22 years of introducing people to Jesus in the 10/40 Window GIVING www.goaim.org/giving 14 September ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS PARTNERS IN MINISTRY A killer seeks the Savior by Reynante Dayagro G o s p e l O u t r e a c h Wo r k e r I was given an opportunity to work with Adventist World Aviation (AWA) as translator for two weeks during their evangelistic effort PHILIPPINES in Narra District, Palawan, the Philippines. I translated for Charlene West, AWA evangelism director, plus her son, Aaron West, and his wife, Melissa. Each night, the Wests appealed to the church members to accept the responsibility of being a disciple of Jesus. I know the Holy Spirit was working in the heart of each church member because every night of sharing the good news of salvation through the Word of God more people came to the church. Even the little children responded, so happy to be listening to the stories from the Bible and learning new songs. I prayed that this ministry might give our young children a When Arnel Dacasin stopped attending evangelistic meetings, a Gospel Outreach worker discovered Dacasin had been detained in prison for killing someone. chance to accept Jesus as their Redeemer. After two weeks of meetings, 20 people decided to accept Jesus as their Savior through baptism. Arnel Dacasin and his father, brothers and sisters had stopped attending church 20 years earlier. One AWA evangelism venue was just 2 miles from their home. The local church elder invited Dacasin and his family to come to our nightly meeting. They responded to the invitation, which provided an opportunity for the speaker and the district pastor to visit the whole family. We spent more than an hour sharing the Word of God. Dacasin and his family continued coming to our meeting, but suddenly there was no sign of him. The whole family stopped coming to the meetings except for Dacasin s father. I asked his father why they were no longer attending, and we learned that Dacasin was in prison for murder. His alleged victim s family was angry and wanted revenge. Accord- See A killer on page 6
PERSPECTIVES The folk song that keeps coming to mind is The FIELD NOTES Times They Are A-Changing. One has only to open a newspaper to see how true those words are. Amid our own church news, we find ourselves adjusting to new developments, from the closing of the Review and Herald Publishing Association to new leadership right here at Gospel Outreach. Even as many changes lead us ever closer to the fulfillment of our brightest hope, we must soon cling to God s promises alone and depend upon His sustaining hand moment by moment. The work will not only continue but will swell to a loud cry and finish in ways very much out of the ordinary. A practical pastor KODALBASTE, India The money for a man s new government-funded house was embezzled. With his own house in shambles, he had to stay with a friend. Gospel Outreach worker Madhu Rabha stepped in to help the man repair his old house with jute and poles so the man could go home. Then a wild elephant smelled rice stored at the man s house and ransacked his home. Rabha went to work again to help with repairs. A Gospel Outreach worker in India is helping people in practical ways and thereby opening doors to the gospel message in his area. Rabha also studies herbal medicines, and he uses them along with prayer to help heal people s bodies while bringing God to their hearts. The villagers are asking him to visit and pray with them. ISTOCK PHOTO I learned recently of an imbalance in the gospel network around the 10/40 Window. Our ambition for this publication is to report evenly Ronald Busby about the work going on across this vast and important mission field, which spans an area where two-thirds of the world s population lives. What we have discovered is more than threequarters of the reports that come into the Gospel Outreach office come from India and the Philippines. We appreciate the news of the gospel work in these population-dense areas, even as we long for more news elsewhere. Rest assured the work presses forward in other areas as well. See PERSPECTIVES on page 4 ISTOCK PHOTO The night is coming India We have been cautioned to expect that our money would at some point become worthless. The value of the U.S. dollar against the Indian rupee is in a slide. The cost of a worker in India today is more than twice the cost of that same worker when we first began work in India. The U.S. dollar s value The majority of our continues a downward stipend workers are in the slide against the Southern Asia Division, so Indian rupee, creating this trend is alarming. Revenues must increase if we an alarming trend in funding for Gospel are to continue supporting Outreach workers. our current workers and hopefully even more. This slide of the dollar in relationship to the rupee is not unique, simply illustrative. Beyond the devaluation of the U.S. dollar on this end is the ongoing inflation of nations in the 10/40 Window. Both of these trends cause concern. If we are to be as wise as serpents, isn t it about time to get rid of things we don t need? We are living in a state of remarkable instability, but having been in that state too long, have we become accustomed to it? The mission fields are literally white, ready to harvest. Pray See Field notes on page 3 PAGE 2
PART TWO: Show me the way by Fidela Tejas Last month we learned how Fidela, though a faithful member of her childhood church, developed important questions from reading the Bible. When Gospel Outreach worker Bobby Nacario visited, he finally provided the answers no one else had. Fidela began teaching her religion students straight from the Bible, but then her priest discovered what she was teaching. When the priest learned what I was using for my topics, he told me not to teach from the Bible. Instead, he told me to teach from the lives of saints like Our Lady of Fatima, Blessed Pedro Calungsod and Saint Lorenzo Ruiz. He said they were good models for the youth and children. Father, so we will not use the Bible? I asked. Why? Is it not true? The priest replied, The Bible is the Word of God and is true, but it is not our practice to use it because we have our holy tradition. My mind was so confused, and I felt empty. I began to read the Bible vigorously and was constantly praying for light to instill in me the truth I need to know. I wanted to personally know Jesus Christ. Early one morning I prayed before I opened the Bible. Then I turned to John 10:16: I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. I thought about the church I loved. But that was not God s fold. I started to dream about the passages from the Bible like Rev. 18:4: Come out of her my people, so that you will not share in her sins. After reading this passage, I thought deeply and decided to discontinue my teaching in religion until Fidela Tejas prayed God would show her the way. She wanted to personally know Jesus. It was Saturday the Sabbath so she responded to Gospel Outreach worker Bobby Nacario s invitation to visit the Adventist group in her area. graduation and not to send my reports to the priest. I would not attend any mass or parish meetings. I whispered a prayer, Lord, show me the way. Today is the Sabbath. I responded to Gospel Outreach worker Bobby Nacario s invitation to visit the Adventist group in our area. As I worshipped God that Sabbath, I knew that this was the will of God for me. I began regularly keeping the Sabbath and studying the Bible with this group. Finally Nacario told me I was ready to fully commit to God s family. I decided to be baptized along with my son, Argiel. We each accepted Jesus Christ and Lord. I thank the Lord for guiding me to where He wants me to be. Now I am once again serving in lay ministry to share the blessed hope and hasten the coming of Jesus Christ so we can be finally home with Him in heaven. Field notes from page 2 that the Lord will both continue to support the existing workers and with increased funding enable Gospel Outreach to expand further into the 10/40 Window. Work for the night is coming when man s work is done. SHARE THE 10/40 WINDOW ON FACEBOOK. Like Gospel Outreach on Facebook at http://facebook.com/gospel1040. PAGE 3
Years of heavy drinking left Deojit bedridden and ill. When his transportation broke down on the way to the hospital, a Gospel Outreach worker came to help and now gives Bible studies to Deojit. Lending a helping hand Prayers for Africa The Gambia Mission recently celebrated Women s Ministry Emphasis Day at Kanifing Church. Please join us in praying for all those in West Africa and other areas affected by the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus. Deojit was born in the village Titalbandhi in Eastern Jharkhand Section in India. He grew up in the traditional faith of his village, as did his parents INDIA who are elderly and depend on Deojit. In fact, Deojit s father believed there are 604,000 powerful idols on this earth. As a child, Deojit didn t apply himself to his studies. Instead, he roamed wildly with bad company and made bad decisions. He wasted his money on heavy drinking and gambling. Local witch doctors were called in 2011 when Deojit became ill from his excessive drinking, but they had no success in treating him. When Deojit s parents could no longer afford the witch doctors, they took him to a hospital, but his condition remained unchanged. The doctors said he must stop drinking alcohol. Deojit grew increasingly weak and lean. After Deojit spend two years bedfast with his illness, he gradually regained his health. His parents were inspired to explore Christianity. When Deojit again fell severely ill, his family put him on his brother s motorcycle to take him to the hospital. Along the way, the bike broke down. Gospel Outreach worker Manoj Murmu came upon the broken down bike and Deojit. Wanting to lend a helping hand, he offered to transport the family. Grateful, Deojit asked Murmu to visit their home and teach truth from the Bible. The next Sabbath, on his way home from church, Murmu visited Deojit and his family. He gave a Bible study to the whole family, and Deojit s parents decided to be bapized. Deojit was reluctant to change his faith, and he could not yet renounce alcohol. He excused his position by saying he was not healed by prayer but by the medicine taken at the hospital. Murmu continued to visit and give Deojit Bible studies. Deojit s health is improving, and he says when he is completely well he will join the Seventh-day Adventist faith and serve the Lord with his parents. Perspectives from page 2 Though political perils and stretched resources create a dearth of direct reports from some areas, Gospel Outreach is committed to bringing the hope and salvation of Jesus Christ to the entire 10/40 Window and the billions of people living there who have yet to hear His name. Your support is needed even when the stories returned are few and far between. We are prone to forget God testifies that the work is His, the grace is His and the cattle on a thousand hills are His. He can supply all our needs, including multiplying gifts that enable the gospel to spread to every tongue and nation. Let us encourage one another, moving forward in faith that with His guiding hand before us, we can succeed in the seemingly impossible task of bringing Christ to every precious person in these unentered areas. Ronald Busby, Adventures in Missions editor PAGE 4
Regional director s report Audrey Folkenberg, Region 1 (China and Mongolia) CHINA/MONGOLIA Audrey Folkenberg counts it a privilege to be part of and witness to the big and small things God is doing for His people and His church around the world. Area population: 1.4 billion (estimated) Current Gospel Outreach workers: 120 workers working in 60 teams of two. Baptisms last year: 259 (Oct. 1, 2013, through June 25, 2014), with more than 600 Bible studies ongoing. Needs: Thank you, Gospel Outreach, for partnering with the Chinese Union Mission to reach souls with the gospel. Your funding of Gospel Outreach teams is filling a great need. The other most-pressing need is to build, purchase and renovate places of worship for our members. Though China has a booming economy and many here are wealthy, our members are poor. The cost of real estate and building supplies is enormous. The woman who knocked by Gospel Outreach workers in northern China (names and lcoation withheld for security) We had been sharing the gospel in X for a couple of months but had not had any positive responses. We wanted to give up and return to our hometown and mother church. Discouraged, we prayed, Heavenly Father, your children are sad because there is nobody we can reach. If the situation keeps going on, we have to leave and go back to our homes. A few days later, just as we decided to leave, a woman came knocking at our door. You are the team spreading gospel leaflets in the streets and markets, A team of Gospel Outreach workers were preparing to leave an unfruitful area when God answered their prayer. aren t you? she asked. We did not have time to answer before she said, You are Christians. I need to go to church. I need a church! We invited the woman into our home. She explained that she came from a province nearly 2,000 miles away. I have been in See The woman who knocked on page 7 God is amazing by Gospel Outreach workers in northern China (names and location withheld for security) X is the town where we are serving. It is an ancient town where many people have blind faith in many things. The people are very traditional as well, and it can be See God is amazing on page 7 Even as Gospel Outreach workers became discouraged by their efforts in a very traditional area of China, God was preparing hearts to hear His good news. PAGE 5
A killer seeks the Savior from page 1 Nonoy Donding (third from right) and other Gospel Outreach workers are bringing the gospel to Southern Mindanao in the Philippines. WORKER FOCUS Why I am a Seventh-day Adventist by Nonoy Donding G o s p e l O u t r e a c h Wo r k e r, S o u t h e r n M i n d a n a o M i s s i o n I thank the Lord for the life He has given me, my wife PHILIPPINES and our children, Arlyn, Hilda and Norilyn Grace in Drilon Village, Banga, South Cotabato. A former teacher at a Christian school in Lamhaku Village, T boli, South Cotabato, I was known as a church planter in my previous denomination. When the school closed due to a lack of financial sustainability, we moved to Mauno, Maligaya, Columbio, Sultan Kudarat, where most of the churches I planted were. While studying the Bible, I read about the seventh-day Sabbath and the laws concerning the foods that cannot be eaten by God s people. This led me to pray and ask God to send somebody to teach me about this truth and other truths concerning God s will. God sent a Gospel Outreach worker who opened the scriptures to me in a simple but powerful way. It all made sense, and I understood more fully the things the Bible says about the Sabbath and food restrictions. I decided to join the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I was excited about my new discoveries and wanted to share these truths with my former students and the churches I had planted. Now that I have become a Gospel Outreach worker, I am able to reach out to them. Many are willing to listen to me because of my former relationship with them. Pray my witness will draw many to accept these truths from the Bible and accept Jesus Christ into their lives and hearts for eternity. ing to the law he would have to be released if the victim s family did not file a complaint. We brought the problem to the church and the AWA group for their prayers. We knew God is more powerful than Satan. After 24 hours no one complained, so Dacasin was released from the prison and hid in Puerto Princesa City. After two days he returned to where we were having the meetings and continued to listen to God s Word. I talked to him and asked him what happened and why he killed that person. Dacasin told me it was selfdefense. After attending the evangelistic meeting one night, he was providing security at an event when he was suddenly attacked by a thug on a motorcycle. Dacasin picked up a piece of wood to defend himself. After 15 minutes of struggling to defend his life he killed the attacker with a strike to the head. Immediately after the incident Dacasin ran to the police station and told them what had happened. This was how he was detained in prison. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he described that horrible, sad night. Dacasin wanted to change his life and follow Jesus Christ as his Savior. Although the enemy tried to stop him, God is more powerful. Through faith and the prayers of believers, Dacasin s decision was unstoppable. He continued attending the meetings and finally, on the last call from the Holy Spirit, accepted Jesus Christ. Six members of his family were baptized. His attacker s family wants revenge, leaving Dacasin in hiding and unable to work his farm. Please continue to pray for Dacasin and his family as they cling to their faith in this hard time. PAGE 6
The woman who knocked from page 5 God is amazing from page 5 discouraging and difficult to share the gospel here. One day, we remembered we had an old classmate whose uncle lives in X, so we contacted our classmate to get his uncle s address. We were able to contact the uncle and introduced ourselves as his nephew s good friends. We explained we d like to visit him, and he has welcomed us for visits and a little chit-chat. We also help his family with housework. During one of our visits, we shared our beliefs with him. We talked about our church life and Jesus. After a few visits, we became friends. The uncle has come to believe in Jesus. Now this man helps us to share the gospel. He invites his friends and neighbors to his house when we visit. They all long to hear the gospel and In memory from page 8 Don Riffel Dr. Bob Schnibbe Donna Shultz Elder Max Singhurst Esther R. Smith Eugene Soper Lainys Stevens Eldon L. Vories Steve Vories James L. Wade Rosalie Waite Juli Wallace-Venn Carol Ward Virginia Washburn Marilyn Weis Dawn Ashlee West X for eight years. There is no church. I am so thirsty! she cried. We have no church here, we said, but we can worship together. This Sunday? she asked. We realized she had attended a Sunday-keeping church in the past. We keep Sabbath, from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, we told her. That s OK with me, she answered. I really want to attend. After a several Sabbaths and Bible studies, she is a faithful seeker. Through many conversations, questions and prayers she accepted the truth of Sabbath. Now we have 15 to 17 people worshipping every Sabbath. We plan to baptize seven people soon, and 13 people are in Bible studies. We cannot imagine what would have happened if we had left this town and missed the woman who knocked on our door. stories from the Bible. Ten people are preparing to be baptized by the end In this area, such a result is beyond our words to describe. of the year, and we average 14 people attending Sabbath services. In this area, such a result is beyond our words to describe. Just as we were becoming discouraged in our work, God helped us meet the people whose hearts He had prepared. God is amazing! Leo Widicker Wallace & Rosa Wiggins Dr. Eugene Winter Walter Witoswski Pauline Woodard BOOK REVIEW Miraculous Movements by Richard Madson G o s p e l O u t r e a c h Vi c e P r e s i d e n t f o r A d m i n i s t r at i o n Editor s note: Richard has a selfassigned reading regimen while exiled to Alaska. He has reported on several books recently, including the following. This book offers amazing stories of how God is preparing the Muslim world to receive Jesus and words of wisdom for Christ s followers: The church of Jesus Christ is largely not aware that God, himself, is working inside Islam, orchestrating events that are even now beginning to crack the foundation of Islam and prepare hearts to discover the loving God who sacrificed His Son that they might know him. Trousdale s book will enlarge your understanding about how church is formed within contextual movements and will engage your prayers for Islam s 1.5 billion followers. Although the Quran contains many references to Jesus, most Muslims are not able to read it in their language and are, in fact, illiterate. However, change is coming swiftly. This book will inform and challenge you to have a part by prayer and by supporting Gospel Outreach Muslim ministries. Published by Thomas Nelson, this book is available in paperback and e-book formats. THOMAS NELSON PAGE 7
SEE WHAT GOD IS DOING THE MAIL BOX This money is intended for the [Middle East] ministry. It seems that other gospel workers may need some support also. This is not for a specific worker. Spread it out as needed for gospel workers. Anon., South Dakota We enjoy the little mission report and look forward to getting it in the mail. I read it to my husband, as he is blind, and I share it with several other elderly people. I wish we could give more. You are included in our prayers. E. & L.T., North Carolina At the close of the school year, Rogers Adventist School students who have leftover money in our school bank can choose to withdraw it for their own use or donate it to a charity. Several students chose to give their money to you. I m sure you can find a place to use this donation. C.T., Washington Thank you for the newsletters and for your TV programming. I am blessed by any of it that I see. Praise God as you encourage the willing to reach out to the unreached. From the blessings that God has given me, I send you a small contribution for your ambitious task. May the blessings continue to fall on your work. M.J., Oregon Just a small donation from the heart [while] I am not working. V.J., New York Blessings to you all. We are praying for you, praising the Lord from whom all blessings flow. Jesus is coming again! D. & J.E., Pennsylvania Please pray for me. I have a hard time getting around. Enclosed please find a donation. R.H., California I admire you volunteers. You work behind the scenes letting God s love shine forth. Enclosed is money to help others love Jesus. May He richly bless it and you dear people as you faithfully serve him. R.W., Idaho Need inspiration? Watch Adventures in Missions on one of the following stations. Simply check the station program listings for times. If our program is not being carried in your area, please contact a local TV station and request it. GOOD NEWS TV Phoenix, Dallas, Fort Worth www.mygoodnewstv.com HOPE www.hopetv.org SAFETV www.safetv.org 3ABN www.3abn.org BMT College Place, WA www.bluemttv.com IN HONOR Jai Shree Ahrja (birthday) Wally Mandigo (75th birthday) Pat Reynolds (birthday) IN MEMORY Edna Abrams Manford Anliker Maxine Bell Evelyn Bender Bob Burrill Kendall Butler Rosalee Coles Everett Dickerson Clyde R. Egbert Bud Elmer Glen Ferner Commander Norman Goodwin USNR KBLN Grants Pass, OR www.betterlifetv.tv KHBA Spokane, WA www.khba.com LLBN Loma Linda, CA www.llbn.tv RCCTV Sacramento, CA www.isbsacramento.org/ rcctv.html Maxine Rogers (85th birthday) Rosalie Fred & Verona Schnibble (66th anniversary) Willard Guthnecht Linda Haraden Edna Harris Gloria (Gay) Hippler L.A. & Nelda Hunter Orlando Knittel W. & B. Miller Isabelle Newbold Tressie Newbury Darlene Prusia See In memory on page 7 ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS Published monthly by Gospel Outreach VOL. 22, NO. 9 This monthly newsletter s pre-press production and printing have been graciously underwritten. GOSPEL OUTREACH P.O. Box 8, 712 NE C St., College Place, WA 99324, USA Phone: 509-525-2951 Fax: 509-527-0730 Email: office@goaim.org Web site: www.goaim.org GOSPEL OUTREACH CANADA P.O. Box 32035, West Kelowna, B.C. V4T 3G2, CANADA Phone: 778-754-2079 Email: canada@goaim.org INSTITUTO DE DISSEMINAÇÃO DO EVANGELHO GOSPEL OUTREACH DO BRASIL IDE-GO Caixa Postal 44 Engenheiro Coelho, SP, 13165-000, Brasil Site: www.ide-go.org.br E-mail: secretaria@ide-go.org.br INTRODUCING PEOPLE TO JESUS IN THE 10/40 WINDOW All Gospel Outreach administrative staff are volunteers. PAGE 8