WEBVTT

00:00:04.070 --> 00:00:06.950
<i>When Renato was called
to be an Adventist volunteer,</i>

00:00:07.310 --> 00:00:10.299
<i>he imagined serving
in remote, exotic locations,</i>

00:00:10.461 --> 00:00:13.191
<i>such as those he heard about
in mission stories as a kid.</i>

00:00:13.979 --> 00:00:17.320
<i>He was surprised
when God sent him to a city instead.</i>

00:00:19.929 --> 00:00:22.508
<i>Thailand is far
from his home country of Brazil,</i>

00:00:22.915 --> 00:00:24.990
<i>and Renato quickly learned
about the mission needs</i>

00:00:24.990 --> 00:00:26.804
<i>in big cities such as Bangkok.</i>

00:00:27.216 --> 00:00:29.379
In the very beginning,
I got a little bit disappointed,

00:00:29.379 --> 00:00:33.990
because that was not the idea I had
of working the 10/40 Window.

00:00:34.386 --> 00:00:36.720
I thought I would be teaching
in a bamboo school,

00:00:36.720 --> 00:00:38.470
in the forest, in the jungles,

00:00:39.160 --> 00:00:43.109
but I realized that challenges
are everywhere,

00:00:43.109 --> 00:00:44.711
<i>and they are so intense.</i>

00:00:45.343 --> 00:00:48.187
<i>It is hard to serve
as a missionary anywhere.</i>

00:00:48.977 --> 00:00:51.710
<i>Working in cities such as Bangkok
can be difficult.</i>

00:00:52.150 --> 00:00:56.273
<i>People are often busy, isolated,
and seemingly in need of nothing.</i>

00:00:56.658 --> 00:01:00.042
<i>Their lives are good the way it is.</i>

00:01:00.310 --> 00:01:03.133
<i>They're healthy.
They have beautiful families.</i>

00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:06.630
<i>There are many wealthy people
here in Thailand.</i>

00:01:07.007 --> 00:01:08.450
Why do they need Jesus?

00:01:08.730 --> 00:01:09.772
That's the question.

00:01:09.772 --> 00:01:11.390
Why do I need something else

00:01:11.600 --> 00:01:15.827
if I have everything
a successful human being can have?

00:01:16.733 --> 00:01:21.230
We know that a life without Jesus
is a meaningless life.

00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:22.992
<i>Despite the challenges,</i>

00:01:22.992 --> 00:01:24.660
<i>Renato has made it his mission</i>

00:01:24.660 --> 00:01:27.427
<i>to foster positive connections
with the people around him.</i>

00:01:28.134 --> 00:01:30.384
<i>To volunteer is not just about suffering</i>

00:01:30.384 --> 00:01:32.836
<i>and dealing with challenges
and difficulties.</i>

00:01:33.319 --> 00:01:37.040
<i>Somehow, even if we don't deserve,</i>

00:01:37.596 --> 00:01:42.811
<i>God promotes hundreds of opportunities
for us to enjoy life and be happy.</i>

00:01:44.085 --> 00:01:47.611
<i>Renato's primary role as a volunteer
is teaching grade 4 English</i>

00:01:47.611 --> 00:01:49.587
<i>at Ekamai International School.</i>

00:01:50.110 --> 00:01:52.588
<i>Teaching has allowed him
to bond with his students</i>

00:01:52.904 --> 00:01:54.233
<i>and learn about their lives.</i>

00:01:55.131 --> 00:01:59.198
<i>95% of the kids in my school
are non-Christian,</i>

00:01:59.963 --> 00:02:03.836
<i>so worshipping in the morning for us
is really important.</i>

00:02:03.836 --> 00:02:08.016
<i>From 7:00 to 7:20 AM
we have the worship session,</i>

00:02:08.016 --> 00:02:09.769
<i>and that's my favorite moment of the day.</i>

00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:13.530
<i>After class, Renato is involved
with other ministries,</i>

00:02:13.530 --> 00:02:15.185
<i>such as visiting people in prison</i>

00:02:15.185 --> 00:02:17.747
<i>and gathering resources
to support refugees.</i>

00:02:18.160 --> 00:02:21.581
<i>Renato's experiences
as an Adventist Volunteer Service</i>

00:02:21.581 --> 00:02:24.787
<i>or AVS worker have impacted him in a way</i>

00:02:24.787 --> 00:02:27.190
<i>that will remain with him
for the rest of his life.</i>

00:02:27.645 --> 00:02:31.809
<i>I'm pretty sure that nobody
that goes to any country</i>

00:02:31.809 --> 00:02:33.135
<i>to serve as an AVS</i>

00:02:33.522 --> 00:02:36.627
<i>will come back home
the same way they got into this.</i>

00:02:37.139 --> 00:02:38.794
<i>It's a life-changing opportunity,</i>

00:02:38.794 --> 00:02:40.974
<i>and by the grace of God,</i>

00:02:41.180 --> 00:02:45.659
<i>the work here in the missionary field
has changed my life in a very good way.</i>

00:02:46.850 --> 00:02:49.724
<i>As we refocus our attention
to mission in the cities,</i>

00:02:50.230 --> 00:02:52.298
<i>please pray for workers such as Renato</i>

00:02:52.298 --> 00:02:54.787
<i>who share the light of Jesus
with those around them.</i>

00:02:55.620 --> 00:02:58.350
<i>If you would like to learn more
about service opportunities,</i>

00:02:58.470 --> 00:03:00.480
<i>visit</i> vividfaith.com

00:03:00.910 --> 00:03:04.390
<i>Thank you for supporting the mission
of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.</i>