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COMPUTER BLESSINGS
It
was a real blessing to find the light that plugs into the computer for power. It
bends in any direction so that there can be light on the Bible for reading
texts. We set up outside and there was no light to help us as the DVD was
playing. Flashlights had an amazing ability to walk off when you needed
them. The batteries always went dead when the time came for meeting. This plug
in light made the world of difference and did not have to be held. The
other hand could be used to keep the wind from blowing pages.
The translator used this for sharing from the
Telegu Bible. We began running out of ports. We had 4 items which needed to plug
into 3 ports.
We needed the fan to cool the laptop
from beneath, the external hard drive for video clips and the remote control for
advancing slides. It takes a lot of planning and concentration to make the
programs run smoothly without distraction from the gospel messages. We ended up
taking turns with the light and the remote.
It is such a blessing that these inventions
have made preaching to large crowds so much easier than using a simple 2 foot
picture roll. The graphics are extremely important for a worldwide group of
people so accustomed to television. Most all countries in the little villages
have a television in their homes whither they live in a mud hut, under a
tarp, or a strong large home. In the rain forests in the mountains of Mexico, in
the long houses of Borneo way out in the jungles, the television reaches the
people. They are used to graphics.
God has promised as the spreading of the good
news about Jesus gets harder He will give tools that will still make it
possible. It has taken much personal sacrifice as well to obtain the needed
items. At times we went without eating and without buying some personal item or
extra thing in order to save up towards the projector. We prayed daily for these
tools and God has helped us to have them.
Every mission trip there are hands helping
that don't realize how delicate the cords are. Breakage happens every trip. Many
who claim to know a lot about electronics do not understand the power change
from 220 to 110 and need for transformer. They also do not understand the bulbs
inside the projector. The extreme heat of the tropics is already a danger to
these delicate bulbs as well as jarring. Often they will unplug the equipment
before the bulb has had a chance to cool. This is a sure way to destroy bulbs
which cost 500 dollars to replace. It is not because they want to destroy
equipment. It is a lack of understanding. They are loving and helpful. Their
electricity is often not grounded and the shocks alone can permanently damage
the electrical components of the laptop and projector. A surge of power which so
often happens is another way to permanently damage the equipment. Power
outages are so common they can occur three to four times a meeting. When the
power comes back on, it can wipe out everything. We run to unplug equipment as
soon as the power goes out right in the middle of our lectures.
At the beginning of our series, a surge came
through that was so bad it totally destroyed our expensive surge protector
designed to buffer the worst possible shocks. We tried to buy another one but it
was very difficult to locate another. We know that Hyderabad is the king of
India for computer supplies but we did not have the right people to discover
another surge protector for us or to repair the one we had. After that time we
had much to pray about that God would be our surge protector. He worked
miraculously for us. We praise His name. Our equipment survived only by God's
power.
Another
problem we faced was one that began in Mexico. The power input port had been
pulled from the computer in Mexico in order to obtain a good connection. The
wires protruded and were easy to damage. Through every security check in the
airports the zipper opened and shut rubbing on the laptop wires. Then in the
security handling of the laptop the wires were out in the open unprotected by
the frame of the laptop. They totally broke off with the rough and frequent
handling. Provin at first was very pleased to repair it fixing the wires to the
plug with electrical tape. He used my surgical tools to accomplish the
task. It caused him a long and difficult effort. After the 2nd repair, he did
not want to see it again. He said it needed to be soldered but he did not have a
way to do that. We appreciated his helpfulness but he was just tired of the
problem and when asked to do it again, he said he had already fixed it twice and
he walked off.
My
work was not done. There were more preparations and messages to give. I had at
least 30 hours more work to do on this laptop in that village. It would not even
turn on. The battery was empty. I tried to fix it but my vision for close up
work is not good. I could not see the fine wires. To hold a magnifying glass and
all the wires and the electrical tape was not possible for Jenny and I. On our
knees we cried for help. In Mexico, we had a laptop loaned but it was not
possible here. God needed to fix it or send some one who could.
Ravi
agreed to try. The LORD used Ravi's hands to bring the repairs I needed so
urgently. He brought his soldering equipment. This made a stronger connection.
After he fixed it and taped it, it has been strong and held through many a
program and preparation of programs. It still is working. We praise God for He
always provides for our needs.
Jenny's laptop has the same problem but
we wait for someone to pull the wires from the laptop for us and solder them so
she can get a good connection. Meanwhile she used my laptop for her young people
programs.
MY FAVORITE PROMISE for help on equipment and
graphics:
At the eleventh hour, when the work
grows harder and the
people are more hardened, there will be a variety of talent brought in. These workers will prove faithful and receive their penny. Sacrificing men will step into the places made vacant by those who would not be fitted for a place in the heavenly temple. These resources will continue to come in. The Lord will provide openings and
facilities. He will
call upon the youth to fill up the places made vacant by deaths and apostasies. He will give young men and women, as well as those who are older, the cooperation of the heavenly intelligences. They will have converted characters, converted minds, converted hands, converted feet, and converted tongues. Their lips will be touched with a living coal from the divine altar. If they will learn the lesson of walking humbly before God, if they will not seek to invent new plans, but will do that which the Lord has appointed them to do, they will be enabled to carry God's plan onward and upward without narrowing it. . . . {10MR 170.3}
To each has been appointed a work, according to his ability. Even now, at the
eleventh hour, we should arouse to educate men of ability for the work, that they may, while occupying positions of trust themselves, be
educating by precept and example all who are associated with them. {PM 79.4}
Some had been shaken out and left by the way. The careless and indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and salvation enough to perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not obtain it, and they were left behind in darkness, and their places were immediately filled by others taking hold of the truth and coming into the ranks.--EW 271 (1858). {LDE 182.1}
The broken ranks will be filled up by those represented by Christ as coming in at the eleventh hour. There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God's destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who [now] have no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched, His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time.--Letter 103, 1903. {LDE 182.2}
Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord's army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God.--8T 41 (1904). {LDE 182.3}
Last Day Events