Welcome to healing the land with Kevin Mitschelen, brought to us by pure assembly.
This is Kevin Mitschelen. With the program called healing the land, we're sponsored by pure assembly, if I can just take just a few seconds, I don't want to take a lot of time, because we have a guest that I'm itching to get to. And we call him pastor T. I often think of, of course, Mr. T, maybe dates me a little bit, but we'll get to pastor t because he is just on fire for Jesus Christ. And so. But before we do that, I just want to let you know, just kind of remind you, you've probably already heard from the program and maybe some other elements, maybe social media, that sort of thing of this initiative called 180 days of prayer. And what we're just simply doing is saying, Hey, we're going to find that that war room, we're going to find that place in which we can take time, I mean by war, when you just be able to, to be able to sit down with God, the one who created you, the one that spoke the world into existence, the one that knits you in your mother's womb, the one that deeply deeply loves you more than any one or anything else. So much so that He sent His Son Jesus Christ today on the cross for you, and that he that this Jesus was raised from the dead. And so absolutely, we have an opportunity at a new life. And and so and hope so. And grace, there's so many different things that God has given to us. And so in that, that 180 days of prayer, what that does is that solidifies to me also after going 180 days, that's an that's a whole different life style of dedicating time to be with God. And putting in this Western world that we live in. There's so many distractions, I have a cell phone that just demands might I have all these different things to say, even my I was kidding with Pastor to this might be my little dog this morning. But God bless it. God bless my little Beagle. Yeah, but he, he was like demanding certain things. And you're getting in the way of prayer, you know, but the guy hadn't taken care of. And it was just a sweet moment I was able to have with God and it was such a wonderful time. So we're promoting that if you want to know more about that, go to pure assembly calm and be able to take a look at that also, we have other opportunities through different other ministries that are promoting that as well. So thank you for that ability to be able to share that. And if you have any questions, feel free to just go to info at pure assembly comm that's a email accounts you so saying all of that. I am so happy to have a few of you becoming a fast friend with me, I pass again, Pastor T. If you can say your full name, I think that's the problem. Why would people call you basket tea? Because in the Western world, it's maybe a little more difficult to say your name?
Well, it's quite easy. Let me let me say, Kevin, before we get going here that when we get up in the morning, I think that we will do and they don't think that we should do and they think that we have to do and just hear your words. Those have to has to be prayer. So appreciate the affirmation of of that act of what a wonderful way to be with God be with God. Well, my full name is Tabby said moon city lot and in in good order. I believe all the letters in the alphabet. So but T was suffice? That's a good way to connect with people quicker. Is it just Mr. T pairs? The T coach t? The original Mr. T, if you will? Yeah. Yeah,
so let me say your name again. Because that would help. I
think our ta ta be CIT pavese. Moon city lot. Moon city
lousy to and there's no middle name. Thank goodness. Okay. Yeah. Yes, yeah. Well, I appreciate your heart and there's something that you there's something when you when you I've had different people wouldn't have been able to meet them. There's there's something there. And that's something they're with you is the Holy Spirit is you can see active working in your in your heart. Somebody has this real because I love asking questions. Absolutely. You're in ministry, you're in ministry full time now. Is that a lifelong dream that you've had? I mean, how did you get there it is it What's happened? How's God taking you sure you've got the story, you got a big story and we can't do this and
you know, it's I have often appreciate your, your encouraging words, about recognizing the presence of Holy Spirit in in my life. You know, I I came to in this country as a as a young boy at the age of 11, I didn't speak any English and then, you know, didn't have much. So my father was adamant about us pursuing education. So by training, I was trained to be a school counselor and I was a school counselor and a soccer coach in Middlebury for 20 some years and during that time, I was involved with my church maples, the chapel church in Goshen one. And so I took a sabbatical from from 20 years of school counseling and serve on staff there at the church there and didn't fulfill what I desire in my heart to go into ministry. And after a few years or so, I stepped back and went back to the school system and I got I was called back into the ministry at Nappanee missionary. And it has been you know, often time God just kind of opened that curtain to kind of reveal what's in store for you, you know, ever so often in your life and and so, last last fall, he opened the curtain to me again to get a glimpse. So I walked through that door not so much which door but the patch in which I walked through the door was filled with a lot of trembling and fear, of course, anytime you are asked to go into ministry, it's it's it's a big deal. Yeah, it's a big deal. So yeah, I was I was trained as a school counselor, but I serve as a as a minister. You know, it's kind of like Joseph was raised in the, in the desert, but serving the palace kind of thing.
Yeah, just go along with that. I remember when I was called to ministry, downtown South Bend. That was an area where I just I pretty much saw myself I was in construction and that particularly moving houses with my dad. Yeah, kind of an odd thing to do. But, uh, but that's what we did. And, and then for a while, I was working at a car dealership. And I remember going, we were looking for a pastor, for a senior pastor. And I remember crossing the street one time, and I have this thought overwhelming thought. Right? You I want you to be a pastor here. And I go, you got the wrong guy. Exactly. Yeah, exactly. Right. So I can understand. Yeah, because there's a weight there too. Oh, absolutely. It's a wonderful occupation. But boy, there's, there's a
definitely Yeah, definitely. It's, you know, I, I grew up Buddhists the first 1112 years of life you're from from Laos? Wow. Yeah, I was born there. And we immigrated here because of the the conflict in that part of the world back in the Sunday, the Vietnam conflict, what
a devastation to to go through all that.
Absolutely. And just the reason happened now just brought back many memories, painful memories. And again, in the back world that Kevin, you know, and looking back and reflecting back in my life, that he brought my family, you know, out of I would call it the rice paddy or Saudis to the cornfield of Nappanee. You know, I don't I don't know if any other narrative in the world or any other guy, you know, can can orchestrate that type of journey. That takes take my family from from that part of the world as refugee to, to proceed to United State and now serving in a Nappanee missionary church is I still stand back in all of what an amazing guy I know, we often talked about Gods everywhere. I know that for me, it's God is everywhere.
So as you're talking my thought to where we can back up just a little bit to Laos. Yeah, that's okay. Yeah, I when I you take the talk about the rice paddies and things but your family was well established there.
Yeah, we know I was born into a very affluent, influential home. My father had a pretty high ranking official in the government, just before the fall of the of the country for the communist takeover. So we, you know, we, we possess many things that that people covet it, you know, power, prestige, connection, well, whatever. That your flesh desire, we possess all of that. And my parents worked really hard in in, in Haiti, in protecting us from the hardship of life in that part of the world. Little did I know that again, the omnipotent, omniscient, God has a different calling for my family for my dad from for us.
Did everyone make it out?
all eight of us. They were mum and dad and six of us and crossing that river. 111. Sunday, late afternoon, if you will.
Yeah. So how did that get orchestrated? Because, you know, I've heard that story, but our listeners have now.
Well, you know, during that time, I think between 19 was soon after the fall of the country. 1975 there's a huge exodus of refugees of Laos, both political refugees, as well as economic refugees. We were smuggled out dad Paid group of smuggler to, to bring us to the other country and we have to cross the Mekong River and Mekong Delta river into Thailand, which is the only free country at that time we were surrounded by China, Vietnam and Cambodia,
you are nowhere to go.
Except we had, we had no idea we will go on. But we knew there was a spirit pulling on us, compelling us to go to go and back then I didn't think much about that, right. And now as an adult, and describe my context of where I'm at, with my faith and my relationship with Jesus Christ, I recognize we were being pulled, you're being drawn toward something that that's foreign to us. We just didn't know what that force was.
Or praise to be the guy that you were able to make across a river. You're right, fam. Right?
Yeah, the whole thing. And we ended up then we settled in, in refugee camp in Thailand, in non Chi camp, and we were there for for 14 months. here's the here's the thing, when you were over there, you know, halfway around the world, there was this little church in Southwest Michigan is Lucas Grove Mennonite Church, a couple of men, ordinary men like you and I, yeah, you know, farmers, you know, plumber and pad they got together and and they prayed and they asked their god you know, what if what if we step out and and what does it mean to live your neighborhoods yourself? in a more practical, more tangible way? Not just you know, God protect revenue with literary there is the prayer their prayer result in them adapting my family? Are there refugee camp? So no, those those foreign they remain right in the head of it extraordinary God. ordinary men inherit story God who are who are driven who are compelled by a calling. Yeah, that's great. And then then they could ever imagine you're giving me goosebumps a little bit here. And here's why. And that is that you have these men who are ordinary, quote, unquote, they're praying, right? You feel
this force, whatever that force might be. Right? Right, that is pulling you in your feet, as a child that is pulling you to another land distant, and at the same time, then then there's a go, then there's a do at there's a point in which those men in in those families, yeah, there's a doing point, but prayer proceeded that prayer and the Holy Spirit has just been working in the midst of all these things.
No, God, he's he is suffering. There's no debate about that. We have have a role to play in that. You know, if faith is is fear without action, you know, yeah,
no, you have to and
you and that simple act of faithfulness, Cameron resulted in in our family being relocated to United States all the place in the world. Our heart at that point was we want to back we want to go back home. We want to go back home yet we want to go back home to our family the thing that we we knew but but yet this prayer is different, different plan for us all together.
Well, unfortunately, we're gonna have to kind of do a hard break here because we've already extended 14 minutes, because that's our our time limit for this section, but we'll be coming back because you I love hearing what God does, and how he is a healing point two that we can receive. And pastor T, you've had that the spiritual renewal and so let's we'll come back in just a little bit. We have a break with pure assembly calm. Thanks.
Hi, I'm Dawn board member of pure and healing the land is brought to you by pure assembly. Pure assembly is a nonprofit with a mission to heal the wounds of A divided and injured nation through prayer, unity, repentance, and edification. To learn more about us, check us out at www dot pure assembly calm or find us on Facebook, just search for pure assembly. While you're there, we'd love you to like us to thanks for listening to healing the land.
Well, this is Kevin Mitschelen again with healing the land and sponsored by pure assembly. And so I'm glad that if you do get a chance to go ahead and go over there and you do also get a chance. It'd be great if you could donate to that ministry appear assembly so you can have more programs like this, where we can talk about God in His healing in the land, but also and how that happens is through the healing of individuals and through families. And then you see communities becoming changed and God has incredible he has a desire to heal and And so you see it from Genesis all the way to book a revelation that I want to get back to pastor tea. And we were talking a little bit during the break of we have in the prior session, we were really discussing some, some of the backdrop of things. And you had during the break that had mentioned, there are some grief that happens throughout this and, and as a person who lives in the Western world, and I have, I have stuff, I have things and I've ever been, I've never been told to go do what you as a 11 year old, were told to do. So can you tell us a little bit about that, because this really helps I believe with what God has done in your life. That's your story.
Yeah, you know, when, when we when when mom and dad made that decision to, to leave the country, and that left many things behind things that that you cannot measure. They left their homes, they left their family didn't have the identity. You know, and, and we know how important having identity is even as Christian and not having to forfeit all of that. It's a grieving process. And even now, Kevin, as I was just even, we were talking about this author, I would ask him, what if, what if we would stay right? what he will do is they will go out and be like, and I grew from my parents. And you know, they were at the point where they didn't have a place or margin to process that grieve that loss. You know, it's not just within when we live within had planned it ever gone bad. And we we were concerned with it. We have a play, we were hitting, we didn't know where we're going. We don't know who was waiting for us. We didn't speak the language. We didn't have a single pin in our pocket when we came. But somehow there was a certain level of there was a lot that was painful, for sure. But there was also a level of peace about it. peatland is sin that thing is wonderful. But piece that piece enough to the point where we realize we're not in charge here. Something else is in charge something more powerful. So that will reveal to me later on in my adult life what that what that force would have been and it was the person of Jesus Christ. What he's all about healing. Yeah, not just not just not just our bodies, not just right, but our family, our land,
a world
you know, and it brought both tears of pain and joy for me when it when it talks about the loss. Yeah, you know, it's, but yet we are I'm in in in a place now where I can. It's amazing. Once you know where your healing come from, it makes all the difference, regardless of what happened. But the healer nollie heal heal me in the process of healing. But that's the promise of something out that you know, in their portal about this kind of righteousness, right? If you if you run this race, you find this good fight and keep the faith waiting for you is the corner of righteousness. And throughout this journey, the healings taking place. I think what you and I longed for is not just the quarter righteousness but that person who's going to hand us this crown of righteousness unless that is the judge of righteous to himself. Jesus Christ is not a place it's not a thing but it's a person that that that that's pulling on all of us know that this this this pain is this last but yet waiting for us at the end of this is a crown of righteousness for those who love Him. Love him unconditionally. Not when not when things are going well. Not when things are not when a pocket is for. Not when we have a nice car to drive, not when we whatever it living in way that I like. Kind of like my dad often when we go to that journey crossing there. It's gonna be okay. As long as I know dad say those words say that. Yeah, seeing him read it and I feel in so many way. Guys telling us hardly it's gonna be okay. I am God. You know, when I hear my dad say, as you will come through this, this this journey. It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay. You know? So
yeah, it's when you talk about that I can come from the perspective of knowing God. And so I can't relate to the Laos story. Right? But I can relate to the story that God puts into our hearts. And that is it's that I love what you just said it's going to be okay. I have no idea how many times getting the creator of my soul to speak to my soul. Saying that Yeah, yeah, this this looks terrible. But it's gonna be All right, yeah. Because I'm on my throne. God's saying is I'm on my throne. Right? And you're my son. Right? And I love you. You have no idea how much I love you.
You know, it's, it's, you know, we, you and I, you know, we we, we don't sound like we don't we don't look like but yeah, we have we know what what it what it's like to feel pain. We know what it's like to feel disappointment and our hope and dream broken, you know. But then we also said something else that that we don't often talk about, you know, and the idea that God's good out God is good. You know, life is tough life is hard, because there's no difference. They're trying to sell you something. So oftentimes we forget that God is good. In in oneness and good in way not in a way that our Western culture think. You know, and I live happy to put it you know, when trial come He didn't say if trial comes at when trying? Yes. So we shouldn't be surprised with then and through his journey I discover and learn on its life is hard. Life is difficult. But man, God is good.
It reminds me that a couple of months ago, I had a conversation with myself and my wife, we go to this go this bar on the west side of town. Yeah. Okay. I how often do you go? Every two weeks. I they know that give me Coca Cola. And all the other stuff. They know that, you know, it's like, I was gonna get some coke. And that's the hardest drink again, you know, and but it was interesting, because I had a conversation with one of the owners of the bar. I hope he's listening. And, uh, he said, you know, your brother just died a year ago. And then he said, another good friend of ours that we both knew. He said he died, he says seems like you're getting this through this with no problem whatsoever. And I go, and my wife stepped in thank her. I'm glad she did because I probably would have like started ball. Fish she said my friend, she said, Oh, it was hard. Yeah. But we have the peace of God. He goes by I don't know by that kind of faith. And she said Oh, but you can Yeah, what you can because Jesus loves you. Yeah, there wasn't a commitment that night there but it because it is a surrender of having to be able to surrender to the one that does give you that peace. Right So
yeah, yeah, it's you know, often we don't we don't we don't recognize it because we are so no Archer is going to do this series on call with you know, we often live under God live over God live for Him but never with with him. And the with him is a big deal. You know, when you're with him, you you put in his set you in different place in terms of, of your spirit, you know?
Yeah, that's everything. So let me ask you this, to keep progressing forward. How did you come to know the Lord? Great, great question. Let's do that in four minutes.
Well, you know, I remember when we when we came with the I mean, we didn't we didn't know how to read around this and we went up you know, we got a job we didn't know what was what was well we're hearing how none of that right there's no there's no you know, but what was what was compelling for me Kevin, not so much the the teaching but the patcher of these believers the generosity, the kindness the humility and the support the love that we receive you know, it's not it's not I guess they they not only hear the word that they become doers of the word yeah
yeah,
that's what that was compelled us. So I you know, all of us came to know Christ and we about we are on different journey on this journey toward the crown of righteousness noac he's continued to work in my heart in my spirit, learning to get into the words surround myself with men and women who challenged me with the with my spiritual on my walk right? I often seek out men like you with integrity who model humar, integrity and character in their life who reflect not about themselves but but but the Spirit live in them. And it's still a journey I continue to discover newsing amazing things. Every day, every second of my of my life, isn't it's, you know, it's not. I'm not. I'm not there yet. But I'm straining toward that. I'm straining toward that toward that finish line. Whatever, whatever would be. As I was baptized when I was 12, not knowing exactly what what that meant. I just remember just raising my hand say, yeah, that's what my dad said. Just say yes to wherever. Again, he was he he knew what was going on right. But they was a spirits compelling him you know and I remember just doing it everyone gonna truly to four times a week oh my goodness I didn't like it I didn't like I didn't it was no connection yeah yeah right but but but but but he's always there
was always there through it all so so how does that keep progressing through so you're you're a pastor so that at some point there's there's this connection and you just talking about being with God so how as it's not just okay boom we turn the lights on correct correct but but how how is that progression look like and man I hate the fact that we just live by the western clock because we're down to minutes and so how does that look in in missed in the pastor T's life what what did that how did that lead the rest of the story? How does that look in two minutes
first of all it's God in his amazing dinners to have have blessed me with an amazing godly wife you know and we've been married 28 years congrats she continually challenged me encouraged me with my walk not not not the screaming shell Yeah, but to her posture her for her daily walk with a devotion. And for me personally and I am always I am I am energized by life and people connection with people of give me give me life energize me, and if I if you open the curtain again for me to share him I will share it. You know, and I love my morning routine. You know, I you know I can recite some of them out there 25671 James chapter one and row one, chapter eight, those three have been it take me about 30 about 30 minutes or so every morning. What I that's what I that's my thing every morning. So I don't forget. So now I'm trying to I'm trying to include efficient into this mix. So spending time was is very important for me. Yeah. For my, for my growth and my faith journey. And I I look, I often have don't know what I'm reading, but I know I have to read just to be with him. And yeah, so I think spending time with his words is is is filling my bucket every every day. Yeah. And being with my wife.
Yeah. Yeah. And so we're racing down to the last few seconds. And I want to appreciate the fact that getting to know you is also getting to know Jesus. Absolutely. And and that's that's the mark. Now I really when I see when I'm able to meet different people who love Christ. I'm also getting to know Christ a little bit better. That's awesome. And and so I can see that in your life. And so I kind of just pray for grabs that other guy would just give you honor, we give you honor how we'll be the Lord, we thank you for what you have done, even though it had to be had to be devastating odd to see what had had happened in Laos. But Lord, for an odd because we live in a warped world. You are God though that you take that and you make straight lines, your God who who makes it. So even though we live in this strange, odd world, I'm able to meet pastor tea and our hearts are able to be strengthened as a result of that. And so Lord God, I pray that you continue to, to just bring healing in this area where there's pain. But Lord, I thank you for the testimony that you've given. Pastor de Silva does give you praise. I asked that you would heal our land, heal, those that are broken. We give you praise. Amen. Amen. Unfortunately, we're going to have to close it there that pastor t I thank you for being here. And may God heal the land. Thanks. Amen.
Second Chronicles 714. If my people who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal
their land. Healing the land is brought to you by pure assembly. Pure assembly is a nonprofit with a mission to heal the wounds of A divided and injured nation through prayer, unity, repentance and edification. For more ways to get involved and to be a part of their ministry. You can reach them at WWW dot pure assembly.com that's p u r e assembly.com. Or look for pure assembly on Facebook.