July 2021
Dear AWR Friend,
I’m about to share some things you will not believe, even when I tell you, which is exactly what Habakkuk 1:5 says:
“Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”
Lately I’ve been reminded of this Bible verse, because we’re seeing a series of “firsts” we haven’t seen before. Let me begin with an overview of some exciting news that is happening right now, then I’ll share a couple of amazing stories of how God is directly intervening to push His work forward:
ARMENIA
This country sits at the foot of Mount Ararat, where Noah’s ark rested after the flood. We have a small Adventist church there that has come alive in a remarkable way. The young adults are enthusiastic about reaching friends with the gospel through internet and media broadcasting, and they have decided to open an AWR360° Evangelism Media Center. We’re working with them to make this happen. They’re now raising $80,000, and we have promised to supply the remaining $170,000 needed. I can’t wait to see what God will do in this significant part of the world!
NAZARETH, ISRAEL
Our newly-built AWR360° Evangelism Radio Media Center will reach all the countries in the proximity of Israel with the good news of Jesus’ soon return. This project began just before the pandemic, and it slowed to a stop during the lockdown. We are happy to report that we are now moving full steam ahead, and soon Adventist World Radio will be situated in a strategic center of Nazareth. We have specific information about something that is going to happen in Nazareth with God’s blessing—and it’s unbelievable! I wish I could share it now, but for security reasons I have to wait until November to share more.
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA
Three years ago, we voted to build an AWR360° Evangelism Studio and Training Center in Pretoria, but due to unforeseen obstacles, we weren’t able to do so—until now! As I write this letter, the concrete is being poured! From this new center, we will not only train evangelists, but will broadcast 24/7 in English on the internet, both via audio and video!
BANGLADESH
The largest brothel in the world is located in Bangladesh—the only Muslim country with a legalized prostitution house. But this brothel is no house; it’s so large that it’s considered a village. Our original plan was to go in and distribute AWR Godpods with our full prophetic message, plus children’s stories and health presentations. However, the managers of the brothel had no interest in having their girls hear the story of Jesus, so we were blocked. But God came through in an amazing way. Our team is there now, led by AWR Evangelist Tim Saxton. They were providentially guided to five women who received the truth with joy and accepted Jesus. These women have decided to leave the business of prostitution and said, “Yes, we can help in a huge way. We live near the brothel, so we will take a few Godpods every time we enter. We will be undercover missionaries!”
But there’s more, because the largest refugee camp in the world is also in Bangladesh—with more than 1.3 million people living in deplorable conditions. We had tried to enter this vast settlement of makeshift dwellings to distribute Godpods, but were not welcome there either! What to do? We came up with a brilliant alternative. We set up a spot just outside the camp, and as refugees leave the camp, they can pick up a Godpod—and upon their return to the camp, they enter carrying the Godpod with them!
This is such a huge project that AWR just voted to set up an AWR360° Evangelism Center and Studio to broadcast in the area and prepare missionaries and materials to reach these forgotten people.
Bangladesh is ready for the gospel message—we are witnessing it! With a population that is more than 90 percent Muslim, and the rest a mixture of Buddhists, animists and only a few Christians, it has been a difficult country to reach, but the Holy Spirit has been at work, and people are now hungry to hear about Jesus. Let me share just one example that opened our eyes to the possibilities:
THE LITTLE SCHOOL IN THE MOUNTAINS
Fanindra Tripura is one of our newest AWR associates. He has a little school in the mountains of Bangladesh just above the refugee camp. Last year he had 160 students, and by the end of the school year, all 160 were baptized! We gave him a smart projector, which is solar-powered and needs no electricity. Using this projector, he recently held a series of evangelistic meetings in a nearby village. When he finished, almost everyone in the village had accepted Jesus and was baptized, joining the newly-formed Adventist church there! This is unheard of in this Muslim country!
Fanindra will be helping us with our AWR360° Evangelism Centers in Bangladesh. We still don’t know the full cost of this project, but we know the Lord will provide! We are so excited to see what He will do!
LIBERIA – THE QUIET LISTENER
This African country is predominantly Christian, with a small number of Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, plus others who follow ancestral pagan traditions. We have a radio station there that has been beaming God’s truth for several years with good results (read the incredible story of “Mohammed and the Angel” in the February 2020 letter in the section “Letters From the President” on awr.org). But recently there’s been a shift—an amazing uptick in a desire to know more about Jesus and His truth. Let me share what happened just two weeks ago.
Our AWR radio station in Liberia has a talk show titled Bible Answers Live. It’s been running for a long time, but there is a renewed interest in the program. People can call in and ask questions, which are then answered live on the air. The program had been running from 9 a.m. until noon on Sunday mornings, but recently, due to popular demand and growing complaints from Sunday worshippers who had to miss the program during church services, it was moved to Sundays at 2 p.m. “People were calling because the program gets very interesting and they’re going to church and they want to listen,” said Pastor Fred Ted, AWR’s coordinator for the radio in Liberia.
But that’s not the only change. Lately, more calls have been coming in with questions about the Sabbath. At first, our radio team thought maybe the questions were being posed by other Adventists wanting to “help,” but the nature of the questions, and the intensity of the calls, was too authentic.
Unbeknownst to our team, several Christian pastors had been listening to the program. One was Pastor Outland, a Charismatic leader who is the founder and president of United Revival Fire Ministries and Fishermen Evangelistic Temple. He had been quietly following the program for a long time, and on three separate occasions had called the station requesting that someone privately contact him, as he had several questions that he wanted to study “off the air.”
When Pastor Ted called him, he shared that he had several churches and wanted to study about the Sabbath to share with them. They met and studied Scripture together, and then Pastor Outland asked if Pastor Ted could visit his congregation and present the Sabbath truth to them.
To make a long and interesting story short, the last two Sundays, Pastor Ted has visited these Charismatic churches and presented the Sabbath truth to them. The messages were so well-received that next Sunday, the congregation and the leaders will meet to work out the transition of their church from Sunday to Sabbath!
“It is not easy to work out all the details of this change, but God is doing a wonderful thing,” said Pastor Ted.
MINDORO UPDATE
I can’t resist sharing one more detail about the former rebels in Mindoro: 600 more have been baptized since my last letter! And we’re providing 30 projectors for the Philippine military, along with the materials so they can present the series themselves!
They want to hold their own meetings, and a Bible worker will accompany each military officer to guide and help them. It’s simply unbelievable! When the governor heard of this project, he requested five projectors with materials to show the series in other rebel areas. We can only stand back, mouths agape at what is happening. The words of Habakkuk are being fulfilled!
THE MIRACLES CONTINUE
There is so much more to share! Even as I write this letter, more stories are pouring in, and I’ll have to wait until next month! I can only say, like Paul, “God is doing exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory . . . Amen.” (Ephesians 3: 20, 21)
We know this old world is groaning under the weight of sin, misery and devastation, but the darker the night, the brighter God’s light can shine in hearts that live without hope. Can you imagine what the story of Jesus means to a young girl in a brothel, or the ray of hope it can bring to a father struggling to provide a future for his family in a refugee camp? Jesus is the answer to every problem in life—to the hopelessness and despair in the world—and the best news we can share is that Jesus is coming soon!
Thank you for supporting the work of Adventist World Radio, for making a difference in the lives of people who live without hope, for helping us share the best news of all, and for partnering with us in the greatest calling ever—the saving of souls for the kingdom of heaven. What a privilege, and what an opportunity!
Wow! Isn’t God amazing? There is no doubt that God’s Spirit is doing this—He takes every effort you and I make for Him and expands it in unbelievable ways! There is no greater joy than leading others to Jesus. Thank you for working with us to make a difference in the lives of millions around the world!