Dear Friend:

• There’s no way these men could have known what was bothering me. 
• There’s no way they could have known I’d just been pondering our ministry and the seeming impossibility of God answering any of the prayers I’d brought before Him over the years. 

ABRAHAM

When you look at what I’d asked God in 1995 ― i.e., that He’d grant me the marketing acumen and resources to print and distribute 100,000,000 copies of The (New, Illustrated) Great Controversy across the earth ― surely it must seem laughable, a giant impossibility, now, especially after waiting 22 years.

What this sequence of verses teaches us is the following: God is faithful and will keep His promises, no matter how long it takes. The problem usually is with us humans, who tend to wilt under the pressure of waiting.

• “But David,” you say, “don’t you think 100,000,000 copies are a bit excessive – especially when you don’t even have the resources to print the first one?”

Or, said another way:  

•  “Don’t you realize it’ll take the likes of a Bill Gates standing by your side for you to produce and market this many books?”

To these questions, all I can tell you is that I believe God.  I believe His promises.  Promises like these three:

• “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”  John 15:16.
• “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”  John 15:17.
• “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”  Matthew 17:20.

And then there is this quote from The Desire of Ages.

The Lord is disappointed when His people place a low estimate upon themselves. He desires His chosen heritage to value themselves according to the price He has placed upon them. God wanted them, else He would not have sent His Son on such an expensive errand to redeem them. He has a use for them, and He is well pleased when they make the very highest demands upon Him, that they may glorify His name. They may expect large things if they have faith in His promises.”  The Desire of Ages, page 668.

WHAT ABOUT THE PICTURES?

While we reiterated our desire is to print 1,000,000 copies first (at a cost of $7.00 per book), and to use the profits to print the remaining 99,000,000, we acknowledged our willingness to start at a lesser number – he actually asked if we would start lower, and then quoted the number: 100,000 copies. 

To which I said, yes, of course I would.  The price per copy would rise from $7.00, but of course I’d start with 100,000 if we had the funds.

Then I went on to say:

"Before any printing can be done, we need to get photos from:

1. All across Europe: Great Britain, France, Czech Republic, Germany, Vatican City, Italy, etc., where the Protestant Reformation played out. Italy, home of the Waldenses is of particular importance to us. 
2. India and China: - to show the spread of early Christianity in those lands. 
3. Egypt: King Tut's tomb affords a wonderful opportunity to capture images that relate to sun-worship and Middle Eastern mythology.
4. Syria: there are still pockets of Christians there, but getting access to these people while the Civil War endures could be a problem.
5. Turkey: (specifically Istanbul) the city to which Constantine removed the Capitol of the Roman Empire.  Interesting relics of the era are still there.
6. South America: Not many people associate Peru with the Inquisition, but the simple fact is that the Holy Office and one of the tribunals of the Inquisition were located in Lima.  It is rich in history.  In 1993 I visited the place and can testify to the existence of the palace of the Inquisition and underground cells there.  When we touch on the subject of the Inquisition, these photos, as well as photos from Spain and Portugal, will be invaluable. 
7. Africa: specifically Ethiopia, where the Sabbath has been kept, unbroken, for at least 2,000 years.  Here is Mrs. White in The Great Controversy, page 577:
   
   "The history of the churches of Ethiopia and Abyssinia is especially significant. Amid the gloom of the Dark Ages, the Christians of Central Africa were lost sight of and forgotten by the world, and for many centuries they enjoyed freedom in the exercise of their faith. But at last Rome learned of their existence, and the emperor of Abyssinia was soon beguiled into an acknowledgment of the pope as the vicar of Christ. Other concessions followed."  
   
   Documenting some of Ethiopia's ancient traditions for our book will require a willingness to go to very remote areas. For example, I recently was introduced to what is known as the Rock Churches in the hills of a particular province. These are accessible only by foot.  I and our team are quite prepared to climb. 
8. Japan: Desperately needed for the chapter dealing with "the loud cry."  I can say no more about this at this time.  
9. America: Beginning with the flight of the Pilgrims and stretching all the way through the battle for Independence, the birth of the Constitution, etc., America is rich in history in its own right. 

Believe me, I could go on.  This is but part of the vision that has been planted in my brain (I trust, by God Himself).  I still believe that if I am faithful to God, He will provide the means for us to fulfill it. 

I hope this has helped you grasp more perfectly the challenges before us.  As for the issue of time, I am not perturbed.  Rather I rest in the knowledge of this profound truth:  

"Like the stars in the vast circuit of their appointed path, God's
purposes know no haste and no delay."
The Desire of Ages, page 32.

God bless you.
David.

ACCOSTED AT ANDREWS

So what about the two men waiting for me outside the men’s room?

While in Jamaica I opted to attend the Andrews Memorial Church, which is where I was when the encounter outside the restroom occurred.

As I said, these men, who, for a split second, almost blocked me from exiting the restroom (unintentionally, of course), couldn’t have known just how deep in thought I’d been. 

They wouldn’t have known that I’d even gone so far that Sabbath morning as to ponder whether continued perseverance in attempting to republish The (New, Illustrated) Great Controversy was even ethical.

Ethical?

Yes! 

With the funds coming in barely keeping us alive, how long was I expected to keep this project before God’s people?

Would our Bill Gates ever show up?

One of the questions with which I’d done battle on and off for over a year, was this one:

• “So David, while you wait for the ‘impossible,’ just how much good do you think your ministry is actually accomplishing?”

The other question I grappled with that morning wasn’t just a dart; it was a poison tipped dart.

• Can’t you see that all you’re doing is spinning wheels?”

To be frank, whether legitimate questions or Satan-inspired doubts, these midnight sheep cross my mind quite often … that’s right, and not just at nighttime; they cross my mind in broad daylight too. 

Somehow I suspect that some variation of these very questions probably crosses the minds of every man or woman who’s ever worn fisherman’s garb.

And what about the shift in strategy that I’d announced barely three weeks earlier – i.e., of dipping down where we were?  Were my doubts that Sabbath morning leading me to abandon this too? 

No! I’m not prepared to deviate from this strategy, but even dipping down is going to take time.

And by the way, for those of you who didn’t hear (or read) our April newsletter, dipping down where we are – insofar as reaching our goal of printing the first million copies of our book are concerned – involves using manpower or resources that are already part of our ministry.

That’s the definition of dip down where you are – i.e., use what you have!

In our previous newsletter, and in our upcoming video series: I Feel Like Bombing A Church (that’s a quote from Bob Marley, by the way, whom we’re refuting in our video series), we’ve already gone to great lengths to explain that we’re presenting this new book as part of a mission report about our work in the community of Denham Town, Jamaica. 

You probably can’t grasp the connection between the two now, but if you go to the main page of our website and look at Part 1 of that report, you’ll begin to see where we’re going. 

You’ll see how many times The Great Controversy is mentioned in this opening salvo with Mr. Marley and his followers.

One of the frustrating hurdles we’ll have to face is that Denham Town is so unstable.  We’ve filmed most of what we need, but we still need to film the team giving Bible studies.  Even that is in jeopardy now.  Why do I say that?

Because the day after I returned from Jamaica (that’s last Sunday) I got a call from one of our workers who said: “Brother Mould, it’s like Vietnam down here.  Can you hear the gunshots?” 

The bullets were flying.

The reality confronting us now is this: completing the six-part video series in which we showcase our mission-workers ― and their work, and The Great Controversy ― will take quite a bit of added time.

It just seems like everywhere I turn, whatever I try, the word that comes back to me is “wait.”

As I’ve said, though, in spite of the delays, the word of God encourages me.

While I’m not saying that my test is akin to Abraham’s (I haven’t been called upon to slay my only son, thankfully) nevertheless, both tests involve time.

• So what about the men outside the restroom? 
• What made them so special?

I’ll tell you what it was.  It was the video with which they confronted me upon exiting that rest room.  It was a video of yours truly defending the faith on Religious Hardtalk, with host, Ian Boyne.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. 

While I was in the midst of introspection, questioning the value of our ministry, God already had part of the answer waiting for me.  How could I miss it?  One of those men thought the encounter with Ian Boyne so compelling, he actually carried it about with him.

“Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before, and bondage or death behind.  Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, “Go forward.”  We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit.  Those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears, and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all.  Unbelief whispers, “Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly;” but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 290.

But God wasn’t through. 

He knew I’d come to Jamaica by faith, having purchased a one-way ticket, and needed to wait upon Him for funds to return to Florida.  That need would be met by donations that came in at an agonizingly slow pace – but thank God, they came in.

Crowning it off would be a monthly donation plan set up on Sunday by someone in Australia.

• God knew just how despondent I’d become.
• He knew I needed some reminder of His care for our ministry and for this piece of clay. 
• He sent help right on time.

How does the Bible put it?

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Hebrews 10:35 – 37.

No, we might not yet have received what we need to turn on the afterburners and really go forward with our project, but God sent enough to remind me: if I’m faithful, it will come.

Oh friend, what He did for me this past weekend, may He do for you also.

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1 – 3.

David.