great controversy book work

Everybody raise your hands if you know where Sharjah is? No one? OK, raise your hands if you know WHAT Sharjah is. hmmmmm.

I can’t recall the first time i heard about this city/Emirate, next to Dubai which makes up part of the United Arab Emirates, but can remember the first time it really hit my consciousness – when i was in an airport, and the “Flying Today” or something like that magazine trumpeted Sharjah on its cover, calling it the “up and coming destination”. The first airport where i saw that destination mentioned was either Bangkok or Colombo, and distinctly remember a long queue at the Air Arabia counter at Colombo around 1am when i was checking in for my flight on Air Sahara to Chennai.

…

in uaeRead More »

After paying 15euro for my visa, i line up with everyone else, waiting for the customs inspection.  It is cold and rainy, but fortunately we are mostly under a tin roof, so by stamping the feet once in a while, and perceiving warmth from the multitude of fires lit on the end of tobacco sticks, the 40 minute wait slowly whiles away.  An old lady tries to walk by the young customs men, and they get ugly with her.  She turns back, unintentionally banging one hard with her umbrella – ha!  When she tires of waiting again in a few minutes, they let her proceed to the other side.  That is one thing i despise – no set rules to follow.  Because of this, the ones who push and shove and scream the loudest know that eventually they will get what they want, so the whole country becomes that way – yucko.  After the head inspector returns from the bus with 2 bottles of found vodka, the young men speed search everybody’s stuff, going thru my suitcase in less than 5 seconds.

That border is the first time in my life when i have physically stepped across 2 time zones.  It was around 6:30 when i finally got past the Georgian border house, but the next clock i saw on the Turkish immigration wall showed 4:30.  It seemed very strange to already be so dark, and only 4:30pm.  The scenes in the towns as we pass in the dark was more back to what i can call “normal” – 5-8 story apt. buildings, with lit up stores selling all manner of goods, with street lights etc.  In the 3 countries i just came from, each capital city is like that, but nothing approaching that kind of lifestyle exists in the countryside.  We roll on.

…

in turkey 2006 – iiRead More »

Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan – three countries that don’t get much respect.  Two days ago in a grade-school classroom in Malaysia, a map of the world showing each country’s flag had these 3 countries all lumped under the title “Georgia” with only the Georgian flag displayed.  Sure hope that doesn’t cause some war somewhere!

The greatest thing about going to this region was in seeing the willingness of the top leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist church in each country look with favor on this 1858 Great Controversy translation and printing project.  In two of the countries the book will be/has been translated by the head of the mission their, and in one country the mission board officially voted to pursue this project.  So from not seeing much of a need to go there until already in Europe in July, to leaving this area on November 14th after staying over one month, many things happened to show me that yes, God definitely had a hand in directing my feet this direction.

Entering Georgia by bus was the worst experience i’ve ever had in crossing a country border.  First, everyone got out about 1km from the gate, and a truck came which unloaded all the cloth bot in Turkey, being imported into Georgia.  Then they put us back on, and we got out at passport control.  Being a bus full of Georgians, there was very little in the way of lining up nicely, with most of the people pushing and shoving to cram their passports to the seemingly mindless agents accepting any one within an easy reach.  I get a bit worried as the young man who was friendly to me on the bus is told he cannot get an exit stamp from Turkey.  He tells me that there is only around 5 months left on his passport, explaining the disappointment.  After getting stamped, i walk in the general direction of where most people seem to be going (noticeable by the arising cloud of smoke – ha!), and after waiting a few minutes at a little slat of a window, i see someone puffing away in a dingy office lit by one dim lightbulb, and a computer screen.  Well, at least they have computers here 🙂  Soon i am on the other side, in Georgia.

…

in the caucasusRead More »

Having called my Kenyan-born friend’s friend a few days before arrival, and having his home and cell number, i don’t expect much problem reaching him.  His work ends at 11pm, and my plane lands at 11:30, so the timing should be just right – wrong.  I call several times, even cautiously ringing the house once, hoping i’m not waking up the family, but get no answer. 

A 50-something year old tout latches onto me after the bus lets us out at Syntagma square, the main square in Athens.  He asks “ladies?”  I tell him “No, hotel or internet cafe”.  He points down the street, tells me a name, and then points up the street to a internet cafe, then, while walking with me, asks me to buy him a pack of cigarretes.  “They only cost 4 or 5 euros”.  What a joke, i respond by giving him a one euro coin for his 20 seconds of trouble, and when he spits out “Stingy” after me, i almost turn back to ask him to return it if he doesn’t want it, but just ignore him, and walk up to the internet cafe.  The lady in Malaysia is pleading for the cover artwork for the book to be printed soon, but no one here has a usb port, so i am out of luck.

…

in greeceRead More »

The afternoon of September 6 finds my train pulling into a nice old station near a lake.  There was no passport check or anything, but now you’re in Switzerland.  There are people biking and walking and sailing all over, and the general feeling is very relaxing.  One train change places me on a packed express bound for Zurich.  The beautiful green countryside in the late afternoon sun with the cows grazing peacefully pleases the eyes and provides a pleasant contrast, if it can be called that, with the high-tech life that makes up city life in Zurich.

The friend who is to meet me is someone who posted a few times on my earlysda forum.  It was not even in my mind to come to Switzerland when first planning this trip to Europe, and only the last week or so in India did it occur to me that if i was in Germany already, that perhaps it would be worthwhile to meet this man who said he has Greek friends who may be able to help get this gc book into that language.  I don’t have any clue to what he looks like, or his spiritual condition, except that he is Kenyan-born.

…

in switzerlandRead More »

This is the absolutest shortest stay ever in any country.  From the time i am picked up at the train station in Como, to the time i am let out at the Malpenza airport (Milan), only around 22 hours elapse.

Italian weather is very pleasant, and the atmosphere of the people etc. is basically like i remember it – friendly, boisterous, unmindful of rules etc.  The family greets me at the train station and we go to their apt. in a small town.  But the towns here all seem to run together, and it is cool to go down streets obviously made for a different era, and make our way thru the organized chaos.  There is someone selling fruit by the case from the back of his pickup truck, and we get 16 pears for 3euros, 5kg grapes for 4euros, 16 huge sweet yellow peppers for 4euros etc. etc.  Nice!

…

in italyRead More »

October 24th, 2006, marked the one year anniversary of becoming homeless to spread the book titled “The Great Controversy Between Christ and His Angels, and Satan and His Angels”, originally printed in 1858.  It is a time to reflect on what has/hasn’t been accomplished in the last year, and hopefully by looking on the past, renewed confidence and hope will encourage myself and perhaps others to work energetically in spreading this most important book in the world after the Bible.

Accomplishments related to everything with this work of spreading the 1858GC, including coming and meeting personally with people to push forward this book will be listed by country travelled to during this year.  Many of the things listed were done by other people, such as selling the books, but all work done in the last year by everyone is listed.  17 countries were personally entered in the last year, with sometimes multiple languages worked on.

Philippines: Tagalog translated and 5,000 printed; Ilocano translated and 5,000 printed; English 2,000 printed.  Receipts of sales of books over 2,000usd; Tausug translation 1/4 completed, no current information.

…

one year onRead More »

The autobahn in Germany isn’t what i had imagined all those years when that Kraftwerk song filled my mind with an inane rhythm.  It just looks like an interstate in America, except that interstates have a pretty, grassy median separating traffic.  Most everybody seemed to be going around 120 – 140km/hour with the fastest being just when we entered from Holland with two Holland-plate cars seemingly chasing each other at around 200km.  That is fast.  The flatness of Holland gives way to gently rolling hills, and then more undulating countryside.  It was surprising to see so much greenery in Germany, with lots of cornfields providing a gentle covering, pleasing the eyes.

After being shocked at knowing that the toilets along the autobahn are the same as the ones in Cambodia (grass and trees and fences), ((later told that this is not common in Germany)), we make it to the campmeeting held at a youth hostel in Rohn.  After helping my ride friends set up their huge orange tent in the rain, i head for the main building where a room has been graciously provided – nice!  There are 3 bunk beds, with an elderly man in one, a young man in another, and then me.  This arrangement lasted from Sunday to Friday, when there were several South Americans who joined us.  The two roommates are nice, but i can only communicate with the older one by gestures.

…

in germanyRead More »

The ferry taking me to Holland is said to be the largest hydrofoil-style ship in the world.  It was comfortable, and i learned one important thing while on it.  In the section of seats where i was, there was a TV screen placed up and in front for all 40 or so people who could sit there.  I was reading the Japanese 1858 Great Controversy, but my eyes kept wandering upwards to the screen.  Amazing how much power the moving picture has over the mind.  It reminded me that sometimes even when you can see the live thing happening in front of you, the screen sometimes holds more attraction.  Probably it is because the pictures change frequently and quickly, always making one look forward to what will be displayed next. 

Why was this of interest to me? – Because it made me more determined than ever to put the Great Controversy book to an animated movie.  If even i want to look up at moving pictures of worthless things rather than keep my eyes focused on the printed page (and right now while i type this the scenery is moving by quickly while on a train in Germany, so i’m not concentrating wholly on the typing!), then i know for sure that other people who don’t even realize the value of these words from God would rather have some moving picture to keep their attention.  Lord, please give me wisdom in how to move forward in this project.  It is really too big for me, but then all of life is.  But with your Holy Spirit working on my heart, if i humble myself to be directed, i can become omnipotent!  Wow!

…

in hollandRead More »

I’ve never flown over Iran and some of those other countries before, so looking down from the airplane window was quite moving.  I was led to pray several times for the Christians that may be down there now, or that will be in the end times.  A few weeks earlier i had read about some noble woman in Pakistan who had accepted Christ in the 1960s, and her hardships and trials.  No doubt it would be even more difficult today.  How are we going to get the 3 Angels’ Messages to them?  Don’t they have a right to have a chance too?  If i was born and raised on the ground directly under this airplane, how would i ever even get the chance to hear the truth?  Many thots to crowd the mind…..

The scenery is just brown desert stretching in all directions, with a few low mountains here and there.   Seeing Mt. Ararat just like it was shown in the National Geographic magazine was cool.  It is beautiful, with a crown of snow even in the middle of July.  After crossing the Black Sea, the scenery changed from the rocky brown seen earlier (after the sandy brown of western Pakistan and then most of Iran), to a green that got darker and darker as we travelled over Europe.  It was interesting that anywhere you could see a little dab of lighter brown, or of green before, there would for sure be a village or town.  But now there was just greenery everywhere, and it looked like the people don’t live so recognizably solely in a village or town with others.

This was my first time flying in the daytime into England, and the lovely green and the very carefully deliniated boundary lines, usually with green bushes or trees, was interesting.  The streets and towns all looked to be carefully laid out and well-ordered.

…

in englandRead More »

My computer that i burned up in Burma, then got fixed in Bangkok, is on the fritz again.  Once in a while it will boot up when pressing down hard on the area between the touch pad and space bar.  It seems to be directly over the hard drive, so i’m thinking it’s some kind of problem with the connection to it.  On the internet i see where there is a Toshiba repair shop here in Pune so happily take it there.  The man runs the disk check program and looks at a few things, then says that this is an Asian-made computer, so he can’t fix it.  Hey man, tell me that at the first alright?  I do appreciate your trying to fix it for me tho 🙂

I go to the Marathi church on Spicer campus, and am allowed to give about an 8 minute testimony about the work i’m doing in spreading the 1858 Great Controversy.  The people seem genuinely interested.  There was a special appreciation ceremony for a student from Kenya who sold more Marathi SDA literature last year than anyone.  The main sermon was by the Literature Evangelism Director calling for more people to enter the LE work!  I was amazed how God worked it all out, for me to be there on just that day when everyone’s minds were directed to the LE work already, and that i could play a small part in it.  Thank you Lord.

I spend a few days with a family near the Union headquarters.  It is lots of fun to play with the kids, and i get quite lonely for Japan at nite when everyone has gone to bed.  The father’s belief on just about everything is the same as mine, and we have deep, interesting talks about the 3 Angels’ Messages etc.  He has had quite a hard time from his SDA brethren, but he still goes to church and works with and for them.  At the Salisbury Memorial Church i have the opportunity to give a 15 minute talk during the mission report time on Sabbath morning.  I give my talk, ending with the train story from chapter 30 of the 1858GC.  The people seem quite interested. 

…

in india 2006 – iiiRead More »

After nearly two months in this country, you think i’d have put up a detailed account of my experiences on this blog by now, right?  Accha (OK).

Landing at Chennai airport at 5:30am on April 25, it was a slightly pink sky that greeted me back to India after an 8 year absence.  I couldn’t believe the customs people didn’t want to go thru all my stuff, even thinking the guy waving me on must be looking for a bribe, but of course i don’t offer, and he still waves me thru anyway.  Whoa!  Maybe India HAS really changed in the last 8 years.  The airport is dumpier than probably any city’s with over 100,000 people in advanced countries, but we are in the 4th largest city in this country, with over 6,000,000 inhabitants.  The Thomas Cook exchange counter has bad rates, so i exchange the smallest thing i can find – a 1,000thb (baht) note.  I’ve been carrying 70Rs with me in Japan these last 8 years, and now i can finally put them to use!  Interesting how each country has its own dead leaders or poets or buildings that they like to call money….

Stepping out of the airport brought it all back to me – this is India!  Honking horns, nasty smells, people calling out to you to take you somewhere etc. etc.  I’ve been told that the train station is around 400m away, so head out in a likely direction.  After asking directions a few times, i see across the road on the other side of the thatch shanties, a station.  The man refuses my 10Rs (45Rupee=$1) note that i’ve been carefully saving for the last 8 years.  It is torn and is taped back together.  unnnnnn  I think i remember that’s why i took it back to Japan, because no one here would take it last time – ha! 

…

in india 2006 – iiRead More »

The Colombo, Sri Lanka airport is beautiful when you come in – high, glass walls, beautiful polished granite floors, moving sidewalks, spotless toilets.  I thot i was back in Japan.  Then i saw the sign on the wall: “Made possible by a loan from the Japan Government.”  That is just the main terminal wing, but when you get to the lobby and outside, you realize you are in 3rd World.  Immigration was interesting, as the officer changed his date stamper from the 6th to the 7th just before he took my passport 🙂

My friend has graciously driven his van to get me, and he takes me to his friend’s guest house where he kindly allows me free use of an empty room.  The room has its own shower, and i get an auspicious feeling when with just one whack of my shoe i knock a cockroach off the wall straight into the smallish drain hole in the floor.  Gone.  Maybe my cockroach destroying skills have improved since leaving Japan to the point where i can represent some country in the cockroach-extermination Olympics?  Is that on Animal Planet?

I’m awakened in the morning by a lady bringing me my breakfast – some kind of drink, and spicy garbanzos with rocks.  It is a rude awakening that i’m no longer in even 2nd world countries – this is really close to Indian style!  But it tastes quite nice (no, not the rocks, the beans in the rocks) until my taste buds are all worn out and quit making sense.

…

in sri lanka – 2006Read More »

Yesterday, the first day of the 45th year of my life, proved to be quite an interesting day.  India is many things – frustrating, hot, nasty, conniving, dirty, lying, noisy, tasty, hot, crowded, smelly, and did i mention “HOT”?  One thing it is not, and that is “boring”.  Open your window and see a world that is sometimes stranger than fiction; talk to someone and learn that logic plays no part in some people’s lives; smile at someone and say “hi” to get an almost-lifelong (it seems) “friend”.

I stayed in India for 4 months in 1998, helping a self-supporting pastor, and helping set up the accounting books for an orphange.  Many things i had learned up to then in schools and life were proven wrong by staying here, and i had a terrible time trying to regain my confidence in people again, (and in keeping additional hair from falling out 🙂  Actually, the hair outage stopped after 3 days of seaweed eating in Korea, and the human-confidence factor was restored about 1 day after returning to Japan.

So this time, what will happen?  I made it here on Tuesday, and had some experiences Wednesday, but yesterday was super interesting.  First, my friend came to visit in my hotel room in the morning, bringing some lovely chapati and okra with just one hot pepper in it.  I have a supply of food with me, so spread some peanut butter on the chapati, and ate a few handfuls of raisins, had a sesame-sugar (jiggery) combination brought from Sri Lanka, and topped everything with a Vitamin C tablet.  “Hotel” has a nice ring, and may raise some eyebrows about missionaries living high, but at 200Rs. (4.5dollars), i could live much more cheaply here than staying in a normal apt. in most developed countries.

…

in india 2006Read More »