1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Hey, everyone, welcome to this episode of Thinking Christian sort of. 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: Today we're going to be doing a feed drop with 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,800 Speaker 1: Samaritan's Purse and Samaritans Purse has a podcast called on 4 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: the Ground with Samaritan's Purse, and I'm excited to bring 5 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: this to you. They're doing some really great work in 6 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: Sudan and South Sudan, and I have some connection with this. 7 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 1: A former colleague of mine, a Lean Vrancela, does grain 8 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: for pain and he provides grain for the people in 9 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: South Sudan. So I'm a little bit I know a 10 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 1: little bit about what's going on over there. But in 11 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: this episode, what you're really going to hear is stories 12 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: of pastors who have experienced some intense persecution and how 13 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: their faith has sustained them. So I'm excited to bring 14 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: this to you and hope you enjoy it. Kat Stick around, subscribe, 15 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: hit the you know, hit the YouTube channel for everything 16 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 1: Thinking Christian, and we'll be back with a new episode 17 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: pretty soon. Take everybody. 18 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: I started the ministry in a very difficult time, and 19 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: that's the moment when I got us calling me to 20 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 2: save and to preach the gospel. There's many ways for 21 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 2: us to give up but we say we will not 22 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 2: give up. If we die, we die, but we must 23 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 2: treat the Gospel season and abosis. 24 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 3: That story was born out of the Samaritans Purse Church 25 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 3: reconstruction program. The program started in the early two thousands 26 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 3: in Sudan and South Sudan and it has made an 27 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 3: eternal impact. Welcome back to another episode of On the 28 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 3: Ground with Samaritan's Purse, where we take you to the 29 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 3: front lines and behind the scenes of our work around 30 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 3: the world. I'm your host, Christy Graham, and this week 31 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 3: we're reflecting on more than twenty years of church growth, 32 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 3: beginning in a time of utter hopelessness. In the nineteen eighties, 33 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,119 Speaker 3: civil war broke out once again in this country and 34 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 3: there was intense persecution as the government attempted to eliminate Christianity. 35 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 3: Sudanese soldiers would come into villages. They would burn churches 36 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 3: and arrest and torture pastors. I want you to hear 37 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 3: from Ryan Yet he came to the Nuba Mountains in 38 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 3: Sudan in two thousand and three after he graduated college. 39 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 3: He read an article and learned about the terrible war 40 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 3: that was taking place. He preyed on it and then 41 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 3: he felt compelled to go, so he took a job 42 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 3: with Samaritan's Purse as a logistics manager. He eventually became 43 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 3: our regional manager in the area, and more than twenty 44 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 3: years later, Ryan still lives there. He looks back and 45 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 3: he's amazed at the faith of the people who shared 46 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 3: their pain and loss with him. My hope in this 47 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 3: episode is that as Christians, we'll recognize that we're called 48 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 3: to suffer like Jesus. Scripture promises us that trials and 49 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 3: persecutions they will come as believers. But we're encouraged that 50 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 3: God is with us and he uses our suffering for 51 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 3: his glory. Nothing is wasted if you're walking through a 52 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 3: difficult season. I hope this encourages you to see how 53 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 3: the Church not only survives, but thrives and grows out 54 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 3: of hardships. 55 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 4: When I first arrived in New Mountains in two thousand 56 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 4: and three, there was absolutely nothing here because of years 57 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 4: and years of war. And then when I would go 58 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 4: to local churches to pray. At the local churches, you 59 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 4: could see the ruins of the buildings of so many 60 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 4: of them that had been burned down and destroyed. 61 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 3: After a year of working with Samaritans Purse and seeing 62 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 3: the suffering firsthand, Ryan wrote a letter asking leadership to 63 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 3: consider rebuilding the destroyed churches. The team asked Ryan to 64 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 3: document the number of churches all across Nuba that had 65 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 3: been attacked. 66 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 4: So I took a four wheeler drove all over Nuba, 67 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 4: I mean hours and days driving all over Nuba and 68 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 4: getting some of the stories. The common theme was that 69 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 4: there was an elder or pastor of the church and 70 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 4: the government came in, they destroyed the village, and maybe 71 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 4: the church was still there or not, but the pastor 72 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 4: would always come and open the church doors on Sunday 73 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 4: for prayers, and the government soldiers would tell them, if 74 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 4: you open the dotorre again, we're going to arrest you 75 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 4: or beat you. And many of the times the pastors 76 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 4: would come and still open the villers of those churches, 77 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 4: and sure enough they would be beaten. Some would be killed. 78 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 4: Stories of Pastor James's drug behind a car, Pastor Hamat 79 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 4: being shot. There was a man that was even tortured 80 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:19,799 Speaker 4: and put out on a metal plate in the sun, 81 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:24,799 Speaker 4: naked for opening the church. So there was these soldiers 82 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 4: that came into the villages occupying these villages were closing 83 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 4: down the churches and then ultimately destroying them. 84 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 3: After reporting back on what he saw, Ryan heard back 85 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 3: from leadership. 86 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 4: He said, We're going to do this for all Studan, 87 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,920 Speaker 4: which was a much bigger and much greater idea than 88 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 4: what I had originally thought. There were so many faithful 89 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 4: Christians coming under trees, coming undergrass shelters to Keith raising God. 90 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 3: Franklin Graham had the vision to rebuild churches, but not 91 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 3: just a few. He wanted to rebuild hundreds. He committed 92 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 3: to rebuilding every church in South Sudan that was destroyed 93 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 3: in the war, but also training pastors. For every one 94 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 3: pastor that was martyred, he wanted to train ten in 95 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 3: their faith. And it's Samaritan's purse. We always operate under 96 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 3: the God Room principle. We want to make plans and 97 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 3: dreams so big that we can't accomplish them on our 98 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 3: own strength. And this project was just like that. Church 99 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 3: reconstruction was a newer concept with Samaritan's purse. And I 100 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 3: love Franklin's vision in his heart that he didn't want 101 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 3: to just build back what was lost. He wanted to 102 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 3: see the church flourish and be built back stronger than 103 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 3: ever before. Our teams received the approval to begin the 104 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:49,600 Speaker 3: church reconstruction program and Ryan began working through the challenge 105 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 3: of coordinating logistics to carry this out. 106 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 4: All over Nuba. You could drive for hours and hours 107 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 4: and you are coming across all of these churches, but 108 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,679 Speaker 4: how do you materials for them? Over time, we started 109 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 4: to learn the exact materials we would need. We'd find 110 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:07,920 Speaker 4: we started finding good vendors, so they would just pack 111 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:09,479 Speaker 4: a full truck for one church. 112 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 5: But we'd have. 113 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 4: Phases, so we'd say, okay, if you collect all of 114 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 4: the gravel, then we will bring all the materials. Then 115 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 4: you have to build a small store, a local storeroom. 116 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 4: Then we would put all the materials in the storeroom 117 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 4: and we said, okay, now you have to bring more 118 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 4: sand and gravel. Once you do that, then we will 119 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 4: bring the building crew to start the work. And so 120 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 4: that's how we would do it. And throughout the program 121 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 4: you would see members of the church coming and singing 122 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 4: songs and celebrating the entire process. So once we reach 123 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 4: a certain level, people would come with excitement and sing 124 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 4: songs and the youth would encourage us to keep going. 125 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 4: So we would take months to complete one church, and 126 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 4: it was primarily because of the issue of logistics. During 127 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 4: the church canstruction, there are several times where we kind 128 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 4: of came against some resistance. So there was kind of 129 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 4: a front line established during the war, and near those 130 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 4: front lines there was a lot of militias that really 131 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 4: were not friendly with the church. So we went to 132 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 4: a certain community called Shot and this community was quite mixed. 133 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 4: There was half Muslim, half Christian. And so we went 134 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 4: there and we started building this church that was destroyed 135 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 4: by a pretty big militia leader. And this militia leader 136 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 4: heard the church was being built and so he came 137 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 4: in and he destroyed. So when this took place, he was, 138 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 4: you know, he thought, we finished the church, they're not 139 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 4: going to come. The next day the Muslims of the 140 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 4: area and the Christians. The Muslims came to the Christian 141 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 4: said hey, we saw what this guy did to you, 142 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 4: and we want to help you reconstruct your church because 143 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 4: what he did was wrong. And again up to today, 144 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,040 Speaker 4: that church are still standing. And I do believe that 145 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 4: many of the Muslims saw that I and many of 146 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 4: them has come to that church. 147 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 3: Now today, all across the Nuba mountains where Ryan has 148 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: worked for years. These churches are not only surviving, but 149 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 3: they're thriving. Next, I want to introduce you to Reverend James. 150 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 3: He's an archbishop in Sudan and he has been connected 151 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 3: to our ministry before the church reconstruction began. He was 152 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 3: just a young pastor when the civil war broke out 153 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 3: in the eighties, and one year, as his congregation was 154 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 3: preparing to celebrate Christmas, the government sent a bulldozer. They 155 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 3: were going to completely destroy his church. There was no 156 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 3: money or materials to rebuild, and still they continued to 157 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 3: gather and then one day a call from Smaritan's Purse 158 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 3: changed their life. They shared with them their plan to 159 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 3: reconstruct any church that had been destroyed. 160 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 5: My name is Jim Slugos Alexander. 161 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 2: I'm the Bishop of Africallian Church, and you know I 162 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 2: spent most of my time in Sudan. I started the 163 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 2: ministry in a very difficult time, a time where the 164 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 2: Islamists have taken over the country, a time where you 165 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 2: know the government doesn't want to see churches exist. And 166 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,719 Speaker 2: that is the moment where God has called me to 167 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 2: serve and to preach the Gospel there's many ways for 168 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 2: us to give up, but we say we will not 169 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 2: give up. If we die, we die, but we must 170 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 2: preach the gospel in season and out of season. We 171 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 2: have been tortured and put in jail. I personally has 172 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:40,439 Speaker 2: gone to jail many times in Katu. I've never committed 173 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 2: any crime. My crime is only preaching the Gospel. And 174 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 2: I remember in the twenty four of December and that 175 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 2: year a long time ago, and we were preparing for 176 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 2: the Christmas and the Bulldogo came in just around eleven 177 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 2: am and to change down. And that's something you know, 178 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 2: it's kind of like what and we pray, We say God, what. 179 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 5: Do you want us to do? 180 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 2: And we still say, okay, we'll celebrate our Christmas. We 181 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 2: put the tents and then we celebrate Christmas. And that's 182 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 2: going on and on and on. Not only are we 183 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 2: Church African and Church, but many other churches are being 184 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 2: put thosed down and things like that, and we're crying 185 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 2: here and there nobody. We felt that we had just 186 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 2: forgotten Christians, with no friends, with no brothers and sisters 187 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 2: around the world, we're just alone. That's where the church 188 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 2: building project is starting. So it starts from from from 189 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:45,079 Speaker 2: pain and start from suffering, and start from crying. 190 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 5: People. 191 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 2: The Church of Sudan has been crying and crying and crying, 192 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 2: and God hear our cry. One day I got a 193 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 2: call from getting answer. And then we say, hey, James, 194 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 2: are you around? Say I see our life? I say 195 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 2: us a life. And then he say Fright is coming 196 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,319 Speaker 2: to Katsum. I say what he says. He's coming in 197 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 2: a time where people are crying, churches are crying, at 198 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 2: the time people are suffering. That is a moment Frankly 199 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: decided to take a journey to Sudan in a very 200 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 2: dangerous moment. We met with him. He say, I'm coming 201 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 2: as a guest of the church and I'm going to 202 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 2: meet a president. 203 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 5: What do you want ask what do you want me 204 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:24,400 Speaker 5: to say? 205 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 2: And then we least a lot of stuff, a lot 206 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,959 Speaker 2: of things, say go ahead tell him this Loo, stop 207 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 2: breaking churches, stop putting Christians in Joel and passes in Joel. 208 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 2: You know he stopped all these prosecutions. And Frankly took 209 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 2: all this request and went to the president and he 210 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:46,319 Speaker 2: met the president and he says, stop prosecuting Christians, stop 211 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 2: bulldozing the churches, stop bombing those churches in the villages. 212 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 2: And then and even he requested the President to build 213 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 2: back those judges. 214 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 5: He bull does it. 215 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 2: And the President said, no, I can't do that, but 216 00:11:57,640 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 2: you do it. And then he said, okay, give me 217 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 2: the permission. And he granted the permission, frankly, to build 218 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 2: churches any church that have been destroyed during the time 219 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 2: of war. And he just started building it. And that's 220 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 2: where that's how this building project started. And instead of 221 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:21,359 Speaker 2: just focusing on the areas where churches have been destroyed, 222 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 2: he went all of us to dine and he built 223 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 2: it over five hundred churches. 224 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 3: Samaritan's Purse has the privilege of walking alongside our church partners, 225 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 3: our brothers and sisters, in their suffering. It's so humbling 226 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 3: and it's such a joy to be able to bolster 227 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 3: and strengthen pastors like Reverend James, people that have suffered 228 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 3: so much during the war, and we learned so much 229 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 3: from them. They truly live out following Jesus's example, serving 230 00:12:55,800 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 3: even until death. One Peter two twenty one says, for 231 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 3: you were called to this because Christ also suffered for you, 232 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 3: leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. 233 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 3: When our team showed up, they offered to help rebuild 234 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 3: their churches, and it truly was an overwhelming sense of 235 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 3: being seen. 236 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 2: It reflects the love of Christ. It's reflects that somebody 237 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 2: somewhere still cares. And even we are in the time 238 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 2: of cry, even in the time of suffering, but somebody 239 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 2: is there, say you're not alone. I'm coming besides you. 240 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 2: I loved you so much. Generations will never forget this 241 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 2: effort that I've been done. For these projects to come 242 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 2: in and the churches to be built. It's kind of 243 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 2: restoring my identity. It's kind of like God is coming 244 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 2: back to me and saying I'm here and I'm with you. 245 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 2: And instead of worshiping under the trees, and now we 246 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:58,199 Speaker 2: have the place. We felt that, like the Wall of 247 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:02,679 Speaker 2: Jerusalem has been built game. We felt that God has 248 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 2: come back home. We felt that, you know, our identity 249 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 2: has been restarted. What the enemy has taken from us, 250 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 2: now God has brought it back again. Even one of 251 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 2: my church came to me and the pastor came to 252 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 2: me and say, hey, Pasta, you have caused a problem 253 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 2: in my church. You have to fix it. I say, 254 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 2: what the problem is? Say now I don't have space. 255 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 2: I need this church to be extended. So this increase, 256 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 2: it happens because of what God is doing. People are 257 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 2: seeing God at works. Twenty years ago, we have been 258 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 2: feeling bad and we feel that we've been prosecuted, and 259 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 2: you know, things are bad. But now we felt God 260 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 2: has given us a new country and we are free 261 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 2: to put the gospel and everywhere you go and find 262 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 2: churches and the one beautiful part of it. And the 263 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 2: refugees that have come from the north, those are the northerns. 264 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 5: Those are the people that acuted us. 265 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 2: And those are the people that put our past us 266 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 2: our friends, and put us in jail. Those are the 267 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 2: children or the people who destroy our churches. And now 268 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 2: they are coming here as a refugees, and we, you know, 269 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 2: our churches. We hosted them and we give them water, 270 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 2: we give them food, and we provide our shoulder to 271 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 2: put their head on. And a lot of them are 272 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 2: crying on our shoulder and confessing. We say, we are 273 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 2: so sorry for what our four fathers have done to you. 274 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 2: And today you're hosting us, you're giving us water, but 275 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 2: we have destroyed churches and now here we're giving us 276 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 2: food from this church. 277 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 5: So it's kind of like God's plan is different. 278 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, we cried, yes, we suffered, yes, but today we 279 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 2: rejoiced because of God got us done a long time ago. 280 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 3: God's plans can be so different than our own. We 281 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 3: have to trust that His ways are higher than ours, 282 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 3: and He works all things together for the good of 283 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 3: those who love him. But this is often easier said 284 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 3: than done. One pastor in particular, suffered a great deal, 285 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 3: and to this day his story remains one of the 286 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 3: most memorable. For Ryan. 287 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 4: There's a man named Kamal from the village of Alnugra, 288 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 4: and I remember I interviewed this man and he and 289 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 4: you came out dragging himself on the ground, and I said, 290 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 4: are you the elder of the church? And he kind 291 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 4: of nodded. While we were taking his information of what 292 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 4: happened to the church, we learned it was his story, 293 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 4: and what had happened was the government came in and 294 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 4: they'd burned his entire village, and they said, where's the 295 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 4: elders of the church, And it was him and one 296 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 4: other elder, a good friend of his, and they stripped 297 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 4: them naked. They tied their hands and feet behind their 298 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 4: back and They laid them out on a piece of 299 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 4: metal in one hundred and five to one hundred and 300 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 4: ten degree weather, and he was laid out on top 301 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 4: of this metal all day, essentially just cooking him slowly. 302 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 4: Like if this metal was out on the ground, you 303 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 4: could not touch it with your hand, it would be 304 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 4: too hot. So his friend died that day and Kamal 305 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 4: was continually tortured until his family came and begged to 306 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 4: take him home. So when they realized this man probably 307 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 4: won't live, they let him go home. Well, he was 308 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 4: crippled for the rest of his life. By the time 309 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 4: I saw him was over twenty years and they had 310 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 4: destroyed the church, but kamal a church was still thriving 311 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 4: when we arrived. Even though the church was also destroyed, 312 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,160 Speaker 4: they built it out of grass and mud again, and 313 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 4: the people still went to the church. Later on in 314 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 4: the project, we also wanted to help Kamal, and Samaritans 315 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 4: first sent him for rehabilitation in Nairobi. We had built 316 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,640 Speaker 4: the al Nugra Church and we brought Kamal back after 317 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 4: a few months. I got to see a man who 318 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 4: hadn't walked in twenty years stand up and walk out 319 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 4: of the car I was driving and walk into the 320 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 4: church that we had just built, and he got to 321 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 4: see everyone crazing God inside the new church as he 322 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,919 Speaker 4: walked in for the first time. That by far was 323 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:10,880 Speaker 4: the most memorable moment. I'll never forget him. 324 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 3: I've heard this story many times before. In fact, Ryan 325 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 3: told me about it years ago, but every time I 326 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 3: hear it, I get tiary. The perseverance in the midst 327 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:25,199 Speaker 3: of suffering of Comal just reminds me of James one 328 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:28,920 Speaker 3: two says, consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, 329 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 3: whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know 330 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 3: that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Kamal truly 331 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 3: finds joy in serving Jesus, even in his suffering, and 332 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 3: he has the scars and the limp to remind him 333 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 3: each and every day, yet he isn't bitter. First Peter 334 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 3: two twenty one says, for you were called to this 335 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 3: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example that 336 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 3: you should follow in his steps. And so many of 337 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 3: our churches they've expanded into new villages and the buildings 338 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:08,959 Speaker 3: are being used throughout this week as schools, adult education programs, orphanages, 339 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 3: and shelters for people displaced by conflict, and this opens 340 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 3: the doors for many gospel opportunities. Samaritans Purse also opened 341 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 3: Hayband Bible College to train and prepare pastors. And I 342 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 3: just love that what the enemy meant to silence Christianity, 343 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 3: the church is growing and persevering and discipling and sharing 344 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:31,919 Speaker 3: more and more. 345 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 4: Rebuilding the churches in this area was really, I would say, 346 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 4: the foundation of other work that Samaritans Versus done. Seeing 347 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 4: how God set it up in a way that allowed U. 348 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 5: S p. 349 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 4: To do so many other things here was just ordained 350 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 4: by God. As we were able to build the churches, 351 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,640 Speaker 4: so many things happen within those walls. But then when 352 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 4: you even look beyond the walls, you see how this 353 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 4: set up also helped other things in the region. Because 354 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 4: they knew every single pastor, every congregation, every church that 355 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 4: they had constructed, they were able now to access the 356 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 4: communities in needle. So seeing these churches today after twenty 357 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 4: years of reconstruction, I know and I've seen that has 358 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 4: given hope to the believers in Toudam. 359 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 5: There's been so. 360 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 4: Much time in which they have been beaten down over 361 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 4: generation and decades, of just war and targeted attacks, but 362 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:32,199 Speaker 4: the construction of these churches has allowed that hope to remain. 363 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 4: It's a symbol that Christ is there and he loves 364 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 4: this church and he loves these people. We all know 365 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 4: that the church is not the building, that it's the people, 366 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 4: but this building being established in a place that is 367 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:49,919 Speaker 4: so remote speaks volumes to everyone around the fact that 368 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 4: Samaritan's Purse was able to construct all these churches. I 369 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 4: remember at the beginning of the program, I was like, 370 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 4: there's no way we're going to rebuild every church. I 371 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 4: don't think they know how many churches were destroyed. But 372 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 4: as we reached one hundred churches done, two hundred churches done, 373 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 4: three hundred churches done, I started realizing we were going 374 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 4: to reach that goal, which is an unbelievable feat that 375 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 4: we were able to accomplish. So seeing the joy in 376 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 4: each of these churches and going to the celebration of 377 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 4: each of these churches and the relationships developed, it not 378 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 4: only helped the church, but people outside of the church 379 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 4: that were not believers seeing these things being reconstructed and 380 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,480 Speaker 4: people coming together, people not from Sudan with people from 381 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:37,120 Speaker 4: Sudan rebuilding these churches, despite all the conflict, despite everything 382 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 4: that was going on in the country, was just an 383 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 4: incredible witness to who God is privileged to be a 384 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 4: part of it. This is my favorite verse. It's Acts 385 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 4: Chapter five, thirty eight and thirty nine, and it's talking 386 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 4: about when the apostle were before the Sanhedrin and they 387 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 4: were about to be stoned to death for preaching about 388 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 4: God in the name of Jesus. And as they were 389 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 4: doing that, someone stood up and they said, you're If 390 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:09,919 Speaker 4: what these men are doing is of human origin, it 391 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:11,880 Speaker 4: will fail. But if it is from God, you will 392 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 4: not be able to stop these men. You'll find yourselfs 393 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 4: fighting against God. 394 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 5: And to me, that. 395 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 4: Fits CRP perfect because there are many people against what 396 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 4: we're doing, but God saw it through. He saw through 397 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 4: the plus five hundred churches that were built despite the odds. 398 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:28,679 Speaker 4: And that's what I want to be a part of. 399 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:30,879 Speaker 4: I want to be a part of something that cannot fail. 400 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 4: I want to be a part of something that God 401 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 4: is in and He's leading that that even though I 402 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 4: might trip or fall on the way, his glory is 403 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 4: still going to be seen and is still going to 404 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 4: be completed according to His purpose. 405 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:49,400 Speaker 3: What incredible stories. As Ryan shared, we can look back 406 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 3: on the twenty years of rebuild that could not have 407 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:56,159 Speaker 3: been accomplished in our own strength, but only in God's. 408 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 3: And I love the scripture he shared and the testimony 409 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 3: are much like the early Church and Acts. I want 410 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 3: to reread what Ryan shared because many of our church 411 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,960 Speaker 3: partners are living this out and it should strengthen us. 412 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 3: Acts five thirty eight through forty two says for if 413 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 3: this plan or this work of human origin, it will fail. 414 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 3: But if it is of God, you will not be 415 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 3: able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting 416 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 3: against God. They were persuaded by him. After they called 417 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 3: in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them 418 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 3: not to speak in the name of Jesus and release them. 419 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 3: Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, 420 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 3: rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully 421 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,120 Speaker 3: on behalf of the name. Every day in the temple 422 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 3: and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the 423 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 3: good news that Jesus is the Messiah. Ah. This fires 424 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 3: me up. 425 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 4: Ah. 426 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:58,719 Speaker 3: Both I mean God's word is alive and active, and 427 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 3: we are seeing it lived out in Sudan, but also 428 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 3: all over the world. I want to be a part 429 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 3: of something like Ryan said that cannot fail, eternal work, gospel, kingdom, 430 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:16,719 Speaker 3: minded work through Jesus Christ. And Ryan actually told me 431 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:21,160 Speaker 3: one time that he was being bombed and he prayed, Lord, 432 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:23,680 Speaker 3: if you still have purpose for me, let me live. 433 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 3: And that prayer has stuck with me. And this is 434 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 3: what we hear from pastors and partners that live in 435 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 3: hard places. Their heartbeat and ours should be. To live 436 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 3: is Christ, to die is gain. If you still have 437 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,199 Speaker 3: work for me, let me live. But if not, I 438 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 3: get to glory with you. And I hope that this 439 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 3: episode encouraged you whatever you're facing. The testimonies from our 440 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,440 Speaker 3: brothers and sisters in Sudan remind us to be bold, 441 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 3: to not grow weary in doing good. And I'm so 442 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 3: grateful for twenty years of rebuilding not just the physical church, 443 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 3: but the pastors and the church body. It truly echoes 444 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 3: what Joseph said in Genesis fifty twenty. You planned evil 445 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 3: against me, but God planned it for good to bring 446 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 3: about the present result, the survival of many people. That 447 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 3: is what we're seeing in Sudan. Pastor James shared that 448 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,680 Speaker 3: what was taken from them has been given back. It's 449 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 3: beautiful that they recognize that they get to take in refugees, 450 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 3: family members of the ones that tried to destroy the church. 451 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:32,119 Speaker 3: But God is using it for the survival of many people. Again, 452 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 3: this episode just fired me up, and I want to 453 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 3: close with Colaussians one twenty four through twenty nine. I 454 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:40,879 Speaker 3: just read it this morning, and I immediately thought of 455 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 3: our church partners who've been jailed, beaten, persecuted for their faith. 456 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 3: Yet they're joyful and relentless in sharing the Gospel. Now 457 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,360 Speaker 3: I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am 458 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 3: completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ's afflictions 459 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 3: for his body, that is the Church. I have become 460 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 3: a servant according to God's commission that was given to 461 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 3: me for you, to make the word of God fully 462 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,920 Speaker 3: known among the gentiles. The glorious wealth of this mystery, 463 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 3: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, we 464 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 3: proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone mature in Christ. I 465 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 3: labor for this, striving with is strength that powerfully works 466 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 3: in me. I hope you labor for the Gospel today 467 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 3: in His strength, working powerfully in you, and be praying 468 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 3: for our persecuted church and our church partners in hard 469 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 3: places as they continue to share the gospel. If you 470 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 3: love this episode, Search on the Ground with Smaritan's Purse 471 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:46,639 Speaker 3: wherever you're listening. We release episodes every week and we 472 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 3: encourage you in your walk with the Lord. We take 473 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:50,879 Speaker 3: you to the front lines and behind the scenes of 474 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 3: our work around the world, so make sure you subscribe. 475 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 3: You'll be challenged and encouraged in your faith as you 476 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 3: hear how God is actively changing lives. And I'm so 477 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 3: excited about an episode that we're working on right now. 478 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 3: It highlights our staff who are faithfully serving and sharing 479 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 3: the Gospel in hard places like conflict zones, and I've 480 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 3: learned so much from their perseverance and their endurance to 481 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 3: run the race even when it's hard. Again to find 482 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 3: the show Search on the Ground with Samaritan's Purse wherever 483 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 3: you're listening, or by going to Samaritanspurse dot org slash explore. 484 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for tuning in. God bless you.