Participants:
Series Code: AWR
Program Code: AWR360012S
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00:02 Around the world there are many
00:04 who have never heard of Jesus before. 00:07 Adventist World Radio is sharing the truth 00:09 where missionaries cannot go. 00:12 Join me as we travel throughout Africa 00:15 and the Philippines 00:16 to see what God is doing to reach those 00:19 who are hungry for the gospel. 00:25 With arid landscapes 00:26 and natives dressed in bright colors, 00:29 this country has many thirsting for Jesus. 00:32 Watch how AWR plants the seed of music 00:35 in the heart of a young woman. 00:37 I am Cami Oetman and we are in Tanzania. 00:41 This is AWR360° 00:59 Music has a unique way of ministering to the soul. 01:03 It uplifts hearts and draws people to our Savior. 01:08 Meet Remmy, a young woman who developed a passion to sing 01:11 as a young child. 01:13 She's a beloved member of her church choir 01:15 and she praises God 01:17 for His miraculous leading in her life. 01:22 From a very young age, I always loved to sing. 01:27 Being raised in a Masonic culture, 01:29 it is not customary for women to receive a formal education. 01:34 Most cannot read or write, 01:36 and this is why the radio is so important 01:39 in these remote areas. 01:42 But by God's grace, 01:43 I was chosen to be given 01:44 an education at a private school. 01:49 She faithfully studied hard and graduated. 01:53 Then she was chosen by the government 01:55 to teach in a nearby secondary school. 01:58 This is when her journey to know Christ began. 02:04 I was new in town and I felt very alone. 02:09 For a company, she turned on her radio 02:10 and found that there was only one channel 02:13 that came in clear. 02:14 It was Adventist World Radio. 02:19 This station gave me comfort 02:22 and I enjoyed hearing the songs. 02:26 A few days later, at the end of a radio program, 02:30 a beautiful song filled the air. 02:32 It deeply touched her and she began to sing along. 02:37 As I listened, I had to know which choir sung 02:41 so I could join them in the church they attended. 02:45 As the days passed, 02:46 she never once heard the name of that choir, 02:49 yet always enjoyed listening to their music. 02:52 It was at this time that she made the decision 02:54 to move to another province hundreds of miles away. 03:00 Only days after arriving, 03:02 while looking for a place to live, 03:04 she met a young man who is familiar with the area. 03:07 I asked him if he could help, 03:09 and he said he would be available 03:11 that very day. 03:13 He had plans for that evening 03:15 but would be happy to help me till then. 03:18 Since he had just finished work, 03:20 he needed to return home to drop off his tools. 03:25 As they arrived at his house, 03:26 he played a DVD for her to watch 03:28 while he put away his things, 03:30 but then she was surprised 03:32 by what happened next. 03:37 The DVD played the very song 03:39 I had come to love on the radio. 03:43 Immediately she raised to ask him, 03:45 "What is the name of this choir and where is their church?" 03:49 To her surprise, he replied, 03:51 "It is here in this very city, and I am one of their singers." 03:55 In fact, he was headed to church 03:57 that very evening for choir practice. 04:01 Remmy begged to go with him. 04:03 She could not believe what was happening. 04:07 As they walked into the church, 04:08 she recognized the familiar sound 04:11 that warmed her heart for so long. 04:14 A beautiful smile spread across her face 04:17 as she was fully immersed in that moment. 04:22 She quietly started to sing along. 04:26 Many of the choir members noticed her singing 04:29 and invited her to join in with them. 04:32 I felt peace, love, and joy. 04:37 After studying, she was soon baptized 04:40 and joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 04:43 I thank God for his direction 04:45 and for AWR for turning my life to Jesus. 04:51 Friends all across the globe, 04:53 AWR broadcasters are reaching the people 04:56 of the world in their own languages. 04:58 But we cannot do this alone. 05:00 We need your fervent prayers and financial support. 05:03 With your help, others around the globe 05:05 will be singing songs of Jesus love just like Remmy. 05:16 I grew up in Indiana 05:18 and I've been a farmer all my life. 05:21 My father every time we'd play in a field, 05:24 when we got through, 05:25 we'd always kneel down there and pray. 05:27 We've done our part, now the Lord will do his, 05:30 and He always come through. 05:36 After praying about it, 05:37 my wife and I decided to do a gift annuity 05:40 through Adventist World Radio. 05:42 It goes to people 05:44 that normally is not going to hear. 05:46 And that's what our three angels' message is all about, 05:50 to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. 05:55 When you're a farmer, 05:56 you don't have a retirement plan. 05:59 It was a good way to supplement our retirement. 06:02 It's been a blessing to us, 06:04 and I know it's gonna be a blessing 06:05 to those others around the world. 06:14 The radio has reached many in Tanzania. 06:17 Our next stop brings us to Zambia 06:20 for a story of love, dreams, and miracles. 06:36 I am here in Zambia, 06:37 hearing stories of lives 06:39 transform through the work of Adventist World Radio 06:41 in this country. 06:45 Broadcasting in the local language, 06:47 a team of dedicated volunteers 06:49 work tirelessly to bring the Gospel 06:52 to these beautiful people. 06:59 Messages of hope air every single day 07:01 sharing the truth about health, family life, and the Bible. 07:05 And as a result many precious souls 07:08 have been baptized. 07:12 There are so many wonderful stories, 07:14 but the following one 07:15 immediately captured my attention. 07:18 Love, dreams, and miracles cannot be topped. 07:25 I was young 07:27 and so nothing wrong with dating Tabo. 07:29 His charm swept me away and I fell in love. 07:35 He wasn't an SDA but assured me it was no problem. 07:40 We could happily attend different churches. 07:44 Lulu soon married Tabo 07:46 and looked forward to happy future together. 07:49 But sadly, her world quickly caved in. 07:54 Upon receiving what he desired, 07:56 Tabo demanded that she attend church with him 08:00 and give up her strange beliefs. 08:02 Lulu refused and the beatings began. 08:06 Once the apple of his eye, 08:08 she became a subject of constant abuse. 08:11 Fearing for my life, 08:13 friends and church members encouraged me 08:16 to stop going to church on Sabbath 08:18 and follow my husband. 08:20 After many beatings, 08:22 I decided to heed through a council. 08:25 I hated going to church with him though, 08:28 and my heart remained with the SDAs. 08:37 One night while sleeping, Lulu dreamed a strange dream. 08:42 And in it, she saw a small radio. 08:47 To her surprise, 08:49 she dreamed the same dream again 08:51 and saw the same little radio. 08:59 When morning dawned, Lulu brushed off the dreams 09:02 and went on with her day's activities, 09:04 not telling her husband of the experience. 09:11 Returning home from work the same day, 09:13 Tabo walked into their home carrying a bag. 09:21 Lulu gasped in astonishment when she saw its contents. 09:27 It was the same radio in her dreams. 09:35 Together they sat down and turned the radio on. 09:39 The station playing was Adventist World Radio. 09:43 They listened, then switched the channel. 09:50 AWR still played. 09:55 They switched to another channel. 10:01 Exasperated, he tried several more channels. 10:04 But despite tuning in each direction, 10:06 it continued to play Adventist World Radio. 10:12 Tabo shut it off and jumped up frustrated. 10:16 Well, Lulu continued to sit there 10:18 amazed at what God had done. 10:23 As the days passed, 10:25 Tabo continued to act uninterested, 10:28 but as Lulu listened to the AWR broadcasts, 10:31 soaking up the words of truth and encouragement, 10:35 Tabo began secretly listening from a distance. 10:41 One day my husband called me in 10:43 and said he had something to tell me. 10:45 "I have a confession to make," He began, my mind raced, 10:50 it must be something serious to call me in like this. 10:54 To my complete surprise, 10:56 he told me he had been listening 10:58 to Adventist World Radio 11:00 and realized he had made a terrible mistake. 11:06 Secretly listening to the radio, 11:08 Tabo had come to believe all the doctrines 11:11 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 11:13 Checking them with his Bible, 11:16 despite what he once thought 11:18 he found his wife had been right and he wrong. 11:22 My husband apologized for the way he had treated me 11:26 and encouraged me to go back to my church 11:30 saying he would follow me there. 11:33 Tabo made good on his promise 11:35 and followed Lulu to church that very next Sabbath. 11:43 Together they studied and soon Tabo was baptized 11:46 into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 11:49 Tabo does not beat her anymore 11:52 and peace has returned to Lulu's home. 11:55 As together, they look forward to the Soon Coming of Jesus. 12:05 Will you join us in sharing this message 12:07 of hope and peace? 12:09 Many other homes like Lulu and Tabo's are broken 12:12 and they need to hear about the salvation in Jesus. 12:15 Please pray for the work of Adventist World Radio 12:18 and consider donating today. 12:34 I grew up a farm boy in North Dakota 12:38 till I went away to Union College 12:41 and met and married this young lady. 12:46 And two weeks before our fourth child was born, 12:50 we started medical school 12:53 and moved up here to this delightful 12:56 Ooltewah, Tennessee area and so we love it here. 13:05 When we went to the rally here and saw what AWR is doing 13:10 and how they could get into areas 13:13 where, as far as I know, 13:15 no other ministries can reach. 13:19 And some of the stories 13:21 that were given with Cami and places 13:25 they've gone and Dwayne, 13:27 that really impressed me and I said 13:29 this is a really worthy ministry. 13:33 I met Jeff Wilson, 13:35 who said he could do our will and trust here. 13:40 It was painless. It went smoothly. 13:43 Jeff took care of it all and... 13:46 To get the trust without any out of pocket costs 13:50 was way beyond what I expected. 14:02 Join me as we trace a remarkable story 14:05 from the Philippines 14:06 of how a whole village has come to Christ. 14:16 With its stunning natural beauty 14:18 and incredible wildlife, 14:20 the Philippines is a traveler's paradise. 14:22 These islands have one of the highest rates 14:24 of new animal species. 14:26 This is mainly due to virgin jungle areas 14:28 scattering more than 7,000 islands 14:31 that comprise the Philippines. 14:33 Many of these areas are inhabited 14:34 only by indigenous people 14:36 who live off the land and lead simple lives. 14:40 Surrounded by lush vegetation and thick rain forests 14:43 the people on this island live steeped 14:45 in superstition and spiritualism. 14:48 But in some of these villages, a privileged few own a radio 14:52 and that is how AWR is reaching them. 14:55 In 2017, AWR began broadcasting the Adventist message 14:59 on the island of Mindoro, Philippines. 15:01 Many doubted this would work, 15:02 but God's spirit 15:04 entered the hearts of the people 15:05 and they listened earnestly. 15:07 They were hungry to know more about a God 15:09 who loved them 15:10 and they eagerly listened to the programs. 15:12 We are now on our way to remote village 15:14 at the top of the mountain. 15:16 After many hours of driving, we finally arrived. 15:20 I am greeted by Perfecto, the village chief. 15:24 Then we head to a villagers house 15:25 for a Sabbath service. 15:29 Everyone joins in for the songs and Bible lessons. 15:34 Then Perfecto shows me the future site 15:36 for their church. 15:38 He personally donated this land 15:40 and construction has already started. 15:43 But how did this former pagan chief 15:45 hear about Jesus? 15:48 Spiritualism and local law was my way of life. 15:53 Others would visit the village 15:55 and try to convert him to Christianity, 15:57 but what they said was always different 15:59 from what they practiced. 16:01 And the confusion annoyed him. 16:03 He would tell them to go away. 16:05 Then he would find comfort in his prized possession, 16:09 his radio. 16:10 Even though he could pick up a few stations, 16:13 he only listened to one. 16:15 It always played the music he liked. 16:17 But one day after his favorite song ended, 16:20 a new program came on. 16:22 It began with trumpet music that caught his attention. 16:25 Then a speaker talked about the Sabbath 16:27 being the true day of rest. 16:29 As Perfecto listened, he became very happy. 16:32 Now he had a way to annoy 16:34 the Sunday keepers in his village 16:35 and show them they were wrong, 16:38 then they would stop bothering him 16:39 once and for all. 16:41 But he was surprised 16:43 when they showed a real interest 16:44 in what they heard. 16:46 So we called the whole village to listen to the presentation. 16:50 To his surprise, everyone loved the program. 16:54 But when it was over, 16:55 they weren't sure if it would return. 16:57 So they waited anxiously the next day. 17:01 And sure enough they cheered 17:03 when they heard the trumpets again. 17:05 Perfecto was satisfied 17:06 that he had proven the villagers wrong 17:09 on their day of rest. 17:10 But what he hadn't counted on was a change in his own heart. 17:15 God's Spirit had impressed him 17:17 and he was convinced 17:18 that what he was hearing was the truth. 17:22 He decided he must meet 17:24 with the speaker of the program. 17:26 Our broadcasting team was surprised 17:27 by this man and his words. 17:29 He declared, "My whole village wants to be baptized." 17:34 Bible workers were immediately sent, 17:36 but the villagers had a need, 17:38 a need the Lord 17:39 had already made a provision for. 17:42 Meanwhile, in the town of Nampa, Idaho, 17:45 a children's Sabbath school class 17:46 became inspired to choose an AWR project. 17:51 I did a project to help raise money for Bibles. 17:54 I gave almost all of my birthday money. 17:58 I did a bake sale at the Pacific Press 18:00 with my friends. 18:02 And we sold cookies... 18:04 Chicken eggs. Otter Pops at a yard sale. 18:07 My sister Magdalene and me 18:09 and for mom too, Adventist World Radio. 18:13 And one man, he just came 18:16 and gave us our $100 bill 18:19 for the donation. 18:23 The money for the Bibles was raised 18:25 and there was exactly enough for the entire village. 18:30 What a mighty God we serve. 18:35 Soon the entire village headed down the mountain. 18:39 All 77 people from Perfecto's village 18:43 had made the decision to accept Jesus 18:45 and be baptized. 18:47 And on that beautiful Sabbath day, 18:49 I had the privilege of watching Perfecto 18:52 being baptized 18:54 by AWR's own president Duane McKey. 18:58 Many others followed him into the ocean 19:01 to join him in baptism. 19:03 I praise God for AWR 19:06 and how they are broadcasting the truth to the world. 19:10 Back in Idaho, 19:11 we were able to meet the children face to face. 19:13 We also had a question for them. 19:15 Did God at the same time that this whole village 19:18 was coming to Jesus orchestrate, 19:20 put together some precious children 19:23 across the other side of the world 19:25 to raise money for Bibles at the same time? 19:29 What do you think? Yeah. 19:31 Yeah, He did. 19:33 Amen. 19:34 This is the God thing. 19:37 This is the God thing. 19:39 Amen. 19:41 And there's a picture of the Bibles arriving, 19:44 there's your Bibles arriving at the village. 19:46 These are your Bibles. 19:47 Those children now have a Bible because of you. 19:51 When I saw the kids getting the Bibles, 19:53 I felt really good 19:55 that I did something for someone else. 19:57 I felt really happy. 19:59 I felt really proud. 20:02 We should give Bibles because we want everyone 20:07 to go to heaven with us. 20:09 That Jesus is coming soon 20:12 and I hope you all are getting ready. 20:15 Please do what we did. 20:18 And maybe you'll see someone who have them 20:20 and they'll say, "I'm in heaven because of you." 20:32 As Christians, our family is much larger 20:35 than our immediate biological family. 20:37 In fact, we have brothers and sisters 20:39 that live in more than 200 countries 20:40 all around the world. 20:44 We want to remember them in our estate plan. 20:47 We can help you with that process. 20:49 Just log on to awr.org 20:58 As the thief hung on the cross, 20:59 he must have thought about his life, 21:01 the choices he had made. 21:03 He knew that his crimes 21:05 were deserving of this punishment, 21:07 yet the man next to him was so peaceful and kind. 21:11 He even prayed for his persecutors. 21:13 The thief was convinced. 21:15 This man was the son of God. 21:17 In his last act, He only asked to be remembered. 21:20 Jesus assured the thief that he would be redeemed. 21:24 From that moment on, 21:25 He died with the hope of salvation. 21:28 Today, there are many in prison 21:29 awaiting their final punishment of death, 21:32 yet like the thief on the cross, 21:34 hope still remains. 21:36 Miraculously, 21:37 Adventist World Radio just visited Zambia's 21:40 highest Maximum Security Prison. 21:43 This is unprecedented. 21:45 No other media has ever been allowed 21:47 besides presidents and dignitaries. 21:50 However, God made a way. 21:53 Out of 250 death row prisoners more than 50 have been baptized 21:57 into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 21:59 Over 800 inmates have become Adventists, 22:03 largely due to hearing our gospel radio messages. 22:06 As our video team entered their worship service, 22:09 we were overwhelmed with joy. 22:11 Only a portion of the inmates were attending that day 22:14 and they're happy, smiling faces said it all. 22:18 They have the hope of Jesus. 22:30 Our last stop brings us to the island of Madagascar 22:33 to hear how one man was reached through the radio 22:36 and now is reaching out to others. 22:46 An island nation located off the coast of Africa, 22:49 this biodiverse land is home to thousands of animal species, 22:54 rainforests, beautiful beaches, and towering boababs. 23:00 Join Ray Allen and myself as we discover 23:03 how God is using the radio to transform lives. 23:07 We are in Madagascar and this is AWR360°. 23:18 My name is Armand. 23:20 My wife Clarice and I live in Antananarivo, Madagascar. 23:25 Every day for a week, 23:27 I ride my bike from shop to shop 23:29 selling various products. 23:35 I enjoy my job. 23:38 When this story began, 23:39 Armand and Clarice were living far away 23:42 from the city in a remote mountain village. 23:46 One day Armand's brother shared that he and their father 23:49 were daily listening 23:51 to a very interesting Christian radio broadcast. 23:54 Later that day, 23:55 when Armand and Clarice visited the family, 23:57 they heard the program. 24:01 Armand was interested, but Clarice was unhappy. 24:13 I was a devout Catholic 24:14 and believed what I had heard on the radio 24:16 was speaking wrongly against my church. 24:21 But though Clarice did not like the AWR program, 24:24 her conscience began bothering her. 24:26 And the only way to quiet it 24:28 was listening to the very radio program 24:30 she despised. 24:38 As Armand daily listened to the radio, 24:40 he became convinced by the words he heard, 24:43 unbeknownst to him 24:44 the Lord was working on Clarice's heart as well 24:47 and she too was being convicted. 24:51 My husband finally came to me and said, 24:54 "We have to find the church 24:56 that preaches the truth on the radio." 24:59 I happily agreed. 25:02 We searched and searched, 25:04 but the only one we heard about was far away, 25:08 too far to attend. 25:11 Then one day someone told Armand 25:13 about a church in a nearby village. 25:17 They went to check it out 25:18 and found a group meeting on Saturday, 25:20 just like the radio talked about. 25:23 Soon the whole family was attending church 25:26 every Sabbath morning 25:27 and together they were baptized 25:29 into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 25:32 Sometime later Armand and Clarice 25:34 moved to Antananarivo. 25:36 And one day Armand happened to meet 25:38 one of our AWR radio broadcasters. 25:40 When the broadcaster introduced himself, 25:43 Armand got all excited. 25:45 This was the voice 25:46 he had listened to for over 20 years. 25:49 The two embraced and Armand shared 25:51 that he and Clarice had named one of their sons after him 25:56 because of the impact his radio program 25:58 had on their lives. 26:00 Some people think an Adventist came to teach us in person, 26:05 but no, everything we know 26:09 we learn it from the radio. 26:12 We are grateful to God for Adventist World Radio. 26:18 Today Armand is a faithful missionary 26:21 sharing the good news of Jesus and AWR wherever he goes. 26:30 He witnesses to his community weekly 26:33 preaching and distributing Bible lessons 26:35 in the open markets of his town. 26:38 He is known as pastor here 26:40 and the vendors are always happy to see him. 26:43 To Armand's joy, 26:44 many have requested further Bible studies 26:47 and are interested in baptism. 26:50 Together Armand and Clarice 26:52 are doing their part 26:54 to hasten the soon coming of Jesus. 27:00 There are many more stories like Armand and Clarice 27:02 still to be discovered. 27:04 God is at work in this land. 27:06 And we're excited to be partnering with Him 27:08 in spreading the three angels' messages. 27:12 And together we are making waves 27:14 from broadcast to baptism, this is AWR360°. |
Revised 2020-04-23