1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,551
♪ (music) ♪
2
00:00:04,551 --> 00:00:06,272
The country of Georgia is home to some
3
00:00:06,272 --> 00:00:07,636
four million people.
4
00:00:07,839 --> 00:00:09,106
Out of these millions,
5
00:00:09,106 --> 00:00:11,926
Pastor Grigol is one of only two Georgian
6
00:00:11,926 --> 00:00:13,864
Seventh-day Adventist pastors.
7
00:00:14,078 --> 00:00:16,942
We don’t have many workers,
8
00:00:16,942 --> 00:00:18,585
and because of that
9
00:00:18,585 --> 00:00:21,611
we have a lot of functions as pastors.
10
00:00:22,209 --> 00:00:23,647
It’s a big challenge because
11
00:00:23,647 --> 00:00:26,737
we don’t have enough resources.
12
00:00:27,384 --> 00:00:28,992
Pastor Grigol lives in
13
00:00:28,992 --> 00:00:30,725
the port city of Batumi,
14
00:00:30,725 --> 00:00:32,494
Georgia’s second largest city.
15
00:00:33,252 --> 00:00:35,333
The mission challenges grow by the day
16
00:00:35,333 --> 00:00:38,116
as new apartments, casinos,
and other developments
17
00:00:38,116 --> 00:00:40,091
are constructed around his church.
18
00:00:40,548 --> 00:00:42,088
Many people don’t trust
19
00:00:43,597 --> 00:00:46,318
when you talk to them about God.
20
00:00:47,374 --> 00:00:49,782
I would say this is one of the challenges.
21
00:00:49,782 --> 00:00:51,216
Although historically,
22
00:00:51,216 --> 00:00:52,775
Georgia was the second nation
23
00:00:52,775 --> 00:00:54,631
to officially adopt Christianity,
24
00:00:54,631 --> 00:00:57,400
Adventism has struggled
to gain ground here.
25
00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,584
The Adventist Church
is very small in Georgia.
26
00:01:00,584 --> 00:01:03,424
There are approximately 300 Adventists
27
00:01:04,522 --> 00:01:06,160
scattered around Georgia.
28
00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,022
In Batumi we have a church
29
00:01:08,022 --> 00:01:11,506
consisting of approximately 40 members.
30
00:01:11,756 --> 00:01:13,155
Despite their small numbers,
31
00:01:13,155 --> 00:01:14,551
church members in Batumi
32
00:01:14,551 --> 00:01:16,023
have a heart for mission.
33
00:01:16,432 --> 00:01:17,867
So they have found practical ways
34
00:01:17,867 --> 00:01:19,940
to follow Christ’s method of ministry.
35
00:01:20,282 --> 00:01:22,327
When we become friends with people,
36
00:01:22,643 --> 00:01:25,848
like we try to organize
different social projects
37
00:01:26,249 --> 00:01:28,049
and humanitarian projects
38
00:01:28,049 --> 00:01:30,027
for people who are in need,
39
00:01:30,027 --> 00:01:33,207
and when they get closer to us
40
00:01:33,207 --> 00:01:37,079
and start to communicate with us,
41
00:01:37,705 --> 00:01:41,145
then we have more trust from them.
42
00:01:41,889 --> 00:01:43,498
Recently, the greatest need comes
43
00:01:43,498 --> 00:01:45,986
from the influx of Ukrainian refugees.
44
00:01:45,986 --> 00:01:47,125
Adventists in Batumi
45
00:01:47,125 --> 00:01:48,866
welcome refugees to their church
46
00:01:48,866 --> 00:01:51,348
for a variety of classes and programs.
47
00:01:51,695 --> 00:01:53,927
Today, they are
conducting English classes.
48
00:01:54,321 --> 00:01:56,671
The classes are a great way
for the Ukrainians
49
00:01:56,671 --> 00:01:59,029
to come together to learn and socialize.
50
00:01:59,615 --> 00:02:01,420
These gatherings have
allowed them to develop
51
00:02:01,420 --> 00:02:04,270
a community away
from their homes in Ukraine.
52
00:02:04,270 --> 00:02:07,100
It allows them to feel
supported and cared for.
53
00:02:07,514 --> 00:02:09,058
The church also offers classes
54
00:02:09,058 --> 00:02:10,798
to learn the Georgian language.
55
00:02:11,308 --> 00:02:12,957
Learning Georgian helps them find
56
00:02:12,957 --> 00:02:14,757
job opportunities more easily
57
00:02:14,757 --> 00:02:15,977
so that they can integrate
58
00:02:15,977 --> 00:02:17,497
and feel more at home.
59
00:02:18,102 --> 00:02:19,288
Through these projects
60
00:02:19,288 --> 00:02:21,056
we become friends with them
61
00:02:21,056 --> 00:02:23,112
and sometimes they ask
62
00:02:23,112 --> 00:02:24,678
questions about our church,
63
00:02:24,678 --> 00:02:27,646
about our beliefs and we can share.
64
00:02:28,294 --> 00:02:29,920
We believe that these projects
65
00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:31,755
will have influence and
66
00:02:31,755 --> 00:02:33,024
maybe some of them
67
00:02:33,024 --> 00:02:36,215
will even start to attend our church.
68
00:02:36,694 --> 00:02:39,228
Pastor Grigol and church members in Batumi
69
00:02:39,228 --> 00:02:40,989
have been praying for funds to build
70
00:02:40,989 --> 00:02:42,666
an urban center of influence
71
00:02:42,666 --> 00:02:44,286
that would provide space for them
72
00:02:44,286 --> 00:02:46,523
to offer more programs to their community.
73
00:02:46,744 --> 00:02:48,969
Currently, the church is too small.
74
00:02:49,269 --> 00:02:50,929
Sometimes we have a challenge
75
00:02:50,929 --> 00:02:52,036
because we don’t have
76
00:02:52,799 --> 00:02:55,365
rooms or space to conduct
77
00:02:55,365 --> 00:02:59,500
different kinds of events and meetings.
78
00:03:00,454 --> 00:03:02,324
For example, with this English class
79
00:03:02,324 --> 00:03:04,791
we have to use our hall
80
00:03:04,791 --> 00:03:06,811
where we have services.
81
00:03:06,811 --> 00:03:09,895
This is our biggest need I would say.
82
00:03:10,327 --> 00:03:12,984
This quarter, a portion
of your 13th Sabbath Offering
83
00:03:12,984 --> 00:03:14,044
will help construct
84
00:03:14,044 --> 00:03:16,674
an urban center of influence
in Batumi, Georgia.
85
00:03:16,874 --> 00:03:18,186
This will vastly improve
86
00:03:18,186 --> 00:03:19,394
outreach efforts here.
87
00:03:19,609 --> 00:03:22,934
This is a big honor and a big joy that
88
00:03:24,209 --> 00:03:27,545
there are many people who care
89
00:03:27,545 --> 00:03:32,600
and are interested in supporting
90
00:03:33,622 --> 00:03:37,070
the mission in our country.
91
00:03:37,770 --> 00:03:39,835
Please pray as church members in Batumi
92
00:03:39,835 --> 00:03:42,178
continue to meet
the needs of their neighbors.
93
00:03:42,178 --> 00:03:43,287
Thank you for supporting
94
00:03:43,287 --> 00:03:46,388
13th Sabbath Offering projects like this!
95
00:03:46,388 --> 00:03:53,301
♪ (music) ♪