to others rather than himself. 11:12 This thought appeals to him 11:14 and he felt the need to share it with others. 11:17 Then he began to wonder who are these people 11:20 who are sharing this loving message. 11:23 He knew he had to find out for himself. 11:26 I had to know more, 11:28 so I sought out the speaker of this program. 11:31 I said to fellow members of my unit to invite him 11:34 to the mountaintop. 11:36 The road we took down 11:38 many times had been used to hurt 11:40 or injured, but this time it was different. 11:44 My friends asked him, 11:46 "Please, come preach to us in the mountains." 12:00 As they met, Ephran shared how he has a desire to learn 12:04 more about Jesus and AWR360 12:09 was happy to oblige. 12:11 Many laymen pastors 12:13 also climbed the mountain to preach 12:16 and soon many new rebels heard about God 12:19 through the radio and Bible studies. 12:23 And they too had the need to share it with others. 12:28 And then the day came when Ephran himself 12:30 walked down the mountain with one final request. 12:36 I want to be baptized and so do many others. 12:42 And so, on top of this once dangerous mountain, 12:45 laymen doctors healed those who were sick 12:48 and the mouths were cleaned by the volunteer dentists. 12:52 Our AWR360 team spoke with many villagers 12:57 and prayed with many more. 13:00 Additional rebels arrived 13:02 because they were interested in witnessing what was going on. 13:06 Our team preached to them 13:07 and then it was time to baptize 13:09 those who had made their decision for Christ. 13:13 It was a joyous walk to the baptismal site. 13:16 And I believe all of heaven was rejoicing with us 13:20 as we watch Pastor McKey baptized five rebel generals 13:25 along with 60 other soldiers. 13:29 These men who were once killers 13:31 in the land have now died to self. 13:34 They have laid down their earthly weapons 13:36 and exchange them for a heavenly reward. 13:41 What I witnessed today was truly a miracle. 13:45 In one of the most dangerous places on earth, 13:48 Adventist World Radio boldly went forth 13:51 so yearning ears could hear the mercy 13:54 and forgiveness of Jesus. 13:56 Lives were changed for eternity 13:59 and now many more have a new hope of heaven forever. 14:04 And this is only the beginning. 14:12 Travel with me from the war-torn mountains 14:14 in the Philippines to the island of Okinawa 14:17 to witness how one man's loyalty to God 14:20 is tested under extreme circumstances. 14:29 I'm in Japan standing on Hacksaw Ridge. 14:34 This is where the true story of Desmond Doss, 14:37 a Seventh-day Adventist 14:39 stood boldly for God and his convictions. 14:42 He was here in Okinawa 14:43 during the bloodiest battle of World War II 14:46 and saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. 14:51 As an army medic he singlehandedly 14:53 evacuated the wounded from behind enemy lines. 14:57 Braved fire while tending the soldiers 14:59 and was even wounded by a grenade, 15:02 but God preserved his life. 15:04 Desmond was loyal to God 15:06 and is a witness to the whole world. 15:09 What is more important 15:10 than being loyal to our Redeemer. 15:12 All through the ages, God has had moral heroes 15:16 and He has them now, just like Desmond Doss. 15:19 AWR listeners from around the world 15:21 are taking their stand for Jesus, at all costs, 15:25 even at the risk of their own life 15:27 we must stand up for all God's truths 15:30 and live a life of prayer, 15:32 Bible study and witnessing to others. 15:34 Friends, we need a generation of believers 15:37 who are not ashamed of the gospel, 15:39 an army of believers that hate to be lukewarm 15:42 and will stand on God's Holy Word above all else. 15:45 Friends, we need to learn to fight on our knees. 15:48 There is limitless power in prayer. 15:51 Only the Lord knows how many countless lives 15:54 have been touched 15:55 by the testimony of Desmond Doss 15:57 and the testimonies of AWR listeners. 16:00 You too can make 16:02 an eternal impact on lives today. 16:04 The Holy Spirit is ready to work through you, just ask. 16:09 I welcome you to our website awr.org, 16:12 where you can read miracle stories 16:13 and watch more testimonial videos. 16:16 My friends, remember that those who stand for Jesus 16:20 in these last days, 16:22 He will stand for you in the courts of heaven. 16:24 Just like Desmond's prayer, let us each pray. 16:28 Please, Lord, give me just one more, just one more. 16:36 Now let's travel together to Argentina 16:38 to witness how the Holy Spirit used an AWR broadcast 16:42 to save a man in his darkest hour. 16:47 Adventist World Radio is in Argentina. 16:50 With our many radio stations 16:51 the message of the Lord is going out. 16:54 And because of the broadcasts many churches have started, 16:57 thanks to this ministry. 17:02 Sometimes the people discover the radio, 17:04 thanks to a friend. 17:06 Other times it is thanks to godly people passing out 17:08 flyers on how to listen to AWR. 17:12 Today we are in Rosario, 17:14 a city with no shortage of people needing God. 17:20 I am here to meet German. 17:22 As we greeted each other he began to tell me his story. 17:30 I have many regrets about my past, 17:33 opportunities wasted, 17:35 relationships broken. 17:37 I know the Lord was trying to call me, 17:39 but I just didn't listen. 17:42 German lived a life of earthly pleasures, 17:46 a man of the world. 17:48 He has had multiple marriages and many girlfriends, 17:51 but then he started to date someone different. 17:56 She called herself an Adventist. 17:59 She was different from all the other girls I dated. 18:04 She even got him to go to church. 18:10 But then he did something he would regret. 18:16 He didn't speak to us about what happened, 18:18 but I could see his pain. 18:22 He turned his back on God 18:24 and went back to the world 18:26 hoping to block out his regrets. 18:29 Life was empty and I felt the worst 18:31 I had ever felt in my life. 18:35 At work, the darkness brought back 18:37 all the bad memories. 18:42 But even in the darkness, God can bring light. 18:51 While on a break at work, 18:53 he decided to listen to the radio. 18:57 As I was tuning, I stopped at a channel 19:00 I never heard before. 19:03 It was AWR Radio. 19:06 And as the music filled the room, 19:07 it also filled his soul. 19:09 He continued to listen day after day 19:12 and he began to feel Christ's love for him. 19:15 Light was entering his heart. 19:20 I started to see that Jesus had forgiven me. 19:27 Back at home he started studying his Bible. 19:31 Each passage gave him strength 19:33 to believe his past was forgiven. 19:39 German wanted to know more. 19:47 He went to a local Adventist Church 19:48 requesting Bible studies. 19:52 He was falling in love with Christ 19:55 and he knew he had to share this message. 20:00 I couldn't stay silent. 20:02 The love of Christ had to be shared to others. 20:08 Even as he was still studying the lessons himself, 20:11 German invited his sister and niece to study with him, 20:15 and soon both he and his sister were baptized 20:18 into the Adventist Church. 20:21 Words cannot express how thankful I am to AWR. 20:25 I am in the church today, thanks to this ministry. 20:30 It is testimonies like these 20:32 that make me grateful for the work of AWR. 20:40 So many people living in darkness 20:43 are searching for hope and truth. 20:45 God is using AWR to light their path. 20:49 Together with your support, 20:51 the gospel is being spread around this world 20:53 like beacons of light, no walls, 20:55 no borders, no limits. 20:58 This is AWR360. 21:15 I grew up in Indiana, 21:16 and I've been a farmer all my life. 21:19 My father, every time we plant a field, 21:22 when we got through 21:24 we'd always kneel down and have prayers. 21:26 We've done our part, now the Lord will do His, 21:29 and He always come through. 21:34 After praying about it, my wife and I 21:36 decided to do a gift annuity through Adventist World Radio. 21:41 It goes to people that normally you're not going to hear. 21:45 And that's what our 21:47 three angels' message is all about, 21:49 to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. 21:53 When you're a farmer, 21:55 you don't have a retirement plan. 21:57 It was a good way to supplement our retirement. 22:01 It's been a blessing to us, 22:02 and I know it's going to be a blessing to those 22:04 others around the world. 22:12 The Holy Spirit is being poured out all over Madagascar 22:16 and I am returning to witness 22:18 how the radio is the pioneer of pioneers 22:21 in the most dangerous part of this country. 22:27 Isolated in the Indian Ocean, 80% of all the animal 22:31 and plant species on this island 22:33 are found nowhere else in the world, 22:36 from its towering baobab trees in the desert 22:38 to the dense rainforest jungles, 22:41 this is a land of wonder. 22:45 Come with me as I discover 22:46 how AWR is reaching into 22:48 the most dangerous part of this country. 22:51 I'm in Madagascar and this is AWR360. 22:58 There are three things they hate. 23:01 Cars, military, and well-dressed people, 23:07 they kill when they see these things. 23:16 They are taught from a young age 23:19 how to steal cows. 23:22 When they get older, all they do is drink alcohol, 23:26 and steal and kill. 23:30 They are called dahalo which means bandits 23:35 in the Malagasy language. 23:46 Who are these dahalo and what the cow thieves 23:49 have to do with AWR? 23:50 I'm on a journey to find out. 23:54 I am here in Madagascar with Ray Allen, 23:57 one of our vice presidents. 23:59 As we travel I have learned that 24:01 nearly 1/3 of this country 24:03 is locally referred to as red zones. 24:06 This amounts to an area the size of South Dakota, 24:09 where the government exerts a little or no control 24:13 and where bandit thrives. 24:16 Stricken by poverty, 24:17 the majority of the population in Madagascar live 24:20 on less than one dollar a day. 24:24 Deprivation drives theft and the stealing of cows, 24:27 an illegal exploitation of natural resources 24:30 is the pulse of the culture in these areas. 24:33 This makes them extremely dangerous 24:35 and difficult for the outside world to reach. 24:41 A Seventh-day Adventist couple named 24:43 Andrew and Rashua are bravely working 24:46 to share the gospel in these remote 24:48 and dangerous areas. 24:50 Both are nurses and through their medical treatment 24:52 of all people including the dahalo, 24:56 they have influenced a region that many others do not. 25:03 One Sabbath we travel to a distant village 25:07 and were surprised to find a group of people 25:10 worshiping together and praising God. 25:17 We had never seen this before and started to ask questions. 25:23 Andrew and Rashua found out that 25:25 many years ago the group leader discovered 25:27 an AWR broadcast. 25:38 Fascinated by what he heard he continued listening 25:41 and soon organized a little group 25:43 that began meeting every Sabbath. 25:45 That group has grown 25:47 and though they have never seen 25:49 another Adventist, met a pastor, 25:51 or been to a church before, 25:53 they sing together and teach the truth 25:56 they have heard from the radio. 26:00 And what's more, 26:01 the leader is a converted dahalo cow thief. 26:07 We could hardly believe 26:08 what you are seeing and hearing. 26:11 Truly, miracles are happening through the radio. 26:23 Isn't God amazing? 26:24 I love what a district pastor here told us. 26:27 He said that he views the radio 26:30 as the pioneer of pioneers in these distant 26:33 and difficult to reach areas. 26:35 So what do dahalo and cow thieves 26:38 have to do with AWR? 26:40 They are people whose lives are being touched 26:42 and transformed by Jesus 26:45 and the truth heard on the radio. 26:54 We know there are other stories that have not yet been heard, 26:57 other Sabbath keeping groups meeting 26:59 unknown to the outside world, 27:01 other cow thieves yearning for truth. 27:04 Thank you for supporting Adventist World Radio 27:07 and helping the good news of salvation penetrate 27:10 into the dark corners of the globe. 27:15 I can't wait for heaven 27:16 to hear more stories like these. 27:19 Together we are making waves from broadcast to baptism, 27:23 until next time this is AWR360. |
Revised 2020-05-21