WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:06.960 Good morning. If you have been here with us the past few weeks, you know that we have been going through a series on Proverbs. 00:00:07.700 --> 00:00:16.059 And in this series on Proverbs, we've been talking about what does the book of Proverbs tell us as we go through life living with a kingdom vision. 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:20.140 And we've had an analogy running throughout that series, if I can get the slide up. 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:27.920 We've talked about an oriental rug and how from the backside of the rug, you see lots of knots and loose strings hanging there. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:31.520 And you see somewhat of a picture, but not a clear picture. 00:00:32.120 --> 00:00:39.640 You see a partial picture, enough to tell you that there's something there, that there's a picture being formed, but not enough to show you exactly what that picture is. 00:00:40.020 --> 00:00:44.600 And we've said that as we live in the world, our vision of God's kingdom is like this. 00:00:44.660 --> 00:00:47.520 We can see parts, we can see glimpses, but it's incomplete. 00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:51.760 It's stained by our sin and the brokenness of our world. 00:00:52.100 --> 00:00:56.000 And we said that as God views history, he sees the completed picture. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:59.560 He sees the other side of the rug, the front where the picture is completed. 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:07.000 And we've looked through the book of Proverbs from this perspective, saying what does it mean for us to go through life living with this perspective. 00:01:07.859 --> 00:01:13.460 And this week, we wanted to sort of take what we've been talking about over the past few weeks and put it on the ground level. 00:01:13.960 --> 00:01:17.299 So we're going to talk about what it means to live with a kingdom vision. 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:22.739 And to start us off, I'm going to ask Lincoln and Stephanie and Aldrin to come up. 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:27.799 And they're going to share testimony with us about the brokenness that they see in the world around them. 00:01:28.099 --> 00:01:33.579 And later on, they're going to come up and share about the ways that they see God at work to restore and redeem that brokenness. 00:01:33.659 --> 00:01:36.039 So if you guys can come up now, that would be great. 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:39.600 Good morning, everyone. 00:01:39.600 --> 00:01:41.719 My name is Aldrin Teresa. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:43.900 I am from the Philippines. 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:50.440 And I am working with the Filipino community in Watermark. 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:55.400 And a couple of Sundays ago, we talked about the Proverbs of work. 00:01:55.400 --> 00:02:07.000 And I'd like to share the brokenness that I found out from the perspective of the Filipino domestic helpers and related to the Proverbs of work. 00:02:08.540 --> 00:02:22.819 And my observations is based on my conversations with Filipino pastors, Filipino domestic helpers, and some professionals. 00:02:22.819 --> 00:02:26.500 And my question to them is simple. 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:30.500 What are the challenges of Filipinos in Hong Kong? 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:32.759 So that was my question. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:36.120 And all of them told me the same things. 00:02:36.859 --> 00:02:39.819 So I'd like to share it to you today. 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:46.379 And I'm going to use a story to summarize everything that I found out. 00:02:46.659 --> 00:02:49.459 So I'm going to use a fictional character, if that's okay. 00:02:49.460 --> 00:02:52.400 And I'm going to use Teresa. 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:53.879 That's actually my last name. 00:02:55.219 --> 00:02:59.680 So Teresa went to Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper. 00:03:00.700 --> 00:03:13.240 And upon her arrival, she felt overwhelmed because of the busyness of the city and also because of the tall skyscrapers in Hong Kong. 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:20.740 And she thought to herself, if she's able to adjust well to her new home. 00:03:21.740 --> 00:03:33.180 But this did not discourage her because she believes that her sacrifices and her hard work will eventually pay off. 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:40.719 So several years had passed, and Teresa experienced working with different kinds of employers. 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:46.159 She worked with good employers and even those who are not so kind. 00:03:46.900 --> 00:03:53.719 And she's able to overcome the mistreatment of her employers. 00:03:54.659 --> 00:04:01.139 But I think the worst of all is when she felt lonely and helpless. 00:04:01.139 --> 00:04:08.459 She also felt guilt because she's able to take care of her employer's children. 00:04:09.500 --> 00:04:12.019 But she can't take care of her own. 00:04:13.539 --> 00:04:21.259 And sometimes she will just hear the employer's child say, 00:04:21.419 --> 00:04:22.360 Mama or Mommy. 00:04:23.060 --> 00:04:26.379 And she will just cry, remembering her child. 00:04:26.379 --> 00:04:32.519 But again, she's helpless because she needs to work in Hong Kong to provide for her family, 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:34.040 to give them a better future. 00:04:36.159 --> 00:04:43.819 And the time came when Teresa had an opportunity to go back to Philippines and visit her family. 00:04:44.860 --> 00:04:46.399 But when she came back, 00:04:47.240 --> 00:04:48.480 she found out that 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:52.719 her children had grown cold towards her. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:56.400 Some of them became rebellious, 00:04:56.500 --> 00:05:00.560 not even acknowledging her hard work and all her efforts. 00:05:01.440 --> 00:05:03.340 And she also heard rumors 00:05:03.340 --> 00:05:07.860 about her husband sleeping with another woman. 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:11.780 And this is because 00:05:11.780 --> 00:05:15.060 probably she stayed in Hong Kong for too long. 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:17.940 Others would say it's because of insecurity. 00:05:17.939 --> 00:05:19.459 Because you see, 00:05:19.579 --> 00:05:21.620 in a developing country like Philippines, 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:23.339 we look at family, 00:05:23.779 --> 00:05:25.300 the family structure as, 00:05:25.779 --> 00:05:28.199 in a very traditional sense. 00:05:30.540 --> 00:05:32.839 Mothers are the nurturers. 00:05:33.939 --> 00:05:35.959 Husbands are the breadwinners. 00:05:37.060 --> 00:05:40.399 And if the mother is producing more money, 00:05:40.839 --> 00:05:42.480 more income than the husband, 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:46.240 there's a tendency for the husband to feel so insecure. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:51.819 And he will look for another woman just to fulfill or satisfy his egos. 00:05:53.019 --> 00:05:54.939 So those are possibilities. 00:05:55.280 --> 00:05:56.420 But either ways, 00:05:57.160 --> 00:06:00.900 Teresa felt very hurt and very betrayed. 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:08.519 And this is not just true to the lives of Filipino domestic helpers here in Hong Kong. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:11.160 This could also be true to all of us. 00:06:11.220 --> 00:06:13.759 And even true to myself. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:17.399 There are times that I felt lonely. 00:06:18.199 --> 00:06:19.819 I felt culture shock. 00:06:20.420 --> 00:06:22.339 I just got here a month ago. 00:06:23.420 --> 00:06:24.639 And at times, 00:06:24.759 --> 00:06:27.139 I feel I forget that I'm a child of God. 00:06:28.099 --> 00:06:30.219 And there are also times that 00:06:30.219 --> 00:06:33.639 I feel empty. 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:40.800 And I think this is why it's very important for us to go back to God's word, 00:06:41.860 --> 00:06:43.819 to be in a community like this, 00:06:43.819 --> 00:06:47.539 because we all need each other and we all need Jesus to move forward. 00:06:47.540 --> 00:06:48.540 Thank you, everyone. 00:06:48.540 --> 00:06:49.540 Thank you, everyone. 00:06:49.540 --> 00:06:50.540 My name is Stephanie. 00:06:50.540 --> 00:06:56.920 And I'm specifically talking about the brokenness in families in Hong Kong today, 00:06:56.920 --> 00:07:03.820 that particularly in the Jordan area where I live and in a demographic of South Asians. 00:07:03.819 --> 00:07:07.599 And so after you came to Hong Kong, just a bit about me, 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:11.540 a year and a half ago on a journey to just figure out who I am, 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:14.139 what's going on, and what's next after graduation. 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:17.019 And when I decided to come to Hong Kong, 00:07:17.100 --> 00:07:20.079 I actually asked God to confirm with me for three different things. 00:07:20.180 --> 00:07:22.519 Like one is that my parents be supportive, 00:07:22.519 --> 00:07:25.799 and I have a job and I find a place to live. 00:07:26.500 --> 00:07:29.599 And hopefully all, you know, just for his kingdom. 00:07:30.299 --> 00:07:32.539 And God provided. 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:36.919 And I got all three answers and my parents were supportive. 00:07:37.500 --> 00:07:39.459 I started working at International Care Ministries. 00:07:40.060 --> 00:07:41.319 And through a series of events, 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:43.620 my good friend actually invited me to live with her. 00:07:44.060 --> 00:07:48.839 And it happens to be she was living across the street from my boyfriend. 00:07:49.159 --> 00:07:50.859 And so it worked out really well. 00:07:50.860 --> 00:07:56.460 And so it also happens to be that in our neighborhood, 00:07:56.460 --> 00:07:59.660 there is a ministry called Inner City Ministries 00:07:59.660 --> 00:08:01.520 that work with the South Asian population. 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:05.040 But there's not just South Asian population, 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:09.620 just all different ethnicities, but majority Nepali. 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:13.220 And Lincoln happens to be the board of, 00:08:13.500 --> 00:08:15.000 I was sitting on the board of directors there. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:18.040 So I was inevitably introduced to what they do, 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:19.340 the needs of the neighborhood, 00:08:19.339 --> 00:08:24.459 and what is Inner City trying to do, 00:08:24.819 --> 00:08:27.259 and how the gospel can impact this community. 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:30.560 And so by no means am I actively involved in the ministry. 00:08:30.779 --> 00:08:33.399 I work full time at another ministry. 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:38.740 But I have, I think, I've made myself available in some sense. 00:08:38.819 --> 00:08:41.579 I think my mentality going in, moving in this neighborhood was, 00:08:41.779 --> 00:08:44.059 I hope that I can serve in some way or another. 00:08:44.059 --> 00:08:47.000 But even before we get to thinking about serving, 00:08:47.299 --> 00:08:48.859 God picked me up and was like, 00:08:48.939 --> 00:08:53.339 you know what, I need to show you what my heart for this community is first. 00:08:53.979 --> 00:08:59.439 And so in the past year and a bit, I've been really learning about that. 00:09:00.339 --> 00:09:03.479 And so there was, at the same time, I was contending Watermark. 00:09:03.539 --> 00:09:06.519 And there was one time that Tobin did a sermon, 00:09:06.519 --> 00:09:10.220 and he brought out a stretcher with, 00:09:10.579 --> 00:09:13.019 it's just basically a piece of cloth with two sticks on it, 00:09:13.179 --> 00:09:17.480 and told us to write the names of people we want to pray for. 00:09:17.740 --> 00:09:20.899 And that was one of the first services I attended at Watermark. 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:23.720 And so in that experience, 00:09:23.899 --> 00:09:26.960 I remember Lincoln and I writing a couple of girls from the community 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:28.399 and their names on the stretcher. 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:33.019 And, you know, just a bit about the girls. 00:09:33.620 --> 00:09:36.539 By then, I didn't really know too much about them, 00:09:36.620 --> 00:09:39.019 but I did know that they're neglected. 00:09:39.419 --> 00:09:41.919 They're extremely vulnerable to peer pressure. 00:09:42.899 --> 00:09:46.079 Their parents and their fathers in particular 00:09:46.079 --> 00:09:48.539 are not the most responsible, I would say. 00:09:49.459 --> 00:09:54.399 And moms won't really trust their fathers for providing at all, 00:09:54.460 --> 00:09:55.840 so they work long hours. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:59.000 And they don't come home until maybe 12 or 1 in the morning, 00:09:59.100 --> 00:10:01.139 and they could find their kids just hungry. 00:10:01.300 --> 00:10:04.840 I remember a story of two brothers holding each other's arms 00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:07.080 because they're so hungry waiting for their mom to come home, 00:10:07.139 --> 00:10:07.879 but they fell asleep. 00:10:08.500 --> 00:10:09.980 And, you know, and the father, of course, 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:13.060 are alcoholics or drunkards or addicts. 00:10:13.480 --> 00:10:14.920 There are sex workers on the street, 00:10:15.040 --> 00:10:17.240 and it's just an environment that's not safe to be in 00:10:17.240 --> 00:10:18.080 for little children. 00:10:19.460 --> 00:10:22.400 And so that's what I knew about them, 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:24.879 but I was still new to the city. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:27.759 So I've decided, okay, I'm going to write their names, 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:28.860 and we're going to write their names, 00:10:28.919 --> 00:10:30.460 and I'm going to commit to praying for these girls. 00:10:31.559 --> 00:10:34.820 And in that, since then, God provided opportunities for me, 00:10:35.220 --> 00:10:39.340 just blessings, really, for me to be a part of their lives. 00:10:39.539 --> 00:10:42.580 And there's three girls in particular, 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:47.680 and one of them I actually had to go and be their guardian 00:10:47.680 --> 00:10:49.820 for picking up their report cards 00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:52.000 or representing them at parents' night for school. 00:10:52.660 --> 00:10:55.460 And it was really weird to have a sticker on me, 00:10:55.580 --> 00:10:56.960 on my, you know, saying parent. 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:00.700 And I'm 22 years old. 00:11:00.780 --> 00:11:05.060 This is weird that I would be a parent of a 13 or 14-year-old. 00:11:05.500 --> 00:11:07.879 And so I sat there, and it was really, 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:10.000 it was a third-band school. 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:12.400 If you know anything about Hong Kong school system, 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:14.139 there are three bands, and so they're the lowest band. 00:11:14.259 --> 00:11:16.420 And I was there and just observing. 00:11:16.419 --> 00:11:20.259 And, but while I was there, you know, 00:11:20.339 --> 00:11:21.459 it wasn't supposed to be me. 00:11:21.599 --> 00:11:24.059 I shouldn't be the one that's sitting there that day. 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:25.399 And that night, you know, 00:11:25.779 --> 00:11:27.019 their parents should have been there. 00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:30.519 And it just seems to me that actually a lot of these children 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:32.519 don't have parents to represent than my parents' night. 00:11:33.219 --> 00:11:37.339 And so, when I saw the report card the other time, 00:11:37.539 --> 00:11:38.979 I was even more shocked. 00:11:39.439 --> 00:11:42.839 How can someone fail with such a low mark? 00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:44.299 I was just completely shocked. 00:11:44.299 --> 00:11:47.819 And I just didn't know what to do about this. 00:11:47.939 --> 00:11:50.500 It really broke my heart that this girl was so smart, 00:11:50.819 --> 00:11:53.379 but she couldn't express that in the school system. 00:11:54.019 --> 00:11:55.479 And so then we started tutoring. 00:11:56.099 --> 00:11:58.719 And for about a month's time, we started tutoring these girls. 00:11:59.719 --> 00:12:04.439 And that, I mean, it helped a little bit, I hope. 00:12:04.859 --> 00:12:08.479 But one time, tutoring ended late, 00:12:08.819 --> 00:12:10.799 and I was walking the girls home. 00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:13.620 And so, in this community of drug addicts, 00:12:13.620 --> 00:12:16.159 I don't think it's safe for them to walk home alone. 00:12:16.440 --> 00:12:18.440 And usually, we walk them home. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:22.580 So, there's one time that the girls that we were tutoring, 00:12:22.980 --> 00:12:24.560 they came up to me and they're like, 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:27.080 Auntie, we don't want you to walk us home. 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:29.200 And I said, why? 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:29.539 Right? 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:30.360 Like, what's going on? 00:12:30.419 --> 00:12:32.019 And he's like, oh, I need to go get something. 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:37.159 And I was, you know, continuing festering them. 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:37.659 I'm like, why? 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:39.460 Why are you not letting me walk you home? 00:12:39.500 --> 00:12:40.879 He's like, oh, I need to buy something for my father. 00:12:41.019 --> 00:12:42.519 Just let me go home by myself. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:47.120 And my girlfriend and I, who were both tutoring these girls, 00:12:47.899 --> 00:12:49.699 were like, what do you have to buy for your father 00:12:49.699 --> 00:12:50.980 that we can't just go with you? 00:12:50.980 --> 00:12:55.320 And she said, you know, it was a silence for a while. 00:12:55.580 --> 00:12:57.519 And then one of the girls, the girl's friend, there's two girls, 00:12:58.060 --> 00:12:59.460 the girl pointed at her friend and said, 00:12:59.940 --> 00:13:01.680 oh, she needs to buy alcohol for her father. 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:05.159 And these girls are 13 years old. 00:13:05.159 --> 00:13:10.779 And I was wondering, first of all, who's going to sell you alcohol? 00:13:11.959 --> 00:13:14.259 And what is going on here? 00:13:14.379 --> 00:13:16.679 Why are you buying alcohol for your father? 00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:17.500 Who's a drunkard? 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:20.620 How come he can't just go and do it himself? 00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:24.539 And there's a lot of questions going through my head. 00:13:24.579 --> 00:13:26.519 And there's something really wrong with the picture. 00:13:27.079 --> 00:13:29.399 And I insisted that I go with them. 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:33.379 So two minutes later, I found myself outside of this shop. 00:13:33.379 --> 00:13:35.360 And of course, down the street from where I lived, 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:38.960 there would be somebody that would sell them alcohol, right, to 13-year-olds. 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:42.100 And so I was just completely shocked. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:43.439 My girlfriend and I were just really shocked. 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:44.179 We walked her home. 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:44.740 And you know what? 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:46.019 We ended up really well. 00:13:46.100 --> 00:13:47.179 And we had a really good time. 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:50.360 She invited me into her home, into her room, into her personal space. 00:13:50.439 --> 00:13:52.419 Her parents, of course, at 11 o'clock weren't home. 00:13:54.419 --> 00:13:57.000 But it was a really good time of bonding. 00:13:57.899 --> 00:14:01.320 But walking back and looking back, I was shocked. 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:04.520 And I was partly angry that this is happening in our city. 00:14:05.500 --> 00:14:06.440 It is illegal. 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:07.220 It is wrong. 00:14:07.580 --> 00:14:09.800 It made me angry. 00:14:10.660 --> 00:14:16.620 And so I think that night, God really opened my eyes to a bit of the brokenness in families in Hong Kong, 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:18.580 especially in this area. 00:14:19.400 --> 00:14:23.600 And so I always knew I didn't have to look far for brokenness. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:28.940 But I mean, I can just look into my own home, and I can see that it is imperfect. 00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:33.860 But at one point, where does it cross the line to say this is wrong completely? 00:14:33.980 --> 00:14:34.720 This is injustice. 00:14:35.019 --> 00:14:36.399 This is not just imperfect. 00:14:36.560 --> 00:14:37.700 This is wrong. 00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:40.540 And we need to do something about it. 00:14:40.539 --> 00:14:48.839 And so I think this year, God has been showing me just glimpses of his heart and how sad it is for the city of Hong Kong 00:14:48.839 --> 00:14:53.439 and in parts and pockets like the inner city of Jordan. 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:57.880 So this week, I was talking with a friend on Tuesday. 00:14:58.820 --> 00:15:02.480 And my friend mentioned to me that her sister has diabetes. 00:15:02.660 --> 00:15:05.800 And she said it really bothered me for a long, long time. 00:15:06.300 --> 00:15:10.800 My sister has to wear an insulin patch, and it really bothered me that she couldn't live life to the fullest. 00:15:12.400 --> 00:15:18.840 And that phrase of living life to the fullest really got me thinking about the fact that the world we live in really is a broken place, 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:23.280 that really none of us are living life to the fullest as it was meant to be. 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:28.420 And about how, if we look at the Bible, that's not the way that God designed it to be. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:33.020 And if we look at the Bible, we see in the beginning is God. 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:35.540 Perfect and complete in himself. 00:15:36.700 --> 00:15:41.380 Not needing anything, not lacking everything, but out of an abundance he creates. 00:15:43.800 --> 00:15:49.980 God says, this joy and love that I have in a perfect relationship with myself is so amazing, so wonderful. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:51.680 I want to share this with others. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:53.120 So he creates the universe. 00:15:53.239 --> 00:15:54.000 He creates the world. 00:15:54.079 --> 00:15:57.679 He prepares it and gets it ready for habitation by man. 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:04.239 And then he creates a man and a woman, and he puts them in this garden on the earth that he has created, 00:16:04.439 --> 00:16:08.079 so that they can know this joy and love of knowing God. 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:12.960 And when he puts them there, the Bible says that they are naked and they are not ashamed. 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:16.600 And yes, that's talking about physically, but also emotionally, spiritually. 00:16:17.400 --> 00:16:18.660 They had nothing to hide. 00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:20.660 No shame, no fear, no guilt. 00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:28.879 It was them with each other and God and the rest of creation in perfect harmony, perfect relationship. 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:35.419 And they lived in this garden, and the Bible says that God would come and walk with them. 00:16:35.419 --> 00:16:43.519 And he gave them one rule, not to eat a fruit from one tree in the middle of the garden. 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:45.159 And things were going really well. 00:16:45.299 --> 00:16:47.719 They were living this good life. 00:16:48.579 --> 00:16:58.259 They were working with God in his work, and they were helping to name the animals and being part of that process. 00:16:58.259 --> 00:17:04.480 Until one day, they decided that things as they were were not good enough. 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:14.019 They decided that being made in the image of God, that having this relationship with God, was not enough. 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:18.180 That instead, they wanted to be God. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:22.339 And they rebelled. 00:17:22.339 --> 00:17:28.299 Now, the exact action that they did doesn't seem like a big deal when you just sort of look at the story. 00:17:28.419 --> 00:17:28.980 They ate a fruit. 00:17:31.559 --> 00:17:34.439 But the thing about it is that it's not about the action itself. 00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:36.279 It's about a heart attitude behind the action. 00:17:36.659 --> 00:17:39.659 A heart attitude that says, God, I don't want you. 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:43.759 God, I know you're the one that made this place. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:44.759 That made me. 00:17:45.639 --> 00:17:47.459 That has the right to rule. 00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:50.139 But I don't want that. 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:51.019 I want your place. 00:17:51.019 --> 00:17:53.339 I think that you're holding out on me. 00:17:53.420 --> 00:17:55.160 That there's something better out there for me. 00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:56.480 That you're not giving to me. 00:17:56.579 --> 00:17:59.240 And so I'm going to stand up and take it for myself. 00:18:00.740 --> 00:18:01.539 And they rebelled. 00:18:01.639 --> 00:18:02.859 They disobeyed God. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:06.119 And into the world came brokenness. 00:18:06.879 --> 00:18:07.220 Shame. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:08.319 Guilt. 00:18:09.059 --> 00:18:09.359 Fear. 00:18:10.059 --> 00:18:10.359 Sin. 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:11.400 Death. 00:18:14.200 --> 00:18:18.400 And this good world still had this goodness in it 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:21.700 because of the fact that it had been made good by God. 00:18:21.820 --> 00:18:23.660 But there was a brokenness introduced. 00:18:24.759 --> 00:18:27.280 A brokenness that is carried down throughout the ages. 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:32.220 The good news about the Bible is that when this brokenness came into the world, 00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:37.940 God didn't just sit back content to let us suffer what we rightfully deserved in our brokenness. 00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:41.460 But from day one, when man sinned, God stepped in. 00:18:43.420 --> 00:18:46.640 When Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden, God came to them. 00:18:47.340 --> 00:18:48.380 And he made a promise. 00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:48.900 He said, 00:18:49.600 --> 00:18:55.180 The snake, the one that lied to you, the one that told you that there was something better that I was holding out on you. 00:18:56.779 --> 00:18:58.940 Its descendants and your descendants will be enemies. 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:02.019 And there will be a cosmic battle between the two of them. 00:19:02.019 --> 00:19:04.420 And the snake will injure your descendant. 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:05.599 It will bite him in the heel. 00:19:06.859 --> 00:19:09.319 But your descendant will crush the snake in the head. 00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:14.779 And throughout the Old Testament, God continually enters into human history 00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:19.079 and gives us glimpses of this great salvation that he has coming. 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:25.019 In the book of Exodus, he gives the Israelites, his people, the law. 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:27.160 And tells them, 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:30.940 Here are the keys to living the good life. 00:19:30.940 --> 00:19:34.440 Here is the way that I intended for the world to operate. 00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:36.019 Now you know. 00:19:36.100 --> 00:19:37.759 Now you can live in this freedom. 00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:40.840 Later on, he sends prophets. 00:19:41.840 --> 00:19:44.340 And these prophets tell about one who will come one day, 00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:46.960 who will set everything that is wrong with the world right. 00:19:48.900 --> 00:19:50.440 Who will take all of the injustice 00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:53.779 and crush those who are responsible for it. 00:19:53.779 --> 00:19:58.440 And as the years go by, 00:19:58.519 --> 00:20:01.619 the picture of what this coming Messiah will look like, 00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:04.579 what this coming great Savior King will be, 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:07.480 get clearer and clearer and clearer 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:09.660 until one day a baby is born. 00:20:09.660 --> 00:20:16.779 And in this baby, God himself steps into human history as a man, 00:20:16.840 --> 00:20:17.420 the man Jesus. 00:20:19.180 --> 00:20:22.680 He enters into all of the brokenness of this world 00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:26.180 and lives for about 33 years surrounded 00:20:26.180 --> 00:20:28.259 by sin, 00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:29.660 by hurt, 00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:30.480 by pain, 00:20:30.600 --> 00:20:31.100 by death. 00:20:31.099 --> 00:20:33.119 But again, 00:20:33.199 --> 00:20:34.899 he's not content to just watch from a distance. 00:20:35.019 --> 00:20:35.599 He enters in 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:37.059 and he starts to make an impact. 00:20:37.199 --> 00:20:38.240 He starts to make a difference. 00:20:39.259 --> 00:20:40.480 He starts healing people. 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:42.240 The lame can walk. 00:20:43.139 --> 00:20:44.299 The blind can see. 00:20:44.399 --> 00:20:45.119 The deaf can hear. 00:20:45.379 --> 00:20:47.659 The dead are being raised to life. 00:20:48.959 --> 00:20:50.919 He brings the message of a kingdom, 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:52.079 the kingdom of God 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:53.000 that is coming. 00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:55.720 And then, 00:20:56.299 --> 00:21:00.259 in the lowest point of human brokenness, 00:21:00.339 --> 00:21:02.960 they take this God-man Jesus 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:05.920 and the sinful broken humanity 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:07.700 nails him to a cross, 00:21:08.500 --> 00:21:11.299 murdering the creator, 00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:14.880 murdering the one who loved us, 00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:17.180 who stepped in to heal our brokenness, 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:19.299 hanging him on a tree 00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:21.220 till his lungs filled with blood 00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:22.839 and he suffocated and died. 00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:24.819 The lowest point 00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:27.119 of the brokenness of humanity. 00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:30.819 The good news of the Bible is 00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:32.859 that the story doesn't end in brokenness. 00:21:34.119 --> 00:21:35.259 That three days later, 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:36.180 Jesus, 00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:38.180 after being nailed to this cross 00:21:38.180 --> 00:21:38.779 and crucified, 00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:40.259 came back to life. 00:21:41.700 --> 00:21:43.339 And that in this resurrection, 00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:45.519 he inaugurates the kingdom of God 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:48.099 and he brings this hope, 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:49.259 this greater hope 00:21:49.259 --> 00:21:51.240 than just a temporary physical healing, 00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:52.839 but a hope 00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:54.099 that the sin 00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:55.039 that is at the root 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.059 of all of our problems 00:21:56.059 --> 00:21:57.240 can be forgiven. 00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:01.039 He gives a hope 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:01.940 that one day 00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:02.779 he will return 00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:03.500 and he will 00:22:03.500 --> 00:22:05.559 right all of the wrongs 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:06.299 that are in the world. 00:22:06.299 --> 00:22:10.159 And he commissions a group 00:22:10.159 --> 00:22:11.019 of his followers 00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:11.799 to go out 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:12.879 and be his lights 00:22:12.879 --> 00:22:13.500 within the world 00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:14.700 to share his message 00:22:14.700 --> 00:22:15.960 and bring this hope 00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:16.819 and this good news 00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:17.779 to all around them. 00:22:17.779 --> 00:22:21.539 And that's where we find ourselves today. 00:22:21.619 --> 00:22:22.299 We find ourselves 00:22:22.299 --> 00:22:23.359 in this place 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:24.619 that the theologians 00:22:24.619 --> 00:22:25.220 call the already 00:22:25.220 --> 00:22:25.899 and the not yet. 00:22:26.639 --> 00:22:27.379 There's an already. 00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:28.579 There's this amazing thing 00:22:28.579 --> 00:22:29.059 that has happened. 00:22:29.180 --> 00:22:30.319 Christ has raised from the dead 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:31.339 and because of that, 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:32.019 we have hope. 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:34.119 We have forgiveness. 00:22:34.639 --> 00:22:35.740 We have joy. 00:22:37.319 --> 00:22:38.619 And God is working 00:22:38.619 --> 00:22:39.420 in our world today 00:22:39.420 --> 00:22:40.779 and he heals people 00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:43.240 and he changes 00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:44.539 and transforms lives. 00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:46.700 But there's also 00:22:46.700 --> 00:22:47.519 this not yet. 00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:48.899 The fact that 00:22:48.899 --> 00:22:51.559 people still need to be healed 00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:52.779 because people still get sick. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:56.859 The fact that 00:22:56.859 --> 00:22:58.139 there is still 00:22:58.139 --> 00:22:59.279 great, great 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:00.259 injustice in the world. 00:23:03.619 --> 00:23:04.879 And part of living 00:23:04.879 --> 00:23:06.119 in this kingdom vision 00:23:06.119 --> 00:23:07.539 is learning what it means 00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:08.200 to embrace 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:09.579 the already of the kingdom 00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:10.779 and live in this hope 00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:11.759 and this joy 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:12.779 that has been brought, 00:23:13.139 --> 00:23:14.180 has been inaugurated 00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:15.240 by Christ's resurrection 00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:17.180 and yet recognizing 00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:17.799 the fact that 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:18.440 we're not there yet, 00:23:18.539 --> 00:23:19.680 that we still have to wait 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:20.759 for this day 00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:21.740 when Christ returns, 00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:23.299 when he finishes 00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:24.220 what he has started, 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:25.480 when he makes 00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:26.480 all things new. 00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:29.200 And until then, 00:23:29.600 --> 00:23:30.400 we live in a world 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:33.480 where people 00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:34.620 get sick and die. 00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:36.900 We live in a world 00:23:36.900 --> 00:23:37.900 where just this week 00:23:37.900 --> 00:23:38.460 one of my friends 00:23:38.460 --> 00:23:39.120 that I grew up with 00:23:39.120 --> 00:23:40.380 had her father die suddenly, 00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:41.940 leaving a mother 00:23:41.940 --> 00:23:42.820 a widow 00:23:42.820 --> 00:23:44.559 and four daughters 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.220 who no longer 00:23:45.220 --> 00:23:45.740 have a father 00:23:45.740 --> 00:23:46.360 to walk them down 00:23:46.360 --> 00:23:46.680 the aisle 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:47.320 when they get married. 00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:50.600 But we can see 00:23:50.600 --> 00:23:51.820 glimpses of God's kingdom 00:23:51.820 --> 00:23:52.779 breaking through. 00:23:54.080 --> 00:23:54.680 And so, 00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:55.519 I want to now 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:56.440 invite Aldrin 00:23:56.440 --> 00:23:57.080 and Lincoln 00:23:57.080 --> 00:23:57.940 back on stage 00:23:57.940 --> 00:23:58.480 to share 00:23:58.480 --> 00:23:59.600 the second part 00:23:59.600 --> 00:24:00.160 of their stories, 00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:01.220 the ways that they've seen 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:01.799 God's kingdom 00:24:01.799 --> 00:24:02.559 breaking through 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:04.220 in the broken situations 00:24:04.220 --> 00:24:05.320 that they're involved in 00:24:05.320 --> 00:24:05.900 in the world. 00:24:05.900 --> 00:24:10.420 The story that I told 00:24:10.420 --> 00:24:11.660 earlier about Teresa 00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:13.740 is actually, 00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:14.360 you know, 00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:15.120 it could be true 00:24:15.120 --> 00:24:17.220 to any Filipinos 00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:18.280 here in Hong Kong. 00:24:19.140 --> 00:24:21.240 And as a Filipino, 00:24:21.620 --> 00:24:24.100 I can't really relate 00:24:24.100 --> 00:24:24.540 to, 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:26.160 relate well 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:27.820 to other Filipino helpers. 00:24:28.480 --> 00:24:28.920 But, 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:33.000 I actually came 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:34.100 from a broken family 00:24:34.099 --> 00:24:34.659 as well. 00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:35.819 So, 00:24:35.959 --> 00:24:36.639 I really know 00:24:36.639 --> 00:24:38.279 how hard it is 00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:39.719 to grow up 00:24:39.719 --> 00:24:41.099 in a broken family. 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:43.659 But, 00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:46.699 when someone 00:24:46.699 --> 00:24:47.240 shared to me 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:47.819 the gospel 00:24:47.819 --> 00:24:48.399 and I 00:24:48.399 --> 00:24:49.719 became part 00:24:49.719 --> 00:24:50.519 of a community, 00:24:51.619 --> 00:24:52.139 that's when 00:24:52.139 --> 00:24:53.179 I became stronger. 00:24:55.240 --> 00:24:55.759 And, 00:24:56.339 --> 00:24:57.000 my problems 00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:57.579 didn't, 00:24:58.000 --> 00:24:58.619 went away, 00:24:58.779 --> 00:24:58.919 but 00:24:58.919 --> 00:25:01.480 I have more 00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:02.419 strength 00:25:02.419 --> 00:25:03.219 to face it 00:25:03.219 --> 00:25:03.659 because 00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:04.960 of the people 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:05.640 around me 00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:06.580 and because 00:25:06.580 --> 00:25:07.140 of Jesus. 00:25:08.279 --> 00:25:08.600 And so, 00:25:09.080 --> 00:25:09.820 I really believe 00:25:09.820 --> 00:25:10.500 in the gospel 00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:12.740 and I really believe 00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:14.019 that as a community, 00:25:14.140 --> 00:25:14.840 as a church, 00:25:15.340 --> 00:25:15.759 we can 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:17.440 make a difference. 00:25:18.060 --> 00:25:18.080 And, 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:21.740 what I'd like 00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:22.759 to share 00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:23.200 to you 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:23.600 is 00:25:23.600 --> 00:25:24.800 a continuation 00:25:24.800 --> 00:25:25.900 of the story. 00:25:26.620 --> 00:25:27.200 But, 00:25:27.300 --> 00:25:27.980 this is how 00:25:27.980 --> 00:25:29.500 I would envision 00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.759 all of us 00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:31.580 in this community 00:25:31.579 --> 00:25:32.019 opportunity to, 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:33.199 you know, 00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:33.519 to, 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:36.399 to be part 00:25:36.399 --> 00:25:37.079 of God's 00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:38.139 redemptive work, 00:25:38.639 --> 00:25:39.879 especially to 00:25:39.879 --> 00:25:41.079 people like 00:25:41.079 --> 00:25:41.519 Teresa. 00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:43.939 So, 00:25:44.059 --> 00:25:44.720 every Sunday, 00:25:45.139 --> 00:25:45.720 Teresa would 00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:46.639 go to Central. 00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:48.039 I'm sure many of you 00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:48.559 have seen 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:49.740 Filipinos 00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.899 hanging out 00:25:50.899 --> 00:25:51.399 in Central. 00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:51.740 so, 00:25:52.060 --> 00:25:53.700 she went to Central 00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:54.280 and, 00:25:54.620 --> 00:25:55.540 you know, 00:25:55.600 --> 00:25:56.080 she played, 00:25:56.280 --> 00:25:58.200 she played cards, 00:25:58.540 --> 00:25:58.780 she, 00:25:58.960 --> 00:25:59.800 she drank, 00:26:00.620 --> 00:26:01.980 and she made 00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.860 friends with 00:26:02.860 --> 00:26:04.780 other Filipinos 00:26:04.780 --> 00:26:05.940 who also go there 00:26:05.940 --> 00:26:06.640 every Sunday. 00:26:10.380 --> 00:26:11.060 And, 00:26:11.780 --> 00:26:12.600 on one occasion, 00:26:12.820 --> 00:26:13.420 there's this 00:26:13.420 --> 00:26:15.300 person from 00:26:15.300 --> 00:26:15.400 Watermark 00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:17.759 who came to her 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:18.780 and invited her 00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:20.220 to join 00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:20.759 the community 00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:21.220 group. 00:26:22.639 --> 00:26:22.899 And so, 00:26:23.099 --> 00:26:23.299 she, 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:24.980 she was quite 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:25.420 hesitant 00:26:25.420 --> 00:26:26.740 because she 00:26:26.740 --> 00:26:27.420 doesn't know 00:26:27.420 --> 00:26:28.240 what to expect, 00:26:28.859 --> 00:26:29.799 but still, 00:26:29.899 --> 00:26:30.759 she gave it a try. 00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:31.139 So, 00:26:31.319 --> 00:26:32.480 she came with 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:33.059 the person, 00:26:33.980 --> 00:26:34.379 joined the 00:26:34.379 --> 00:26:35.119 community group. 00:26:35.539 --> 00:26:36.279 And when she's 00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:36.899 in the community 00:26:36.899 --> 00:26:37.339 group, 00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:42.000 she just, 00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:42.680 she's just 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:44.139 quiet, 00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:44.879 you know, 00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:46.119 observing the 00:26:46.119 --> 00:26:46.779 people around 00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:47.059 her. 00:26:47.059 --> 00:26:49.119 she saw 00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:49.539 them 00:26:49.539 --> 00:26:50.419 praying 00:26:50.419 --> 00:26:51.740 for each 00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:52.099 other, 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:53.279 eating 00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:53.819 together, 00:26:54.639 --> 00:26:55.159 sharing the 00:26:55.159 --> 00:26:55.839 gospel to 00:26:55.839 --> 00:26:56.319 each other. 00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:57.720 And she 00:26:57.720 --> 00:26:58.119 thought to 00:26:58.119 --> 00:26:58.460 herself, 00:26:58.599 --> 00:26:59.200 this is like 00:26:59.200 --> 00:26:59.779 a family. 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:00.779 They're like 00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.460 brothers and 00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:02.019 sisters to 00:27:02.019 --> 00:27:02.559 each other. 00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:04.240 And eventually, 00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:04.819 she learned 00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:06.179 that the 00:27:06.179 --> 00:27:06.700 reason why 00:27:06.700 --> 00:27:07.139 the people 00:27:07.139 --> 00:27:07.619 are that 00:27:07.619 --> 00:27:08.339 way is 00:27:08.339 --> 00:27:08.879 because of 00:27:08.879 --> 00:27:09.720 Jesus Christ. 00:27:10.679 --> 00:27:11.259 And that in 00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:11.919 Jesus Christ, 00:27:12.059 --> 00:27:12.519 no one is 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:13.740 alone because 00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:14.440 they are part 00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:14.940 of God's 00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:15.319 family. 00:27:15.319 --> 00:27:15.379 community. 00:27:16.659 --> 00:27:16.939 And so 00:27:16.939 --> 00:27:17.559 eventually, 00:27:18.159 --> 00:27:20.500 Teresa was 00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:21.179 invited to 00:27:21.179 --> 00:27:22.980 attend the 00:27:22.980 --> 00:27:23.980 Watermark 00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:24.379 Worship 00:27:24.379 --> 00:27:24.980 Service. 00:27:26.379 --> 00:27:28.859 And she 00:27:28.859 --> 00:27:30.039 felt love 00:27:30.039 --> 00:27:30.480 from the 00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:30.839 people, 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:31.279 from the 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:31.799 community. 00:27:32.700 --> 00:27:33.659 It transformed 00:27:33.659 --> 00:27:33.980 her. 00:27:35.220 --> 00:27:35.720 This made 00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:37.859 her experience 00:27:37.859 --> 00:27:38.980 Christ in a 00:27:38.980 --> 00:27:39.339 fresh, 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:40.000 new way. 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:40.119 personality. 00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:42.819 And there 00:27:42.819 --> 00:27:43.480 are changes 00:27:43.480 --> 00:27:44.200 in her 00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:45.140 personality, 00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:45.660 in her 00:27:45.660 --> 00:27:46.180 character. 00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:48.440 She began 00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:49.599 to have a 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:50.200 healthy sense 00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:50.960 of identity, 00:27:52.299 --> 00:27:53.180 knowing that 00:27:53.180 --> 00:27:54.200 her worth 00:27:54.200 --> 00:27:55.400 is not 00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:56.380 based on 00:27:56.380 --> 00:27:58.640 her job 00:27:58.640 --> 00:27:59.880 or even 00:27:59.880 --> 00:28:00.920 her socioeconomic 00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:01.579 status, 00:28:02.039 --> 00:28:02.619 but it's 00:28:02.619 --> 00:28:03.319 because she's 00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:03.839 a princess, 00:28:04.180 --> 00:28:05.359 because she's 00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:05.920 a child of 00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:06.220 God. 00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:08.960 And so 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:10.860 she also 00:28:10.860 --> 00:28:11.240 felt 00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:11.960 encouraged 00:28:11.960 --> 00:28:13.559 to talk 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:14.000 to other 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:14.400 people, 00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:15.460 even to 00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:15.900 other 00:28:15.900 --> 00:28:16.819 nationalities. 00:28:17.600 --> 00:28:18.759 And she 00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:21.279 also got 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:22.000 involved in 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:22.380 the life 00:28:22.380 --> 00:28:22.720 of the 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:23.059 church. 00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:24.200 She 00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:29.440 offered her 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:30.059 talents, 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:31.019 which the 00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:32.740 Lord gave 00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:33.220 to her 00:28:33.220 --> 00:28:34.980 to make 00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:35.220 the 00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:35.660 church 00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:37.279 stronger. 00:28:38.900 --> 00:28:39.100 And 00:28:39.100 --> 00:28:41.440 Teresa's 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:41.980 problem, 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:43.960 her problems 00:28:43.960 --> 00:28:44.559 didn't go 00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:45.299 away when 00:28:45.299 --> 00:28:45.779 she became 00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:46.180 part of 00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:46.759 the church. 00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:48.319 They didn't 00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:49.039 go away when 00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:49.900 she followed 00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:50.860 Jesus Christ. 00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:53.319 But she 00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:54.019 now has 00:28:54.019 --> 00:28:55.880 a stronger 00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:56.620 motivation, 00:28:56.839 --> 00:28:57.279 a stronger 00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:58.279 resource to 00:28:58.279 --> 00:28:58.779 face all 00:28:58.779 --> 00:28:59.539 those problems. 00:28:59.539 --> 00:29:00.440 And it's all 00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:01.000 because of 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:02.720 Jesus and 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:03.440 the life 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:04.960 lived out 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:06.559 by people 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:07.480 from Watermark. 00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:08.600 And that's 00:29:08.600 --> 00:29:09.860 how she 00:29:09.860 --> 00:29:10.720 became stronger 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.740 in facing 00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:12.440 her challenges. 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:13.559 And she 00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:14.019 is very 00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:14.680 hopeful for 00:29:14.680 --> 00:29:15.880 her future, 00:29:16.059 --> 00:29:16.500 not because 00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.120 of her job 00:29:17.120 --> 00:29:17.880 in Hong Kong, 00:29:18.140 --> 00:29:19.200 but because 00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:20.120 she knows 00:29:20.120 --> 00:29:21.339 that Jesus 00:29:21.339 --> 00:29:22.000 has secured 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:22.720 her future 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:24.019 and that 00:29:24.019 --> 00:29:24.500 one day 00:29:24.500 --> 00:29:25.120 Jesus will 00:29:25.120 --> 00:29:25.839 come back 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:26.640 and be 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:27.039 with her 00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:27.600 eternally. 00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:29.620 And you 00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:29.980 and I 00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:30.500 can be 00:29:30.500 --> 00:29:31.640 part of 00:29:31.640 --> 00:29:32.039 God's 00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:32.480 mission. 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:35.960 God's 00:29:35.960 --> 00:29:36.400 mission of 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:38.259 redeeming 00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:40.519 Hong Kong, 00:29:40.759 --> 00:29:41.220 specifically 00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:42.799 people like 00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:43.259 Teresa, 00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:44.420 by being 00:29:44.420 --> 00:29:45.720 a family, 00:29:45.880 --> 00:29:46.360 a brother, 00:29:46.539 --> 00:29:46.940 a loving 00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:47.940 neighbor to 00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:48.519 people like 00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:48.779 her. 00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:51.000 So my 00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:51.480 prayer is 00:29:51.480 --> 00:29:52.140 for all 00:29:52.140 --> 00:29:52.720 of us 00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:53.980 to really 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:54.880 extend 00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:55.660 an arm 00:29:55.660 --> 00:29:56.940 to those 00:29:56.940 --> 00:29:57.319 who are 00:29:57.319 --> 00:29:57.839 being looked 00:29:57.839 --> 00:29:58.420 down at 00:29:58.420 --> 00:29:59.480 and 00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:00.720 just to 00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:01.060 love and 00:30:01.060 --> 00:30:01.380 be a 00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:01.600 neighbor 00:30:01.600 --> 00:30:02.019 to one 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:02.420 another 00:30:02.420 --> 00:30:02.860 through 00:30:02.860 --> 00:30:03.180 Jesus 00:30:03.180 --> 00:30:03.660 Christ. 00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:04.380 And we 00:30:04.380 --> 00:30:05.000 look forward 00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:05.400 to the 00:30:05.400 --> 00:30:05.800 day that 00:30:05.800 --> 00:30:06.420 Christ will 00:30:06.420 --> 00:30:07.000 come back 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:07.840 and make 00:30:07.840 --> 00:30:08.560 everything new 00:30:08.560 --> 00:30:08.900 again. 00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:14.300 all right. 00:30:15.300 --> 00:30:15.820 Hi, 00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:16.140 everyone. 00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:17.900 It's a bit 00:30:17.900 --> 00:30:18.380 different being 00:30:18.380 --> 00:30:18.780 here without 00:30:18.780 --> 00:30:19.259 a guitar. 00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:20.960 It really 00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:21.259 is. 00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:22.380 It's a great 00:30:22.380 --> 00:30:22.920 privilege for 00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:24.200 me to have 00:30:24.200 --> 00:30:24.660 an opportunity 00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:25.120 to share 00:30:25.120 --> 00:30:25.620 with you 00:30:25.620 --> 00:30:29.280 all a 00:30:29.280 --> 00:30:30.380 story, I 00:30:30.380 --> 00:30:30.780 guess, of 00:30:30.780 --> 00:30:31.519 how we 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.060 see light 00:30:32.060 --> 00:30:33.560 shining in 00:30:33.560 --> 00:30:35.019 the darkness 00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:35.940 that we live. 00:30:35.940 --> 00:30:37.059 And I'm 00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:37.680 sure there's 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:38.100 tons of 00:30:38.100 --> 00:30:39.019 examples within 00:30:39.019 --> 00:30:39.660 this congregation 00:30:39.660 --> 00:30:40.460 of how the 00:30:40.460 --> 00:30:40.880 kingdom is 00:30:40.880 --> 00:30:41.500 coming forward. 00:30:42.140 --> 00:30:42.519 But there's 00:30:42.519 --> 00:30:43.000 one particular 00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:43.480 story that 00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:43.920 came to my 00:30:43.920 --> 00:30:45.000 mind when 00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:45.279 I thought 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:45.759 about sharing 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.640 with everyone 00:30:46.640 --> 00:30:47.120 this morning. 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:49.220 And so like 00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:49.720 Steph shared 00:30:49.720 --> 00:30:50.440 earlier, we 00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:50.980 are in a 00:30:50.980 --> 00:30:51.620 community that 00:30:51.620 --> 00:30:52.160 is very 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:52.680 disadvantaged. 00:30:53.120 --> 00:30:53.440 We have a 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:53.680 lot of 00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:54.180 families that 00:30:54.180 --> 00:30:54.440 are very, 00:30:54.539 --> 00:30:54.980 very broken. 00:30:55.920 --> 00:30:56.180 And we 00:30:56.180 --> 00:30:56.460 have a lot 00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:56.840 of children 00:30:56.840 --> 00:30:57.480 that kind 00:30:57.480 --> 00:30:57.740 of run 00:30:57.740 --> 00:30:58.500 around all 00:30:58.500 --> 00:30:59.860 night with 00:30:59.860 --> 00:31:00.320 parents that 00:31:00.320 --> 00:31:00.900 neglect them, 00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:01.380 parents that 00:31:01.380 --> 00:31:02.500 don't love 00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:02.740 them. 00:31:02.900 --> 00:31:03.299 And we 00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:04.000 firmly believe 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:04.480 that God's 00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:05.140 heart really 00:31:05.140 --> 00:31:05.640 breaks for 00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:05.920 these kids. 00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:06.120 kids. 00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:10.960 And so there 00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:11.460 was that one 00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:12.019 service where 00:31:12.019 --> 00:31:12.960 Tobin brought 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:13.259 up the 00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:14.019 stretcher and 00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:14.820 he talked 00:31:14.820 --> 00:31:16.180 about how 00:31:16.180 --> 00:31:17.980 it's an 00:31:17.980 --> 00:31:18.759 analogy of 00:31:18.759 --> 00:31:19.440 us bringing 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:20.000 people that 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:20.400 we love, 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:21.080 people that 00:31:21.080 --> 00:31:21.440 we know are 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:22.440 broken in 00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:22.740 front of 00:31:22.740 --> 00:31:23.580 Jesus and 00:31:23.580 --> 00:31:24.420 laying them 00:31:24.420 --> 00:31:25.900 before him in 00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:26.420 hopes that he 00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:26.820 would save 00:31:26.820 --> 00:31:27.100 them. 00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:28.340 And I 00:31:28.340 --> 00:31:28.820 remember writing 00:31:28.820 --> 00:31:29.220 down these 00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:29.840 names and so 00:31:29.840 --> 00:31:30.400 I'll continue 00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:31.039 on a story of 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:31.519 actually one of 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:32.200 the girls that 00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:32.519 we wrote 00:31:32.519 --> 00:31:32.799 down. 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:36.579 the story 00:31:36.579 --> 00:31:37.619 actually is 00:31:37.619 --> 00:31:38.460 really crazy 00:31:38.460 --> 00:31:39.460 and some 00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:39.940 of it happened 00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:40.220 on the 00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:41.159 rooftops in 00:31:41.159 --> 00:31:43.539 Jordan and I 00:31:43.539 --> 00:31:44.019 can tell you the 00:31:44.019 --> 00:31:44.599 whole story later. 00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:45.019 We don't really 00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:45.539 have time this 00:31:45.539 --> 00:31:46.039 morning but 00:31:46.039 --> 00:31:47.379 basically what 00:31:47.379 --> 00:31:47.799 happens, we 00:31:47.799 --> 00:31:48.619 lost two of 00:31:48.619 --> 00:31:49.039 our girls. 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:50.079 Two girls that 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:50.619 are about 14 00:31:50.619 --> 00:31:51.039 years old 00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:51.639 disappeared for 00:31:51.639 --> 00:31:51.980 about two 00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:53.139 weeks and the 00:31:53.139 --> 00:31:53.680 parents called 00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:54.059 our family 00:31:54.059 --> 00:31:55.480 minister and 00:31:55.480 --> 00:31:56.200 so she called 00:31:56.200 --> 00:31:57.819 us and it 00:31:57.819 --> 00:31:58.240 was basically 00:31:58.240 --> 00:31:58.599 me and a 00:31:58.599 --> 00:31:59.059 friend, two 00:31:59.059 --> 00:31:59.500 guys about 00:31:59.500 --> 00:32:00.700 20-something and 00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:01.039 we were running 00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:01.579 around Jordan 00:32:01.579 --> 00:32:02.779 area searching 00:32:02.779 --> 00:32:03.319 the roofs for 00:32:03.319 --> 00:32:03.880 these girls that 00:32:03.880 --> 00:32:04.180 we couldn't 00:32:04.180 --> 00:32:04.440 find. 00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:07.360 We finally did 00:32:07.360 --> 00:32:08.099 find them and 00:32:08.099 --> 00:32:08.839 what we realized 00:32:08.839 --> 00:32:09.519 at the same time 00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:10.140 was that there's 00:32:10.140 --> 00:32:11.099 actually a lot of 00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:12.259 different gangs 00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:12.880 that hang out on 00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:13.519 the rooftops. 00:32:14.140 --> 00:32:14.680 Hong Kong is such 00:32:14.680 --> 00:32:15.339 a strange place 00:32:15.339 --> 00:32:16.200 where we don't 00:32:16.200 --> 00:32:17.200 really have space 00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:17.920 to spread out 00:32:17.920 --> 00:32:18.440 all of this 00:32:18.440 --> 00:32:19.420 stuff and so 00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:20.039 it just kind of 00:32:20.039 --> 00:32:21.140 gets condensed 00:32:21.140 --> 00:32:22.640 and so the 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:23.740 rooftops were 00:32:23.740 --> 00:32:25.039 where all these 00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:25.799 guys hang out 00:32:25.799 --> 00:32:26.299 and it's quite 00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:27.000 dangerous, there's 00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:27.420 a lot of people 00:32:27.420 --> 00:32:28.019 with knives and 00:32:28.019 --> 00:32:28.579 things like that 00:32:28.579 --> 00:32:29.460 and we finally 00:32:29.460 --> 00:32:29.940 brought down 00:32:29.940 --> 00:32:31.539 these kids and 00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:32.200 one of the girls 00:32:32.200 --> 00:32:33.139 after a lot of 00:32:33.139 --> 00:32:33.619 convincing we 00:32:33.619 --> 00:32:34.039 brought her back 00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:35.180 home and they 00:32:35.180 --> 00:32:35.659 don't want to go 00:32:35.659 --> 00:32:36.159 home because 00:32:36.159 --> 00:32:36.539 they're scared 00:32:36.539 --> 00:32:37.180 of their parents 00:32:37.180 --> 00:32:38.619 and then there's 00:32:38.619 --> 00:32:39.279 this one girl 00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:42.740 while we were 00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:43.319 talking with her 00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:43.799 and trying to get 00:32:43.799 --> 00:32:44.279 her to go back 00:32:44.279 --> 00:32:44.899 home we realized 00:32:44.899 --> 00:32:45.480 there's no way 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:45.899 we can let her 00:32:45.899 --> 00:32:46.399 go back home 00:32:46.399 --> 00:32:47.519 and it was the 00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:48.099 first time that 00:32:48.099 --> 00:32:48.659 she told us her 00:32:48.659 --> 00:32:49.779 whole story but 00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:50.659 we realized at 00:32:50.659 --> 00:32:52.159 that point that 00:32:52.159 --> 00:32:53.480 she had all these 00:32:53.480 --> 00:32:54.700 welts under 00:32:54.700 --> 00:32:56.360 her hair and 00:32:56.360 --> 00:32:57.480 her father would 00:32:57.480 --> 00:32:58.840 would hit her 00:32:58.840 --> 00:33:00.519 with this metal 00:33:00.519 --> 00:33:01.460 pipe when she 00:33:01.460 --> 00:33:02.019 doesn't come home 00:33:02.019 --> 00:33:03.880 on time and so 00:33:03.880 --> 00:33:04.360 we had in front 00:33:04.360 --> 00:33:05.039 of us this girl 00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:06.620 that had just 00:33:06.620 --> 00:33:07.700 open wounds under 00:33:07.700 --> 00:33:09.960 her hair and at 00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:10.900 the same time we 00:33:10.900 --> 00:33:11.539 just figured out 00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:13.319 we found out the 00:33:13.319 --> 00:33:14.019 whole story of 00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:14.559 what was happening 00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:16.680 in her home and 00:33:16.680 --> 00:33:19.319 in what was an 00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:20.620 absolutely incredible 00:33:20.620 --> 00:33:22.480 72 hours I think 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:24.960 we found that we 00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:25.880 took this girl that 00:33:25.880 --> 00:33:26.640 was registered in a 00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:27.360 school in Hong Kong 00:33:27.360 --> 00:33:28.799 she hadn't been to 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:29.400 classes for about 00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:30.319 two weeks she was 00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:30.860 running away from 00:33:30.860 --> 00:33:31.640 home she was hiding 00:33:31.640 --> 00:33:34.420 from her parents and 00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:36.599 within three days she 00:33:36.599 --> 00:33:37.559 was registered in a 00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:39.259 school in India and 00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:40.440 she was living with a 00:33:40.440 --> 00:33:41.519 very godly and loving 00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:42.799 family and we had 00:33:42.799 --> 00:33:43.559 taken her out of 00:33:43.559 --> 00:33:44.279 Hong Kong and moved 00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:46.259 her over there and 00:33:46.259 --> 00:33:47.660 it's an amazing story 00:33:47.660 --> 00:33:48.599 every single step of 00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:49.200 the way God was 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:50.319 working the mother was 00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:51.059 really on board with 00:33:51.059 --> 00:33:52.299 us and she really 00:33:52.299 --> 00:33:53.220 cried out for help 00:33:53.220 --> 00:33:54.960 legally everything 00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:55.740 seemed to be covered 00:33:55.740 --> 00:33:57.000 within hours and 00:33:57.000 --> 00:33:58.000 people came through 00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.839 from left and right 00:33:58.839 --> 00:34:00.279 and so we had this 00:34:00.279 --> 00:34:01.740 girl that was in such 00:34:01.740 --> 00:34:03.059 a dark situation and 00:34:03.059 --> 00:34:03.759 somehow through the 00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:05.200 body of Christ we had 00:34:05.200 --> 00:34:06.139 taken her out of 00:34:06.139 --> 00:34:07.700 out of the darkness 00:34:07.700 --> 00:34:09.139 out of the danger 00:34:09.139 --> 00:34:10.159 and into somewhere 00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:11.900 that was what she 00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:13.759 wanted and I mean the 00:34:13.759 --> 00:34:14.739 miracles I can't even 00:34:14.739 --> 00:34:16.420 count about how 00:34:16.420 --> 00:34:17.500 amazing everything was 00:34:17.500 --> 00:34:18.699 set up but the 00:34:18.699 --> 00:34:19.420 coolest thing was that 00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:20.780 our minister who works 00:34:20.780 --> 00:34:22.180 for us full time was 00:34:22.180 --> 00:34:23.240 on vacation at that 00:34:23.240 --> 00:34:24.460 point in India waiting 00:34:24.460 --> 00:34:25.619 for her and so 00:34:25.619 --> 00:34:26.460 everything worked out 00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:27.480 very very smoothly 00:34:27.480 --> 00:34:28.180 and it was quite 00:34:28.180 --> 00:34:32.300 amazing but I think 00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:33.860 in that craziness as 00:34:33.860 --> 00:34:34.700 we were taking her 00:34:34.700 --> 00:34:36.380 out my impression of 00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:38.300 her was that she knew 00:34:38.300 --> 00:34:39.099 the gospel she had 00:34:39.099 --> 00:34:40.200 heard about Jesus and 00:34:40.200 --> 00:34:41.280 she knew about the 00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:42.400 fact that the Lord 00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:43.340 died for her and 00:34:43.340 --> 00:34:45.380 loves her and laid 00:34:45.380 --> 00:34:46.440 his life up for her 00:34:46.440 --> 00:34:47.840 sin but it felt like 00:34:47.840 --> 00:34:48.440 it was like a head 00:34:48.440 --> 00:34:49.440 knowledge thing it 00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:49.980 felt like she had 00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:51.619 heard the stories and 00:34:51.619 --> 00:34:52.400 it didn't really sink 00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:53.400 in yet she's from a 00:34:53.400 --> 00:34:54.420 non-believing family as 00:34:54.420 --> 00:34:57.440 well but during the 00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:58.320 whole time I think it 00:34:58.320 --> 00:34:59.059 impressed upon her 00:34:59.059 --> 00:35:00.579 heart of how real 00:35:00.579 --> 00:35:02.320 God's love can be how 00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:03.480 practical it can be to 00:35:03.480 --> 00:35:04.579 help her and what we 00:35:04.579 --> 00:35:05.200 all prayed for her and 00:35:05.200 --> 00:35:07.420 we sent her out and so 00:35:07.420 --> 00:35:09.200 eight months later after 00:35:09.200 --> 00:35:10.340 one full school year in 00:35:10.340 --> 00:35:12.940 India she came back to 00:35:12.940 --> 00:35:15.679 Hong Kong and well we 00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:16.380 brought her back to 00:35:16.380 --> 00:35:17.220 Hong Kong for a quick 00:35:17.220 --> 00:35:19.539 break and she came to 00:35:19.539 --> 00:35:20.300 Watermark for one 00:35:20.300 --> 00:35:21.960 Sunday she was only we 00:35:21.960 --> 00:35:22.760 brought her here and we 00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:23.119 were just sitting 00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:23.960 actually in those seats 00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:26.059 and it was me the girl 00:35:26.059 --> 00:35:27.820 and Steph and for some 00:35:27.820 --> 00:35:28.599 reason that was the one 00:35:28.599 --> 00:35:29.619 Sunday that Tobin decides 00:35:29.619 --> 00:35:31.140 to bring the stretcher 00:35:31.140 --> 00:35:35.519 back up and I still 00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:36.360 remember the stretcher 00:35:36.360 --> 00:35:38.140 coming out and my eyes 00:35:38.140 --> 00:35:39.380 lock on because I knew I 00:35:39.380 --> 00:35:41.099 wrote her name down and 00:35:41.099 --> 00:35:41.860 I'm feeling kind of like 00:35:41.860 --> 00:35:42.800 oh no like what's gonna 00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:44.340 like is she is this gonna 00:35:44.340 --> 00:35:45.320 be really awkward because 00:35:45.320 --> 00:35:46.240 I wrote her name down 00:35:46.240 --> 00:35:47.019 and what does she think 00:35:47.019 --> 00:35:48.680 and but my eyes locked 00:35:48.680 --> 00:35:50.160 onto her name and I 00:35:50.160 --> 00:35:52.240 think I started to feel 00:35:52.240 --> 00:35:53.059 a little bit overwhelmed 00:35:53.059 --> 00:35:54.300 because it was amazing 00:35:54.300 --> 00:35:55.720 how we brought this girl 00:35:55.720 --> 00:35:58.140 in front of the Lord and 00:35:58.140 --> 00:35:59.900 he really did save her you 00:35:59.900 --> 00:36:01.120 know he really did take 00:36:01.120 --> 00:36:03.440 her out from the 00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:04.539 difficulty she was facing 00:36:04.539 --> 00:36:05.620 to somewhere that was 00:36:05.620 --> 00:36:08.660 safe for her and when I 00:36:08.660 --> 00:36:09.900 saw her name on that 00:36:09.900 --> 00:36:11.240 stretcher she nudged me 00:36:11.239 --> 00:36:12.659 and they call us uncle 00:36:12.659 --> 00:36:15.139 and auntie because that's 00:36:15.139 --> 00:36:15.879 just what they call us 00:36:15.879 --> 00:36:16.799 but she nudged me and 00:36:16.799 --> 00:36:19.059 she said she's like uncle 00:36:19.059 --> 00:36:21.099 is that my name up there 00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:23.500 and of course I'm like 00:36:23.500 --> 00:36:24.319 yeah that's that's your 00:36:24.319 --> 00:36:24.959 name and I'm trying to 00:36:24.959 --> 00:36:25.919 like wipe away tears 00:36:25.919 --> 00:36:28.479 and it's the yeah that's 00:36:28.479 --> 00:36:29.359 your name we we wrote 00:36:29.359 --> 00:36:30.139 your name there because 00:36:30.139 --> 00:36:31.459 we love you and we've 00:36:31.459 --> 00:36:32.179 been praying for you 00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:34.239 and she she asked me 00:36:34.239 --> 00:36:35.439 she's like so do we we 00:36:35.439 --> 00:36:36.219 write down the names of 00:36:36.219 --> 00:36:37.399 people that we want to 00:36:37.399 --> 00:36:38.500 bring to God and we 00:36:38.500 --> 00:36:39.500 want Jesus to love and 00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:40.439 yeah that's what that's 00:36:40.440 --> 00:36:42.679 what we did and she 00:36:42.679 --> 00:36:43.300 leans over and she 00:36:43.300 --> 00:36:44.440 whispers to me and she's 00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:46.519 like uncle I want to go 00:36:46.519 --> 00:36:47.340 and write my father's 00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:50.599 name and I think that's 00:36:50.599 --> 00:36:51.980 when we lost it so I 00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:52.599 don't know if any of you 00:36:52.599 --> 00:36:53.360 guys remember but there 00:36:53.360 --> 00:36:54.240 was Steph and I sitting 00:36:54.240 --> 00:36:55.420 there and we were just 00:36:55.420 --> 00:36:56.840 bawling and watching this 00:36:56.840 --> 00:36:57.900 girl that that 00:36:57.900 --> 00:36:59.220 understood Christ that 00:36:59.220 --> 00:37:00.420 understands Christ's 00:37:00.420 --> 00:37:01.960 forgiveness and that 00:37:01.960 --> 00:37:02.880 has forgiven her father 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:04.260 for for the fear that 00:37:04.260 --> 00:37:05.179 she lived under for the 00:37:05.179 --> 00:37:07.559 abuse that she faced and 00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:08.340 we watched her as she 00:37:08.340 --> 00:37:09.480 walked up and wrote her 00:37:09.480 --> 00:37:10.420 name father's name on 00:37:10.420 --> 00:37:12.180 this treasure and I 00:37:12.180 --> 00:37:12.940 think for me it was 00:37:12.940 --> 00:37:13.860 such a beautiful picture 00:37:13.860 --> 00:37:14.920 of the redemption that 00:37:14.920 --> 00:37:16.940 we see when Christ really 00:37:16.940 --> 00:37:17.920 touches someone's heart 00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:20.680 just how it was beyond 00:37:20.680 --> 00:37:22.559 our expectation that she 00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:23.579 would forgive him and 00:37:23.579 --> 00:37:25.820 then plead for his 00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:27.800 salvation and over the 00:37:27.800 --> 00:37:28.680 week that she was here we 00:37:28.680 --> 00:37:29.400 were praying with her 00:37:29.400 --> 00:37:30.559 constantly for her parents 00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:31.960 that they would come to 00:37:31.960 --> 00:37:34.079 Christ that our goal isn't 00:37:34.079 --> 00:37:34.960 that we'll just save 00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:36.019 people and protect them 00:37:36.019 --> 00:37:37.280 but our goal is to bring 00:37:37.280 --> 00:37:38.440 the gospel to every single 00:37:38.440 --> 00:37:42.260 person and so I hope 00:37:42.260 --> 00:37:44.060 that's just a reminder for 00:37:44.060 --> 00:37:45.560 for us as a watermark 00:37:45.560 --> 00:37:46.700 family that you know 00:37:46.700 --> 00:37:47.740 within our church journey 00:37:47.740 --> 00:37:48.720 we've seen something so 00:37:48.720 --> 00:37:50.600 amazing happen and that 00:37:50.600 --> 00:37:51.320 redemption is something 00:37:51.320 --> 00:37:53.160 that is really real and the 00:37:53.160 --> 00:37:53.820 love of God is something 00:37:53.820 --> 00:37:55.400 that is so beautiful so 00:37:55.400 --> 00:37:56.040 thank you 00:37:56.039 --> 00:38:00.380 so father we thank you for 00:38:00.380 --> 00:38:02.079 the fact that the 00:38:02.079 --> 00:38:03.860 brokenness is not the end 00:38:03.860 --> 00:38:06.099 of the story and that you 00:38:06.099 --> 00:38:07.059 are working in the world 00:38:07.059 --> 00:38:08.960 that you have not abandoned 00:38:08.960 --> 00:38:11.579 us to what we deserve in our 00:38:11.579 --> 00:38:12.579 brokenness but that you have 00:38:12.579 --> 00:38:13.840 entered into our story that 00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:15.739 you have come down that you 00:38:15.739 --> 00:38:16.960 have spoken that you have 00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:19.000 lived in our world and that 00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:20.079 you have brought hope to our 00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:22.380 world through your life we 00:38:22.380 --> 00:38:23.779 thank you for the promise that 00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:24.940 one day you will return and 00:38:24.940 --> 00:38:25.820 the work that you have 00:38:25.820 --> 00:38:27.519 started you will bring to an 00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:29.900 ultimate completion and that 00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:31.880 we will be able to be free 00:38:31.880 --> 00:38:33.200 from all of this brokenness 00:38:33.200 --> 00:38:34.540 from all of the injustice and 00:38:34.540 --> 00:38:36.100 the pain and the sickness and 00:38:36.100 --> 00:38:38.700 the death and so we pray that 00:38:38.700 --> 00:38:41.060 we will be faithful in living 00:38:41.060 --> 00:38:44.000 right now as we ought to in 00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:45.640 light of this truth and that 00:38:45.640 --> 00:38:46.660 your name would be glorified 00:38:46.660 --> 00:38:48.640 through all that we do and in 00:38:48.640 --> 00:38:49.780 Jesus name amen