Multicultural Church Ministry: How St. Stephen's Bridged the Gap with Pastor Jose Rivas

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: We want to
formally welcome Pastor Jose Rivas to

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the Health and Wealth and Wise podcast.

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And we're absolutely excited with
the information that he's going to

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share with us and with our audience.

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But what are some of the ministries
that you're involved with in addition

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to the overall pastoring part of
it, but individual ministries?

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Pastor Rivas: Well, I'm, uh, with
the mans at our church, the, uh,

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Um, and, uh, ministry, um, uh, now,
you know, um, most, a lot of the

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ministries fall under servants arm, uh,
ministry that we have on these things.

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And, uh, and we're part of that too.

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We're volunteers.

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We're helping that too.

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So service arms is the food bank.

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It's a food bank.

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That's St.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: Stephen's.

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Okay.

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Pastor Rivas: Yeah.

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It's a food bank.

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And, uh, under that, uh, there are
some other ministries too, too.

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Okay.

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Like, uh, Hands of Mercy that we
had sometime, you know, that we

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help the community, uh, around to
do, uh, let's say elderly people

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who, who need stuff to be done.

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Okay.

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Okay.

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There is that ministry that we used to do.

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Um, I hope to, I mean, the pandemic
came and, uh, we'll stop doing that set,

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uh, and that's, uh, we call it gotas
de bendición, which means, uh, drop of

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blessings in English to translate it.

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Uh, and that is a mission that we
do for the kids in El Salvador.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: Okay, so
you have a mission that you go

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to El Salvador with a group for
individuals in who live in El Salvador.

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Pastor Rivas: Yes.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: Okay.

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Pastor Rivas: Yeah, every every
February first week of February on

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and we've done it for I think it's
going to be the This, this coming

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year, we have done 18 years already.

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Okay.

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18 times.

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And last year we, we went there twice.

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All right.

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Because of the, uh, the event that
we have and also for Christmas.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: And what,
what is the purpose of that mission?

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What's your goal there?

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Pastor Rivas: Uh, the purpose
is just, the thing is to give

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to the kids of the village.

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Yes.

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Um, a happy day.

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Uhhuh.

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. Okay.

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You know what?

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To celebrate their birthday.

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That, that, that, that, that was our
goal when we started it, you know?

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Okay.

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Let's cut a cake, get some pinatas,
and let's celebrate our village.

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Uh, the kids, the children's of our,
our village are, you know, where

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we, uh, where, where I was born.

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You know, to, to, uh,
to bring this happy day.

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You know, this is a joyful
day on this, on these things.

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But then this thing grew.

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Okay?

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I mean, from, from 25 kids.

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The next times, uh, we had 250.

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Wow.

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So we saw the need, you know, to be
more, more logistic and more, uh, and

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with the, uh, we need to do something.

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That's when we started to do.

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So what we do now is just evangelize.

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Okay.

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And we have like, uh,
we have like a retreat.

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That day is a retreat that, uh,
according to the, their ages, uh,

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they, uh, we separate them, you know,
kids, children's kids, uh, uh, young

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people, young adults and, and older
people, all those, we, we do sessions.

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Got it.

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And which teach them
and, and, and help them.

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And, uh, the goal is just to let them know
that there is somebody who loves them.

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Understand

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: How large
is your team that you take with

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you from the US to El Salvador?

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Uh, to work with these kids.

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When, when, when you do go on your
mission trip, how many people go with you?

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Is it just you or, uh, just two.

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Uh,

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Pastor Rivas: it, there're usually five.

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My people who have been going with
us from here, right, right, uh, there

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have been times that were, there's
about seven go with us because the

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team, the bigger team is over there.

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Got it.

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On this thing.

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So, um, we have a church that
we have, uh, uh, the help us.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: So the five
that go with you, you work with

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the existing church in El Salvador
to provide these services to

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Pastor Rivas: this on this thing.

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So, uh, when we go over there, kind
of like, uh, um, um, when we take it,

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are the teachers who are, who are the
one that are coming with me, right?

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All those things.

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And then, and then all the,
you know, because it takes.

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To move 300 to 500 people, it
takes a lot of, uh, volunteers

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to go around on this thing.

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So, uh, most of the volunteers
come from, from over there.

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And also, and, and a good,
uh, good, uh, uh, thing too.

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Uh, there are volunteers who,
they're not even Christian.

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Okay, just part of the village, and,
uh, and then they're part of it on

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this thing, because this is one of
the things to the way we try to to do.

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It's a community event.

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Okay.

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Also, we, uh, we preach the word of God in
that, but if you wanna be a volunteer, you

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know, helping, guiding people that hey,
it's this way, or, or helping, assisting,

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uh, the kids in a classroom set, you know?

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And because that's how they have
been, uh, able to witness how we work.

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And now they are Christian.

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And now they are teaching.

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Amen.

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Amen.

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So, uh, it's, it's, it's, it's,
uh, it's a beautiful thing

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that has happened in that way.

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So we have learned in the
way, in the journey on this,

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on this thing, uh, you know.

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Okay.

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So right now it's, um, To do that.

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And our goal is to keep
multiplying disciples.

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Okay.

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Okay.

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In other words, to, for us to get out
of the way so they can work on it.

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Okay.

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So we can move somewhere else.

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Got it.

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And that's what we, uh, been doing.

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Uh, we've been, uh, we went to Costa
Rica too, uh, to do an event like that.

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Yes.

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Uh, we went to, uh.

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Um, did you go to Ecuador?

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Not yet.

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Ecuador, we're going this, uh, next month.

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Ah, okay.

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In June.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: So, so you're,
you're doing work, I was just trying

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to get my head around this, you,
you're doing international work, you're

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doing intra US work, you're doing
intra church work at your own church.

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How do you have time to do all that?

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You know, they're, they're 24 hours in
a, in a day and seven days in a week.

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How do you, how, how do
you get that strength?

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How, how, how did you learn that?

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I guess is what I'm trying to say.

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Pastor Rivas: Well, um, one
thing is that I, I am blessed to

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be, uh, staffed for the church.

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Okay.

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So that gives me the
opportunity to go outside.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: Got it.

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Pastor Rivas: Got it.

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You know, because if I were, uh, like
all my, all the pastors that I know,

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you know, and they are be vocational,
uh, you know, that they, that they're

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pastors, but they also work in the,
uh, they work in the, uh, And, uh,

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the workforce outside, you know, so
that, that will be very hard to do.

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Got it.

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So

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Dr. William T. Choctaw:
you're full time at St.

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Stephens as a part of the staff,
and that gives you the time, the

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time, flexibility, and the resources
to broaden the scope that you're

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able to provide to the community.

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Correct.

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Yes.

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Let me circle back to, you had
mentioned about Servants Arms and the

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work you were doing at the food bank.

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I had heard.

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That not not all that a major
part of the part of the work that

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you do at the food bank is that
you're in charge of the water.

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Explain to me, explain to me, explain
to me how that works at a food bank and

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and just just just tell me about that.

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Tell me about that.

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Pastor Rivas: Well, um, you,
you can't, you can't charge

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that account to your wife.

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Um, one of our, um, uh, uh,
representatives, uh, in, uh, for

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the city of La Puente or the county
of LA, you know, donated, donated

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a vending machine, a water machine.

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A water machine.

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Okay.

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On this thing.

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It's professional.

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It's, I mean, it has, um, all the
filters needed to have, uh, purify

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drinkable water on this thing.

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Out of, from the house, you know,
from, from, from the street water,

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you can see that vending machine and
all the filtration that is going on

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when it comes to the, to the other
end, you know, it's drinkable water.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: So the
people who come to the food bank

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to get food, because they can't
afford, they can also get water.

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Pastor Rivas: So we can do, what
we do is, that vending machine, you

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know, every day that we have a food
bank, we brought it, we bring it out.

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Okay.

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And is available to everyone to everyone
who wants water, free water on this thing.

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So uh, and you know, that,
that's how we see it.

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We connected, uh, you know, in
the morning and then after the,

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Food bank, uh, service is over.

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We'll put it back in.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: So people come
and get free food and then you're in

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charge of the free water part of that?

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Pastor Rivas: Right, right.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: Okay, okay, okay.

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Interesting.

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Once

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Pastor Rivas: the vending machine has
sat, you know, it has already just a

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knob to turn it on and turn it off.

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So they, they themselves do that.

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Oh, they, uh, and it has been a blessing
because there are some people who said,

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uh, excuse me, can I bring my five
gallon water bottle and fill it up?

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Yes.

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It's yours.

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Free?

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Yes, it's free.

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Yeah, it's, it's, It's, it's,
it's a blessing in there too, so.

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Dr. William T. Choctaw: And, and I
think that, and I, I agree with you,

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it, it is a blessing, and if, if one
has ever been hungry, if one has ever

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been thirsty, uh, then I'm sure one
can appreciate how important it is to

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be able to go to a place where, where
you can get free food and free water.

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You know, for yourself and your family.

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It's a big, big deal.

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And, and, and God bless you and all those
who, who work with you and the food bank

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and who, who, who, who do that mission.

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So, if you were advising a young
minister, uh, and let's say this

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is a young minister from Guatemala.

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And he, he's, he's, uh, he's just
finished school and he's, he's in

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the U S and he wants to get involved
with, um, uh, service and, and, and,

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um, and let's say he started a church.

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Maybe has about 10 people.

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What, what advice would you give
him just starting out since you've

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been doing a lot of this stuff
both locally and internationally?

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What, what direction would you give
him to, uh, to be effective as a

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leader, uh, of, of individuals?

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Pastor Rivas: Um, the first
thing I will say Uh, is that,

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you know, two is better than one.

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So, you have to get connected.

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Mm hmm.

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It doesn't matter how much you
have or how much power you have.

235
00:12:53,699 --> 00:12:56,890
I mean, it is a need to, to have somebody.

236
00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:01,970
And if it's young, Even though
sometimes we believe, and especially

237
00:13:01,970 --> 00:13:15,370
today's age, we know it all, it's
uh, how to say it, it's super vital,

238
00:13:15,550 --> 00:13:17,770
it's important to have a mentor.

239
00:13:18,990 --> 00:13:20,030
Okay, a mentor.

240
00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:20,760
Okay, got it.

241
00:13:21,815 --> 00:13:23,715
The two hours to go to on this.

242
00:13:23,725 --> 00:13:24,235
Yes.

243
00:13:24,435 --> 00:13:24,755
Yes.

244
00:13:24,965 --> 00:13:26,725
I agree on that.

245
00:13:27,425 --> 00:13:32,375
And just see the, uh, I mean,

246
00:13:35,705 --> 00:13:38,675
I think God is the one who opens doors.

247
00:13:38,735 --> 00:13:39,235
Okay.

248
00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:44,959
You know, and if your desire is that,
then God is the one who's going to

249
00:13:44,959 --> 00:13:53,520
be open, opening doors for that, you
know, and so you will have to, uh, see

250
00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:58,030
what it's, see, I had a mentor, uh,
just to give an example, my, my pastor

251
00:13:58,099 --> 00:14:01,340
that I grew up with on this thing.

252
00:14:01,350 --> 00:14:07,060
So, uh, and now when I came to be
a pastor, uh, to plant the church.

253
00:14:07,715 --> 00:14:14,885
You know, even that, uh, there was a,
uh, uh, distance from my previous pastor.

254
00:14:15,135 --> 00:14:15,615
Yes.

255
00:14:15,694 --> 00:14:17,645
And I was working with this pastor.

256
00:14:18,014 --> 00:14:18,405
Okay.

257
00:14:18,464 --> 00:14:23,885
So I needed to contact this pastor to
have more connection with this pastor.

258
00:14:24,870 --> 00:14:25,160
Okay.

259
00:14:25,635 --> 00:14:31,495
In other words, it is more, uh, you
have to be, uh, you have to have a

260
00:14:31,495 --> 00:14:33,265
mentor person that you have to go to.

261
00:14:33,715 --> 00:14:34,135
Okay.

262
00:14:34,225 --> 00:14:34,944
Makes sense.

263
00:14:34,944 --> 00:14:38,815
And probably that's, that's
because of also who I am.

264
00:14:39,255 --> 00:14:41,855
What gets you to be a pastor.

265
00:14:42,145 --> 00:14:42,685
Yes.

266
00:14:42,819 --> 00:14:48,065
Um, and I became a Christian.

267
00:14:48,355 --> 00:14:49,405
I was a leader.

268
00:14:49,555 --> 00:14:53,255
I was serving as a, uh, in church.

269
00:14:53,575 --> 00:14:56,395
But to become a pastor,
it was not in my mind.

270
00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:57,490
Got it.

271
00:14:57,930 --> 00:15:03,680
You know, um, but it was a point
that, uh, and that's what, uh, I,

272
00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:10,150
I knew I had a calling because of
the, of the way God revealed to me.

273
00:15:10,609 --> 00:15:11,060
Okay.

274
00:15:11,319 --> 00:15:11,889
On this thing.

275
00:15:11,889 --> 00:15:19,289
So I, I, I went from the, the youth,
uh, from the youth being, being in

276
00:15:19,470 --> 00:15:28,020
the youth group, you know, to Asher,
Deacon, to be a pastoral assistant.

277
00:15:28,595 --> 00:15:29,075
Dr. William T. Choctaw: Okay.

278
00:15:29,435 --> 00:15:34,195
Pastor Rivas: And then one day the pastor
said, um, what are you waiting for?

279
00:15:35,715 --> 00:15:40,734
I mean, uh, cause the next thing is
just to, you know, uh, how do you

280
00:15:40,734 --> 00:15:42,544
say when the government is overtaken?

281
00:15:42,575 --> 00:15:44,145
You know, they take away the president.

282
00:15:44,745 --> 00:15:45,035
Right.

283
00:15:45,104 --> 00:15:45,404
Right.

284
00:15:45,965 --> 00:15:49,134
That's the next just
to overthrow, you know.

285
00:15:49,814 --> 00:15:50,154
Dr. William T. Choctaw: Right.

286
00:15:50,874 --> 00:15:52,595
You're the designated survivor.

287
00:15:52,595 --> 00:15:54,425
I understood.

288
00:15:55,925 --> 00:16:01,335
Pastor Rivas: But, um, I was so
comfortable serving, you know,

289
00:16:01,335 --> 00:16:03,234
that I, uh, I didn't see that.

290
00:16:03,865 --> 00:16:07,945
But then I start, uh, start
playing and the same need of Yes.

291
00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:18,360
Uh, you know that there is a point in my
life that there's a need to do more so

292
00:16:18,370 --> 00:16:20,650
that that's when God start opening doors.

293
00:16:21,870 --> 00:16:27,449
And the way I didn't see it, uh, to be
a pastor because I was completely 100

294
00:16:27,449 --> 00:16:32,319
percent comfortable and I will love my
job, my, my, what I was doing over there.

295
00:16:32,635 --> 00:16:33,045
Right.

296
00:16:33,125 --> 00:16:34,085
That was my family.

297
00:16:34,085 --> 00:16:39,105
I mean, in my, my church, uh,
like I said, I mean, I, I grew

298
00:16:39,105 --> 00:16:41,835
up just in one, in that church.

299
00:16:42,275 --> 00:16:42,654
Uh huh.

300
00:16:42,805 --> 00:16:44,185
I converted there.

301
00:16:44,375 --> 00:16:45,714
I was baptized there.

302
00:16:45,905 --> 00:16:49,704
My girlfriend there, uh
huh, she's now my wife.

303
00:16:49,704 --> 00:16:50,265
So I.

304
00:16:50,444 --> 00:16:50,564
Okay.

305
00:16:51,329 --> 00:16:52,450
Got married there.

306
00:16:52,649 --> 00:16:54,329
My kids were born in there.

307
00:16:54,589 --> 00:17:00,040
So that was my family
for me to see me outside.

308
00:17:01,079 --> 00:17:04,789
But like I said, it is the
relationship that God has with you.

309
00:17:05,899 --> 00:17:06,709
It comes to that.

310
00:17:06,710 --> 00:17:12,829
So it's very important to have a, uh,
uh, a mentor that you can go to and to

311
00:17:12,839 --> 00:17:17,030
be honest with God in that relationship
that you have, and that will be open.

312
00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:18,220
That will open doors.

313
00:17:18,415 --> 00:17:18,685
You know,

314
00:17:18,865 --> 00:17:21,575
Dr. William T. Choctaw: but isn't that
the way it appears to happen a lot

315
00:17:21,575 --> 00:17:26,474
of times that we, we get comfortable
wherever we are, whatever we're doing.

316
00:17:26,474 --> 00:17:29,724
And God says, you know, I
understand all that, but I've got

317
00:17:29,725 --> 00:17:31,115
some other work for you to do.

318
00:17:31,765 --> 00:17:35,045
And a lot of times that
work, at least initially, uh,

319
00:17:35,045 --> 00:17:36,774
involves getting uncomfortable.

320
00:17:37,214 --> 00:17:43,115
And then that uncomfortability,
comfortability is a part of growth.

321
00:17:43,695 --> 00:17:48,135
That, that, that if you, um, and I'll
just make a general say if everybody,

322
00:17:48,135 --> 00:17:52,815
you know, if you comfortable and
everything is perfect, maybe you aren't

323
00:17:52,815 --> 00:17:57,825
moving in the direction that you wanna
move in, or that may not last forever.

324
00:17:57,830 --> 00:18:01,545
And I, and I think that that's
certainly a good message, uh, to,

325
00:18:01,545 --> 00:18:03,615
to have and, and to understand

326
00:18:04,365 --> 00:18:09,035
Pastor Rivas: and, and let, and
let me throw you, uh, uh, one

327
00:18:09,035 --> 00:18:11,525
of the things personally that.

328
00:18:11,985 --> 00:18:14,715
Because we're coming from a
church, a planter churches,

329
00:18:14,755 --> 00:18:16,465
you know, uh, from our church.

330
00:18:17,035 --> 00:18:24,485
Uh, they're, uh, the pastor planted
like about 12 to 14 churches.

331
00:18:24,935 --> 00:18:25,355
Dr. William T. Choctaw: Okay.

332
00:18:25,515 --> 00:18:27,334
Now, what is the planter church?

333
00:18:27,654 --> 00:18:28,204
I'm not familiar.

334
00:18:28,204 --> 00:18:34,335
Pastor Rivas: Planter church, it's a
church who sends out, uh, ministers.

335
00:18:34,830 --> 00:18:35,200
Okay.

336
00:18:35,470 --> 00:18:35,930
Church.

337
00:18:36,450 --> 00:18:37,100
Oh, okay.

338
00:18:37,149 --> 00:18:37,550
Okay.

339
00:18:37,550 --> 00:18:37,989
Got it.

340
00:18:37,989 --> 00:18:38,429
Got it.

341
00:18:38,430 --> 00:18:39,680
So they plant a church.

342
00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:40,460
Got it.

343
00:18:40,460 --> 00:18:41,730
A daughter church.

344
00:18:42,030 --> 00:18:42,420
Right.

345
00:18:42,420 --> 00:18:42,670
Right.

346
00:18:42,730 --> 00:18:42,930
Right.

347
00:18:42,930 --> 00:18:44,370
Uh, from the mother church.

348
00:18:44,540 --> 00:18:45,030
Okay.

349
00:18:45,100 --> 00:18:45,500
Okay.

350
00:18:45,790 --> 00:18:50,779
So it sends, uh, you know, he, he
will train us and then it start

351
00:18:50,820 --> 00:18:55,560
going, uh, you know, you go to,
uh, this city, go to that city.

352
00:18:56,175 --> 00:18:57,435
You know, starting a church.

353
00:18:57,705 --> 00:18:58,605
Got it, got it.

354
00:18:58,940 --> 00:19:00,195
On, on, on, on that.

355
00:19:00,525 --> 00:19:07,005
So, um, when I was there, like in
my life, said, uh, and the, and

356
00:19:07,005 --> 00:19:12,235
the pastor said, your wife and you,
you know, you guys are ready to.

357
00:19:13,100 --> 00:19:14,360
to go to go.

358
00:19:15,060 --> 00:19:20,410
And it says, and I tell the
pastor that that time is it?

359
00:19:20,650 --> 00:19:23,240
Well, God hasn't say anything to me yet.

360
00:19:30,249 --> 00:19:31,599
Because it's the same thing.

361
00:19:31,650 --> 00:19:33,480
You know, I mean, I'm being honest.

362
00:19:34,010 --> 00:19:36,860
Um, but, uh, you know, Pastor

363
00:19:36,860 --> 00:19:39,500
Dr. William T. Choctaw: Rivas,
he was whispering to you.

364
00:19:39,895 --> 00:19:40,524
Pastor Rivas: Yeah, yeah.

365
00:19:42,110 --> 00:19:47,450
, I was praying, but, uh, you
know, uh, that, that, how,

366
00:19:47,470 --> 00:19:48,730
how many years ago was that?

367
00:19:49,409 --> 00:19:51,125
I, I, I'm not a man of faith.

368
00:19:51,125 --> 00:19:55,895
I mean, I have to, all you have
to do, just put it in my heart.

369
00:19:56,610 --> 00:19:57,000
Uh huh.

370
00:19:57,590 --> 00:20:03,660
But when I do it, there is a
conviction, you know, and not

371
00:20:03,660 --> 00:20:05,525
a convincing thing, right?

372
00:20:05,525 --> 00:20:06,144
Right.

373
00:20:06,144 --> 00:20:06,762
Right.

374
00:20:06,762 --> 00:20:14,330
Conviction that I can give my life to
it, you know, uh, and I will ask for

375
00:20:14,825 --> 00:20:20,125
Uh, for lifetime, not, not only for
a, a, a, a period of time on this.

376
00:20:20,195 --> 00:20:20,625
Got it.

377
00:20:20,675 --> 00:20:21,035
Got it.

378
00:20:21,065 --> 00:20:27,804
So, uh, I know that was, uh, it
was, uh, like getting married and,

379
00:20:27,805 --> 00:20:32,165
and, and being in the ministry,
it's one of the biggest decisions.

380
00:20:32,590 --> 00:20:33,280
They got it.

381
00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:33,910
I missed it.

382
00:20:35,300 --> 00:20:38,180
Dr. William T. Choctaw: So, so what
is, so you, you, you've come from

383
00:20:38,180 --> 00:20:42,729
El Salvador, you got married there,
you, you grew, you come to the U.

384
00:20:42,729 --> 00:20:42,979
S.

385
00:20:42,979 --> 00:20:47,389
and you've done sort of great things from
bringing people to Christ to actually

386
00:20:47,389 --> 00:20:49,740
passing out free water at the food bank.

387
00:20:50,199 --> 00:20:52,880
Uh, what, what, what is your next?

388
00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:53,780
Big step.

389
00:20:56,850 --> 00:20:56,860
Pastor Rivas: Oof.

390
00:20:58,530 --> 00:20:59,670
Dr. William T. Choctaw: I
think I'm comfortable now.

391
00:20:59,739 --> 00:20:59,949
Nah.

392
00:21:03,650 --> 00:21:05,230
You're still waiting on that whisper.

393
00:21:05,230 --> 00:21:05,900
Okay.

394
00:21:05,900 --> 00:21:08,280
Yeah.

395
00:21:08,685 --> 00:21:17,485
Pastor Rivas: My, my big step,
uh, what I, what I am trying to

396
00:21:17,495 --> 00:21:19,925
do now, you know, is make St.

397
00:21:19,925 --> 00:21:25,344
Stephen Espanol, uh, to grow.

398
00:21:26,094 --> 00:21:26,464
Okay.

399
00:21:27,020 --> 00:21:27,870
And disciple.

400
00:21:28,770 --> 00:21:29,200
Okay.

401
00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:34,280
Disciple and to be a teacher,
to be a, that's why I'm in

402
00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:36,850
the way of doing the ministry.

403
00:21:37,330 --> 00:21:43,979
I, you know, I, uh, my teaching
is a very, very big part of it.

404
00:21:43,980 --> 00:21:54,119
In other words, if I do a synergy group,
uh, my next step is to get somebody who

405
00:21:54,119 --> 00:22:01,160
can assist me, but in a due time that he
can replace me so I can do something else.

406
00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,869
So, uh, and leave that
synergy group with this group.

407
00:22:04,869 --> 00:22:11,959
So, um, my, my next step
is, uh, do this foundation.

408
00:22:11,959 --> 00:22:16,739
You know, and.

409
00:22:17,700 --> 00:22:19,280
to multiply.

410
00:22:19,950 --> 00:22:20,400
Got it.

411
00:22:20,750 --> 00:22:26,770
That's my work and my, my, my,
my, my desire and my whole thing

412
00:22:26,780 --> 00:22:29,710
that I do locally on these things.

413
00:22:30,129 --> 00:22:35,349
Um, that I can have teachers coming
out of the Spanish ministry, they

414
00:22:35,349 --> 00:22:38,090
can have people with convictions.

415
00:22:38,419 --> 00:22:40,050
Yes, people converted.

416
00:22:40,129 --> 00:22:41,699
I know what they can make.

417
00:22:42,220 --> 00:22:48,929
Uh, they can shape, you know, like you
said, uh, in your program, you know, to

418
00:22:48,940 --> 00:22:53,600
be the change they wanted to be the world.

419
00:22:53,769 --> 00:22:53,879
Okay.

420
00:22:54,100 --> 00:22:54,269
Okay.

421
00:22:55,499 --> 00:22:56,840
That kind of things.

422
00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:05,600
To, to, to promote that on this
thing and, and, and also to, um, uh,

423
00:23:06,510 --> 00:23:15,419
merge in, uh, uh, more in a multi
ethnic, uh, kind of, uh, service.

424
00:23:15,679 --> 00:23:16,090
Okay.

425
00:23:16,289 --> 00:23:16,369
Okay.

426
00:23:17,129 --> 00:23:24,189
On, on this thing, so, uh, different
events, uh, uh, things like that nature

427
00:23:24,830 --> 00:23:29,720
to, to make that foundation solid.

428
00:23:29,870 --> 00:23:32,069
Okay.

429
00:23:32,730 --> 00:23:33,120
Dr. William T. Choctaw: Okay.

430
00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:34,230
Pastor Rivas: That's

431
00:23:34,490 --> 00:23:34,710
Dr. William T. Choctaw: okay.

432
00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:36,550
And that's definitely a need.

433
00:23:36,590 --> 00:23:42,840
You know, if certainly there was any time
to have multiethnic service and growth

434
00:23:42,900 --> 00:23:47,149
in teaching is now, you know, with with
some things trying to go in the opposite

435
00:23:47,149 --> 00:23:49,294
direction, and I certainly abroad you.

436
00:23:50,235 --> 00:23:55,445
for your leadership, and I applaud
you for the team that you've assembled

437
00:23:55,445 --> 00:23:59,915
and those who are working with
you to take on this awesome task.

438
00:23:59,934 --> 00:24:04,444
You know, many are running in the
opposite direction, but you're,

439
00:24:04,445 --> 00:24:07,975
you're, you're running toward the fire
instead of running away from the fire.

440
00:24:08,375 --> 00:24:12,125
But I think that's because God has
anointed you as a leader and, and

441
00:24:12,125 --> 00:24:14,835
has put on your heart to do this.

442
00:24:15,165 --> 00:24:16,995
We want to be respectful of your time.

443
00:24:17,025 --> 00:24:21,899
Is there any Any, any last words
or any, any words of wisdom you'd

444
00:24:21,899 --> 00:24:23,639
like to leave our audience with?

445
00:24:24,090 --> 00:24:29,080
Pastor Rivas: I think God is perfect.

446
00:24:30,669 --> 00:24:37,760
I think God is omniscient and omnipotent.

447
00:24:39,799 --> 00:24:48,029
And the reason I want to say that is
that, um, if he made us, he made us

448
00:24:48,574 --> 00:24:51,815
With the purpose because he is perfect.

449
00:24:52,445 --> 00:24:58,075
And every single one of us has
a purpose and he equipped us.

450
00:24:59,300 --> 00:25:00,530
For that purpose.

451
00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:01,390
Yes.

452
00:25:01,470 --> 00:25:10,180
So, uh, it is us, uh, that we need
to find that purpose in the sense.

453
00:25:10,180 --> 00:25:15,650
But once we know him, we're going to
obviously by by default, we're going to

454
00:25:15,650 --> 00:25:18,630
know what we were made for on this things.

455
00:25:19,229 --> 00:25:28,010
Um, and what would I say is
that there is, you know, What

456
00:25:28,020 --> 00:25:33,709
we need is to be who we are.

457
00:25:34,309 --> 00:25:34,529
Yes.

458
00:25:34,830 --> 00:25:36,920
Whoever we are.

459
00:25:38,580 --> 00:25:42,219
I'm talking about to be who we
are, not who we think we are.

460
00:25:43,370 --> 00:25:44,019
Dr. William T. Choctaw: Understood.

461
00:25:44,929 --> 00:25:47,560
Pastor Rivas: Because who
we are is who God made us.

462
00:25:47,699 --> 00:25:48,179
Yes.

463
00:25:48,590 --> 00:25:49,140
Understand?

464
00:25:49,500 --> 00:25:54,590
So, to, to be who God,
uh, who God made us to be.

465
00:25:55,505 --> 00:25:56,645
, you're not gonna be wrong.

466
00:25:57,965 --> 00:25:58,415
Understood.

467
00:25:58,415 --> 00:26:02,995
We're gonna make, we're gonna, we're
going to make mistakes, obviously, right?

468
00:26:02,995 --> 00:26:07,035
Uh, but you know,
everything is going to be.

469
00:26:07,685 --> 00:26:11,935
For the right reason, for the right
purpose, you know, uh, all things

470
00:26:11,935 --> 00:26:17,065
come, I mean, work for good, says,
says Romans, uh, chapter eight, right?

471
00:26:17,335 --> 00:26:22,974
So, uh, don't try to be anybody else.

472
00:26:23,915 --> 00:26:24,315
Right.

473
00:26:25,094 --> 00:26:30,764
Imitate their faith, but
not their personality.

474
00:26:31,345 --> 00:26:31,845
Got it.

475
00:26:32,165 --> 00:26:37,655
You know, because, uh, um, if you
imitate somebody's personality,

476
00:26:37,865 --> 00:26:39,564
you're in the wrong direction already.

477
00:26:39,565 --> 00:26:39,584
Right.

478
00:26:41,755 --> 00:26:50,175
There is no power as to be
honest and to be who you are in

479
00:26:50,225 --> 00:26:51,995
terms of influencing somebody.

480
00:26:53,005 --> 00:26:59,445
You're not going to influence the whole
world, but if you're honest, if you're,

481
00:27:00,095 --> 00:27:06,714
uh, if you're truthful to yourself, even
with our mistakes, even with our faults,

482
00:27:07,524 --> 00:27:10,485
you're going to make the most influence.

483
00:27:11,115 --> 00:27:13,165
Whatever you are on those things.

484
00:27:13,685 --> 00:27:18,185
And one of the things is,
uh, I will say too, is

485
00:27:22,655 --> 00:27:26,355
not to worry so much for the past.

486
00:27:27,530 --> 00:27:27,990
Okay.

487
00:27:29,330 --> 00:27:31,090
And don't be anxious for the future.

488
00:27:32,949 --> 00:27:34,060
God is in control.

489
00:27:34,540 --> 00:27:34,960
Right.

490
00:27:35,879 --> 00:27:42,770
Because if you worry for the past, or
you be anxious for the future, this

491
00:27:42,770 --> 00:27:48,250
day is going to pass, and you're not
going to, you're not going to delight.

492
00:27:50,540 --> 00:27:56,860
So I heard somebody say that he
decided not to have any bad days.

493
00:28:00,190 --> 00:28:03,809
So, and that's my philosophy,
if philosophy, we're going

494
00:28:03,810 --> 00:28:05,279
to call it philosophy too.

495
00:28:06,210 --> 00:28:07,459
You know, God is perfect.

496
00:28:07,935 --> 00:28:13,574
Yes, I submission and he gave
me the strength to get up

497
00:28:13,574 --> 00:28:16,195
this morning for a purpose.

498
00:28:16,725 --> 00:28:19,495
So I will say this is the
day that the Lord has made.

499
00:28:19,504 --> 00:28:22,054
I shall be glad and rejoice in it.

500
00:28:22,304 --> 00:28:23,655
Even though it's cloudy.

501
00:28:24,105 --> 00:28:24,905
Praise God.

502
00:28:25,445 --> 00:28:25,775
Amen.

503
00:28:26,385 --> 00:28:28,004
And that's okay.

504
00:28:28,005 --> 00:28:35,554
I'm just saying, so only see
the, the heart is the only one

505
00:28:35,554 --> 00:28:37,395
who can talk to another heart.

506
00:28:37,965 --> 00:28:38,605
Dr. William T. Choctaw: Understood.

507
00:28:39,054 --> 00:28:39,494
Great.

508
00:28:39,825 --> 00:28:43,915
Thank you so much, Pastor Rivas, for
sharing your valuable time with us.

509
00:28:44,274 --> 00:28:48,294
Um, just even thinking about all the
things that you've discussed this

510
00:28:48,294 --> 00:28:52,805
morning with us and the things that
you're doing makes, Uh, us appreciative

511
00:28:52,805 --> 00:28:55,545
of even how more valuable your time is.

512
00:28:55,575 --> 00:28:58,745
But thank you for stopping by
and sharing your words of wisdom.

513
00:28:59,165 --> 00:29:02,565
May God continue to bless and keep
you and your members and your church.

514
00:29:02,575 --> 00:29:09,245
And, um, um, and I am convinced that there
are going to be great things even more.

515
00:29:09,545 --> 00:29:12,965
That we're going to be hearing
from you and, and, and, uh,

516
00:29:13,004 --> 00:29:14,675
our team, including you.

517
00:29:15,315 --> 00:29:15,905
Okay.

518
00:29:16,145 --> 00:29:18,425
Well, Pastor Rivas, you
have a wonderful day.

519
00:29:18,694 --> 00:29:22,584
Uh, and in any last comments,
I, I'll give you the last word.

520
00:29:23,224 --> 00:29:24,325
Pastor Rivas: Oh, thank you.

521
00:29:24,344 --> 00:29:25,474
Thank you for having me.

522
00:29:25,474 --> 00:29:27,374
And it's really been a pleasure.

523
00:29:27,474 --> 00:29:33,445
And obviously we look forward to, uh,
you know, to be in contact and to work.

524
00:29:34,450 --> 00:29:35,790
With you and by you.

525
00:29:36,580 --> 00:29:37,070
Dr. William T. Choctaw: Okay.

526
00:29:37,180 --> 00:29:37,660
All right.

527
00:29:38,140 --> 00:29:43,330
Well, God bless and, uh, be the
change you want to see in the world.

528
00:29:43,330 --> 00:29:46,520
All right, take care.

529
00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:47,160
Bye bye.

530
00:29:47,500 --> 00:29:47,719
Thank you.

531
00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:48,840
Thank you Pastor Rivas.

532
00:29:49,130 --> 00:29:49,670
Bye bye.

533
00:29:50,029 --> 00:29:50,379
Bye.