Our Ten Favorites, Mission Stories, Vol. 4

10

OUR

FAVORITES VOL.4



MISSION STORIES

FROM ASAP MINISTRIES

What’s Inside: WHEN FLOOD WATERS ROSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 God promises to bring good out of every storm.

JAILED BUT NOT DERAILED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 What happened to the Southeast Asian refugees who came to know God in the camps in the 1980s?

THE LIGHT BROUGHT HOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 What would cause someone to risk all to plant house-churches?

FAST ANSWERS TO PRAYER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 What do Esther, Daniel, the Israelites, Jesus, the apostles, and many others in the Bible have in common?

SAVED TO SERVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Did you ever escape a life-threatening situation and afterwards come to the conclusion that God saved you for a special purpose?

CRISES AFTER A CALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 How did Pen Narith withstand Satan’s fierce attacks?

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO STAND? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Are you battling with something in your life that is not in line with the Word of God? Learn how to take a stand!

GOD’S OPEN EARS AND READY REPLIES. . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Do you and your church come together for united prayer? Read about Lay Pastor Terad Banjam’s amazing answers to prayer.

TWICE SAVED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 There is a battle for each soul whenever you lead someone to Christ.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I CLICKED “SEND”. . . . . . . . . 22 Has God put a love for Southeast Asians in your heart?

COVER: ASAP Literacy students in a Cambodian village in Kompong Thom where Chenda and her sister Chendo (pictured in yellow) serve.

IS A CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY RIGHT FOR YOU? Are you interested in financial and gift planning ideas that are win-win propositions for you and ASAP? We can put you in touch with planned giving professionals who can answer all your questions. CALL US TODAY: 1-866-365-3541 When making a planned gift, the legal name to use is: ASAP Ministries, Inc.

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The Unseen Battle “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

It was June 13. I sat beside my father’s hospital bed, stroking his hand, humming along with the Trilogy CD playing quietly in the background. The hours ticked by. I prayed, sang, claimed favorite Bible verses, read encouraging texts from my praying friend, Melody, and had one-sided conversations with my dad about good times and God. This was only a small part of what was really happening as my dad struggled to hold onto life after experiencing a massive brain aneurysm.

What he was thinking and hearing, only God knows for he was unresponsive. Yet, God was keeping him alive for a time. What my husband AJ shared was quite revealing. He said, “I had a very distinct picture in my head when I woke up. It looked like a scene Nathan Greene would paint. There you were, sitting in the recliner with your Bible on your chest, sleeping. Next to you was your angel, with his strong hand on his sword, ready to pull it out in an instant. Right next to you was your dad, with his angel standing by his bed, but looking out the big picture window, shaking his finger back and forth. He had a look on his face that said, ‘Not going to happen! This one is mine.’ Outside the window crouched Satan and his angels, ready for any inkling of an opening.”

The stories in ASAP’s fourth volume of Our Ten Favorites reveal glimpses into the unseen battle that takes place every day. As the national missionaries surrender to Jesus and pray, they claim territory for Christ and all of heaven rejoices over the victories. As you read these stories, join them in prayer.

God can use you to fight back Satan and gain even more victories for the kingdom. Remember, He who is in you—and me and the ASAP national missionaries—is greater than he who is in the world!

Julia O’Carey Director Julia has dedicated this issue in loving memory of her dad, Jerry Aitken, and in honor of her Heavenly Father.

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When Flood Waters Rose

By Julia O’Carey

God promises to bring good out of every storm. Read how he worked through the storms in one village of Cambodia.

Church Planter Thearith Sim came up to Chenda at church one day and asked, “Will you pray about becoming a literacy teacher in your village?” Chenda was stunned by his question. “Why me?” she wondered. She had barely said a word in church because she was so shy. She always sat way in the back, minding her own business. “How could I ever stand in front of children and teach?” She was flooded with questions and fears, but she confessed her fears to the Lord and also her weak faith. Through His Word, God assured her that His strength is made perfect in weakness. After praying, the Lord clearly showed her, “Yes,” it was His plan for her to work as a literacy teacher.

Chenda started out teaching five children on the porch of her parent’s home. The number quickly grew as children told their friends that school is fun and that their teacher loved them. The children enjoyed hearing the Bible stories and loved to sing. She taught them Bible songs with the motions. Stories like David and Goliath amazed the children and taught them that even though they are small, God can win battles through them. All they need to do is trust in Him. The students brought their My Bible First lessons home and read them to their parents. They sang Christian songs as they did their chores.

CAN YOU IMAGINE? An ASAP Literacy School in each village of Southeast Asia?

WE CAN!

We invite you to

sponsor a literacy teacher or a whole village project!

NOTE: It costs about $40 to sponsor a teacher and an average of $20,000 to build a literacy center.

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“And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42

Unfortunately, Satan started attacking Chenda’s leteracy school. One by one, Chenda’s students stopped coming to class until she was down to only two. She was discouraged and went to Tearith to resign. She heard the mothers and fathers were forbidding their children to come because they did not want them to learn about Jesus.

When Chenda went to Tearith, she had her list in hand with all the reasons why she wanted to resign.

He listened quietly and patiently, paused, and then said, “No, I do not give you permission to resign.

Remember the promise in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” They knelt down and prayed, asking God to turn things around. Chenda left there encouraged!

God answered their prayers and the students that left started coming back to class. Many new students also came. They started praying daily for a bigger, more suitable place for the students to study. God touched people’s hearts in America to donate money so ASAP could build a literacy center.

This village is surrounded by a large lake and many of the villagers make a living building and selling boats. They were not prepared for the flooding that happened shortly after the literacy center was built, though. As the rain poured down, the Holy Spirit also poured down His blessings on this little village.

The waters kept rising and simultaneously, the prayers kept ascending from that new little school. The flood waters rose so high it damaged many of the homes in the village. Students did not want to miss school so they came in boats, or whatever they could find. The school was packed with villagers who sought refuge in the literacy center because it was built on higher stilts than most of their homes. Two babies were even born in this literacy center during the floods! The people felt like Noah and his family probably did. They wondered, “Would the torrents never cease and the water ever recede?” The rain finally stopped, right before it reached the floor boards. Everyone inside remained safe and dry. This was the result of God answering the united prayers of His people.

God brought good out of the storm. ASAP donors generously gave funds so the missionaries could bring rice and necessary supplies in by boat to the people. This opened the hearts of the parents and even more families sent their children to the school. It grew to 208 students, two teachers, and four assistants. Almost all the children come to church each Sabbath.

Satan gets angry when people unite to pray. R. A. Torrey writes, “When the devil sees a man or woman who really believes in prayer, who knows how to pray, and who really does pray, and above all, when he sees a whole church on its face before God in prayer, he trembles as much as he ever did, for he knows that his day in that church or community is at an end.”

When Satan saw young lives coming to Christ, he attacked in a new arena. Chenda became engaged to a Buddhist man. An unequally yoked arrangement would certainly weaken the work.

She got wise counsel from caring Christians and she listened. Though it is almost unheard of to break an engagement in Cambodia, she made the difficult decision to end the relationship. The little school with the big stilts carries on to this day.

PHOTO CAPTIONS (Top L-R): The literacy center, newly built. The flood waters rose high, but the center was kept safe. (Bottom L-R): ASAP Literacy teacher Chenda.

Students coming to class by boat. Students fill the school each day.

PRAY FOR ASAP TEACHERS AND STUDENTS Dear Jesus, Please fill each ASAP teacher and their students with the Holy Spirit. Help the students to share You with their parents. Give me a heart to sacrifice like Chenda so I can help children know You too. Amen.

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Jailed but Not Derailed

By Judy Aitken

Have you ever wondered what happened to the Southeast Asian refugees who came to know God in the camps in the 1980s?

Many are still serving the Lord to this day!

I first met Houmpanh when he was a young man, working as a pastor for a non-denominational Christian church in the Napho refugee camp. He and his colleague Khamsay, received special permission to come to Bangkok. God led them to the Adventist Mission in search of Bible study materials. Jerry and I met them and supplied them with spiritual materials and offered to take them back to the refugee camp.

That four-hour trip began a life-time friendship that blossomed into fruitful partnership in ministry.

After learning the truth of the Sabbath and experiencing Jesus’ love, they both were convinced to join the Seventh-day Adventist church and to bring as many of their members with them as possible. The church grew to over 1,000 members. Pr. Houmpanh and family had the opportunity to repatriate to France, but he never lost the passion for soul saving.

In 1991, Pr. Houmpanh and his wife made a big decision to leave the comforts of their home and well-paying jobs in France and to return to their homeland, Laos. Many people could not understand why, but the answer was simple: they felt God’s call to share Jesus and His Word with their people. What a difficult task, considering the fact that Laos was under the rule of communism!

On the first Sabbath back in Laos, they worshipped with twelve believers in Vientiane, the capital city. Pr. Houmpanh pictured in his mind the church full and many more churches built around the country and filled with disciple makers. He believed the “God of the impossible” would make a way for that to happen. Sure enough, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Pr. Houmpanh began carefully and diligently spreading the Word of God. Twelve in Vientiane turned into 16, 16 grew to 25, 25 grew to over 180. The Nangern Village, 50 kilometers from Pr. Houmpanh’s home, with no believers, grew from one lady believing, to her family, to 53 attending regularly! This also happened in the Soung Village*, and many others throughout Laos.

Pr. Houmpanh knew that the faith of these new believers would die unless their souls were fed by the Word of God. Very few Bibles existed in Laos so he asked a friend coming from Thailand to bring a box of Bibles into the country. Bibles are contraband and when they were found, the friend was arrested and thrown in jail. During interrogations, she told the authorities that Pr. Houmpanh asked her to bring

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“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14

the Bibles in. In a matter of days, the police burst into Pr. Houmpanh’s quiet home, hand-cuffed him, and led him to a big, stark building with high walls and razor wire. He was jailed because of his connection with the smuggling activities.

Anyone that is sentenced to life in a Lao prison would rather die than spend time there because of the poor conditions and harsh treatment. The prison guards were brutal and inhumane to Houmpanh. He received a small bowl of rice gruel once in the morning and once in the evening. Thankfully, his wife and children were able to bring him some food and he was kind to share it with his six cell mates. His kindness surprised the inmates and prompted questions and friendships. He gently shared the story of Jesus to the inmates. Pr. Houmpanh remembers his prison stay like it was yesterday. He softly sang hymns and the beautiful words comforted his soul. As days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, the song, “In His time, In His time, He makes all things beautiful in His time” became his theme.

The Lord did make all things beautiful. After eight difficult months, Pr. Houmpanh was released! I am sure you can imagine the joyous celebration in thanksgiving that took place among all the believers of Laos. Elder Robin Riches, President of Southeast Asia Union Mission visited Pr. Houmpanh one week after his release and wrote, “He has developed a confidence in Christ I have not seen before. He is even more enthusiastic with lots of plans for evangelism. He says he is no longer afraid of anything.” After he was released, a police officer came to his home and asked, “Will you teach me to become a Christian like you?”

If you were to travel throughout Laos today, you would meet many believers who would smile and say, “Yes, Pr. Houmpanh studied the Bible with me and introduced Jesus to me.” Pr. Houmpanh faced imprisonment with courage and continues to serve God faithfully in Laos despite the challenges Satan continues to throw his way.

PHOTO CAPTIONS (Left L-R): Pr. Houmpanh giving a bible study to new believers. Pr. Houmpanh with the teachers and some students in the only Adventist-run school in Laos. Pr. Houmpanh and family.

Pr. Houmpanh runs a special

discipleship program where he takes young Adventists from rural villages and mentors them into

strong leaders of their churches.

PARTNER WITH PR. HOUMPANH Help provide room and board in an Adventist setting while these students attend university and participate in this program. $150/YR PER STUDENT

PRAY FOR LAOS Dear Jesus, millions in Laos have yet to know your name and accept you as their Savior. Raise up many more laborers to bring the Gospel to this country. Show me what I can do to be your missionary too. Amen.

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The Light Brought Hope

By Kang Do*

What would cause someone to risk all and be planting his seventh house-church in a communist country?

BRING THE LIGHT OF JESUS TO DIFFICULT PLACES!

Your gift for the Peace & Happiness Radio and TV Ministry illuminates darkness.

Your gift of $64 for DVD Evangelism will put sixteen

DVDs packed with truth-filled sermons in seekers’ hands.

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My family and I lived comfortably on the coast of Vietnam, until one day, government officials came to our home with an official letter. “We have to leave right away!” My father said slowly after reading it.

Later I found out the government thought our family and a few others were a threat and they ordered us to move to a remote mountainous part of Vietnam. We quickly packed up a few of our belongings and headed out to make a new home.

We had no choice.

As a teenager, I questioned God and angrily asked, “Why would a God of love allow this terrible thing to happen to us?” I felt so alone. I remember when I would wake up terrified in the middle of the night from the sounds of the jungle, I would see my father praying. He woke up early every morning to open the Word of God and read. So one day I opened his Bible and read these words in Romans, “All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” This helped the bitterness and discontent in my heart leave. This made life in the jungle less difficult!

One day, I came across a radio station called Peace & Happiness. The whole family crowded around and listened to the preacher, Pr. Isah Young, explain the Word of God. It brought hope to our hearts. We no longer felt alone in that bamboo hut way in the jungle. We started keeping the Sabbath and following all the truths that were so clearly explained to us. I felt my family drew extremely close to God during that time.

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

News came that my grandpa’s health was failing. My parents sent me back to the coast to care for him. While there, I got married and had a baby boy. I heard word that my father grew very ill, so I left my wife and newborn and headed to the jungle home to see him.

I got back home before my father passed away. He weakly gathered all of the family around him.

I saw a peace covering his face. He shared how he was in prayer and he felt a beam of light on him so bright that it caused him to open his eyes and look for the source. All surrounding him was a circle of light and he was wondering what was happening because he was indoors. After about two minutes the light disappeared. My father had tears in his eyes as he shared this experience. He said, “Our family is so blessed, so blessed!” Then he asked me, “Please contact Pr. Isah Young. His teachings are very Biblical.”

One week later my father passed away.

I had no way to contact Pr. Isah Young but about a month after my father passed away, a Sunday pastor came and shared with us. Having a preacher come was so rare, about thirty of us gathered together to hear his message. During his appeal, I raised my hand. I felt God’s call to serve Him. I did not know how this would happen, but I followed my father’s footsteps and spent much time in the Word of God and in prayer. I knew He would lead me.

I was too poor to pay for my wife and six-month-old son to come join me but I trusted the Lord.

One night, I had a dream where I saw myself fishing for a living. But then I was surrounded with lots of outreach materials and God led me to a tribal village. In my dream, they accepted Christ. When I woke up from the dream, my wife and son were standing at the door. She had made it home! It amazed me that she made it to our jungle home. These two events confirmed that God planned for us to stay there and serve Him. I set out to a neighboring village that did not know God. Twelve people gathered to hear what I had to say. I shared with them about the Almighty God, the God of Love, and the God of Holiness that has power to create. I shared about how this God does not tolerate sin. And though He is righteous, He made a way for us sinful people to be with Him through His Son, Jesus. An example is how God saved me, and I shared my testimony. At the end of my sermon, a man named Manh Chumh came up to me and said, “If there really is a God like I describe, look! How come my mom is going to lose her sight and my three-year-old son is covered with boils and in terrible pain?” I was strong in my faith and I lifted up the child in my hands and I prayed for him and also prayed for the mom. I told him, “These trials may be to bring God glory.” One week later I came back to visit Manh Chumh’s family. The first person to greet me was his mom. They both greeted me with big smiles. You prayed to your God and He healed my mom and my son, too! Manh Chumh exclaimed. A little boy ran into the house and I grabbed him up and felt his skin, as smooth as silk.

I continued to witness about the power and love of God and as I shared, more and more people from the village came. After I finished talking, I had an appeal and 26 people knelt down and accepted the Lord into their hearts. This was everyone there! The group kept growing and two weeks after this visit I had to come back and organize a church.

In 2010, a friend of mine from another province called me. During our conversation I told him I really wanted to contact a preacher, Pr. Isah Young. “Do you know of him and his Peace & Happiness radio program?” I asked. “I have contacted him a few times already,” my friend said. He put me in touch with Pr. Isah Young. We had a good conversation and he said he would send an Adventist pastor to visit me. To make a long story short, I now work as an ASAP lay pastor and am planting my seventh church this year. I often face difficulties with the government officials, but I always stay in the Word of God and pray, just like my father did. God is my light.

PRAY FOR THE PERSECUTED Dear Jesus, please show Your love and light to the persecuted and the oppressed in Vietnam and other closed countries. May I remember to lift them up daily. Amen.

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Fast Answers to Prayer

By Julia O’Carey

What do Esther, Daniel, the Israelites, Jesus, the apostles, and many others in the Bible have in common? God called them to fast and pray for various reasons and He answered!

God laid it on our hearts at ASAP to invite our prayer partners to join a corporate 21-Day Fasting and Prayer Initiative for the last three weeks of January. We encouraged them to pray and ask God what kind of fast He was calling them to do: a media fast, Daniel fast, etc. Of course, Satan does not want God’s people to fast and pray because he loses his power. So though it was not easy, over seventy people decided to join. As we look back on this experience, we see many positive things that happened.

God was able to move and work in a greater way when SELF was put aside. We were able to more clearly hear Him speak to us and direct us. We prayed specifically for a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit and we saw evidence of this personally and in our families. The Holy Spirit has been convicting us, filling us, and uniting us.

Some answers came quickly, but we trust the blessings will be flowing all year long. During the time ASAP partners were fasting, newly-weds, Esther and David Kim in Georgia, were on the same journey but separately from us. Esther shared with her then fiancé and now husband, David, that instead of a traditional engagement gift, she would much prefer a mission project! David was surprised, but liked the idea. So he presented her with a money-gift and she was to choose the charity. They contacted various charities but nothing seemed to work out so they were fasting and praying that God would reveal His perfect will for their special gift to Him. Esther contacted ASAP about a project idea. Since our staff and local prayer partners were united in praying daily for God to provide needed funds, we knew that this call was a direct answer to prayer. It was not long before a village in Cambodia was prayerfully chosen and a church is being built and dedicated to God who created love and family. Esther’s parents were happy to contribute to the project as well and they all plan to visit someday soon.

God amazed us with another big answer! The government issued a visa for ASAP church planter, Sam Ngala. ASAP applied for the visa knowing there was a slim chance for the INS to grant it since we are such a small organization. We felt how we imagine Gideon’s small band felt, or Joseph, facing Goliath. So the day we found out that the visa was approved, everyone we told made comments like, “It could only be God!” Yes, indeed! God hears and answers the earnest pleas of His people. Now Sam Ngala can continue the good work that he started in Indianapolis, Indiana among refugees from Burma.

A group of about seventy worship in their own language each Sabbath. Sam also travels throughout the US to encourage other SDA groups from Burma, especially from the Chin tribe that he comes from.

We know that the act of fasting and praying does not obtain merit or good standing with the Lord.

We do not fast to bribe God or put pressure on him to answer “our prayers”. There is only One who cleanses us from sin and gives us merit with God and that is Jesus Christ whom we receive by faith.

However, fasting can work as a catalyst for the Spirit to declutter our lives and expose sin so we know to repent and fully surrender.

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“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1,2

Those who fasted from food experienced hunger and shared that this helped them relate to a third of the people in this world who experience HUNGER on a daily basis. This awareness causes sensitivity, which leads to action!

We at ASAP believe God is raising up a generation who is not content with doing things as usual, but desperately longing for more. They are pushing closer to Jesus, closer to His holiness, His power. What results? A boldness to proclaim the Three Angels’ message and usher in Jesus’ second coming.

“Fasting doesn’t make you superior, or more spiritual.

Fasting breaks you down so you can become a vessel that God can touch with His presence and His anointing. It makes you useable to God. It makes you sensitive to the things of the Spirit.” Franklin Jentezen Esther wrote to tell us how excited she was about her gift: “Can you imagine, when we go to heaven, and Jesus tells us, ‘You know your engagement gift? All these people came to know me through that church/that school…and now they are here!’ What a beautiful day that will be!”

PHOTO CAPTIONS (Top L-R): Esther and David Kim. Progress shown on the church building that was David’s engagement gift to Esther.

(Right): ASAP Church Planter Sam Ngala, whose visa was approved so that he can continue to spread the word of God to refugees from Burma in Indianapolis, Indiana.

See the story on page 16, “What Does it Take to Stand?” to read how God is using Sam to expand His kingdom.

Please pray for Sam and the others who are working to reach the refugees and internationals in North America!

PRAY FOR A HEART TO FAST Dear Jesus, I know you are calling me to the perpetual fast of Isaiah 58:6-11, but show me in what way you would like me to deny self so you can do a greater work in and through me.

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Saved to Serve

By Saw Peh Peh (transcribed by Julia O’Carey)

Did you ever escape a life-threatening situation and afterwards come to the conclusion that God saved you for a special purpose?

My name is Saw Peh Peh and I am from the Karen (Kah-REN) tribe of Burma. My country is still fighting, but I trust in God for my protection. My friends and I made a plan to travel to my grandparent’s village.

It had been a long time since I had seen them and I looked forward to this trip. My heart sang as we headed out by foot with just our small packs on our backs. We chatted and laughed as we went along and sometimes stopped for a drink and to listen to the interesting sounds coming from the large trees that loomed on either side. After walking many hours, we picked up our pace because we knew that we were nearing their village and besides, it was starting to get dark.

Suddenly we heard, “ATTACK!” harshly ordered in Burmese and soldiers rushed out from behind some large Teak trees. Guns in hand, they started towards us. We spread out quickly, fleeing deep into the jungle, as they opened fire. “Jesus, help me! Jesus, help me!” I screamed in my mind as I dived facefirst into the underbrush. I lay as still as a corpse for hours. Night turned into day and day turned into night. I dared not come out for fear of the Burmese soldiers.

After three days and two nights, I heard some Karen voices in the jungle. “Is anyone alive? Come out if you can.” The villagers had also fled for their lives into the jungle when they heard the gunshots so near. They knew that if they did not flee, the consequences could be deadly for them too. I heard more voices calling. I was able to stand up and start stumbling towards those beautiful sounds. I did not even notice my parched throat and empty stomach. With much relief, I spotted my friends among the group that gathered in the forest. Yes, praise God! We were all there and though we had some cuts and scrapes, no one got shot and no one even lost their packs.

I often remember this experience because it showed me that God has a plan for my life. Right now His plan is for me to teach Bible class to 295 students in grades 4, 6, and 7 at Karen Adventist Academy. I often talk with Eh Tha Blay, the 8th and 9th grade teacher about our experiences because I believe God saved his life, too, so that he could also serve Him. When he was an animist, he traveled with his friends and the Burmese soldiers shot at all of them and he was the only one to escape. Even though he does not teach Bible class, he always tells his students about God so that they will have a strong faith in Him. I love teaching at the Karen Adventist Academy because each day I have the opportunity to share my faith with my students and the other teachers and to open the Word of God with them. From my personal testimony and from the stories in God’s Word, they see that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37, my favorite verse). God’s love is shown by the teachers and students alike and this love is beginning to melt the hearts of the students who do not believe the way I do as a Seventh-day Adventist.

I have taught for only two years and consider myself a new teacher. Please pray that God will give me wisdom and that daily I will put on the armor of God so I can fight the devil’s attacks. Pray that all the students at Karen Adventist Academy will have hope for their future and will develop well physically, mentally, and spiritually.

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“The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” Psalm 121:7, 8

PHOTO CAPTIONS (Right): Teacher Saw Peh Peh. (Top to Bottom): Reinactment of the Karen tribe escaping into the forest. The teachers of Karen Adventist Academy (KAA). One of the students at KAA.

Karen Adventist Academy educates over 1,000

children for eternity!

You can partner with

ASAP to prepare these children for heaven.

ASAP needs $27,000

to support the teachers

and program each year.

Would you like to

joyfully support this

worthy project?

PRAY FOR PROTECTION AND PURPOSE Dear Jesus, please send angels to protect your people and give each one, including me, a revelation of Your purpose in serving You. Amen.

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Crises After a Call

By Julia O’Carey

Meet Pen Narith! After God called him to serve, Satan tried everything to squelch his faith. Read his story to find out what helped him withstand the fierce attacks.

Pen Narith said “YES” to Jesus and got baptized in 1984 during a chaotic, uncertain time of living in a refugee camp. As the war raged in his home country of Cambodia, a battle continued for his soul. Yet in the midst of the difficulties, he found a peace and strength that only comes from God.

He met his soul-mate, Srey Roth, in church and together, they committed to not only love each other until death do them part, but to serve the Lord with all their hearts. This commitment was solidified by three consecutive dreams. In his own words, Pen Narith describes what he saw. “One night in a dream I saw a big hole in my roof. Through the hole I saw a white shining light. The clouds started to separate themselves and the sky opened in a big way. My eyes saw many angels flying down from the sky. This was the view of Jesus coming. In the middle, Jesus sat on His throne. Then I heard the voice of God in my ears. He said to me, ‘My dear son, go and tell people about what you see. Tell them I will come soon.

I will give you the power to speak.’ Then the clouds came back together again.”

Because Pen Narith was new to this faith, fear gripped his heart. This dream was too marvelous and strange to share with anyone. In his second dream, he saw a man wearing white clothes with red hair and having the appearance of an angel. The being gently spoke, “Why are you afraid?” Pen Narith timidly answered, “I understand so little in the Bible and I am not intelligent enough to share it with others.” “God will give you the power and Spirit so GO and tell your people about My coming!” was the Being’s reply. In a third dream, Pen Narith saw the peace that would come to his country soon. This dream finalized his resolve and he immediately delved into the Word of God, using every spare minute to study and prepare to tell his people. While he waited for his third dream to come true, he worked as the leader of the SDA Church in the Site 2 Rithysen Refugee Camp.

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“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2,3

Your daily prayers and sponsorship of a Church Planter is just the boost a worker needs in order to keep the faith in a difficult world!

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These dreams and the promises in God’s Word helped anchor Pen Narith during the crises that happened after being called. Time drew closer to his family’s repatriation back to Cambodia and Satan must have felt threatened. One day, his mother-in-law ventured a little too far when collecting sticks for the cooking fire. There was a loud blast; “BOOM!” a landmine exploded right under her, killing her instantly.

Though it was hard to imagine life without this special family member, they held onto the hope of heaven and kept looking upward. Then their precious baby girl grew very ill with dysentery. She was admitted into the refugee camp clinic and though they prayed and begged God to save her, she slipped away. But again, they had hope of seeing Jesus come quickly as He promised in the dream and in His Word.

Less than a month before they were to return to Cambodia, and still grieving their losses, a gang of thieves burst into their little bamboo-and-thatch hut and ransacked it. At gun point, the thieves demanded all their money, food, and meager possessions, leaving them with hardly anything but the clothes on their backs and a few pots and pans. He knew God’s word says, “I will never leave you or forsake you”. The next day God proved it when Pen Narith received a letter with $100 in it from ASAP. Mother Judy had no idea they would be robbed, but God did and He worked through her ahead of time.

Finally, nine years after his baptism, Pen Narith and his family returned to Cambodia. All their relatives were missing and wherever they turned, the ravages of war met their eyes. A friend invited him to build a small lean-to on his land. With few materials, the lean-to did little to shelter the family and didn’t keep the rain out. Pen Narith did not complain. He and his wife focused on their mission—church planting! In less than a year, 99 souls were baptized from Battambong City and the surrounding villages. Today, Pen Narith and Srey Roth continue telling their people about Jesus’ soon coming. Now as district pastor in Kompong Thom Province, he mentors ASAP Church Planters Sim Thearith and Ping Sothy. His wife works as a medical missionary and together, they continue serving with all their hearts.

PHOTO CAPTIONS (Left): Pr. Pen Narith with his wife, Sreyroth, Church Planter Sim Thearith and his wife, and Pr. Hang Dara and his wife, Bun Sokhom.

PRAY FOR ASAP MISSIONARIES TO HAVE COURAGE Dear Jesus, please help the ASAP missionaries to keep their eyes on You through life’s toughest challenges. May I too, have courage to stand! I know these trials will strengthen our faith if only we cling to you. Amen.

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What Does It Take to Stand?

By Nanda Zaw Kyaw

Are you battling with something in your life that is not in line with the Word of God? Nanda and Yi Yi’s testimony will encourage you to take a stand.

I grew up a Buddhist in Burma. At twenty-seven, I took Bible studies when in a refugee camp in Thailand and fell in love with Jesus. As I studied His life, I said to myself, “Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior lived according to the Bible and kept the Sabbath. If I want to become His follower, I should do the same as He did!” I remember as a new believer, how sweet each Sabbath was to me. I experienced peace and enjoyed the extra time with God and resting on His holy day.

My wife, Yi Yi, and two-year-old daughter, Phyusen, repatriated to the United States before me.

Yi Yi knew very little English and struggled to survive as a “single mom.” She managed to get a good job, but she had to work on Sabbaths. Her employer did not know God, so she thought there was no way he would grant a request for Sabbaths off. It felt like a battle she lost from the start and she shared with me how guilty she felt each and every Sabbath she worked.

I finally joined my family in the United States six years later! The first six months upon my arrival were the most difficult, trying desperately to adjust to the new language, cold weather, and the new role as “stay-at-home dad.” As we watched our precious girl grow and learn to speak, we increasingly felt the need to raise her up in the Adventist faith, but how? With limited English, we were afraid to attend an English-speaking church and knew of no Burmese-speaking Adventist church. Finally, when Phyusen was in kindergarten, we brought her to a warm, friendly Adventist church for Sabbath School.

However, three years went by and our faith dwindled. I found a job and worked on Sabbaths, too. Since I worked nights, I could attend church and Yi Yi would often remind me, “It’s Sabbath, you know.” But I felt the need to rest up for work and we often did not go.

We have shared our testimony with the other church members and they have been moved to make the hard decisions also.

In our culture, children’s birthdays are very special, a time for a big spiritual celebration. We usually have a worship service, where a pastor comes to the home and gives a sermon and a special prayer of blessing for the child. This was a problem for us because we had not connected with a pastor! One year, I had to invite a Karen Baptist pastor, but since I am Burmese, I could not understand his message.

Another year, Pr. Silas in Fort Wayne, Indiana, came, but because he was so far, he could not come for each birthday. He connected us to Pr. Sam Ngala.

We visited Pr. Sam’s small Burmese-speaking church plant occasionally and we saw how it began to grow. Pr. Sam persistently invited us to church and special functions and we always felt at home and welcome there. He encouraged us to take a stand for the Sabbath and for God. The Lord used him to energize our faith and to compel us to trust in Jesus. He challenged my family to stand for what was right and assured us that we would be blessed.

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“If you turn your foot from the Sabbath from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways…then you shall delight yourself in the Lord.” Isaiah 58:13a, 14a

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Even before we asked God for Sabbaths off, He showed us His love, mercy, and blessings!

We wanted to have another child but were unsuccessful. We spent a substantial amount of money on specialists, but found no answers. My wife became pregnant, but because the baby was attached to the wall of the uterus she needed surgery and had a miscarriage. We knew that only God could give us another child. Yi Yi fasted and prayed and we asked Pr. Sam to pray for us too. We rejoiced when she finally was pregnant again. She stopped working when she was seven months along and we started attending church regularly.

Spiritual revival began in our hearts after God answered our prayers for a child. I was thrilled to see my wife, who is terrified of public speaking, joyfully share her testimony with others. We had a serious discussion about how we were still working on Sabbaths. The Holy Spirit deeply convicted our hearts. God is so merciful, so loving, in hearing the prayers of sinners. How could we continue in sin when He blessed us so greatly? As we drew closer to God, intentionally seeking Him, we gained the strength to make the decisions to stop working on the Sabbath day. Baby Cindy Zin was born and Yi Yi went back to work, but she told me and then her boss that she would not continue if she had to work on Sabbaths, from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday.

To our surprise, God honored our faith and answered our prayers, and we have both received our Sabbaths off from work. I had to explain what a Seventh-day Adventist believes to my supervisor, but that gave me opportunities to witness to my colleagues as well. In seeing other refugees going through this same battle, we have shared our testimony with the other church members and they have been moved to make the hard decisions also. Our whole family gets excited when Sabbath comes each week.

We have peace of mind and great joy.

PRAY FOR REFUGEES AND THOSE REACHING THEM Dear Jesus, You understand the heart of a refugee because You were one. Please give me more love for the foreigner in my midst. Help the refugees and me stand for Your truth and keep Sabbath holy. Give those helping them wisdom, love and patience. Amen.

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God’s Open Ears and Ready Replies

By Pastor Terad Banjam*

Do you and your church come together for united prayer? If so, you undoubtedly see answers from God and can relate to Lay Pastor Terad Banjam’s amazing experience.

Terad Banjam (of the Hmong people) has planted four churches in the Vientiane province of Laos with 107 members already, and still growing. On his way home from an ASAP training, which focused on united prayer and the Holy Spirit, his heart was burdened. He thought, “I’m working hard for God to bring people to Him yet I still have many relatives of mine who do not worship God!” He knelt down right there in the pathway and cried, “God, if you are willing, please save my many relatives who do not know You yet. As you know, many of them are controlled by Satan and they need to believe in You. Please convict their hearts through the work of Your Holy Spirit.” This simple prayer was followed by many more persistent pleas.

Pr. Banjam had been teaching his church members on prayer and praying unitedly—they were quick to learn. He told them that he did not have the answers to all their problems because they were too big for him to solve, but that their problems were not too big for God. They could bring them to God in prayer.

Every morning from 5:00 to 6:00 and every evening from 6:00 to 7:00, believers came to the church to pray.

They praised God and confessed their sins. They asked Him and they thanked Him, day after day. What happened? God came down and worked on their behalf. One by one, members went to those they had offended and apologized. Forgiveness happened and a sweet unity resulted. Members started asking Pr. Banjam, “We want to learn how to witness!” As the church members are growing in their relationship with Christ, they are also learning how to give Bible studies and share their faith.

Not long after prayer became an integral part of Pr. Banjam’s life, he saw God begin to answer his prayers for his family. One late afternoon as he walked home from the rice fields with two of his brothersin-law, he felt a strong impression to ask, “Would you like to know more about the God who made the heavens and the earth?”

They looked at him and said, “Yes, we would like to know about your God.” This made Pr. Banjam’s heart leap with joy. He shared a little more right then and set up time to begin Bible studies with them.

Finally, they started attending church and continue to come each week.

Pr. Banjam had another opportunity to share God with his family after he was miraculously healed from a cancerous tumor in his neck. His family saw the tumor growing and fear grew in their hearts as Banjam steadily lost weight and strength. It looked like Satan had the upper hand and was winning the battle for his health. This experience tested his faith but he kept praying. Finally, Pastor Banjam totally surrendered his health over to God. At that moment, God took over and he started down the road to recovery. Through prayer, natural remedies, and a change in his life style, the tumor completely disappeared. This not only impressed the doctors who planned to operate, but it touched the hearts of his family members and opened their minds to consider a healthy, plant-based diet and Banjam’s “healer God.”

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“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Word spread beyond Pr. Banjam’s village of his powerful God. On the other side of the mountain, the parents of a 15 year-old demon-possessed boy got ahold of Pr. Banjam’s phone number. When the father called, Pr. Banjam heard the desperation in his voice.

“We brought Sxengveu to the shaman, to doctors, the temple, and fortune tellers to heal him, but they could not help him. Can you?” Pr. Banjam pitied them because they had spent $10,000 with no cure. A young believer from his church accompanied him and they set off on a day-long, 100-kilometer trek to the village in the middle of rainy season.

Before they arrived at the village, they knelt down and prayed. This village was anti-Christian and quite hostile. The village chief allowed them to visit the boy but instructed them that they could not stay long or he would call the police (Laos is still a communist country

Because of this special healing, many families have invited Banjam to their homes, wanting to hear about his powerful God that heals. where proselytizing is forbidden). Banjam came to the home and saw an emaciated boy. He prayed for Sxengveu, offered a few words of encouragement to the family, and headed back home.

After two months, Pr. Banjam went back to visit this little village a second time. Sxengveu’s father shared the exciting news that every day after his visit his son grew stronger and now was healed. These animists saw God at work with their very own eyes.

Banjam told him that it was God, not him, that fought off the devil. Because of this special healing, many families have invited Banjam to their homes, wanting to hear about his powerful God that heals.

The village chief now tells his people to decide for themselves who they will believe in and apologized for his hostility. He told Banjam, “If you see anything good that should be done for the people, do not hesitate to do it.” Twenty three in the village decided to get baptized and worship together each Sabbath.

WANT TO START A MISSIONS-FOCUSED UNITED PRAYER GROUP, BUT YOU JUST DON’T KNOW HOW?

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Contact us, A.S.A.P.!

office@asapministries.org We will send you all the resources you need!

PRAY THAT MANY MORE WILL UNITE IN PRAYER Dear Jesus, may many more groups join in united prayer throughout Southeast Asia so Your Spirit can work mightily. Forgive your church for not coming together to pray more. Amen.

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Twice Saved

By Julia O’Carey

Have you ever led someone to Christ? Church Planter Khaing Hlone* from Myanmar (Burma) shares about three young people who he studied with. You will see there is a battle for each soul.

Every time Khaing Hlone gives Bible studies, Satan attacks him with fears. “Will the devil snatch the seeds of truth out of this heart?” he wonders. Will this young man be able to stand against all the pressures from family, neighbors, and friends? Will she make the commitment to get baptized and become Christ’s disciple? The memories of those he studied with that have rejected the truth stay fresh in his mind; however, he overcomes his fears by giving Jesus his burdens in prayer. He knows an unseen battle rages between God and Satan over every soul and though God allows choice, He works mightily.

Thirteen-year-old Nar Quik studied the Bible with Khaing Hlone. She grasped all the concepts and had a strong, pure faith in God. When she got close to the time of baptism, the spirit worshippers in the village fiercely attacked her. “You do not worship the true God!” they taunted. “We see dreams that come from God,” they claimed. “What dreams does your God give you, anyway?” Nar Quik responded, “You are mistaken. Your dreams come from Satan.” She opened her Bible and shared verses to back up her bold statement. Khaing kept praying for her and was surprised and joyful when she finally got baptized.

Dha Tun is a teenager who also took Bible studies with Khaing. Dha’s father suffered from high blood pressure and a weak heart. Khaing shared the Adventist health message with him and he accepted it and tried to follow his suggestions carefully. When Khaing conducted evangelistic meetings in Dha’s village, he made an appeal for baptism, inviting Dha and the others to start a new life with Jesus. When Khaing and Dha’s eyes met, Dha looked quickly down to his feet. A battle raged in his heart. Later that night Dha told Khaing, “I am only coming to the meetings to observe what is going on.”

Lin, a young man Khaing grew up with, came along with him when he conducted evangelistic meetings and immediately connected with Dha Tun. Lin knew the gospel message and the Bible truths well, but had never been baptized. Khaing felt impressed to ask Lin if he wanted to be baptized that night. He said, “I’m just not ready yet.” That night Khaing wrestled in prayer over Dha and Lin’s souls.

“Lord, give Lin a sign that he should be baptized!” Khaing pleaded. “I am sure he is ready.”

That night Lin dreamed he saw a man with a shimmering white robe on that looked like an angel.

The next morning he came to Khaing and said, “The Lord showed me through a dream that I am to get baptized.” After he came up from the water, Lin shared his testimony. With tears in his eyes, he said, “My brother in Christ, Khaing, helped save me twice! When I was a young boy in our village, I went out with friends to take a swim in the river after school. I was caught in a current and was sucked under the water.

I almost drowned. Khaing saw me flailing for help and he had the courage to swim out in the river and rescue me. Now he had the courage to ask me to go in the water to bury my sins. I am so thankful to God for him.” He went on to share about his dream the night before. His testimony touched the hearts of all those in the church, and especially Dha’s. Dha stood up and walked to the front. “I want to get baptized today, too,” he quietly said. Praise the Lord for winning the battles for Nar Quik, Lin, and Dha Tun.

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“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord and will bring you back from your captivity.” Jeremiah 29:13,14a

If you compare the amount of spiritual resources your Southeast Asian brothers and sisters have to what we have in North America, it would be like

night and day.

You can change that by giving a special, Holy-Spirit inspired gift for EVANGELISM!

REACH THE UNREACHED Tell your international friends about mylanguagemylife.com so they can find Christian resources in their heart language.

PRAY FOR SEEKERS Dear Jesus, please do everything in your power to speak to the hearts of those taking Bible studies and seeking You so that they can find truth and make a total surrender to You in baptism. Lead me to seekers so I can share You with them. Amen.

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What Happened When I Clicked “SEND”

By Emilee Gettle

Has God put a love for Southeast Asians in your heart? Read how Emilee is able to minister to Asia right from her home.

Since childhood I have always had a interest in missions. I often dreamed of one day traveling to far away lands and carrying the gospel to families who had never heard about our Lord Jesus. However, I must admit the thought of leaving America behind made me a little anxious; I come from a long line of homebodies. In that I mean we would take a few trips a year outside our own home state, but leaving our homeland wasn’t in the picture. There was already so much to see and do in America, why leave before we experienced all of it first?

While my roots ran deep in Missouri, I also had a passion for learning about other cultures, their foods and their crafts. I met a young man in my early twenties who God would use to change my perspective on many things I had grown to experience as the norm in my youth. He told me about his travels to Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Mexico and Guatemala. While on his trips he gathered rare fruit and vegetable varieties and saved their seeds. Why? To preserve them from extinction. They were heirloom varieties that were grown in specific regions and were the nourishment for generations upon generations of the tribal people. Eggplants to squash, melons and flowers. God’s creative handiwork created a rainbow of delicious foods that were hidden among the hill tribes and Indians, safe from man’s laboratories that would taint them. I was enamored with this idea. While traveling, he also visited orphanages and Adventist churches along the way. Our meeting turned into a marriage within the year.

We had dreamed of traveling, but God blessed us with a sweet little girl and our plans were put on hold while she grew along with my husband’s heirloom seed business, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

Days passed into years and we often talked about taking a seed-collecting trip. I must admit I was still a bit leery of hopping a plane for international travel. I know to some of you this fear and trepidation is a bit ridiculous, but to a midwestern homebody it was a b-i-g deal. I wanted to go overseas, Asia specifically, so bad, but I was so scared! I knew fear was not of God and I prayed long and hard to overcome it. Finally an opportunity came for us to go to a food event in Italy with the chance for a working vacation in Thailand. I was so excited, but my knees were knocking. I told my husband to just book the tickets and I would hit my knees and pray for God’s hand to lead us in our travels.

During our trip we went through eight countries. My fear melted away each time we touched down and my faith grew as I realized this was an appointed time for my family and there was no better place to be than in God’s will, whether in America or thousands of miles from home. What a comfort to know that He never leaves us or forsakes us and when Christ is on the throne of our heart, we are in the palm of His hand.

Throughout our journey the people of southeast Asia called out to me the most. I absolutely loved the hill tribe people and will never forget seeing the dear grandmothers watching their grandchildren play outside bamboo huts. Chickens wandered aimlessly through dirt yards while Thai dogs could care less. Even though the families had very little, they were extremely giving. They wanted to share everything with us. They were especially enamored with our 5-year-old daughter and loved to give her handmade toys, hugs and lots of chattery smiles. Our month of traveling throughout Thailand

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“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’

And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Isaiah 6:8

flew by and before we knew it we had to leave these JOIN THE ASAP FAMILY dear people behind.

After returning home, I discovered my heart was left in Thailand and Myanmar. I so wanted to make a difference in the lives of those dear people but it Become an online prayer partner seemed there was no way. After all, I have my own and receive monthly prayer points. family, including a new baby and a business to take care of back home. Traveling overseas for a length of time wasn’t really feasible. A still small voice kept reminding me of them and so all I knew to do was pray.

Check out ASAP’s 10 Dynamic A year had passed from the time I stepped foot on Giving Opportunities Online.

Thai soil and the snow was falling in Missouri. Christmas was right around the corner. In the midst of Christmas cards, we received a beautiful letter and images from ASAP. The booklet that was included took me for a brief Use your time and talents to assist trip to Southeast Asia and my homesickness for the ASAP just like Emilee has! people of Thailand and Myanmar returned. I tucked the envelope away in hopes to read it over a future Sabbath. However, Christmas stole all my free time and family parties occupied the other spare moments. Right after Christmas I came down with a flu which had me on the couch. I felt awful and I had a six-year-old and a newborn to tend to in the midst. While staring at the ceiling, the envelope from ASAP came back to my mind and we dug it out of all the opened Christmas cards to read. I surfed the website and came across mission videos which I watched literally all afternoon. I loved all the beautiful stories of how God provided and drew the hearts of his children home. I was intrigued by the volunteer link on the website and that still small voice returned and spurred me to write to Julia and her amazing team to volunteer. As a graphic artist for 10+ years and editor, I offered what skills I had to help however I could. Perhaps this was a way I could be a missionary in my own home...something I had dreamed of since childhood. Upon sending the email, my fever miraculously left and I began feeling so much better. By the next day I was back on my feet. I am a firm believer that God uses all things for our good, even flus! If I hadn’t been on the couch that Sabbath, I doubt I would have ever known to contact Julia. I am now blessed to be working with this amazing team who is making a difference in the lives of so many sweet people. To God be the Glory!

PRAY GIVE

VOLUNTEER

PHOTO CAPTIONS (L-R): Emilee’s daughter, Sasha, receives a heartfelt gift of melons from villagers. Emilee’s family today.

PRAY FOR MORE ASAP FAMILY MEMBERS Dear Jesus, please send more laborers to work with ASAP. You know the needs. Give me a heart to pray, give, or volunteer. Amen.

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PHOTO CREDITS Tim & Jaymie de la Torre: (Cover, p. 2, 14, 15, 21) AJ O’Carey: (p. 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 17, 19) Deane Jackson: (p.4) Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds: (p.23)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair: Bruce Bauer, Judy Aitken, Peter Van Bemmelen, Christopher Carmen, Steve Chang, Chan Sun and Esther Hwang, Denzil McNeilus, Mary Ann McNeilus, Byron and Carol Reynolds, Tom Evans, and Trudi Starlin.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR/DIRECTOR Julia O’Carey EDITOR/ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Scott Griswold COPY EDITOR Linda Bauer, Wayne Labins DESIGN/LAYOUT Sarah Lee www.ambientlightstudios.com

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ASAP Ministries is fueled by mission-minded, faith-filled individuals whom God impresses. Be assured that 100% of your gift will go directly to the projects you specify. However, in the blessed event that the project you chose is fully funded, ASAP will use your gift for a similar project or where most needed to help spread the gospel and ease suffering in the countries ASAP operates. Because ASAP is a §501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your donations are tax-deductible.

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