0:00:03.973,0:00:06.279
People in the church, many times,
0:00:06.279,0:00:08.559
don't understand what I am talking about.
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This is the biggest challenge for me.
0:00:11.931,0:00:17.937
How I can be part of the world as salt,[br]as Jesus said we should be salt,
0:00:17.937,0:00:19.868
and also be close with God.
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This is the challenge [br]for me and for my family.
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To be very close with God
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and to be close with the people outside.
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Mostly, I am working [br]with non-Christian people.
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Pastor Jan lives in Košice, Slovakia.
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His passion is working with people
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who don't know about Jesus' love for them,
0:00:48.289,0:00:50.784
especially the Roma community.
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Many people will not [br]associate with the Roma
0:00:53.028,0:00:55.106
and find ways to keep their distance.
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Years of cultural differences[br]have created a barrier
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between the ethnic groups in the region,
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but Jan feels called to reach out anyway.
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He often organizes activities [br]with the Pathfinder Club
0:01:06.624,0:01:10.177
and outings for underprivileged[br]children and youth.
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If you are working with children,[br]you can touch a parent's heart.
0:01:14.892,0:01:19.359
If I am good for the children,[br]the parents are happy as well.
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Pastor Jan works [br]in the outskirts of Košice,
0:01:23.092,0:01:24.776
among the Roma community.
0:01:24.776,0:01:27.112
With each visit, he brings gifts.
0:01:27.112,0:01:29.240
These simple presents open the doors
0:01:29.240,0:01:31.686
and show them that he cares about them.
0:01:33.498,0:01:35.548
The Roma have challenging lives.
0:01:35.548,0:01:39.050
In this house, [br]seven families live together.
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One of the mothers [br]is a Seventh-day Adventist,
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and she teaches the children[br]stories from the Bible.
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Pastor Jan stops here to greet his friends
0:01:58.414,0:02:00.315
and bring a word of encouragement.
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Before leaving, the group [br]takes a picture together
0:02:04.057,0:02:06.483
to remember this special moment.
0:02:13.907,0:02:15.015
Meet Monika.
0:02:15.015,0:02:16.207
From a young age,
0:02:16.207,0:02:19.747
she really wanted to participate [br]in activities with the Pathfinders.
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But she faced a lot [br]of challenges with her family
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because they believed the Adventists
0:02:23.957,0:02:26.462
would not be a good influence in her life.
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Pastor Jan taught Monika [br]important truths from the Bible.
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He also helped her [br]find strength to succeed,
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despite her family's opposition
0:02:35.927,0:02:38.837
and the scare opportunities[br]in her community.
0:02:39.618,0:02:43.046
Today, Monika is an example [br]to others in her village.
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She is well educated, [br]having graduated from University,
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and serves as an educational coordinator[br]at her town's community center.
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Monika was a very special person.
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She was like a miracle.
0:02:55.693,0:02:59.113
She wanted to know everything about Jesus.
0:02:59.113,0:03:01.344
She wanted to read the Bible properly,
0:03:01.344,0:03:04.692
and then she started [br]to teach others the Bible.
0:03:07.462,0:03:11.079
I love to see the children coming[br]with joy in their eyes.
0:03:13.012,0:03:16.871
They can see that I've changed[br]because of Jesus.
0:03:18.251,0:03:22.341
I am so happy when they say[br]they want to be closer to Jesus
0:03:22.341,0:03:24.610
and have a story like mine.
0:03:25.809,0:03:27.444
Monika and her husband
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now lead three groups[br]of youth and children
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at the local Adventist church.
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They hope to disciple [br]others in the community
0:03:34.069,0:03:38.107
and mend broken relationships[br]so God's church can grow.
0:03:38.107,0:03:42.401
Please pray for Pastor Jan's [br]and Monika's outreach ministries.
0:03:42.401,0:03:46.037
This quarter, your 13th Sabbath offering[br]will support this work
0:03:46.037,0:03:50.540
among vulnerable children [br]in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
0:03:50.540,0:03:53.854
It will also build a church[br]with a children center in Bulgaria
0:03:53.854,0:03:57.765
and assist Adventist education[br]in Spain and Germany.
0:03:57.765,0:04:02.370
Thank you for your support[br]of the 13th Sabbath offering.