Gordon: HE WALKED 1,000

MILES.

I THOUGHT EVENTUALLY I

WOULD DIE.

Gordon: FIND OUT HOW

EVERY PAINFUL STEP TOOK HIS

CLOSER TO HIS DREAM.

I THOUGHT IT WAS GOD'S

WORK FOR ME.

Gordon: FROM REFUGEE TO

M.V., ON TODAY'S "700 CLUB

INTERACTIVE."

*

[APPLAUSE]

Gordon: WELL, WELCOME

TO THE SHOW.

AND THANKS FOR SPENDING THE

MORNING WITH US.

AS SUMMER COMES TO AN END,

THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ARE

PREPARING FOR THEIR FIRST

SEMESTER AT COLLEGE.

AND DESPITE THE ECONOMY,

MANY AMERICANS STILL CHOOSE

A PRIVATE CHRISTIAN

EDUCATION.

AND HERE'S WHY.

Reporter: CHRISTIAN

COLLEGE STUDENTS OFTEN SAY

THEY SENSED SOMETHING

SPECIAL THE MOMENT THEY

WALKED ON TO THE CAMPUS.

IT WAS ALSO SUCH AN

ENCOURAGING ENVIRONMENT.

THERE WERE CHURCHES

EVERYWHERE.

INSTEAD OF BEING A MINORITY,

BEING A CHRISTIAN WAS THE

NORM.

I GOT TO KNOW A LOT OF MY

CLASSMATES REALLY WELL, AND

I THINK I DEVELOPED SOME

RELATIONSHIPS THERE THEY

LASTED THE REST OF MY LIFE.

I MET MY WIFE AT LIBERTY.

Reporter: AND

PROFESSORS OFTEN PROVIDE A

CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE, AT A

CRITICAL TIME IN YOUNG ADULT

LIFE.

THERE ARE SO MANY

DISTRACTIONS OUT THERE.

AND WHEN YOU'RE A COLLEGE

STUDENT, YOU'RE TRYING TO

FIGURE OUT WHO YOU ARE.

DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE

PARENTS BELIEVE?

AND GOING TO A CHRISTIAN

SCHOOL WAS -- IT ACTUALLY

LAID THE NECESSARY

FOUNDATION FOR MY CHRISTIAN

BELIEFS.

Reporter: SOME

GRADUATES HAVE ALSO FOUND AN

UNEXPECTED EDGE AS THEY

ENTERED THE PROFESSIONAL

WORLD.

I WAS REALLY PLEASED WHEN

I GRADUATED.

ONE OF MY EMPLOYERS TOLD ME

THAT HE LIKED HIRING PEOPLE

FROM -- WHO HAD GRADUATED

FROM CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITIES

BECAUSE THEY GENERALLY HAD A

GOOD WORK ETHIC AND DIDN'T

CAUSE THEM ANY PROBLEMS.

Reporter: THERE ARE

MANY BENEFITS TO A CHRISTIAN

EDUCATION.

AND IN HIS BOOK, WHY COLLEGE

MATTERS TO GOD, CORNERSTONE

UNIVERSITY'S RICK OSTRAND

OFFERS STUDENTS THE

CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.

Gordon: HE HAS WRITTEN

"WHY COLLEGE MATTERS TO

GOD," AND, RICK, THANKS FOR

BEING WITH US TODAY.

THANKS.

IT'S GREAT TO BE ON YOUR

SHOW.

Consuelo: LET'S

Gordon: LET'S GET RIGHT

TO IT, WHY DOES COLLEGE

MATTER TO GOD?

I WOULD SAY IT IS NOT

ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY THAT

EVERY CHRISTIAN GOES TO

COLLEGE, BUT I THINK IF

WE'RE GO TO DEVELOP

OURSELVES AND MAKE A

DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, A

COLLEGE EDUCATION IN OUR

SOCIETY DEFINITELY IS AN

IMPORTANT FACTOR IN

PREPARING US TO DO THAT.

Gordon: I THINK A LOT

OF AMERICANS DON'T KNOW THE

HISTORY OF COLLEGE

EDUCATION.

IT USED TO BE THE MAIN

PURPOSE WAS TO TRAIN YOU ON

HOW TO READ HEBREW AND GREEK

SO YOU CAN READ THE BIBLE IN

THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGES.

HARVARD -- AS YOUR BOOK

POINTS OUT, HARVARD HAD IT

AS ITS ORIGINAL MOTTO, THAT

IT WAS THERE TO SERVE THE

CHURCH.

AND YALE GOT FORMED BECAUSE

SOME CHURCHMEN THOUGHT

HARVARD HAD GOTTEN TWO

LIBERAL, AND THAT THEY HAD

CORRUPTED THEMSELVES, AND SO

THEY HAD TO GO INLAND A

LITTLE BIT AND GET A SECURE

PLACE SO THEY COULD TRAIN

PEOPLE TO BE PASTORS AND TO

BE EFFECTIVE CHRISTIANS IN

THE CULTURE.

WHY HAVE WE GOTTEN SO FAR

AWAY FROM THAT?

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU

HAVE?

THAT'S A LONG STORY.

AND, ACTUALLY, MY DOCTORAL

STUDY WAS IN THE AREA OF THE

AMERICAN RELIGIOUS HISTORY,

AND LOOKING AT THE HISTORY

OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGE AND

UNIVERSITIES.

I STUDIED WITH A MAN BY THE

NAME OF GEORGE MARSTEN WHO

HAS WRITTEN A LONG BOOK ON

THIS SUBJECT.

IT IS HARD TO REALLY PUT

THAT INTO A SHORT STORY.

BUT THE FACT IS OVER THE

LAST FEW HUNDRED YEARS, FOR

A NUMBER OF REASONS, HAVING

TO DO WITH SOCIAL FACTORS,

THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND

ENLIGHTENMENT PROCESS,

COLLEGES BEGAN TO

SECULARIZE.

YOU SEE A NUMBER OF PRIVATE

CHRISTIAN COLLEGES, SOME OF

WHICH WERE MENTIONED IN THE

OPENING THERE, THAT HAVE

RECLAIMED AND REALLY

REENVISIONED WHAT IT MEANS

TO LOVE GOD WITH THEIR MINDS

AND PREPARES STUDENTS TO DO

THAT.

SO WHILE I WOULD SAY THAT IT

HAS BEEN THE CASE THAT THERE

HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF

INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE

SECULARIZED THROUGHOUT

AMERICAN HISTORY, THE

YOUNG -- THE CHRISTIAN YOUNG

PERSON TODAY HAS A LOT OF

GOOD OPTIONS OUT THERE IF

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A GOOD

CHRISTIAN COLLEGE THAT IS

SOLID ACADEMICALLY, AS WELL

AS SOLID SPIRITUALLY.

Gordon: WHAT DOES IT

REALLY MEAN TO INTEGRATE

FAITH WITH LEARNING?

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND IT'S WHAT WE TALK ABOUT

AS CHRISTIAN COLLEGES, THEY

WE'RE HERE TO INTEGRATE

FAITH AND LEARNING.

ACTUALLY INTEGRATE IT WITH

WHAT WE DO IN THE

CLASSROOM.

I WOULD SAY INTEGRATING

FAITH IN LEARNING MEANS

APPLYING AND HAVING A

CHRISTIAN MOTIVATION FOR

STUDY.

WE BELIEVE THAT ALL CREATION

BELONGS TO GOD, IS WORTHY OF

STUDY, AND THAT HAS

CHRISTIANS, WE SHOULD BE

MORE INTERESTED, NOT LESS

INTERESTED, IN GOD'S

CREATION.

BUT IT ALSO APPLIES TO HOW

WE APPROACH A DISCIPLINE AS

WELL.

THAT THERE IS A CHRISTIAN

WORLD VIEW FOUNDATION THAT

WE APPLY TO THE DISCIPLINE.

AS A HISTORIAN, I HAVE

CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS, BASED

ON BEING A CHRISTIAN, THAT I

APPLY TO THE DISCIPLINE.

I BELIEVE THAT HUMAN BEINGS

MATTER.

THEY'RE MADE IN GOD'S

IMAGE.

THAT RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ARE

IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE, AND

THAT RELIGION CAN BE A

CAUSATIVE FACTOR THROUGHOUT

HISTORY.

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

WASN'T SIMPLY A SOCIAL AND

ECONOMIC CRISIS, BUT THERE

WERE RELIGIOUS MOTIVATIONS

TO THAT AS WELL.

IN ANY DISCIPLINE, THERE ARE

CHRISTIAN ASSUMPTIONS THAT

GO INTO HOW THE SCHOLAR

APPROACHES THAT DISCIPLINE.

SO I HOPE WHAT WE DO IN OUR

CLASSROOM AS TEACHERS IS

HELP OUR STUDENTS UNDERSTAND

THE CHRISTIAN DIMENSIONS OF

THAT DISCIPLINE, WHETHER IT

IS PSYCHOLOGY ARE

ECONOMICS.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE

IN THE DISCIPLINES, AND WHAT

DISCOVERIES DOES IT MAKE

THAT I'M A CHRISTIAN AND HOW

I APPROACH THE DISCIPLINE.

Gordon: LET ME TAKE THE

OTHER SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT,

AND I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT

INT INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, IF

YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR WORLD

VIEW SHAPING ALL OF YOUR

STUDIES, YOU'RE GOING TO

MISS OUT.

YOU'RE NO-HI NOT GOING TO

APPRECIATE THE VIEWPOINTS OF

OTHERS.

IT IS ALMOST LIKE DIVERSITIY

IS LOST IF YOU JUST COME AT

IT FROM A CHRISTIAN

PERSPECTIVE.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

WELL, FIRST OF ALL I

WOULD SAY THAT ANY

UNIVERSITY HAS A WORLD VIEW

THAT IT APPLIES TO

EDUCATION.

WHETHER THEY RECOGNIZE IT OR

NOT.

I ATTENDED A LARGE PUBLIC

UNIVERSITY.

IT WAS AN EXCELLENT

UNIVERSITY.

BUT IT DEFINITELY HAD A

PARTICULAR PERSPECTIVE THAT

WAS APPLIED NOT JUST TO THE

CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO

TO ACADEMICS AND THE

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES.

SO I THINK AT CHRISTIAN

COLLEGES, WE ARE UP FRONT

ABOUT WHAT THOSE ASSUMPTIONS

ARE THAT WE BRING TO THE

TABLE AS SCHOLARS.

AND SO I WOULD SEE THAT NOT

AS CONFINING BUT ACTUALLY AS

LIBERATING.

THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND WE

ONLY HIRE PROFESSORS WHO ARE

BELIEVING CHRISTIANS, BUT WE

GIVE THEM THE FREEDOM TO

DISCUSS ANY ISSUE IN THE

CLASSROOM, AND TO HELP

STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE

OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY, TO

QUESTION THEIR BELIEFS.

BUT WE DO SO PROVIDING AN

ATMOSPHERE WHERE STUDENTS

CAN ASK THE DIFFICULT

QUESTIONS AND HAVE FACULTY

TO HELP WORK THROUGH THOSE

QUESTIONS.

I DON'T SEE WHAT WE DO IS

INTELLECTUALLY CONFINING.

WE TRY TO BE FAIR TO ALL

PERSPECTIVES IN HOW WE PRO

TRAY THAT INFORMATION TO

STUDENTS AS WELL.

Gordon: IN YOUR BOOK,

YOU ENCOURAGE YOUR READERS

TO BE GLOBAL.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

OBVIOUSLY, WE LIVE IN A

GLOBAL SOCIETY, A GLOBAL

ECONOMY TODAY.

I THINK AS CHRISTIANS, IN

PARTICULAR, WE SHOULD BE

INTERESTED IN THE ENTIRE

WORLD OUT THERE AND THE

DIFFERENT CULTURES OF THE

WORLD.

IF WE'RE REALLY GOING TO

MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT

CHRISTIANS AND BE SUCCESSFUL

IN WHAT WE DO, WE NEED TO BE

GLOBALLY-MINDED, AND TO

INTERACT WITH PEOPLE FROM

OTHER CULTURES, TO WORK

COLLABORATELY WITH THEM, AND

TO UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION

THAT THE WORLD IS GOING IN,

AND BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH

THAT IN A POSITIVE,

PRODUCTIVE WAY AS

CHRISTIANS.

SO I REALLY SEE A

CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCE AS

REALLY ESSENTIAL TO A

CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

EDUCATION.

AND I THINK MOST, IF NOT

ALL, CHRISTIAN COLLEGES ARE

REALLY GOOD AT PROVIDING

THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR

STUDENTS TO GET OUT THERE

AND INTERACT WITH THE REST

OF THE WORLD, AND REALLY

UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN FAITH

AND THEIR OWN CULTURE BETTER

BY BEING OUT IN OTHER PARTS

OF THE WORLD AND SEEING JUST

WHAT GOD HAS CREATED AND HOW

CULTURES DIFFER.

RICK, THEC SO MUC THANK

YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH

US.

IT IS A BOOK CALLED "WHY

COLLEGE MATTERS TO GOD."

YOU CAN GO TO "700 CLUB

INTERACTIVE"

700clubinteractive.com ARE

IT IS AVAILABLE WHEREVER

BOOKS ARE SOLD.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

Gordon: HALLOWEEN MAY

BE MONTHS AWAY, BUT THAT

HASN'T STOPPED ONE BOY AS

DRESSING UP AS HIS FAVORITE

HERO.

I'M DAVID.

DAVID WITH BIG BECAUSE HE

KNEW GOD WAS WITH HIM.

Gordon: HEAR HOW

"SUPERBOOK" IS TEACHING THIS

CHILD LIFE'S MOST AVAILABLE

LESSON.

THAT'S NEXT.

Gordon: LIKE MANY

CHILDREN, 4-YEAR-OLD LEVI

LIKES TO COPY WHAT HE SEASON

TV.

AND THANKS TO CBN'S

"SUPERBOOK," HE HAS A GREAT

EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW.

Reporter: MOST LITTLE

BOYS HAVE A FAVORITE SUPER

HERO.

FOR 4-YEAR-OLD LEVI, IT

HAPPENS TO BE HIS FAVORITE

BIBLE CHARACTER.

I'M DAVID.

I GOT GOLIATH.

Reporter: LEVI LOVED TO

WATCH "SUPERBOOK'S" EPISODE

OF DAVID AND GOLIATH.

AS HE WATCHED THE D.V.D.

OVER AND OVER, AND I

LISTENED TO THE QUESTIONS HE

WAS ASKING ME, I RECOGNIZED

HE WAS REALLY ABSORBING THE

STORY.

HE SAW THE STRENGTH IN

DAVID, AND DAVID BEING A

LITTLE GUY, HE SAW THAT GOD

USED HIM AND THAT HE WAS A

BRAVE WARRIOR, AND THAT

REALLY STRUCK LEVI BECAUSE

LEVI WANTS TO BE A STRONG,

BRAVE WARRIOR.

DAVID WAS BRAVE BECAUSE

HE KNEW GOD WAS WITH HIM.

THE DAVID AND GOLIATH

STORY WAS A STORY IN WHICH

THERE REALLY WAS NO CHANCE

FOR DAVID TO WIN.

AND THERE REALLY WAS NO

CHANCE WITHOUT GOD.

AND FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO

SEE THAT AND SEE THE STONES

AND SEE THE ANIMATION REALLY

BROUGHT IT TO LIFE FOR HIM.

Reporter: MIKE AND

SARAH DON'T ALLOW MUCH

TELEVISION IN THEIR HOME,

HOWEVER, "SUPERBOOK" IS AN

EXCEPTION.

I LOVE "SUPERBOOK"

BECAUSE IT'S MY FAVORITE.

Reporter: BECAUSE OF

"SUPERBOOK," LEVI HAS

LEARNED ABOUT SCRIPTURE.

AND EVEN MEMORIZED THE

SALVATION POEM AT THE END OF

THE VIDEO.

AT THE END IT SAYS, JESUS

YOU DIED UPON A CROSS, AND

ROSE AGAIN TO SAVE THE

LOST.

FORGIVE ME NOW OF ALL MY

SINS.

COME MAKE MY DAY, DO OVER.

CHANGE MY LIFE AND MAKE IT

NEW, AND HELP ME, LORD, TO

LIVE FOR YOU.

YOU HAVE TO ASK PEOPLE IF

THEY KNOW JESUS.

I KNOW HE'S IN MY HEART, AND

I REALLY LOVE HIM.

Reporter: LEVI WEARS

THE DAVID COSTUME HIS MOM

MADE FOR HIM EVERY DAY.

BUT HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO

LOOK LIKE DAVID ON THE

INSIDE.

HE WANTED DAVID'S

ANOINTING.

I WANTED TO JUST BE

ANOINTED BECAUSE DAVID GOT

ANOINTED.

HE ASKED ME IF HE COULD

BE ANOINTED WITH OIL AND

WOULD HE GLOW LIKE DAVID

DID?

BECAUSE IN THE D.V.D., DAVID

GLOWS.

AND I EXPLAINED TO HIM

THAT'S THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I TOLD HIM, YES, HE WOULD

GLOW.

WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO SEE

IT, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT ON

HIM MAKES HIS LIFE GLOW.

LEVI WAS VERY SINCERE IN

WHAT HE WAS SAYING.

HE WAS REALLY INTERESTED AND

FIRM THAT HE WANTED TO DO

SOMETHING FOR GOD.

AS OPPOSED TO HEY, I THINK

IT IS A NICE IDEA TO GET OIL

POURED ON MY HEAD.

Reporter: HIS PARENTS

HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE

"SUPERBOOK" TO HELP HIM TO

UNDERSTAND HOW TO LEARN

LIFE'S LESSONS, SUCH AS HOW

TO TREAT HIS ONE AND A

HALF-YEAR-OLD SISTER.

IT MEANS A LOT THAT THE

PEOPLE WHO WORK ON

"SUPERBOOK" SPEND THEIR TIME

AND EFFORTS RESEARCHING IT.

THEY RESEARCH THE FIELD,

THEY RESEARCH ISRAEL, AND

THEY RESEARCH THE DETAILS

THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT,

THAT REALLY CAN MEAN A LOT.

IT MEANS A LOT TO ME THAT

THEY DO THAT, SO WE DON'T

HAVE TO EXPLAIN, WELL, IT

REALLY ISN'T LIKE THAT.

AND THEY'RE JUST KIND OF

TAKING SOME CREATIVE

LIBERTY.

MY SON, LEVI, TAKES THESE

STORIES TO HEART AND TAKES

IT AS TRUTH WHEN HE IS

WATCHING IT.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW

JESUS, SO YOU HAVE TO TELL

THEM ALL ABOUT JESUS.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO DECIDE

THAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOVE

JESUS AND OBEY HIM.

Gordon: I LOVE THE

STORY OF LEVI.

JUST IMAGINE CHILDREN

GETTING THE WORD OF GOD AND

RESPONDING TO IT.

WE WANT TO PUT THE WORDS OF

THE BIBLE IN THEIR MOUTHS SO

CHILDREN CAN LEARN WHAT

SCRIPTURE SAYS AND

UNDERSTAND THE STORIES.

WE WANTS TO BE FAITHFUL TO

THE STORY, TO THE STORY OF

THE BIBLE.

WE WANT TO SHOW THINGS FROM

AN AR ARCHEOLOGICAL

STANDPOINT ARE ACCURATE.

SO THIS SERIES CAN GO AROUND

THE WORLD.

WE CAN TAKE THE BIBLE TO THE

CHILDREN OF THE WORLD.

OUR PLAN IS TO TRANSLATE

THIS FROM ENGLISH INTO 37

DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, THAT

SHOULD BE DONE AND WE SHOULD

BE BROADCASTING IN HINDI AND

TAGALOG AND SPANISH AND

FRENCH.

AND IT IS ALL MADE POSSIBLE

BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU SAY,

YEAH, I WANT TO DO THAT, I

WANT TO TAKE THE BIBLE TO

THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD.

IF THAT'S YOU, IF YOU WANT

TO HELP US IN THE PRODUCTION

COST, IT IS A DESIGNATED

GIFT, THE MONEY GOES TO

SUPER, TRANSLATION,

DISTRIBUTION, AND WE'RE

CREATING CHURCH CURRICULUM,

AND FAMILY CURRICULUM, SO

FAMILIES CAN WATCH THE

EPISODES TOGETHER AND LEARN

MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE.

IF YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF

THAT, CALL US.

THE NUMBER IS

1-888-777-1999.

AND JUST SAY, I WANT TO HELP

OUT WITH "SUPERBOOK."

AND FOR A GIFT OF $25 OR

MORE, WE'LL SEND YOU THE

LATEST EPISODE, WHICH IS THE

10 COMMANDMENTS.

SO IF YOU WANT THAT, JUST A

GIFT OF $25 WILL GET YOU THE

LATEST ONE.

AND WE'VE GOT SOMETHING

SPECIAL CALLED THE

"SUPERBOOK" D.V.D. CLUB.

AND WHENEVER WE COME OUT

WITH A NEW EPISODE, NOT ONLY

ARE YOU THE FIRST TO GET IT,

BUT YOU GET TWO ADDITIONAL

D.V.D.s TO SHARE WITH YOUR

FAMILIES AND CHURCH.

SO YOU CAN HAVE THREE COPIES

OF EACH NEW EPISODE AS IT

COMES OUT.

THAT IS EVERY FOUR TO SIX

WEEKS, WHEN A NEW EPISODE IS

RELEASED, WE'LL CHARGE YOUR

CREDIT CARD $25 AND SHIP IT

RIGHT OUT FOR YOU.

YOU CAN CANCEL IT AT ANY

TIME IF YOU WANT TO.

CALL US.

1-888-777-1999.

UP NEXT, THE MAN WHO WALKED

1,000 MILES WHEN HE WAS JUST

SIX YEARS OLD.

FIND OUT WHY HE DID IT NEXT

ON "700 CLUB INTERACTIVE."

Gordon: WHEN MUSLIM

REBELS ATTACKED VILLAGES IN

SUDAN, THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN

FLED IN TERROR.

THEY TREKKED 1,000 MILES

ACROSS AFRICA, BAREFOOT AND

STARVING.

THOUSANDS DIED ON THE

JOURNEY, BUT ABRAHAM DANG

WAS THE ONE WHO SURVIVED,

AND THIS IS HIS REMARKABLE

STORY.

THE ENEMY WAS RUNNING

AFTER US, AND MY BEST

FRIEND, WHO WAS OLDER THAN

ME, GOT ME TO THE WATER.

BUT I TOLD HIM, I WOULD NOT

BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO

SWIM.

Reporter: ABRAHAM DING

WAS JUST 10 YEARS OLD WHEN

HE AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER

CHILDREN WERE DRIVEN FROM

REFUGEE CAMPS IN ETHIOPIA.

SO WE JUMP INTO THE WATER

AND WE GO TO THE OTHER

SIDE.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE

ON THE OTHER SIDE.

THEY ARE FINDING ABOUT 2,000

LOST BOYS AND GIRLS IN THE

RIVER.

AND SOME WERE EATEN BY

CROCODILES, AND SOME DROWNED

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW

TO SWIM.

Reporter: THIS WASN'T

THE FIRST TIME ABRAHAM'S

LIFE WAS THREATENED.

THE DANGER BEGAN THE DAY HE

FLED FROM ISLAMIC MILITANTS

ATTACKING HIS HOME VILLAGE

IN SUDAN.

HE WAS JUST SIX YEARS OLD.

WE TRIED TO COME BACK TO

THE CAMP, BUT WE MET SOME OF

THE GUYS WHO WERE RUNNING

INTO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS,

AND THEY TOLD US NOT TO GO

TO THE CAMP BECAUSE WE WOULD

GET KILLED.

Reporter: ABRAHAM AND

SOME OTHER GUYS RAN INTO THE

JUNGLE.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD GIVE

ME TIME AND THEN WE COULD GO

BACK TO THE CAMP AND SO MY

FAMILY IN THE VILLAGE.

BUT IT WASN'T POSSIBLE SO WE

GAME IN THE JUNGLE.

Reporter: IT BECAME

KNOWN AS THE LOST BOYS OF

SUDAN.

ABRAHAM DIDN'T KNOW WHY HE

WAS SEPARATED FROM HIS

FAMILY.

HE MISSED THEM AND WONDERED

IF HE WOULD EVER SEE THEM

AGAIN.

THEN A MAN CAME TO THEIR

CAMP AND GAVE HIM A MESSAGE

OF HOPE.

AFTER SOME WEEKS, THERE

WAS AN EVANGELIST WHO LED ME

TO CHRIST.

HE TALKED TO ME SEVERAL

TIMES, AND ALSO TO THE OTHER

KIDS, ABOUT HAVING HOPE AND

FAITH IN GOD.

AND SOME DAY HE WILL MAKE

YOU FAMILIES.

Reporter: OVER THE NEXT

DECADE, THE LOST BOYS

SEARCHED FOR A PLACE TO CALL

HOME.

I HAD ONLY A PAIR OF

SHORTS I WAS WEARING.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS

GOING.

SO I THOUGHT EVENTUALLY I

WILL DIE.

Reporter: ABRAHAM

WALKED MORE THAN 1,000 MILES

ACROSS AFRICA WITH BARE

FEET.

HE STAYED IN A REFUGEE CAMP

IN ETHIOPIA FOR FOUR YEARS,

AND IN A CAMP IN KENYA FOR

NINE.

THOUGH HE SURVIVED THE

JOURNEYS, MANY OF HIS

FRIENDS DID NOT.

SOME GOT KILLED, AND SOME

WERE EATEN BY THE LION

POPULATION IN THE AREA.

SOME DIED FROM OTHER

THINGS.

Reporter: ABRAHAM

EVENTUALLY HEARD THAT HIS

OWN FATHER AND FIVE UNCLES

HAD BEEN KILLED.

HIS MOTHER'S FATE WAS

UNKNOWN.

ABRAHAM ONLY KNEW THAT HE

MISSED HER.

THERE IS NOTHING MORE

THAN TO BE WITH YOUR MOTHER,

GIVE YOU A HUG, AND GIVE YOU

A REWARD WHEN YOU DO

SOMETHING GOOD.

YOU FIND YOURSELF TO BE

THERE BY YOURSELF, MISSING

ALL OF THAT COMFORT AND

PARENTAL LOVE AND CARE.

IT WAS SO DIFFICULT.

IT WAS SO BAD, YEAH.

Reporter: IT WOULD BE

19 LONG YEARS BEFORE HE

LEARNED WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS

MOTHER.

TODAY ABRAHAM IS NO LONGER A

LITTLE BOY TREKKING THROUGH

AFRICA.

HE IS A YOUNG MAN LIVING IN

THE UNITED STATES.

HE WAS ONE OF NEARLY 4,000

LOST BOYS RESETTLED HERE IN

AMERICA.

ONCE HERE, ABRAHAM WAS ON A

MISSION.

I WAS PRAYING IT WAS

POSSIBLE FOR ME TO GO TO

SCHOOL.

Reporter: GOD LISTENED

TO ABRAHAM'S PRAYERS.

THROUGH HEARD WORK AND

FAITH, HE MADE HIS WAY TO

SOUTHERN WESLEY UNIVERSITY

IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

THERE HE BEGAN STUDYING TO

BECOME A DOCTOR.

I'M GOING TO TOUCH

PEOPLE'S LIVES SPIRITUALLY

AND MEDICALLY.

AND I KNOW FOR SO MANY

REASONS GOD BROUGHT ME HERE

TO THE UNITED STATES.

TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT HE WANTS

ME TO DO, AND THAT IS

EDUCATION.

Reporter: AS ABRAHAM

FOLLOWED GOD'S WILL FOR HIS

LIFE, HIS PRAYERS CONTINUED

TO BE ANSWERED.

ONE DAY HE GOT A PHONE

CALL.

I WENT ON THE PHONE AND

TALKED TO THE GUY, AND HE

TOLD ME, ABRAHAM, YOU DON'T

KNOW ME FOR SURE, BUT I HAVE

GOOD NEWS FOR YOU.

YOUR MOM IS ALIVE AND SHE IS

A REFUGEE IN ETHIOPIA.

I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT.

Reporter: HIS NEW

FRIEND HELPED ARRANGE A

PHONE CALL BETWEEN HIS

MOTHER IN AFRICA.

MY MOM TOLD ME YOUR

SIBLINGS WANT YOU TO COME

AND SEE THEM, AND, BESIDES,

I'M GETTING OLD.

THAT BROKE MY HEART.

AND I SAID I KNOW YOU'RE

GETTING OLD, BUT GOD IS

OPENING THE WAY FOR ME TO

SEE YOU.

Reporter: AND GOD DID.

WITH DONATIONS FROM OTHER

CHRISTIANS, ABRAHAM WAS ABLE

TO RETURN TO AFRICA IN 2006,

AND HE FINALLY FELT HIS

MOTHER'S ARMS AROUND HIM FOR

THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG

TIME.

ONCE I FELT MY MOTHER'S

ARMS, MY WORLD WAS

COMPLETELY CHANGED.

I COULD NOT HELP BUT CRYING

WHEN I SAW MY MOTHER AND

OTHER SIBLINGS.

THEY HAVE THIS SMALL HOUSE,

AND THEY HAVE BEEN KISSING

ME AND CALLING ME WITH

DIFFERENT NICKNAMES THAT

THEY USED TO CALL ME WHEN I

WAS A LITTLE BOY.

AND IT WAS SUCH A DIFFERENT

TIME.

IT WAS LIKE A DIFFERENT

TIME.

AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO

EXPLAIN.

IT WAS SO AMAZING.

Reporter: ABRAHAM AND

HIS FAMILY WERE OVERJOYED BY

GOD'S ANSWE ANSWERS TO

THEIR PRAYERS.

BUT ABRAHAM WAS SADDENED BY

HIS FAMILY'S LIVING

CONDITIONS.

THERE WAS A REASON WHY

GOD LET ME TO GO THERE.

NOT ONLY TO SEE MY FAMILY,

BUT TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE

GOING THROUGH.

MY HEART WAS BROKEN WHEN I

WAS IN THE CAMP.

Reporter: HIS OWN

MOTHER WAS SUFFERING FROM

BOTH TYPHOID AND MALARIA.

HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW NEEDED

IMMEDIATE SURGERY.

FORTUNATELY, ENOUGH MONEY

HAD BEEN RAISED FOR ABRAHAM

TO PAY FOR THE SURGERY AND

TO HELP MANY OTHERS.

BUT ABRAHAM WANTS TO DO MUCH

MORE.

I GIVE MY LIFE TO GOD AND

SAY, GOD, USE ME FOR

WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.

SO PEOPLE HAVE TO COME INTO

YOUR KINGDOM, AND THAT'S

WHAT I CONSIDER MYSELF.

THE REASON I WANT TO BE A

DOCTOR IS BECAUSE THERE IS A

GOOD NEED OF DOCTORS IN MY

COUNTRY.

PEOPLE DIE BECAUSE OF SIMPLE

DISEASES.

PEOPLE DIE WITH NO HOPE.

AND TO BECOME A DOCTOR, I

KNOW I CAN HELP THE LIVES OF

THESE PEOPLE.

I CAN TELL THEM ABOUT GOD

AND TAKE CARE OF THEM

MEDICALLY, AND IF ONE DIES,

I WILL GIVE THEM THAT HOPE

TO DIE IN CHRIST.

SO THAT'S WHAT MY MISSION

IS.

I KNOW GOD IS GOING TO LET

ME ACCOMPLISH THAT.

Reporter: ABRAHAM HAS

RETURNED TO COLLEGE TO

FINISH HIS DEGREE.

HE PLANS TO GO TO AFRICA

AGAIN TO SEE HIS FAMILY AND

TO FULFILL HIS CALLING.

THOUGH HE HAS HAD TO

OVERCOME INTENSE PAIN AND

TRAGEDY IN HIS 25 YEARS,

ABRAHAM HAS ALSO GAINED AN

INDISTRUCTABLE FAITH.

I KNOW GOD IS GOING TO

USE ME IN SO MANY WAYS.

NOT ONLY IN SUDAN, BUT IN SO

MANY PLACES.

I SAY, GOD, THANK YOU SO

MUCH FOR LETTING ME SUFFER.

PERHAPS IF I DIDN'T SUFFER

MAYBE I WOULD NOT KNOW GOD.

Gordon: WHAT AN

INCREDIBLE STORY OF

VICTORY.

WHERE WE CAN DO ALL THINGS

THROUGH CHRIST, WHO

STRENGTHENS US.

IMAGINE GOING FROM THAT KIND

OF DEPRIVATION TO SAY I CAN

BE A DOCTOR.

I CAN BE AN M.D.

AND HAVING THE FAITH TO

OVERCOME.

THAT SAME FAITH CAN COME TO

YOU.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN

AMERICA ARE LOOKING AT THE

SITUATION AND SAYING THIS IS

REALLY BLEAK, AND PEOPLE ARE

WONDERING WHERE IS HOPE?

WELL, THERE IS HOPE IN

JESUS.

AND HE SAYS TO YOU, I KNOW

THE PLANS THAT I HAVE FOR

YOU, TO GIVE YOU A HOPE AND

A FUTURE.

AND THAT CAN BE FOR YOU.

IF YOU NEED PRAYER, IF YOU

NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE AGREE

WITH YOU IN PRAYER, JUST

CALL US.

IT IS OUR HONOR AND OUR

PRIVILEGE TO PRAY FOR YOU.

AND WE'RE HERE FOREYO FOR

YOU 24-HOURS A DAY.

IT IS A TOLL-FREE NUMBER,

1-888-777-1999.

THIS IS "700 CLUB

INTERACTIVE," AND WE WANT TO

INTERACT WITH YOU.

LET'S GO OVER TO MARGUERITE

AND FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING

ON IN THE CHATROOM.

HE SAYS, "I OBTAINED A

B.A. IN YOUTH MINISTRIES IN

1989 BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT

IS WHAT GOD WANTED.

I HAVE YET TO WORK FOR MONEY

IN YOUTH MINISTRIES.

AM I TO ASSUME THAT GOD

DOESN'T WANT ME TO BE A

YOUTH MINISTER?"

Gordon: GOD WANTS ALL

OF US TO BE MINISTERS.

HE SAYS I'VE CHOSEN YOU THAT

YOU WOULD GO AND BEAR FRUIT

AND YOUR FRUIT WOULD

REMAIN.

SOME OF US GET THE PRIVILEGE

OF WORKING FULL-TIME IN

MINISTRY, AND SOME OF US GET

THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING

PART-TIME, FOR FREE, IN

MINISTRY.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF

YOUTH MINISTERS, IT'S THE

SECOND, AS OPPOSED TO THE

FIRST.

I WOULD KEEP EXERCISING THE

GIFTS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN

YOU.

THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN

TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO

MODEL JESUS FOR THEM.

TO BE A WITNESS OF CHRIST IN

THEIR LIFE, TO LET THEM KNOW

THE ATTRIBUTES OF CHARACTER

THAT COME FROM JESUS.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO

KEEP DOING.

THAT'S WHY YOU GOT THE

DEGREE.

JUST START LOOKING FOR MORE

OPPORTUNITY.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE

FOR THIS PROGRAM.

WE LEAVE YOU WITH THESE

WORDS FROM PROVERBS: "A WISE

MAN WILL HEAR AND INCREASE

LEARNING, AND A MAN OF

UNDERSTANDING WILL OBTAIN

WISE COUNSEL."

GOD BLESS YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN.