W hy is the gospel spreading so quickly throughout the country of Vietnam and not as fast in some other parts of the world? People often ask me

this question when I have opportunity to share the great advancements taking place in Vietnam. I believe much of the success comes as a result of God hearing the intense, earnest prayers for souls to be saved in this country. As the national missionaries in Vietnam fast and pray for three days and nights before each outreach effort, God responds in marvelous ways.

Following is one of many “answer to prayer” stories coming out of my country. Mr. Chinh Dieu* knocked on the door of one of his clients, expecting to make a routine delivery. He handed the box of household products to the lady, and to his surprise, she handed him four DVDs. “Would you like to watch these?” she asked. Chinh quipped back, “Don’t you want to watch them yourself?” “I already have. You take them,” she urged. Mr. Chinh looked over the titles and saw that they were religious in nature. He felt a tug on his heart for the first time in many months. He had drifted far away from his church and his spiritual life was like dried-up dead bones. He accepted the DVDs because he knew he needed them.

When he got home he watched the DVDs once through. He was so impressed he watched the same ones over again the next night and the night after that. He called the number on the DVD and said, “I loved the DVDs. How can I learn more?” The ASAP lay pastor immediately went to visit to study the Bible with him and bring him more DVD sermons. He was like a sponge, soaking up each beautiful truth from God’s Word.

Mr. Chinh’s decision to keep the Sabbath and attend church regularly angered the enemy. Three nights in a row he woke up suddenly at night with the feeling like he was being strangled. He cried out to God and prayed in Jesus’ name for help. Each time he prayed the devil left. These attacks frightened his wife and caused her to doubt her husband’s newfound faith. Mr. Chinh invited an ASAP lay pastor to come to his home and pray for the protection of God to be on them. After this added prayer support, holy angels took over the ground the devil had.

Not long after he accepted the Adventist faith in baptism, pastors and leaders from his former church planned to gather for a big convention in his city. He was asked to host ten of the pastors in his home during the convention. Mr. Chinh

“When with earnestness and intensity we breathe a prayer in the name of Christ, there is in that very intensity a pledge from God that He is about to answer our prayer ‘exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.’ Ephesians 3:20” (Christ’s Object Lessons, page 147).

With Earnestness & IntensityBY ISAH YOUNG

JULY

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Adventist Southeast Asia Projects

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

(Colossians 4:2)

…men always ought to pray and not lose heart. (Luke 18:1)

“All that Christ received from God we too may have. Then ask and receive. With the persevering faith of Jacob, with the unyielding persistence of Elijah, claim for yourself all that God has promised.” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p.149)

DID YOU KNOW?The Vietnamese workers fast

and pray three days and nights and prayer walk around the area before passing out DVDs in a new

community. Why don’t you try this?

EARNEST, PERSISTENT PRAYER

seized this opportunity to share some of the DVDs with them. The response of the pastors was interesting. Six of them were so interested they stayed up until 1:00 a.m. watching one DVD after another. They asked to study the Bible with Mr. Chinh and requested to take home some DVDs. The other four spoke up strongly against the messages they heard and said that the Adventist Church is a cult and warned Mr. Chinh and the others to have nothing to do with it.

This experience planted a seed in his heart, a desire to share DVDs with all the pastors of his former denomination in his province. He decided to take time off from his business in order to accomplish this big goal. Some pastors happily accepted his gift of DVDs and were open to hearing more. Others berated him and accused him of following a cult. The attacks did not discourage him. He persisted in prayer and continued to go out each day to share the Gospel with many people.

When he decided to put his business aside and focus on God’s business first, the promise in Matthew 6:33 came true, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” He submitted a bid but never thought he would receive the contract. God worked a miracle and gave him a job that overcompensated for the money he lost when taking off time to pray and evangelize. On top of this blessing, people who owed him money came to repay him. These people used to avoid him and he knows that it was the Lord who worked on the hearts of the people.

He first started a house church in his home. Then God made it possible for him to plant three more house churches. There are now 200 new believers in this town who continue to study the Adventist truth and in turn share with others.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the ASAP staff and donors for earnestly persisting in prayer for the country of Vietnam. In one of the provinces of Vietnam, our leaders are currently under intense investigation and persecution. Bibles, Bible lessons, and DVDs have been confiscated and the ASAP workers are being closely followed in an effort to thwart their evangelistic efforts. In other areas, the work is going very strong. Pray that we will have more DVDs and literature to meet the big demand of people in these regions where they have the opportunity to share.

“God’s faithful messengers are to… wrestle with God in earnest prayer for a baptism of the Holy Spirit that they may meet the needs of a world perishing in sin. All power is promised those who go forth in faith to proclaim the everlasting gospel. As the servants of God bear to the world a living message fresh from the throne of glory, the light of truth will shine forth as a lamp that reaches to all parts of the world. Thus the darkness of error and unbelief will be dispelled from the minds of the honest in heart in all lands” (Testimonies to Ministers, 459, 460).

Have you prayed for the salvation of someone you love and have yet to see any indication that they are responding to the Holy Spirit? Let’s be honest now, do you get weary of praying when you do not see quick results, or do you continue earnestly wrestling with God? Let me remind you that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man [woman] avails much” (James 5:16).

More than 700 ASAP national missionaries today seek for the baptism of the Holy Spirit that enables them to proclaim the everlasting Gospel to unreached people. With a burning love for Jesus in their hearts, persistent prayers on their lips, and a passion to save souls, they are not about to give up.

I think the stories in this issue from ASAP supported national missionaries will encourage you to continue persisting in earnest prayer for the lost. In Always Saying a Prayer, you will read about the exciting way God answered the prayers Cheng Moua, a Hmong pastor in the country of Laos who seeks to reach his people for Christ.

Thank you for partnering with us as prayer warriors. Together, let us continue learning what it means to wrestle with God in prayer for the millions of unreached people in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and in our own homes and neighborhoods.

Thoughts From:JUDY AITKENASAP DIRECTOR

*Names have been changed and photo blurred for their safety.

Your Prayers at Work

LAOSDuring our stay in a province in Laos a government official who was with us at the training told us about a group of Christians who worship on Saturday. We asked him to take us to visit them. There are eighteen families with over 100 people who have been worshiping on Sabbath for five years in a house church. Almost the whole village is Sabbath keepers. They have asked us to teach them the whole truth from God’s Word. What a wonderful opportunity! Oh, how excited I am to know that the Lord has already prepared many people in Laos for us to minister to.” KHAMSAY PHETCHAUREUN

PRAYERS FOR THE TREASURERSKaren Wade, former missionary to Africa and Haiti, came to ASAP as treasurer in 2005 and has been a tremendous blessing from the Lord. Karen recently decided to retire (for the second time because she joined ASAP after retiring from Andrews University). She is an important part of the ASAP family and will truly be missed. We see God’s hand clearly leading her to join her family in Tennessee. God answered prayers rapidly and her house sold in two days! Please pray that she will have a smooth transition.

We ask you, our prayer partners, to intercede for just the right person to join ASAP as treasurer. We are waiting on God to provide. Join us in specifically and persistently asking God to send a person qualified in accounting/finances and also in project development, preferably with an MSA in International Development. We need someone who has a big heart for missions.

Prayer Requests..............................Answered!

1. The Lord’s blessings on the production Answered! of the new ASAP video, Trials to Triumph 2. Healing for Pr. Jay Lo who is translating Answered! the Bible into Hmong 3. Adequate funding to keep the Answered! Feed & Read Schools operating 4. The Vietnamese Online Bible College is up Answered! and running and well received

www.asapministries.org/pray Sign up online and join the army of ASAP prayer warriors.

Thank you for earnestly persisting in prayer for specific requests from ASAP month after month. God’s promise in Matthew 7:7 is true where He says, “Ask, and it will be given to you…” Join us in praising the Lord for these answers and many others. (We wish we had room to share them all!)

Did you receive ASAP’s latest DVD, “Trials to Triumph”?

Call for your FREE copy today!1-866-365-3541

NOTES from the field:

BRIEF BIOI have been working as an ASAP church planter for three years in Cambodia. Before that I was an ASAP literacy teacher. Now I lead a church in Chankar Daong Village where 24 adults and 32 children attend regularly. I also lead a worship group in the village of Ang Tun Lorb. Please pray for these believers and for me as I share the Good News of the Gospel with people in two new villages nearby.

SPECIFIC PRAYERS ANSWERED IN MULTIPLE WAYSLast year God blessed with many children coming to the literacy school but the old bamboo building they met in was falling apart. The church members and I prayed specifically that God would provide funds to rebuild the school. God answered our prayers by moving on our own hearts to help raise money. The members felt impressed to give the little they had and with the money from a special offering, ASAP was able to help purchase new bamboo and thatch. Another member volunteered to connect electricity to the school. ASAP provided study tables and benches. Now thirty-five students have a much safer, beautiful school to go to. These children now know that God is not only in the Bible, but that He loves them and has the power to answer prayers.

PERSISTANCE IN PRAYER PAYS OFFRight before Khmer New Year, a thief came in the night and stole my motorbike and other things in my home, including a $50 travel fund I had received from ASAP. I prayed many times each day about this problem. I borrowed a bicycle or walked from house to house to visit my members and tell others about Jesus. Three months later, my stolen motorbike was returned! A relative of the thief was angry with him and so he came and told me who stole it. I reported it to the police and they helped me get it back. I am so thankful I did not stop praying for this and God answered my prayers. cu

t and

shar

e#

C onvicted is the title of a recently published book by Melanie Bockmann that tells the story about Andrew Michell (pictured)

who at the age of sixteen was sentenced to prison and charged with seven counts of kidnapping, two burglaries, and three armed robberies.

Andrew had to spend some serious time behind bars, but during his time in prison he met Jesus Christ who was able to turn ten years in prison into the best ten years of his life. We thank God that this praying young man is now serving as a missionary in Thailand and happens to be a volunteer teacher at one of our ASAP projects in Thailand, the Muak Lek Language Center.

We were recently blessed to have Andrew visit Berrien Springs where he shared his personal testimony and also talked about the power of prayer and fasting. Andrew not only knows about how powerful God’s Word is and how it can transform an utterly stubborn and dangerous mind, he also knows about the power that comes with it. Andrew was able to share his personal testimony on national TV with all the people of Costa Rica as a direct result of prayer and fasting.

Andrew shared this story and many others with us, hear his messages by visiting us online: asapministries.org. Our prayer is that you will be blessed and inspired by Andrew’s messages and understand better the need to pray persistently and specifically for missions and your own needs in order to see real answers to prayers.

Intercede for AsiaBY MARTIN KIM

P.S. We Love Hearing from YouPHello, I’m writing in response to your offer in “Our 10 Favorites” Mission Stories, Vol. 2. Could you send 50-75 copies to me? I will distribute them at church. I told one of the stories yesterday as part of the lesson study presentation; it just fit in very well and everyone seemed very interested. Your booklet and the presentation of topics are impressive. One thing that impacts me personally is the prayer you include at the conclusion of a story—very personal and powerful. MINEARD AND NANCY FROM OR

Meet Sok Ren

IN MEMORY OF:BEA PARFITT by Eugene Krause • DR. GUILHERME DENZ by Gilson R. and Jane L. Girotto • DR. RANDOLPH SUN by Steven L. Anderson, Nicole Sun, Ronald and Charlotte Zane • E. JENICKE by Sandy Monette • GRAHAM MAXWELL by Jane Barker Banta • LILA CREECH by Troy F. and Sylvia R. Daniel • PAUL AND ANNA BOWERS by Judith Beeson • RHONDA BOWERS by Bill and Elizabeth Pyke • VIRGINIA SOSA by Justin M. Torossian

IN HONOR OF:BRUCE AND ELEANOR CROSS FOR MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S DAY by Tara Cross • ELMA MYRES & MR. AND MRS. ANDREW WEISZ by Donald and Helen Myres • ESTHER ZIMMERMAN by Donald and Ellen M. Amador • JAKE AND MONICA KIM PARK by Dawn C. Moffit, Dunedin and Lorna Derro, Tina Kim, Kyoung and Sang Soo Kim • JERES JUNE LIAH by Mercy Grace Consignada • JUANITA PLUMMER FOR HER 75TH BIRTHDAY by Wayne and Sherri Labins •MARLENE SUMNER by Chuck and Darlene Sumner • VASHTI MOHAMED by Aphzal Mohammed

In Loving Memory and Honor

I pray every day for souls to be saved and God is answering my prayers. Two of my dedicated elderly members, Grandpa Souley* and

Grandma Bunna* decided to move from their village to a new village where Grandpa Souley’s animist relatives live. One day the son of a relative of Grandpa Souley became very sick. His father took him to the hospital and asked me to come and pray for his son. When I visited there I saw that the boy was about to die. I prayed for God’s will for the boy. He opened his eyes a little and then died. I shared with the father the hope that Christians have of seeing their loved ones again in the earth made new. The father understood that the reason his son died was because of Satan and sin in this world. Three days after his son’s funeral, he called and asked me to come and baptize the family—him, his wife and their daughter.

Grandpa Souley shared the Bible truth in the homes of other relatives. Last December three new families of twenty-four people began worshiping in their homes. In February I went to their village and baptized seventeen people. They prayed for a leader and chose the man who had lost his son. I ask for prayers for this new group and all eight groups that have been planted this year in my region of Laos. Please pray for us to be able to have Lao and Hmong Bibles and hymn books. This is an urgent need. Also pray for stipends for the leaders of the groups and for the leaders to be able to receive training.

*Names have been changed for the safety of God’s workers

AlwaysSayingAPrayerBY LAY PASTOR

CHENG MOUA*

KIDS WITH A MISSION!LIZZY OSBORN

A MESSAGE FOR TEENS!Make sure and visit “Kids With a Mission” at ASAPMINISTRIES.ORG! You will get all kinds of “mission money-making” ideas from Lizzy and you will also find out why she is so passionate about giving.

Hello! My name is Lizzy. I’m 14 years-old and just finishing the 8th grade. Raising money for the children in mission fields is one of my passions. God is teaching me to feel privileged that I am able to give to children in other countries who don’t have the opportunity to learn about Jesus like I do.

Adventist Southeast Asia Projects 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 the suffering in Southeast Asia. Because ASAP is a §501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your donations are tax-deductible.

ASI MEMBER ASAP has been a member of ASI (Adventist-layman’s Services and Industries) since 1996 and is grateful to be an ASI grant recipient.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR/DIRECTOR Judy AitkenEDITOR/ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Julia O’Carey COPY EDITORS Linda BauerDESIGN/LAYOUT Sarah Lee www.ambientlightstudios.com

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

TOLL FREE 1-866-365-3541PHONE 269-471-3026FAX 269-471-3034EMAIL office@asapministries.orgWEB www.asapministries.org

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version® copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ASAP serves people from the countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.

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Now you can find a frequently updated list of giving opportunities like the one below on our website. We encourage you to “adopt” one of these projects and earnestly pray for and give towards it. Visit www.asapministries.org for more details about these projects.

1. Get Goats for a Good Cause (distribute twenty goats to 10 poor families) $800 2. Support Seventy Literacy/Bible Teachers in Cambodia for One Month $2,8003. Help Young People Escape Poverty Through Vocational Training $4,5004. Go for a Goy-y’n and Purchase a Tractor for a Rural Church Group $3,0005. Keep Five Lao Lay-Pastors Working for the Lord for One Year $4,8006. Share and Care by Supporting an Organic Farm Outreach Project $3,7507. Equip Vietnamese Youth Evangelists to Become Soul Winners $11,8008. Provide for the Cambodia Knots & Knowledge Project $5,9409. Provide Hope to Children in Takong by Supporting their Education $7,34510. Minister to Refugees in the US through Church Planting $50,000

REMEMBER—you can give a partial amount for any project listed, as the Lord impresses you. Please note the project name with your gift so we can keep track.

DYNAMIC GIVING OPPORTUNITIES10