VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE # 158
AIR DATE 01 22 2021
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Exploring Faith
((SOT))
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Lord, you meet us in the darkest places of our lives.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
With the virus that we’ve had this year, it’s just been difficult
for people. We don’t get to fellowship anymore and church
has been cancelled.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Replenishing the Earth
((SOT))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
You know, I like the idea of sustainability, of doing something
that has purpose and trying to make the world a better
place. I mean, I'm not fully committed. I drive a pickup truck
and I eat meat. But the idea of recycling just makes a lot of
sense to me.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Keeping Things Tidy
((SOT))
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
Far as the clients go, that stays here, some is good, some is
bad, some is rotten. With some people, I’ll be wondering, do
they treat their houses, their places like that?
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) FAITH DURING COVID
((TRT: 12:45))
((Banner:
Faith
Evangelical Christian))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martínez))
((Map: Fallon, Nevada))
((Main characters: 1 female))
((Sub characters: 4 males; 3 females))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
My name is Wende Hook and I work at His Inspirations in
Fallon, Nevada.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
His inspirations. How can I help you?
Good. I have your two Bibles in for your sisters.
Okay, no worries. It'll be under the counter for you whenever
you get a chance. Okay. Bye. Thank you.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
This is a Christian book and gift store. We specialize in
honoring Jesus. We sell Bibles mostly and books, lots of
Christian gifts, wall art, kids’ books and all sorts of different
things for all occasions.
((Popup Banner: 1 in 4 US adults identifies with
evangelical Protestant Christians, believing that a spiritual
rebirth or being “born again” is central to receiving salvation.
: Pew Research Center))
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
It's a needed location. It's a ranching community and a Navy
base that's here and we have our churches, but I think
having this outlet where people don't feel judged when they
feel the love of Christ, when they feel accepted for whatever
reason, I think they've needed it. I know I did. So, having it
here has helped me.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Yes ma'am. I sure do.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
I was a teacher for a few years and living a great life, a very
blessed life at the time and God decided that my life needed
to change.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
My husband at the time was a pilot, flew the F-18s. He had
children down in California and he also had purchased a
small Cessna to go down and pick up the girls. So, he, on
Memorial Day weekend of 2009, he flew down to get them
on Friday night, flew over our house. We lived a little bit out
and he flew over the house and that's when I put the pizza in
the oven because that's what they wanted. And he waved at
me like he always did. They didn't make it. They crashed
right outside the airport, less than 200 feet [60 meters] from
the runway and they all perished. So, it was him and three
of my four stepdaughters that perished.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
I was in shock for quite a while. It seemed like it was just
beyond hard. My mind was being attacked by the devil. But
God was there too. I could feel Jesus right beside me
through all of it, even though some days my mind was less
evident of it, but I know he was there.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
My business partner, Carrie, she met with me and we went
and had coffee and she said, “Hey, you've always loved
books. So, let's open a bookstore that will honor God.”
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
By November 23rd, we were open. God just flew open
doors. We just wanted people to have the availability to get
a Bible, to walk into a store and pray or be prayed with.
((NATS))
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Lord, you meet us in the darkest places of our lives and I
know you've done that for this woman and you've brought
joy and light and hope into her life again. We love you
Jesus. In your name we pray. Amen.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Amen. Thank you so much.
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Yeah. Thank you.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
You are such a blessing to me.
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
All righty. Back to work.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Hold on. 29.11, right? Jeremiah 29.11. “For I know the
plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare
and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”
That's my mantra. That's everything I've based my life upon
since 2009. Didn't know what was going on and then I found
that verse and I thought, “Okay, he knows. He knows what
this is going to be, that he knows what he's going to do with
my life and how he's going to use me.” I will help you find
Jesus. You know. I think that's where he took my teaching
and changed it into this.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Use us to be instruments of your word, Lord.
Bring them to us and help us to help them, Lord.
In your heavenly name we pray. Amen.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Good morning. How are you today? Can I help you with
anything?
((Customer))
We are just looking for some Christmas gifts.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Okay. Oh, this is this is the best time of year. This is
Christmas. This is when we celebrate the Lord's birth. And
with the virus that we've had this year, it's just been difficult
for people, myself included. Just feel isolated and distant
from others and just the joy of Christmas and knowing that
Christ is with us and hearing our prayers and knowing what's
going to happen, knowing what the future is and just relying
on him. This is one of our specialty masks. It says, “Faith
over Fear”, because as a Christian, I believe we need to
have faith in Jesus over the fear of this virus.
((Customer))
So, I'm looking at this Bible. Revelation 12.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Oh, Revelation. Yes.
Okay, so the woman in Revelation 12. Yes.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
People are nervous. And I've had people buying Bibles, you
know, during the shutdown, “we need a Bible”. People are
searching and wanting to know what's going on and, you
know, your Christian friends are going to be talking about
Revelation. And if you don't know what Revelation is, you
might spark your interest, you know. So, maybe I better go
get that. Revelation, the last book of the Bible, where Satan,
the Antichrist, comes and kind of takes over the world and
then, Jesus returns and does his thousand-year reign of the
Earth.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Popup Banner: Some evangelicals interpret current
events as foretold by the apocalyptic Revelation. Some also
hold the more recent end time belief, called the Rapture, that
they will rise together to meet Jesus.))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
I just can, you know, common sense can kind of see the
signs. There's the microchips that they're using, is spoken
about in Revelation with the sign of the beast. The one
world order that we're hearing talk about on the news, is
spoken about in Revelation. The son against father, mother
against daughter, that's happening right now in the family
units. That’s scripture. That’s prophecy. If you've read
Revelation, you can't deny it.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
With the whole virus, the coronavirus going on, how has that
affected you?
((Sarah Dowling, Customer))
Quite a lot. I've been staying home, basically. We did not
go anywhere for Thanksgiving. We are not going to go
anywhere for Christmas. You know, it’s been tricky.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Have you been praying a lot?
((Sarah Dowling, Customer))
Of course.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Yes.
((Sarah Dowling, Customer))
Absolutely, yes.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
It’s difficult. We don't get to fellowship anymore and church
has been canceled. I think God's trying to get our attention.
I think he's trying to say, “Quit focusing on everything else.
You need to come back and focus on me”, like when we
were shut down, nothing was open. People were staying
home. People were seeing each other for the first time.
They may live together but they don't see each other
because they're too busy running off to work or whatever.
And I think through this, it's brought the family unit back.
((Cameron Hook, Wende’s daughter))
Lord, I just thank you for this wonderful day. I thank you for
this time I get to spend with my mom and to read about your
word.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Lord, I just thank you for your blessings. I pray for your
blessings upon us, Lord. In your heavenly name we pray.
Amen.
((NATS/MUSIC))
Joy to the Earth! the Savior reigns….
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Hi, how are you? Doing well, thanks. Hanging in there.
Glad to be back. Good to see you, Pastor Bill.
((Nettie Vaughn, Associate Pastor’s wife))
I have a great-grandson, six years old, prayed for me when I
had the virus and he says, “Dear God, don't let grandma
Nettie die of the virus. We don't want her dead, yet.” Yet.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Yeah. Yet.
((Nettie Vaughn, Associate Pastor’s wife))
So, I’m not asking when. I don’t even want to know.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Don’t even want to know.
((Parishioner))
Got over the COVID, turn around and catch a cold.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Oh boy. Of course.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Popup Banner: Nevada state directives, at the time of
filming, allowed houses of worship to hold indoor services for
up to 50 people, if they observed social distancing and mask
guidelines.))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Okay, we're back at church today, finally, at Oasis
Community Church in Fallon. We had to close down for a
little bit. We had some cases of the virus, so, they kind of
closed us down for a bit. We were online and today is our
first day back in person. So, we're very excited to be here.
((NATS))
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Let's pray before we get started this morning.
Lord Jesus, thank you so much for the opportunity that we
have to gather together. We pray that you be with us, that
you comfort us, that you give us peace. In your name we
pray. Amen.
Take it away, Sam.
((Sam, Band signer))
Alright. If you’re at home, feel free to turn to one another
and say hello. If you are in the building, give a friendly wave,
a wink, an air hug, an air five. Just some way to say, “good
to be here”.
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Yeah, I think just like any other faith community, we’ve
struggled to balance the physical health needs of our people
with their spiritual and emotional needs. You can see kind of
awkward interactions with people, where even if we are
wearing masks, we’re not sure if we are supposed to hug
each other or not. The experts say not to, but our hearts say
we should. And so, we have an internal conflict there that is
not easy to answer. And we’ve also experienced the virus
hitting us personally. I myself came down with it about a
month ago and had to struggle through recovering there as
well. So, yeah, we struggled through it, but I think we've also
found some joy and some victory in it. When you have a
virus that could potentially lead to death for so many people,
our mortality comes to mind, especially in loneliness. And
the one fact of the matter is, every single one of us will die
one day. And I think once we truly understand that and take
it to heart, we begin to make different decisions and act
differently because of it, hopefully in good ways, but not
always.
((NATS))
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Our goal during the four weeks leading up to Christmas is to
prepare ourselves for the coming of the Messiah. That's
what we celebrate on the 25th of this month.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Well, I'm on my knees a lot and praying. Praying a lot and
trusting in God and if he decides to return right now and
rapture us, then please. Because then I get to see them
again. So, you know.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Popup Banner: Wendy believes that the recent violent riot
at the US Capitol Hill is another sign of the end of times
reflected in the Book of Revelation.))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Strengthening the Soil
((SOT))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
So, right now, we're getting ready to unload some material
from local coffee shops, schools and hospitals. So, he'll
unload his bins, load up clean bins for his next route and
then go back out the door to pick up more stuff.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) VETERAN COMPOST
((TRT: 07:06))
((Banner: Compost and Replenish))
((Reporter/Camera: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Aberdeen, Maryland))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 male))
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
Veteran Compost. This is Justen. Hey, how are you doing,
sir? The way our program works is we drop off clean bins
and take away bins that have food scraps in them. And then
we dump them and wash them.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
I started really small, literally a shovel and a trailer that I
bought used for a couple hundred bucks on the back of my
SUV I towed around and that's how we started out picking up
material.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
So, right now, we're getting ready to unload some material
from local coffee shops, schools and hospitals. So, this is
one of our local trucks. So, he'll unload his bins, load up
clean bins for his next route and then go back out the door to
pick up more stuff. The material will be sorted and then
mixed with woodchips and composted.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
You can see the more colorful stuff here on the edge. I think
that's turmeric and then over here, there's like a ginger
material over here and this all comes out of a juice
factory. The first piles I ever built were built by hand. It
helps to make mistakes when you're smaller and learn from
them. And then now at the scale that we're at, it's really just
optimizing a process. So, we have the equipment. We have
the knowledge. We have the tools. It's really just kind of
optimizing the system here that we have now.
You can see like coffee grounds. This is all tons and tons
and tons of coffee grounds from this chain of stores that
makes coffee 24 hours a day. They’ve a little bit different
chemical properties with moisture and nutrients and things
like that. So, as we mix them in throughout the day, different
ratios of woodchips get mixed in depending on the type of
food scraps in the mix.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
The thing that kicks our butt is all the non-compostable stuff,
all the packaging and lunches, you know, packaged cheese
sticks, juice boxes, all that's going to have to get picked
out. So, if we dump out all the material and pick out all the
trash by hand and then we'll mix it all and set it out to the
compost pile. But, you know, no one wants to buy a finished
product that has plastic and trash in it. So, we've got to
make sure that material gets picked out.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
I got into this because I was unemployed and the goal of the
business is whenever we can to hire veterans and family
members of veterans. And for a lot of our guys that come
into this, you know, they may have been in situations that
weren't great. And this is kind of a good way to escape all
that, by working here. So, yeah, pretty literal name.
((NATS))
((Russ Nichols, Driver))
My name is Russ Nichols. I was in the United States Army
for three years and I’ve been a driver ever since I was hired
in October. So, what drew me to the business was it’s a
veteran-run and operated business and, you know, after I
talked on the phone with Justen, he seemed like a real nice
guy.
((NATS))
((Russ Nichols, Driver))
So, these are all the full coffee bins that we’ll exchange one
for one with. Now I took two out, I’ll grab two more and put
two empty ones, put them in here and grab this last.
Came here. We do a tryout process where you work for four
hours and see if it’s something that you like. Most of the
guys were really cool and, you know, it makes me feel like
I’m back with my brothers and sisters from the military.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
This is metal drums of blackberry puree and juice
material. So, it's actually a sealed bag inside of a
barrel. So, what we do is remove the lid, dump out the
puree and sell the metal drums and we end up making more
off of selling the metal drums than we do the composting
part of it. You mix this in and it makes the pile really hot
because bacteria love sugar.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
Every day like today we’re short a guy and stuff’s
broken. You know, at least it's sunny. We've got one of the
three.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
Once all that stuff's done breaking down after 30 days, it
goes through the screeder and that separates the larger
material from the finer material. All the nice fine compost
goes out the back and will be stockpiled for sale. All the
larger material lands down close to where we are. Those
large, chunky, woody pieces and those are actually added
back to the compost process and we'll continue to break
those down until they're nice, fine particles.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
So, underneath this barrel is an electric fan. So, what we're
doing is we're forcing air into these pipes and the pipes run
into the pile. So, all we're doing is supplying air to the pile so
that all the microbes inside have air to breathe. That's the
finished product. So, a couple thousand yards [cubic
meters] of compost and every day we're trying to sell it and
every day we're trying to make more of it.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
So, you kind of see this stuff we screed yesterday. So, you
can see how much finer it is. Obviously, it doesn't look or
anything like the large wood chips or the food scraps we
started like.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
I did computers in college and like IT management in
college, and then I did, I was a combat engineer in the Army,
mostly focused on explosives, and then I got into this. So,
well-rounded or disjointed. You know, I like the idea of
sustainability, of doing something that has purpose and
trying to make the world a better place. So, part of that. I
mean, I'm not fully committed. I drive a pickup truck and I
eat meat. So, I'm not a full-on environmentalist. But the
idea of recycling just makes a lot of sense to me. And so, in
this case where all the material on this facility would have
gone to a landfill or been burned. And so, we're saving all
that material and we're composting it. We're recycling
it. And then the finished product behind us, that's going to
grow new food and that's going to rebuild soil. It's going to
erosion control projects. So, we're helping to fix the issues
in this country with soil depletion. I mean the amount of
topsoil that’s been lost in the last 100 years in our country,
no one's really worried about it, but one year we're all going
to go to farm and no plants are going to grow and then
everyone is suddenly going to worry about the loss of
topsoil. So, that's what we're doing, is we're supplying great
soil so people can get ahead of that and grow good stuff.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Michelle Moon
((SOT))
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
I feel like the case worker I had tricked me on signing the
papers. And from that day on, I learned to look before I
sign.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) MICHELLE MOON
((TRT: 02:39))
((Banner:
Connect With
Michelle Moon))
((Reporter/Camera: Gabrielle Weiss))
((Location: Harmarville, Pennsylvania))
((Main character: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
My name’s Michelle Moon. I’m 54 years old. I’m a
housekeeper at Days Inn in Harmarville, Pennsylvania and
I’ve been working for this company for over 20 years.
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
Quite frankly, I like it here. I like my coworkers,
sometimes. Far as the clients go that stays here, some is
good, some is bad, some is rotten. With some people, I’ll be
wondering. They trashes a room. Do they treat their
houses, their places like that? Because they’re nasty. But I
just keep on going.
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
I had no goals when I was younger, really, not really, just
surviving day by day, doing whatever I do, whatever I want,
and whatever I can. Just day by day thing. I had no
regrets. Where I’m at is where I’m at. I have no regrets. I
love my children and my grandchildren. They’re bad as hell,
excuse my language, but I love them just the same.
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
The only thing I would change would be getting my oldest
son back. At the age I had him, I wasn’t very good. Well,
the state didn’t think I was very good at it, so they took
him. Every time I had to go visit him, I had to sign a paper,
my signature. So, one of those days, I signed the paper for
my visitation to see him. Next thing I know, I got my
visitation taken as well as my son. I feel like the case worker
I had tricked me on signing the papers. And from that day
on, I learned to look before I sign. But despite everything
else, my son, Jesse, he’s with a very good family. Right
now, I know he’s alright. So, that was my only regret. But
anything else, I don’t regret. I just don’t.
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
Near the Turkish Embassy
Washington, D.C.
May 16, 2017
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters
“Those terrorists deserved to be beaten”
“They should not be protesting our president”
“They got what they asked for”
While some people may turn away from the news
We cover it
reliably
accurately
objectively
comprehensively
wherever the news matters
VOA
A Free Press Matters
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS
EPISODE # 158
AIR DATE 01 22 2021
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Exploring Faith
((SOT))
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Lord, you meet us in the darkest places of our lives.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
With the virus that we’ve had this year, it’s just been difficult
for people. We don’t get to fellowship anymore and church
has been cancelled.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Replenishing the Earth
((SOT))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
You know, I like the idea of sustainability, of doing something
that has purpose and trying to make the world a better
place. I mean, I'm not fully committed. I drive a pickup truck
and I eat meat. But the idea of recycling just makes a lot of
sense to me.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Keeping Things Tidy
((SOT))
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
Far as the clients go, that stays here, some is good, some is
bad, some is rotten. With some people, I’ll be wondering, do
they treat their houses, their places like that?
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) FAITH DURING COVID
((TRT: 12:45))
((Banner:
Faith
Evangelical Christian))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martínez))
((Map: Fallon, Nevada))
((Main characters: 1 female))
((Sub characters: 4 males; 3 females))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
My name is Wende Hook and I work at His Inspirations in
Fallon, Nevada.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
His inspirations. How can I help you?
Good. I have your two Bibles in for your sisters.
Okay, no worries. It'll be under the counter for you whenever
you get a chance. Okay. Bye. Thank you.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
This is a Christian book and gift store. We specialize in
honoring Jesus. We sell Bibles mostly and books, lots of
Christian gifts, wall art, kids’ books and all sorts of different
things for all occasions.
((Popup Banner: 1 in 4 US adults identifies with
evangelical Protestant Christians, believing that a spiritual
rebirth or being “born again” is central to receiving salvation.
: Pew Research Center))
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
It's a needed location. It's a ranching community and a Navy
base that's here and we have our churches, but I think
having this outlet where people don't feel judged when they
feel the love of Christ, when they feel accepted for whatever
reason, I think they've needed it. I know I did. So, having it
here has helped me.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Yes ma'am. I sure do.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
I was a teacher for a few years and living a great life, a very
blessed life at the time and God decided that my life needed
to change.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
My husband at the time was a pilot, flew the F-18s. He had
children down in California and he also had purchased a
small Cessna to go down and pick up the girls. So, he, on
Memorial Day weekend of 2009, he flew down to get them
on Friday night, flew over our house. We lived a little bit out
and he flew over the house and that's when I put the pizza in
the oven because that's what they wanted. And he waved at
me like he always did. They didn't make it. They crashed
right outside the airport, less than 200 feet [60 meters] from
the runway and they all perished. So, it was him and three
of my four stepdaughters that perished.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
I was in shock for quite a while. It seemed like it was just
beyond hard. My mind was being attacked by the devil. But
God was there too. I could feel Jesus right beside me
through all of it, even though some days my mind was less
evident of it, but I know he was there.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
My business partner, Carrie, she met with me and we went
and had coffee and she said, “Hey, you've always loved
books. So, let's open a bookstore that will honor God.”
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
By November 23rd, we were open. God just flew open
doors. We just wanted people to have the availability to get
a Bible, to walk into a store and pray or be prayed with.
((NATS))
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Lord, you meet us in the darkest places of our lives and I
know you've done that for this woman and you've brought
joy and light and hope into her life again. We love you
Jesus. In your name we pray. Amen.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Amen. Thank you so much.
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Yeah. Thank you.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
You are such a blessing to me.
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
All righty. Back to work.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Hold on. 29.11, right? Jeremiah 29.11. “For I know the
plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare
and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”
That's my mantra. That's everything I've based my life upon
since 2009. Didn't know what was going on and then I found
that verse and I thought, “Okay, he knows. He knows what
this is going to be, that he knows what he's going to do with
my life and how he's going to use me.” I will help you find
Jesus. You know. I think that's where he took my teaching
and changed it into this.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Use us to be instruments of your word, Lord.
Bring them to us and help us to help them, Lord.
In your heavenly name we pray. Amen.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Good morning. How are you today? Can I help you with
anything?
((Customer))
We are just looking for some Christmas gifts.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Okay. Oh, this is this is the best time of year. This is
Christmas. This is when we celebrate the Lord's birth. And
with the virus that we've had this year, it's just been difficult
for people, myself included. Just feel isolated and distant
from others and just the joy of Christmas and knowing that
Christ is with us and hearing our prayers and knowing what's
going to happen, knowing what the future is and just relying
on him. This is one of our specialty masks. It says, “Faith
over Fear”, because as a Christian, I believe we need to
have faith in Jesus over the fear of this virus.
((Customer))
So, I'm looking at this Bible. Revelation 12.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Oh, Revelation. Yes.
Okay, so the woman in Revelation 12. Yes.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
People are nervous. And I've had people buying Bibles, you
know, during the shutdown, “we need a Bible”. People are
searching and wanting to know what's going on and, you
know, your Christian friends are going to be talking about
Revelation. And if you don't know what Revelation is, you
might spark your interest, you know. So, maybe I better go
get that. Revelation, the last book of the Bible, where Satan,
the Antichrist, comes and kind of takes over the world and
then, Jesus returns and does his thousand-year reign of the
Earth.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Popup Banner: Some evangelicals interpret current
events as foretold by the apocalyptic Revelation. Some also
hold the more recent end time belief, called the Rapture, that
they will rise together to meet Jesus.))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
I just can, you know, common sense can kind of see the
signs. There's the microchips that they're using, is spoken
about in Revelation with the sign of the beast. The one
world order that we're hearing talk about on the news, is
spoken about in Revelation. The son against father, mother
against daughter, that's happening right now in the family
units. That’s scripture. That’s prophecy. If you've read
Revelation, you can't deny it.
((NATS))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
With the whole virus, the coronavirus going on, how has that
affected you?
((Sarah Dowling, Customer))
Quite a lot. I've been staying home, basically. We did not
go anywhere for Thanksgiving. We are not going to go
anywhere for Christmas. You know, it’s been tricky.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Have you been praying a lot?
((Sarah Dowling, Customer))
Of course.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Yes.
((Sarah Dowling, Customer))
Absolutely, yes.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
It’s difficult. We don't get to fellowship anymore and church
has been canceled. I think God's trying to get our attention.
I think he's trying to say, “Quit focusing on everything else.
You need to come back and focus on me”, like when we
were shut down, nothing was open. People were staying
home. People were seeing each other for the first time.
They may live together but they don't see each other
because they're too busy running off to work or whatever.
And I think through this, it's brought the family unit back.
((Cameron Hook, Wende’s daughter))
Lord, I just thank you for this wonderful day. I thank you for
this time I get to spend with my mom and to read about your
word.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Lord, I just thank you for your blessings. I pray for your
blessings upon us, Lord. In your heavenly name we pray.
Amen.
((NATS/MUSIC))
Joy to the Earth! the Savior reigns….
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Hi, how are you? Doing well, thanks. Hanging in there.
Glad to be back. Good to see you, Pastor Bill.
((Nettie Vaughn, Associate Pastor’s wife))
I have a great-grandson, six years old, prayed for me when I
had the virus and he says, “Dear God, don't let grandma
Nettie die of the virus. We don't want her dead, yet.” Yet.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Yeah. Yet.
((Nettie Vaughn, Associate Pastor’s wife))
So, I’m not asking when. I don’t even want to know.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Don’t even want to know.
((Parishioner))
Got over the COVID, turn around and catch a cold.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Oh boy. Of course.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Popup Banner: Nevada state directives, at the time of
filming, allowed houses of worship to hold indoor services for
up to 50 people, if they observed social distancing and mask
guidelines.))
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Okay, we're back at church today, finally, at Oasis
Community Church in Fallon. We had to close down for a
little bit. We had some cases of the virus, so, they kind of
closed us down for a bit. We were online and today is our
first day back in person. So, we're very excited to be here.
((NATS))
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Let's pray before we get started this morning.
Lord Jesus, thank you so much for the opportunity that we
have to gather together. We pray that you be with us, that
you comfort us, that you give us peace. In your name we
pray. Amen.
Take it away, Sam.
((Sam, Band signer))
Alright. If you’re at home, feel free to turn to one another
and say hello. If you are in the building, give a friendly wave,
a wink, an air hug, an air five. Just some way to say, “good
to be here”.
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Yeah, I think just like any other faith community, we’ve
struggled to balance the physical health needs of our people
with their spiritual and emotional needs. You can see kind of
awkward interactions with people, where even if we are
wearing masks, we’re not sure if we are supposed to hug
each other or not. The experts say not to, but our hearts say
we should. And so, we have an internal conflict there that is
not easy to answer. And we’ve also experienced the virus
hitting us personally. I myself came down with it about a
month ago and had to struggle through recovering there as
well. So, yeah, we struggled through it, but I think we've also
found some joy and some victory in it. When you have a
virus that could potentially lead to death for so many people,
our mortality comes to mind, especially in loneliness. And
the one fact of the matter is, every single one of us will die
one day. And I think once we truly understand that and take
it to heart, we begin to make different decisions and act
differently because of it, hopefully in good ways, but not
always.
((NATS))
((Caleb Szymanski, Lead Pastor, Oasis Community
Church))
Our goal during the four weeks leading up to Christmas is to
prepare ourselves for the coming of the Messiah. That's
what we celebrate on the 25th of this month.
((Wende Hook, Owner, His Inspirations – Christian
Books & Gifts))
Well, I'm on my knees a lot and praying. Praying a lot and
trusting in God and if he decides to return right now and
rapture us, then please. Because then I get to see them
again. So, you know.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Popup Banner: Wendy believes that the recent violent riot
at the US Capitol Hill is another sign of the end of times
reflected in the Book of Revelation.))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Strengthening the Soil
((SOT))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
So, right now, we're getting ready to unload some material
from local coffee shops, schools and hospitals. So, he'll
unload his bins, load up clean bins for his next route and
then go back out the door to pick up more stuff.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) VETERAN COMPOST
((TRT: 07:06))
((Banner: Compost and Replenish))
((Reporter/Camera: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Aberdeen, Maryland))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 male))
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
Veteran Compost. This is Justen. Hey, how are you doing,
sir? The way our program works is we drop off clean bins
and take away bins that have food scraps in them. And then
we dump them and wash them.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
I started really small, literally a shovel and a trailer that I
bought used for a couple hundred bucks on the back of my
SUV I towed around and that's how we started out picking up
material.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
So, right now, we're getting ready to unload some material
from local coffee shops, schools and hospitals. So, this is
one of our local trucks. So, he'll unload his bins, load up
clean bins for his next route and then go back out the door to
pick up more stuff. The material will be sorted and then
mixed with woodchips and composted.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
You can see the more colorful stuff here on the edge. I think
that's turmeric and then over here, there's like a ginger
material over here and this all comes out of a juice
factory. The first piles I ever built were built by hand. It
helps to make mistakes when you're smaller and learn from
them. And then now at the scale that we're at, it's really just
optimizing a process. So, we have the equipment. We have
the knowledge. We have the tools. It's really just kind of
optimizing the system here that we have now.
You can see like coffee grounds. This is all tons and tons
and tons of coffee grounds from this chain of stores that
makes coffee 24 hours a day. They’ve a little bit different
chemical properties with moisture and nutrients and things
like that. So, as we mix them in throughout the day, different
ratios of woodchips get mixed in depending on the type of
food scraps in the mix.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
The thing that kicks our butt is all the non-compostable stuff,
all the packaging and lunches, you know, packaged cheese
sticks, juice boxes, all that's going to have to get picked
out. So, if we dump out all the material and pick out all the
trash by hand and then we'll mix it all and set it out to the
compost pile. But, you know, no one wants to buy a finished
product that has plastic and trash in it. So, we've got to
make sure that material gets picked out.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
I got into this because I was unemployed and the goal of the
business is whenever we can to hire veterans and family
members of veterans. And for a lot of our guys that come
into this, you know, they may have been in situations that
weren't great. And this is kind of a good way to escape all
that, by working here. So, yeah, pretty literal name.
((NATS))
((Russ Nichols, Driver))
My name is Russ Nichols. I was in the United States Army
for three years and I’ve been a driver ever since I was hired
in October. So, what drew me to the business was it’s a
veteran-run and operated business and, you know, after I
talked on the phone with Justen, he seemed like a real nice
guy.
((NATS))
((Russ Nichols, Driver))
So, these are all the full coffee bins that we’ll exchange one
for one with. Now I took two out, I’ll grab two more and put
two empty ones, put them in here and grab this last.
Came here. We do a tryout process where you work for four
hours and see if it’s something that you like. Most of the
guys were really cool and, you know, it makes me feel like
I’m back with my brothers and sisters from the military.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
This is metal drums of blackberry puree and juice
material. So, it's actually a sealed bag inside of a
barrel. So, what we do is remove the lid, dump out the
puree and sell the metal drums and we end up making more
off of selling the metal drums than we do the composting
part of it. You mix this in and it makes the pile really hot
because bacteria love sugar.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
Every day like today we’re short a guy and stuff’s
broken. You know, at least it's sunny. We've got one of the
three.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
Once all that stuff's done breaking down after 30 days, it
goes through the screeder and that separates the larger
material from the finer material. All the nice fine compost
goes out the back and will be stockpiled for sale. All the
larger material lands down close to where we are. Those
large, chunky, woody pieces and those are actually added
back to the compost process and we'll continue to break
those down until they're nice, fine particles.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
So, underneath this barrel is an electric fan. So, what we're
doing is we're forcing air into these pipes and the pipes run
into the pile. So, all we're doing is supplying air to the pile so
that all the microbes inside have air to breathe. That's the
finished product. So, a couple thousand yards [cubic
meters] of compost and every day we're trying to sell it and
every day we're trying to make more of it.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
So, you kind of see this stuff we screed yesterday. So, you
can see how much finer it is. Obviously, it doesn't look or
anything like the large wood chips or the food scraps we
started like.
((NATS))
((Justen Garrity, Founder/President, Veteran Compost))
I did computers in college and like IT management in
college, and then I did, I was a combat engineer in the Army,
mostly focused on explosives, and then I got into this. So,
well-rounded or disjointed. You know, I like the idea of
sustainability, of doing something that has purpose and
trying to make the world a better place. So, part of that. I
mean, I'm not fully committed. I drive a pickup truck and I
eat meat. So, I'm not a full-on environmentalist. But the
idea of recycling just makes a lot of sense to me. And so, in
this case where all the material on this facility would have
gone to a landfill or been burned. And so, we're saving all
that material and we're composting it. We're recycling
it. And then the finished product behind us, that's going to
grow new food and that's going to rebuild soil. It's going to
erosion control projects. So, we're helping to fix the issues
in this country with soil depletion. I mean the amount of
topsoil that’s been lost in the last 100 years in our country,
no one's really worried about it, but one year we're all going
to go to farm and no plants are going to grow and then
everyone is suddenly going to worry about the loss of
topsoil. So, that's what we're doing, is we're supplying great
soil so people can get ahead of that and grow good stuff.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Michelle Moon
((SOT))
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
I feel like the case worker I had tricked me on signing the
papers. And from that day on, I learned to look before I
sign.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) MICHELLE MOON
((TRT: 02:39))
((Banner:
Connect With
Michelle Moon))
((Reporter/Camera: Gabrielle Weiss))
((Location: Harmarville, Pennsylvania))
((Main character: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
My name’s Michelle Moon. I’m 54 years old. I’m a
housekeeper at Days Inn in Harmarville, Pennsylvania and
I’ve been working for this company for over 20 years.
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
Quite frankly, I like it here. I like my coworkers,
sometimes. Far as the clients go that stays here, some is
good, some is bad, some is rotten. With some people, I’ll be
wondering. They trashes a room. Do they treat their
houses, their places like that? Because they’re nasty. But I
just keep on going.
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
I had no goals when I was younger, really, not really, just
surviving day by day, doing whatever I do, whatever I want,
and whatever I can. Just day by day thing. I had no
regrets. Where I’m at is where I’m at. I have no regrets. I
love my children and my grandchildren. They’re bad as hell,
excuse my language, but I love them just the same.
((Michelle Moon, Housekeeper, Days Inn))
The only thing I would change would be getting my oldest
son back. At the age I had him, I wasn’t very good. Well,
the state didn’t think I was very good at it, so they took
him. Every time I had to go visit him, I had to sign a paper,
my signature. So, one of those days, I signed the paper for
my visitation to see him. Next thing I know, I got my
visitation taken as well as my son. I feel like the case worker
I had tricked me on signing the papers. And from that day
on, I learned to look before I sign. But despite everything
else, my son, Jesse, he’s with a very good family. Right
now, I know he’s alright. So, that was my only regret. But
anything else, I don’t regret. I just don’t.
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
Near the Turkish Embassy
Washington, D.C.
May 16, 2017
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters
“Those terrorists deserved to be beaten”
“They should not be protesting our president”
“They got what they asked for”
While some people may turn away from the news
We cover it
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VOA
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BREAK THREE
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SHOW ENDS
