Okay, good morning, everyone. Welcome to BC 213, our course on the end times. Thank you all for connecting to the class. May I request somebody to please pray and then we will get started. Father, we thank you for this day, for this time, Lord. We come to your presence and we worship you. We praise you, Lord. We submit you in this class into your hand, Lord Jesus. Are we going to learn about your word, Lord? Help us to learn deeply, Father. Thank you so much once again. Jesus name and pray. Amen. All right. So last week we just introduced chapter four, which is an overview of the world events, coming world events, right? So what we want to do is be in this chapter, we want to understand the sequence of events. How are things going to happen? All right. And now, like we said in the beginning, there are people who have different positions, right? Some may say the rapture will take place before the start of the tribulation. Some may say the middle, some may send the end. And even in how some people interpret the book of Revelation, there are variations. So I'm not saying what we are going to learn is the only way, right? So if you pick a book somewhere, somebody wrote a book, you read it and say, this is different from what I learned. Don't be surprised. Because there are people who have different, there are different interpretations or positions. So we understand that. But the approach we are taking is that we will follow the book of Revelation as it is given in a chronological order. I mean, we are not going to change things. As God revealed it, we will take it like that. So we will get to the book of Revelation. We will go through it chapter by chapter and we will follow the chronology of that. Saying that God gave it to John, Apostle John, in a chronological order. And we will stay with it. We don't want to mix and match. Sometimes some people move things around. For example, I'll just say, there are three sets of judgments. The bowls, the trumpets. So there are three sets of judgments, bowls, the seals, the bowls and the trumpets. Three sets of judgments in the book of Revelation. So the seals, the bowls, the trumpets. Now what some people do is they make this overlap as though it's all happening in parallel. But in the book of Revelation, it is given in sequence, one after the other. So we will stay with that sequence. We won't jumble it up. We won't make it parallel. I'm just giving one example, how people change. So as we go through the book of Revelation, I'll explain. So based on that, we will do this chart. This chart that I've given that you're seeing on page 53. Based on the timeline or the sequence of events given to us in the book of Revelation, we will do this timeline. We will explain this timeline. But we are going to start and we're going to read a lot of scriptures. I want us to know where it is in the Bible. So don't just say, oh, yeah, this will happen. No, you need to know where it is. You need to show chapter and verse and say, because it is there, I am saying this will happen and this will happen. So we are going to turn into the scriptures and read. So it'll take us a little bit of time. But the purpose is that we must know from the scriptures where it is said, what is said, therefore, we can say that things are going to happen like this. So let's begin in Acts chapter 1 verses 6 to 12. Acts 1, 6 to 12 and somebody could read that for us. Acts 1, 6 to 12. Acts 1, 6 to 12. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in his own authority, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witness to me in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Now, when he had spoken these things while they watched, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight and while they looked state firstly toward heaven as he went up, we hold two men stood by them in white apparel who also said, men of Galilee, why do you stand gasping up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. So this is, you know, 40 days after the resurrection of Jesus, they're all on top of the Mount of Olives and the disciples are asking, Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel? So right now the kingdom is being governed or controlled by the Roman Empire, Romans. They're all under the Romans. So they're expecting the Messiah to come and be king. They're expecting the Messiah to come and give them control. Right? Now Jesus is getting ready to go and they're still under the control of the Romans. So they're asking, Lord, when are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel? When are you going to give it into our control? Then Jesus says, it's not for you to know the times the Father has, meaning that's going to happen. Right? But it is that timing is in the Father's hand. Now what is going to happen? You are going to receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you are going to be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. That means this is what's going to happen. The Holy Spirit will come on you. You'll be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. So this is what we refer to as the church age. The time and the Holy Spirit is empowering believers to be witnesses. So one main reason why we are here is to be witnesses. And then as Jesus is on top of the Mount of the Olives, these people are there. The disciples are there and Jesus in front of their eyes is just going against gravity, is going up into heaven. As they see him go, the angels are saying, Men of Galilee, they're giving you announcement. The same Jesus will come in a similar manner as you have seen him go. That means he went up into the clouds, he's going to come. He'll come, the same Jesus. And he will, and as Zechariah chapter 14, 12, 13, 14, we will look at it. He is going to descend on the Mount of Olives. And Zechariah already prophesied. And the angels are saying he will come in the same way you've seen him go. He will descend. But from now till that time, our responsibility is we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses. So the church age. So Jesus is coming back. The angels announced it. But it is in the future. Now we have a responsibility to preach the gospel, take the gospel to all the nations. Now, when we go to the last chapter of Revelation 22, I just want to think about this a little bit, because after the Lord gives John all the details of what is going to happen, Revelation 22, I will read these verses, these three verses that we've highlighted, where Jesus keeps saying, I am coming quickly. This is AD 90, today we are 2024, almost 2000 years. At that time what he said, John, you wrote all these things. I am coming quickly. So for some of us, like, Lord, what is this, 2000 years? You said you're coming quickly. But that is when we have to remember that for God, time is very different. Like Peter says, one day is like a thousand years, a thousand years is like one day. Doesn't matter for God. For us it's how we hardly live 100 years. So, you know, we don't see beyond 100 years. But he said, I am coming quickly. So let's read those verses, Revelation 22, 6 and 7, 12 and 13, 2021. Somebody could read these verses for us, please. Revelation chapter 22 was 6 and 7. Then he said to me, these words are faithful and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits, of the prophets has sent his angels as representative to show his bond servants the things that must soon take place. And behold, I am coming quickly. Bliss is the one who heats and takes to heart and remembers the word of the prophecy contained in this book. Then 12 and 13, sorry. And behold, I'm coming quickly and my reward is with me to give to everyone according to his work. I'm the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 2021. He who testifies to these things says, surely I'm coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. So in this last chapter, three times Jesus said, I am coming quickly. John, you wrote it, written all these things. I am coming quickly.  Jesus said, I'm coming quickly. So we are here 2,000 years afterwards. And we haven't seen the fulfillment of all that is written in Revelation yet. And we haven't seen the Lord come as he has ascended. Are we still waiting? But we can say for God, he's outside time. So what may seem so long for us, for him it's nothing. But what we can do is we can study, we can understand how close are we and what are the sequence of things we can expect to happen. That's what we're going to see. So let's go step by step. The first thing, so we are now in the church age where the Holy Spirit is upon us and we are witnesses for Jesus to the ends of the earth. So the first thing we are expecting is the rapture of the church. And we will read this. This is described for us. Paul the Apostle wrote about this in two places. 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 was the 18th. Somebody could read this usually in funerals or I wouldn't say usually, but always in funerals we read these passages just to remind people that this is the hope we have. 1st Thessalonians 4, 13th to 18th somebody could read it for us please. 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 was 13th. For we do not want you to be unformed believers about those who are asleep so that you will not grieve as others. Do you have no hope? For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again. What happened? Yeah, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again.  For we say this to you by the Lord's word that we who are still alive and remain until coming of Lord Jesus will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with the shouts of command with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will simultaneously be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air again. So we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words. All right, thank you. So we will read the other one in 1 Corinthians 15 shortly but I just want to point out the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians one of the common themes is about the coming of the Lord the return of the Lord Jesus. You see it throughout from 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 through 2 Thessalonians. You see it. And as he is telling the believers about the coming of the Lord he gives this very detailed description of what will happen. Very detailed. This is how it's going to happen. We will look at it. But in a sense he is saying the Lord will descend He will bring with him the spirits of those who have already died in Christ. That means at the time of his coming all the believers who have already died where are their spirits? Not floating somewhere here. Bible college. No, their spirits are with the Lord. Their spirits are with the Lord. The Lord will bring with him. Where is this? Verse 14.  That means those who have died with him. God will bring with them. Now in what way? Only the spirit because body is gone. Already it has become disappeared. That means spirit is with God, with the Lord. So when Jesus is coming their spirits will come with him. That means they're all there in heaven with Jesus. So he bring with them. And this is the moment when they will receive glorified bodies. And at that moment where the Lord is coming we who are alive on the earth believers who are alive on the earth at that time will receive, the bodies will be instantly changed will become glorified bodies. And we will be caught up and we will meet the Lord in the air. That means he's not landing. He's coming in the sky. Spirits of those who have already died are coming with him. They receive glorified bodies. We are alive on the earth. Our bodies are changed. We go up and we meet him in the air. And then what happens? He says, so shall we be ever with the Lord. That means there is no indication that he's landing. Coming, meeting in the air, going to be with him. You understand the picture. So very clear picture. Now it is from first. So the word, some people say rapture. That word rapture is not in the Bible. Correct. You'll read this here. You don't find the word rapture here in English. You don't find it here. It's not there in the English Bible. But that's when we say the word rapture is coming from the Latin words. So in the notes you can see from 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 17. Simul. I don't know Latin. I'm just saying reading the two words. Simul, rapimor. That means we are simultaneously together. I think your translation uses the word simultaneous. So that's the word here. Simul, rapimor. So from that word rapimor, we are getting rapture. So it is there in the Latin translation. It's coming from there. So some English words have the root in Latin. So that's why. Yeah, it's not there in the English, but it's coming from the Latin word. From 1st Thessalonians 4, 17. So when we say rapture of the church, we are talking about this moment when we will all be simultaneously caught up. This is what we're talking about rapture. So no problem with the word. The rapture word is not there in the English Bible. It's coming from the new Latin. And this is what it means. It means we will all be in a moment simultaneously caught up to meet the Lord and be there. Okay. There are some more things, some more information he gives about trumpets and all that. We'll come back and study that. But let's also read chapter 15, 1 Corinthians 51 to 58. So let's go there. And then we will look at this because there are other things that we need to understand. 1 Corinthians 50, 51 to 58. 1 Corinthians 15, 51 to 58. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not also leave, but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. So the trumpet will sound and the date will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruptions and this mortal must be, must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on incorruptively then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written death is valued up in victory or death where is your sting oh heads where is your victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ therefore may we hold brethren we state first immobile always arounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Okay, so these two 1st Thessalonians 4, 13 to 18 and 1st Corinthians 15, 51 to 58 actually a lot of this chapter 15 chapter we didn't read the whole chapter but these are parallel passages that means they are talking about this moment when believers are going to be caught up and meet the Lord in the air is giving us more details what are some things we'll point out so he's saying we will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye this mortal will put on mortality the dead will be raised incorruptible that means the Lord is bringing with them all the believers who have died and the moment there they will receive incorruptible bodies and our mortal bodies will put on immortality that means big bodies will become just like the physical body just like the body of Jesus after his resurrection okay we'll read Philippians 3 we'll look at it where it says we will be like him we'll read that but our bodies will become like that glorified body so that glorified body can pass through walls it is out it operates outside of this it can operate in both realms natural realm because people can see it but yet it is not limited by the laws or the rules of this natural realm that Jesus went up like against the law of gravity he came through the world and at the same time he told Thomas Thomas you touch me, you see I mean he appeared again many times people saw him and then you know John 20 when he appears to his disciples John 21 when they gone fishing they see him standing so it's not like something that's floating they see the form that is a physical form to this so it is made of we just say it's made of a different kind of material like it's a spiritual material we don't know what it is it's incorruptible this physical body is corruptible, decay but that material will not decay incorruptible material but it's real it can operate in two realms the natural and the spirit so that's the kind of body we will receive and it will happen in that instant the other thing we point out is in both these passages we read about trumpets sounding now important we must not confuse these trumpets with the seven trumpets that we read in Revelation because the seven trumpets in the book of Revelation each trumpet is very clearly stated what will happen and these are having to do with judgments on the earth these two trumpets in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 have to do with the believers meeting with the Lord with their bodies being changed and then meeting with the Lord that's what these trumpets are sounding so don't confuse the two because some people will take two trumpets here let me go in Revelation I see seven trumpets under which trumpet I'll put this then they plug this under that trumpet full confusion so sometimes people do that no, no, no, keep them separate like we said there are in the book of Revelation there are three sets of judgments seven each seal, bowl, trumpet so seven, seven, seven keep it like that don't take this and put it there this one is separate so we see two trumpet sounds one, when the Lord descends one trumpet sound this is in 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 16 there will be the archangel sounding trumpet of God and he's descending he begins his descent okay, that's one trumpet then in 1 Corinthians 15 he says verse 52 right for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised so he has another trumpet which is the last trumpet verse 52 in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised so sometimes you say why is it called the last trumpet meaning it is so and I've given reference somewhere our trumpets are used to announce something and this last trumpet is sounding the end of the church age finished dead are raised all the believers are raised bodies are changed going on so there's a trumpet that sounds the Lord is descending he begins his descent and the last trumpet this is the last announcement our bodies are changed everybody, all believers receive a glorified body and they meet the Lord in the air so in the Old Testament you'll find that trumpets are sound trumpets are blown to assemble the people when they assemble the armies, people together they blow the trumpet then everybody assembles so this last trumpet is the assembling of the church all believers those who died will come with the Lord those who are here will be caught up everybody is having glorified bodies we're all in one way assembling with the Lord in the last trumpet it's the close of the church age the church has been assembled to meet the Lord in the air so shall we ever be with the Lord okay so don't confuse these two trumpets with trumpets and revelations we will read that Prince your question so Pastor as we are talking about two trumpets right so is it like one trumpet will be at the starting of coming and another trumpet at the end of closing yeah so one trumpet will sound when the Lord begins his it's like okay you can imagine just imagine okay I'm just imagining I'm not saying the chapter in verse the time comes the Father says to the Lord Jesus time has come we have to go he stands from his throne ready to go then Gabriel and then he begins his descent this is something big happening so the shout of the archangel one archangel I don't know Gabriel Michael I don't know who somebody shouting blow the trumpet because that moment nobody knows only the Father knows so he might turn around time to go this stands up everybody say oh the Lord is standing ready to go shout blow the trumpet and the Lord begins his descent he's coming through the clouds but this time he's not coming with the armies of heaven like in Revelation 19 that time Revelation 19 is he's coming on a white horse with his robe dipped in blood with a sword in his hand and with the armies of heaven very different here he's coming with bringing those who have fallen asleep with him there's no he's not writing, Paul's not writing about coming on a white horse with a sword and he's not like that he's not coming to do battle Revelation 19 that time he's coming to battle he will strike the nations with a rod of iron with a word of his mouth now he's coming quietly and there's one more trumpet that second last trumpet is everyone is there reach him that's the last trumpet it's the end of the church age church is taken then we're going to be with the Lord see I don't know I don't know who knows sometimes maybe we will hear something something will shake us because in the spiritual realm there is no distance so an example I'm just thinking see when Saul was going on the road to Damascus a lot of people were with him there was a bright light he fell to the ground so it says Saul and the people they saw the bright lights but only Saul heard the voice others didn't hear the voice Saul why are you persecuting then he says who are you Lord he says I am Jesus we're persecuting you go to Damascus I'll tell you what to do that only Saul heard so I'm thinking maybe the sound of these two trumpets only believers will hear other people won't hear maybe the first trumpet we might hear something suddenly one alarm what is that we hear in our spirit get ready within the twinkling of an eye before we can even know it everything happens our bodies are changed suddenly we are in the clouds meeting the Lord in the air so I don't know it's quite possible we may hear both the trumpets so fast let us read some more scripture related to this whole thing John 14 I'll take questions from the online students just in a few minutes after we read some scriptures John 14 verses 1 2 3 well not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me in my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also so Jesus very clearly saying I'm preparing a place for you mansion meaning nice big place I'm preparing and I'll come again I'll receive you so you can be with me so this is once again why we say the rapture of the church must happen because he says I will come again I will receive you and you will be with me where I am if you read about the second becoming of the Lord in Revelation 19 and Revelation 20 there the sequence is he comes he destroys the antichrist the armies of the people and he is here on earth he establishes his kingdom then what about these mansions we won't get to see because if the rapture happens at that time example or we go meet the Lord come to Armageddon after you have to fight and fight all the people then we are here what about the mansions but he said I'm preparing mansions for you I'll come I'll receive you and I'll take you to those mansions so that where I am you will be there with me so that has to happen which will not happen if the rapture of the church took place at the end of the tribulation in Revelation 19 and 20 it won't happen because the sequence is he comes to the earth and he establishes his kingdom here on earth then how we will see the mansions so that's why we say the rapture of the church has to be a separate event it has to happen sometime before when can it happen then we are saying ok we understand the meaning of the trumpet the trumpet means the assembly we are putting all the pieces together so this is what makes sense that he will come take us will be with him during the 7 years of tribulation we will give some more reasons more reasons why we say the rapture of the church takes place before the tribulation we will give more reasons I'm just pointing out one by one here are the reasons why we are saying it has to happen before the end of the tribulation ok let's also read some more verses Philippians 3 20 and 21 Philippians 3, 20 and 21 for our citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for the saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body that will be confirmed to his glorious body according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to him hmm so this is where we get the revelation that our bodies will become like his glorious body so what will this immortal glorified body be like the body of Jesus very clearly stated right that our body will be transformed to be like his glorious body so the body that we have at that rapture that Paul has written in 1st Assurance 4 and 1st Coordination 15 that glorified body will be like the body that Jesus had after he was raised from the dead that spiritual body ok 2nd Coordination 5 we will read one more passage 1 to 4 2nd Coordination 5, 1 to 4 4 we know that if our earthly house this tent is destroyed we have a house from God a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 4 in this we grown earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven if indeed having been clothed we shall not be found naked 4 we who are in this tent grown being burdened not because we want to be unclothed for further clothed that mortality may be swallowed by the life right so he is talking about the difference right in this body this tent we are groaning that is all the pain there is all the things but we are going to have a body which is full of life and it is a body where it be clothed from heaven it is a house that is made not with hands but it is a glorified body so just contrasting earthly spiritual body so bottom of page 54 we have made these statements the glorified body that we will have will be like the glorified body that Jesus had after his resurrection it passed through walls touched and felt could even eat so we are going to be sitting at the marriage supper of the lamb and eating again we cannot explain it but it happened right it could ascend and go against gravity all of that so let me pause here and see if there are any questions from the online class any questions from the online students anyone Pastor Ramilio can you hear me now Pastor no we can my question is when we are talking about the people who are already dead will also be raised up with Christ during his second coming as a glorified body I mean that is what we are talking about the people who are alive and also the people who are dead and buried they will be raised up back so my question is when the people die we believe that their spirit goes to heaven if they are believers so why again it is turned into a glorified body because when they are in heaven what form they are so so when they are in heaven they it is the spirit and soul the spiritual part of the soul that is there but they don't have this body so example if one of them were to come to our earth to say hello we can't see them because they have only spirit and soul no body we can't touch them, we can't shake hands, we can't eat with them because it's only spirit and spirit they are the Lord but they don't have this glorified body so God is going to give all of them and us these glorified bodies so that is the case we read it where Jesus is on the mountain and he is praying with the disciples and they see Moses and Elisha coming in talking to them if their spirits how did they recognize that is Moses and that is Elisha are they coming down in a glorified body to talk to them what happened in Matthew 17 is a special event which it's referred to as Jesus was transfigured that means in that moment God decided to do something temporarily momentarily God gave example let me put it like this he took a moment out of the future and he put it into the present momentarily so we call this time travel so example I'm just making up don't go say pastor said time travel I'm just trying to explain this he took a moment of time from the future and put it into the present so that means Jesus body was transfigured that means momentarily he remember that time he was in a natural body a flesh and blood body like what we have but momentarily on the mount of transfiguration his body became as though it was a glorified body and momentarily Elijah and Elisha received transfigured bodies meaning these glorified bodies momentarily God just did it at that moment but keep in mind Peter, James and John have never seen Elijah and Elisha you can show any old man from Old Testament they don't know who it is you can put Noah, Adam in front of them they won't know because they've never seen so their recognition of Elijah and Moses came through unknowing from the Holy Spirit but the visibility of Moses and Elijah was some a work of God in that moment but Jesus body itself was transfigured meaning made like a glorified body Moses and Elijah appeared as though they would appear in the future with glorified bodies Peter, James and John are watching this they're seeing and they are receiving hey this is Moses you've never seen him say hello this is his sign you never see him no photograph no DP but say hello they recognize these people that's a work of God and then it goes away Jesus comes back to his natural body so what we say is in the mount of transfiguration a special event that's how they were able to recognize and see what happened one last question so when Jesus is I understand when we are living and Jesus is coming for the second we are glorified body and we go to Jesus but when he is raising already who are dead that's how it is written in the Bible who will be rising up with God when he comes so what is it exactly happening because the spirit is already with Jesus is the spirit is getting a glorified body because it is mentioned that the dead will be raised that is the part where because there is no body there is no body only here I mean we don't even know who is there in which grave so what is it exactly happening on the earthly perspective or because the spirits of the people who are already dead are with Jesus are they attaining the glorified body at that moment of his second coming you can imagine it like this at that moment when the last trumpet the last trumpet sounds the spirits of all these people who have died who have gone to heaven they are with Jesus they are coming with Jesus and this trumpet sounds suddenly their spirits are receiving a glorified body but it does not mean that mud from the ground is suddenly coming together and that mud is suddenly being changed and it's going up and because some of like you said the physical part nothing is there we don't know where it is some people would have died in the sea some people would have died on the mountain it's not about the physical mud actually being suddenly changed right there because they are not landing on the earth in the middle of the air it loads their spirit and soul with this body that is made of different material it's like they are getting into their space suit God is just putting it on them and at that same moment those of us who are here on the earth we are living in flesh and blood bodies for us what happens suddenly our bodies are changed now how God does it I don't know I don't know whether there will be suddenly this physical body drops to the ground it doesn't describe it like that but suddenly those of us who are alive this body changes it becomes of a different material and we are meeting the Lord with the other saints in the middle of the air so how it happens in twinkling of an eye so to answer your question it's not that God is collecting the mud from the earth and changing it and giving them a body the body is giving them a spiritual body but it's called resurrection from the dead because they are now clothed with a body but the body is a model unlike you know when somebody is raised from the dead today they are still raised in a mortal body which will die again but that body will be immortal okay thank you so much alright thank you let's go for a break we'll be back everyone in 10 minutes


Ramadan Mubarak to everyone who's observing, and I thought I would share a few images from some of my picture books that share some of the things that I love about Ramadan, and then I have a special new book to share with you. I'm going to share my screen with you real quick and show you. So I've tried to write about Ramadan actually in many of my books. The very first book that I ever wrote Night of the Moon which came out a long time ago is all about the month of Ramadan. And then I went on to write these picture books that all have some mention of Ramadan in them. So I thought I'd show you some of the pictures from all of these books. Of course, as Naz mentioned, and as Meena started off started us off with fasting is a big part of Ramadan. So that's something I include in my book, as well as, you know, watching the moon to know that Ramadan is beginning since it is a month in the lunar calendar. And the early morning meal that we have at sunrise, we call Sohor. And so these are some delicious figs that's that saving for Sohor. I had some oatmeal this morning. They didn't have any delicious things. And at the end of the day when it's when the sun is setting and it's time to break fast, we enjoy some delicious dates. It's tradition to eat yummy dates like these, which I just want to reach in and grab one right now. And the meal that we have at sunset time is called Iftar, a time for family and togetherness and enjoying special food sometimes that we save especially for Ramadan. Lots of families have different Ramadan traditions. And it is a time for sharing, as Naz mentioned, for being with friends and family like we are right now. And people of all backgrounds coming together to enjoy Iftar. And here we see Curious George and the man with the yellow hat breaking fast with their Muslim friends. And some of the other traditions that are really important during Ramadan are things around learning, right? Since the Ramadan is the month when the Quran was first revealed to us, it's important to study and learn the Quran like you see this little girl doing here with her grandma. And here on this page we see an actual page of the Quran and a surah, a verse, a chapter of the Quran that a boy is memorizing. It's also important during Ramadan to give in charity and to share with others who may need things.  And a lot of people give their Zakat during Ramadan and on Eid to spread extra blessings. And here is one of my favorite pictures from Night of the Moon, which is when the family is going to the mosque for nightly prayers, but also taking along some cupcakes to share with everyone. So lots of community and sharing and togetherness during Ramadan are things that I wanted to emphasize and share with you here. But I know I'm talking about the theme of belonging and welcoming each other. And that is something that I also write about in chapter books. And Amina Song is a sequel to a book I wrote called Amina's Voice, where a lot of the theme of the book is belonging and where we fit in the world and how we make room for all the people we love and all the places we love in our heart and get people to understand all those pieces of us and who we really are inside. And I also have a brand new series that's about to launch next week. So next Tuesday, this book will be born. I'm having what we call a book birthday, which is when a book is launched into the world. And this is the first book in a brand new series called Zara's Rules. And the first book is called Zara's Rules for Record Breaking Fun. So I thought I'd give you a sneak peek into this book, which also talks about welcoming and belonging and a lot of the story is set around, actually, the whole series, a lot of it is set around Zara's neighborhood and her friendships and her community. And a lot of it is based on the neighborhood that I grew up in, which is actually not far from where I live right now. And the friendships that I made, including very special friends who moved in across the street from me when I was growing up, a Jewish family who I dedicated this book to and who I'm still very, very close to. So the fictional family in this book named the Goldsteins is inspired by my dear friends and my friend, Naomi, who I grew up with. And the girl in this book is also named Naomi, who becomes one of Zara's special friends. But this is the beginning of the book when Zara and her neighborhood friends realize that a new family of moving into the neighborhood and they've just spotted the moving truck and they've seen the kids get out of the moving truck and go into their new home. And they're a bit sad that the neighbor that they've loved for so long, Mr. Chapman, who always had the best lemonade and was always telling funny jokes and hanging out with the kids, he's moving away. And so they're a little, Zara's a bit nervous about who these new neighbors are. So I'm going to read a bit of chapter three to you. And other characters in the chapter are Zara's grandparents, Nano and Nanabu, her parents and her younger brother, Zade, who if you've ever read my Zade Celine series, it's the same family and the same brother. The new people are moving in, I tell Mama and Nano as I burst into the kitchen. They are sitting at the table together drinking chai, same ones from yesterday. We saw them from the window, Mama says, and they have kids after all. Too bad Chapman left. He was a good man, Nano shakes her head sadly. A very kind chap, Nanabu adds from the sofa, then he chuckles at his own joke. My grandparents used to say hello to Mr. Chapman whenever they visited us. Sometimes Nanabu went on walks with him and sat with him on his porch. When Mr. Chapman left, Nano packed him a cooler of parathas and kebabs in case he couldn't find any in Florida. We should take something over to the new neighbors to welcome them, Mama suggests. Samosas, Nano says, I can fry some right now. How about cookies, I ask. Everybody likes cookies. Nano wringles her nose. Cookies, shookies. They can buy cookies from the store, but not my homemade samosas. I want cookies, Zade says. Come here, Nano waves Zade over to her and he crawls onto her lap. Tell me, what does my skinny mouse want? You need some meat on these bones, I will make you whatever you like Nano offers. Cookies, Zade repeats. Now that Nano wants them. Nano, now that Zade wants them, sorry. Nano takes the suggestion seriously. Maybe I can make Nanjabai, special Pakistani cookies, then you can take some to the neighbors too. Mama brightens. Ooh, you haven't made Nanjabai in years. Anything my Zabe wants, Nano coos. Zade's so skinny. His arms are like toothpicks and everyone is obsessed with feeding him. But no one else as much as our grandmother. And Zade eats it up. The attention that is. When it comes to food, there's only a few types that he'll eat happily. Plain rice, plain pasta, plain paratha, plain pizza, chicken nuggets, Captain Crunch and cookies. And then the family goes on to make the cookies. And I'm going to skip ahead to when they're done. Mama ranges the Nanjabai on a plate, covers them with foil and hands the plate to me. Do you want to take these over? She asks. My stomach flip flops a little at the idea of knocking on the new people's door. But I grabbed the plate anyway. They should probably know who I am. Zade thinks she's the queen of the neighborhood since that's what Mr. Chapman used to call her.  When I get to the door, someone opens it before I even knock. It's the woman. Well, hello, the woman's lips stretch into a toothy smile. You must be our neighbor. Come on in. What is this? Is this for us? How lovely. Thank you so much. She doesn't stop talking and she takes the plate from my hand and ushers me into the house. I stand in the entryway, unsure what to do next. Should I take off my shoes? I ask, thinking about what I would do in my own house. If you'd like, make yourself at home. Don't mind all the boxes the woman says laughing. It's going to take us a while to unpack. We're the Goldsteins. Where do you live, sweetheart? Naomi, Michael, come say hello to our new neighbor. I point to our house across the street while Mrs. Goldstein puts the cookies down on the kitchen counter. Naomi peeks her head up from the hallway upstairs and then she slinks down the stairs. Hi, she says. What's your name? Zahra. How old are you? Naomi circles me, staring at me intently. Ten and three quarters. What about you? I just turned 10. Oh, how wonderful, Mrs. Goldstein yells from the kitchen. You're the same age. Where do you go to school, Zahra? Brisk River Elementary School. Naomi and Michael will be going to the Jewish J School, but I'm sure you'll have lots of fun in the neighborhood, Mrs. Goldstein replies. Naomi nods like she's deciding what to think about that. Who are those other kids, Naomi asks, which means she saw the rest of the gang when we were hiding. Melvin Fu was a cute little one with the spiky hair. Alan Goodman is the other boy. He plays all sports and has three cats. Jade Thomas and Gloria Thomas are sisters. Jade is older, but they act like twins, except Zaid is into fashion and making stuff and Gloria loves reading and biking. Oh, and then there's Zaid Selene, my little brother. That's a lot of kids, Naomi says, and then falls silent. I guess, I say, slipping my shoes back on. Well, see you later. I hope you like the cookies. As I leave, I hear Mrs. Goldstein whisper, see, I told you there'd be nice people living here. You're going to be fine. And then it hits me. Maybe the new people are as nervous about all of them, all of us as we are about them. And that's the end of chapter three. And you'll have to read on if you want to know what Zahra does to welcome her neighbor further and how she concocts this kind of nutty plan to make sure she stays clean of the neighborhood by breaking a Guinness World Record. But the theme of friendship and family and community and belonging is really something that is important to me and something I try to write about in all of my books. And I do love the chance to explore different characters and how they make connections and form these bonds. And I hope that my readers will connect to my stories and feel like they're a part of the action and a part of these characters and their lives and hopefully learn from each other. And just like the goals of shoulder to shoulder, to see how much we all really do have in common with each other, even as we share our different traditions and our different backgrounds and cultures and faith traditions. So thank you for inviting me here today.


Please give me a minute so that I may share my screen. Sorry about that one second. All right, are you all able to see?  Yes, we do. Thanks again. OK, thank you very much for joining us on the first day of the third Mekong Regional Land Forum. Today, our conversation is focused on how we can advance the recognition of customary tenure rights and collective forest tenure in the region. I would like to share some of the key ideas and main takeaways that stood out to me with the wealth of the discussion that we've had today and must admit it's not an easy task. During the plenaries and breakout groups, we learned about the diversity of customary forest tenure systems that have been practiced for generations by indigenous peoples and local communities throughout the Mekong region. We also learned about the different experiences and pathways being employed to document these systems so that they can be better recognized in order to improve local tenure security. The recording and documentation of customary tenure rights and practices is an essential step. But how can we then ensure that these are subsequently recognized and respected by external actors, such as other communities, government authorities, and the private sector, and also appropriately enshrined within statutory legal frameworks? It has been heartening to see that some progress, some significant progress, has been made in the forest sector within our region. Over the last five years, we have seen in all Mekong countries the enactment of new policy instruments, the creation of new multi-stakeholder mechanisms and partnerships, and an increasing recognition of the value that local communities and civil society can contribute in forest governance. The area of land recognized under various community-based management modalities has increased, and social forestry is slowly gaining wider acceptance as a viable, cost-effective approach in climate change adaptation and mitigation, forest landscape restoration, rural livelihoods development, sustainable forest trade, and disaster risk reduction. These bright spots, as coined by Thani, have provided an increasing number of opportunities for local people to understand, claim, exercise, and defend their rights over local forest land and resources, as evidenced by the multitude of examples that we've shared today. But these examples also point to a number of key barriers and challenges that continue to inhibit communities from realizing a full spectrum of rights over their customary land. What are these immediate key barriers? And how can we tackle them to turn the promise of new and emerging policy openings into successful practice? A recurrent message that I've heard today is that while countries have had success in passing new laws and legal instruments for forest tenure reform, it remains much more difficult to successfully implement these at scale. While it takes time to attune the mindsets of key actors, develop their capacities, and mobilize networks of human and financial resources to new legislation, this is not the only reason. In many cases, the recognition of rights continues to remain partial, meaning that many legal frameworks don't recognize the full bundle of rights. They sometimes don't recognize the whole area of land where communities have been exercising the customary rights. They don't account for the full socio-ecological relationships that communities have with their forests and land. And they can also perpetuate some existing inequalities within communities. Income benefits also continue to be limited due to inadequate commercial rights and regulatory barriers that restrict market access. Our discussions today also show that many policies and procedures continue to be onerous to implement and place an unfair burden of responsibility in local communities. There remain significant imbalances of power between different actors. Women and other marginalized groups also continue to be significantly disadvantaged when it comes to recognizing their knowledge, needs, interests, and rights over forest spaces and resources. Therefore, a lot of work remains to be done in order to level the playing field, in particular, to translate higher level policy and laws into tools and processes that are accessible and implementable by rights holders on the ground, and also to ensure that there is equity in space for women and marginalized members from the communities to participate and make decisions that have a meaningful effect on their lives. A lot of this will require more learning and sharing with one another, both within and across Mekong countries. This is where communities of practice and mechanisms like this very forum can play an important role. Within the Mekong countries, we've seen evidence of how civil society networks and multi-stakeholder working groups can work to effectively coordinate efforts in tenure reform. The ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry, the CSO Forum, and other regional platforms provide opportunities to share learning regionally, as well as to produce and adopt guidelines and protocols in line with international instruments and also offer ways to follow the money, as Nonette said. The collaborative efforts being taken to develop an ASEAN regional policy framework for recognizing customary forest tenure holds great promise, but we must ensure that this remains practical and inclusive and that the progress and that the process engages the right key champions who are strategically positioned within ASEAN member states to push the agenda forward. Tomorrow afternoon's session on the application of the existing ASEAN guidelines for responsible agricultural investment may present some useful lessons in this regard. One final point. In many Mekong countries, we are still grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking ahead, there's a lot of talk among us in the development community about building back better towards a green recovery. On the other hand, governments may continue to see foreign direct investment as the best way to kickstart national economies. Lead and red plus continue to also be important entry points driving forestry reform in all Mekong countries. And inevitably, there will also be other unforeseen setbacks and rollbacks, as Doris and David noted during their panel. In all these cases, we must continue to push for strong and clear rights for Indigenous peoples and local communities to make sure that these are at the top of the agenda. And we must all work together to ensure that adequate attention to resources are invested and appropriately channeled to address customary rights as a capstone issue. Tomorrow, we will shift our discussions to focus on a key determining influence over how local tenure security is played out within Mekong countries. That is, how to manage and respond to patterns and practices of investment in Mekong forest landscapes. The morning session is aimed at demystifying the principles of free, prior, and informed consent. These principles are designed to protect the rights of communities to land and resources while also protecting investments by avoiding land conflicts. The afternoon session will highlight the potential effectiveness of tools such as the ASEAN guidelines for responsible agriculture investment and steering agribusiness investments in Mekong forest landscapes towards a more sustainable future. From what we have learned today, I hope we can enter tomorrow's discussion with a deep end appreciation of how the recognition of customary forest tenure remains an essential building block for F-PIC and responsible investment practices in the Mekong. So there you have it. I've had my say. I encourage you to have yours. Please remember to take part in the poll today at WW-


Mr. Speaker, I beg to present for second reading a bill short entitled United Nations Sanctions Counterprofileration Financing Agreement. Mr. Speaker, United Nations Sanctions Counterprofileration Financing Amendment Act 2023 amends the United Nations sanctions counterprofileration financing act cap 12.30 in keeping it a financial action task force FETF recommendations particularly recommendation number seven which relates to targeted financial sanctions related to proliferation. Mr. Speaker, St. Lucia's fourth round mutual evaluation report, MR, was posted globally on the financial action task force website as of January 25, 2021 is there for everyone to see. St. Lucia's mutual evaluation report highlights the deficiency related to counterproliferation financing. Since that report, St. Lucia has enacted the United Nations Sanctions Counterproliferation financing act. However, the act does not satisfy all the requirements of recommendation number seven but she wanted to revise financial action task force FETF 40 recommendations. St. Lucia must address these deficiencies in order to apply for re-rating at the November 2023 plenary. St. Lucia is expected as part of his follow-up processes to apply for re-rating at the November 2023 plenary on the FETF 40 recommendations that related as non-compliant and partially compliant in his mutual evaluation report, the MR. The United Nations Sanction Counterproliferation financing act has been identified as one of the critical enactments in need of amendments for the purposes of re-rating of the re-rating process. In order to correct dilated deficiencies, Mr. Speaker, amendments to the act are hereby sought to allow for the following provisions. Recommendation number seven, counterproliferation financing. The United Nations Sanctions Counterproliferation financing act, cap 12.3 knots, are after referred to as the act, does not explicitly state that the Attorney General is a competent authority in matters of proliferation financing. It is therefore recommended that this be amended to make it clear that the Attorney General is a competent authority. This amendment would satisfy the requirement for legal authority to be identified for the purposes of implementing unenforcing targeted financial sanctions. Listed NGA and B under section two of the act should be amended to include an expression and any other successor resolutions. Section action under section two of the act should refer to section two, section two, part A, to the Money Laundering Prevention Act. Section two of the act should also include other business activities as described in schedule two, section two, part B, to the Money Laundering Prevention Act. To amend section four, two of the act to include a representative of the director of public prosecutions and representative of the Department of Finance. To amend section one four of the act to direct that the actions to be performed therein are performed without delay. To insert a new provision to direct all natural and legal persons within the country to freeze without delay, any without prior notice the funds or assets of designated persons or entities. To amend section seven of the act to add a provision for solution to submit prior notification to the Security Council of the intention to make or receive payments under the contract or to authorize or appropriate the unfreezing of funds or financial assets or economic resources for the purpose, turn the working days prior to such authorisation. To include the amendment of section 17, the following, that the Attorney General has determined that the contract is not related to any of the prohibited items, materials, equipment, goods, technologies, assistance, training, financial assistance, investment, brokering of services referred to in the United Nations Security Council resolutions two, two, three, one, and any future successor resolutions. B, that Attorney General has determined that the payment is not directly and directly received by a personal entity subject to the measures in parallel six of NXB to the United Nations Security Council resolution UNSCR. To amend section 23 of the act to refer to all persons and not simple financial institutions. To amend section 25 and 26 of the act to provide an exception to the prohibition stated under these provisions where that percentage is licensed or for rise otherwise notified in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. To insert a new section into the act to refer to mechanisms for communicating designations to financial institutions and designated non-financial business and professions called the DNFBPs immediately upon taking such action, freezing action and providing clear guidance to financial institutions other personal entities including DNFBPs that they are holding targeted funds or assets on the obligations in taking action on the freezing mechanisms. These amendments make these functions the responsibility of the Financial Intelligence Authority and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank as they are the supervisors for anti-money, laundering, counter-terrorism financing and counter-proliferation financing designated on the Money Launching Prevention Act. To amend section 21 of the act to make provision for a person of financial institution or DNFBPs to report to the competent authority on any assets which have been frozen or any prohibitive action taken in compliance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions including Attemptentions Actions. To insert a new section into the act to allow the competent authority to monitor personal entities including DNFBPs compliance with the relevant obligations and when necessary to have the appropriate civil administrative or criminal extensions attached for non-compliance. To insert a new section into the act to allow for the infusion of funds or other assets of persons or entities with the same or similar name as designated persons or entities with the same or similar names as designated person entities who are wrongly affected by a freezing mechanism upon verification that said person is not a designated person or entity. This new revision should also create a mechanism to inform financial institutions and DNFBPs of the facts of unfreezing and delisting and the obligations there to. Relation to the process of unfreezing and delisting, this could be placed in a schedule to the act. Mr. Speaker, the person of these amendments in this Honourable House will bring solution to being fully compliant to the FETF's recommendation and prevent solution from being blacklisted. These amendments are therefore presented to you, this Honourable House, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is another of our obligations and we have another bill, Mr. Speaker, where I will speak on it in more detail, Mr. Speaker, but this is another of our obligations that the international financial, the international financial role is putting on small islands, Mr. Speaker.  But, Mr. Speaker, the clauses have been detailed, the changes have been detailed in the documents before the House, Mr. Speaker. I don't think there's any need for me to go through them, but in the other bill, Mr. Speaker, I will speak to more detail about our commitments under the FETF, Mr. Speaker. But what this bill does, it improves, makes us compliant with recommendation 7 of the Financial Action Task Force, Mr. Speaker, and it ensures that we make the necessary changes, including making the Attorney General, the designated authority, specifying that, Mr. Speaker, and also including the representative of the Director of Public Prosecutions to have a role, Mr. Speaker, in counterproliferation and financing, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said, I speak in more detail on the other bill and I ask the Attorney General members to support this bill, Mr. Speaker. I thank you.


Purdue has been special this I think this is like every kid's dream. This is what you work for my whole life I always told myself, you know, if I could if I ever had the opportunity. This is what I was going to do Everybody doesn't get to say they play for a coach pain, you know, appreciate him giving me the opportunity To be able to play at this level Contribute and you know welcome welcoming me into the you know, Purdue family, which is a amazing thing I Planned against Virginia and then being able to do what we did was Amazing especially because I contributed. I think that was my first Time playing in the game that of that caliber, you know, I don't and any of my other Career games. I don't think I played against a number five team in the country So my family has been nothing but supportive my entire life. My dad's been my basketball coach for The vast majority of my life.  Nobody has ever doubted me or you know Told me I couldn't you know be here Play at this level or anything like that.