OVERNIGHT, WE LOST

EVERYTHING.

Andrew: A REFUGEE'S

EPIC JOURNEY.

BE WERE BETRAYED AND WE

WERE LIED TO.

Andrew: THROUGH FIRE

AND WATER.

IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE,

DEATH IS REALLY THE ONLY

REASONABLE OUTCOME.

Andrew: ON TODAY'S

"700 CLUB INTERACTIVE."

> WELL, WELCOME TO "700

CLUB INTERACTIVE."

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO GO

ACROSS THE OCEAN AND BACK

IN TIME.

40 YEARS AGO, NORTH

VIETNAMESE FORCES OVERRAN

THEIR NEIGHBORS TO THE

SOUTH.

THE COMMUNIST TAKEOVER

THREATENED THE LIVES OF

EVERYONE IN ITS PATH.

MANY PEOPLE MADE THE

DECISION TO LEAVE OR TO

DIE TRYING.

FOR VIN CHUNG AND HIS

FAMILY, DEATH WAS ALWAYS A

STEP OR TWO AWAY.

TAKE A LOOK.

Reporter: APRIL,

1975, AMERICAN MILITARY

HELICOPTERS AIRLIFTED

AMERICAN PERSONNEL FROM

SAIGON.

FOR MANY, THIS IS THE

FINAL IMAGE OF THE VIETNAM

WAR.

FOR THOSE LEFT BEHIND, IT

IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

AT FIRST THE NEW COMMUNIST

GOVERNMENT TOLD THEM THAT

LITTLE WOULD CHANGE IN

THEIR DAILY ROUTINES.

IF ONLY THAT HAD BEEN

TRUE.

THEY FIRST SAID THEY

JUST WANT PEACE.

AND THEY GRADUALLY STARTED

TAKING AN INVENTORY OF ALL

OUR POSSESSIONS.

AND IT JUST CONTINUED TO

ESCALATE TO THE POINT

WHERE MY FAMILY LITERALLY

LOST EVERYTHING AND WE

WERE KICKED OUT OF OUR OWN

HOME.

Reporter: AT THE

TIME, VIN CHUNG'S FAMILY

OWNED A RICE MILLING

BUSINESS, ONE OF THE

LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE

DELTA, AND THE VIETCONG

WANTED THEIR SHARE.

WITHIN MONTHS, THE

GOVERNMENT CONFISCATED

EVERYTHING, AND JUST LIKE

THAT, THE CHUNG'S EMPIRE

WAS WIPED OUT.

WITH NO JOB OR HOUSE TO GO

HOME TO, THE FAMILY

GATHERED WHAT LITTLE THEY

HAD LEFT AND FLED.

THEN IVIN WAS JUST THREE AND A

HALF AT THE TIME.

OVERNIGHT WE LOST

EVERYTHING.

AND SO MY PARENTS SAW THAT

IF THEY WERE TO STAY

BEHIND, REGARDLESS OF HOW

HARD WE WORKED, THAT AT

ANY MOMENT THE COMMUNISTS

COULD TAKE IT AWAY.

AND IT WAS AT THAT POINT,

KNOWING THAT LEAVING THE

COUNTRY COULD POTENTIALLY

RESULT IN DEATH, MY

PARENTS REALIZED AT THAT

POINT IT WAS WORTH THE

RISK BECAUSE TO STAY

BEHIND, WE HAD NO FUTURE.

Reporter: AFTER THE

FALL OF SAIGON, MANY OF

THEIR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN

FELT THE SAME WAY.

THOUSANDS, IF NOT

MILLIONS, LEFT WHEN THEY

COULD.

SO MANY OF THEM WENT NORTH

TO CHINA THAT THE CHINESE

CLOSED ITS BORDERS.

OTHERS WHO FLED ON LAND

HAD TO GO WEST, THROUGH

THE KILLING FIELDS OF

CAMBODIA AND LAOS.

THE CHUNG FAMILY HAD ONE

OPTION: LEAVE BY SEA.

EVEN THOUGH NONE OF THEM

HAD EVER BEEN ON THE BOAT

OR EVERY SEEN THE OCEAN.

WE WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE

A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY

WITH US HER PERSON, AND

THAT WAS IT.

WE DECIDED TO SELL

EVERYTHING WE HAD, GET ON

THIS BOAT, GO OUT TO SEA,

AND JUST HOPE FOR THE

BEST.

Reporter: BUT SHORTLY

BEFORE THEY LEFT, VIN'S

MOTHER HAD A STRANGE

DREAM.

AND IN THE DREAM, SHE

WAS IN THE MARKETPLACE, AS

USUAL.

BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE

LOOKED AROUND, AND

EVERYONE WAS LYING DEAD.

AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

MARKET, SHE ALSO SAW THIS

BEARDED MAN.

AND WHOEVER HE WOULD POINT

TO, THEY WOULD COME BACK

UP ALIVE AGAIN.

AND SO WHILE LYING THERE

IN HER DREAMS, SHE KEPT

PRAYING AND WISHING AND

HOPING THAT THIS MAN WOULD

COME AND POINT AT HER AND

HER FAMILY.

AND IN HER DREAM, THIS MAN

DID.

AND WE ALL BECAME ALIVE

AGAIN.

AND AFTER THE DREAM, SHE

KEPT WONDERING WHAT IT

WAS.

AND THERE WAS SOMETHING

ABOUT THE DREAM THAT MADE

HER FEEL THAT IT WAS MORE

THAN JUST A DREAM.

Reporter: OF THE

SO-CALLED VIETNAMESE BOAT

PEOPLE, ONLY ONE OUT OF

EVERY TWO SURVIVED.

THEY LEFT WITH BARELY ANY

FOOD OR SUPPLIES, AND

THOSE REFUGEE BOATS WERE

EASY PREY FOR THAI POOR

RATES.

PIRATES.

ON THESE RICKIDY BOATS,

WE HAD WOMEN AND CHILDREN,

SO WE WERE ESSENTIALLY A

FLOATING BANK VAULT, AND

THEY KNEW THAT.

Reporter: AND THEN A

SHIP CAME IN OVER THE

HORIZON.

THEY CAME IN WAVING

KNIVES AND SCREWDRIVERS,

AND THEY'LL GO AROUND

RIPPING EARRINGS OFF OF

PEOPLE, RIPPING JEWELRY

OFF, DEMANDING ANYTHING OF

VALUE.

AFTER THEY ROBBED US, THEY

LEFT AS QUICKLY AS THEY

CAME.

AND THEY WERE OFF.

Reporter: NOW,

REFUGEES ARE PEOPLE

WITHOUT COUNTRIES.

AND THE PLACES WHERE THEY

SEEK ASYLUM, GET TIRED OF

THEM TYING UP THEIR SOCIAL

SERVICES.

SO WHEN THE CHUNG FAMILY

ARRIVED ON SHORE AFTER

THREE LONG DAYS AT SEA,

THEY WEREN'T EXACTLY

GREETED THERE.

THE LOCAL VILLAGERS HAD

CALLED THE MALAYSIAN

MILITARY TO REPORT ANOTHER

BOAT THAT SHOWED UP ON THE

SHORE.

THEY WEREN'T SURE WHAT TO

DO WITH US.

Reporter: LESS THAN

AN HOUR AFTER ARRIVING,

ARMED SOLDIERS ENDED UP

BEATING SOME MEN AND

ORDERED THE GROUP TO

MARCH.

AND THEY DID, FOR DAYS AND

DAYS UN UNDER THE HOT SUN.

THEY DIDN'T TELL US

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OR WHERE

WE WOULD GO.

WE WERE BASICALLY IN

NO-MAN'S LAND.

THERE WAS NO COUNTRY THAT

CLAIMED US.

WE WERE IN A COMPLETE

STATE OF LIMBO.

THE CONDITIONS WERE SO

BRUTAL THAT MY MOTHER

ACTUALLY SUFFERED A

MISCARRIAGE.

AFTER A FEW DAYS ON THE

BEACH, SHE STARTED

BLEEDING.

TO THE POINT WHERE SHE HAD

PASSED OUT AND ALMOST

DIED.

Reporter: AFTER TWO

WEEKS, THE MALAYSIAN

GUARDS PUT THE CHUNG

FAMILY BACK ON A BOAT AND

TOETOWED THEM OUT TO SEA.

THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING

TO AN ISLAND REFUGEE CAMP.

BUT A DAY LATER, WITH NO

LAND IN SIGHT, THE

MALAYSIANS CUT THE ROPES

AND TOLD THE REFUGEES THEY

WERE ON THEIR OWN.

WE WERE BETRAYED AND WE

WERE LIED TO, AND WE WERE

ESSENTIALLY LEFT FOR DEAD.

THEY DID NOT WANT TO

ACCEPT US INTO THE REFUGEE

CAMP.

THEY ALSO DID NOT WANT TO

SHOOT US.

BUT, INSTEAD, THEY DID IT

IN THE MOST PASSIVE WAY,

PUTTING US IN A

CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WOULD

RID US FROM THE SHORES

BECAUSE IN THAT

CIRCUMSTANCE, DEATH IS

REALLY THE ONLY REASONABLE

OUTCOME.

Reporter: DEHYDRATION

BEGINS WHEN A BODY LOSES

JUST 1% OR 2% OF ITS WATER

RESERVES.

STRANDED IN THE SOUTH

CHINA SEA IN THE MIDDLE OF

JULY, VIN AND HIS FAMILY

REACHED THAT STAGE AFTER

ONLY A DAY.

AFTER FIVE DAYS AT SEA,

THE REFUGEES WERE ABOUT TO

DIE.

WE HAD NO FOOD.

WE HAD NO WATER.

THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD

GONE BLIND BECAUSE THEIR

CORNEAS WERE SCORCHED.

THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE

HALLUCINATING.

MY GRANDFATHER STARTED

HALLUCINATING.

AND WOMAN ON BOARD

ACTUALLY CONTEMPLATING

DROWNING THEIR OWN

CHILDREN.

PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE THE

WAY TO MINIMIZE THE

SUFFERING THEY WOULD HAVE

TO UNDERGO.

AND MY FATHER LOOKED

AROUND AND SAW HIS

CHILDREN AND HIS WHOLE

FAMILY DYING.

SO HE GOT ON HIS KNEES AND

PRAYED TO THE CREATOR GOD.

AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE

CLOUDS CAME IN AND WATER

CAME OUT OF THE SKY.

Reporter: THE RAIN

HELPED THEM SURVIVE.

BUT IT WASN'T GOING TO

HELP THEM LIVE.

THE REFUGEES NEEDED

ANOTHER MIRACLE.

AND THANKFULLY THEIRS WAS

JUST A FEW MILES AWAY.

WE SEE A LARGE WHITE

SHIP.

WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THE SHIP

WOULD BE ANOTHER PIRATE

SHIP.

BUT BY NOW WE WERE SO

DESPERATE, IT DIDN'T

MATTER.

AND I REMEMBER THE ADULTS

WERE TELLING EVERYONE TO

LIE DOWN, LIE DOWN.

SO WE COULD LOOK SICK AND

GET SOME MORE SYMPATHY

FROM THE CREW ON THE SHIP.

IT'S KIND OF FUNNY NOW TO

THINK ABOUT TRYING TO ACT

SICK OR DESPERATE BECAUSE

WE WERE NEAR DEATH.

Reporter: TWO YEARS

EARLIER, THE PRESIDENT OF

WORLD VISION, A MAN NAMED

STAN MOONIHAM BOUGHT AN

OLD CARGO SHIP AND BEGAN

TROLLING THE MILES AND

MILES OF WATERS FOR

REFUGEES.

HE CALLED IT "OPERATION

SEA SWEEP."

ON JULY 9, 1979, SEA SWEEP

SPOTTED VIN AND HIS

HALF-DEAD FAMILY BOBBING

UP AND DOWN HUNDREDS OF

MILES FROM SHORE.

THEY ARE PACKED IN

THERE LIKE SARDINES.

LITERALLY.

Reporter: THE

REFUGEES WERE BROUGHT ON

BOARD AND GIVEN FOOD,

BLANKETS, AND BIBLES.

VIN'S FATHER WAS INVITED

TO ATTEND A SERVICE HELD

BY THE CREW.

IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT

THAT HE UNDERSTAND THAT

THIS IS THE GOD THAT

BROUGHT RAIN DOWN TO

QUENCH OUR THIRST WHEN WHE WE

NEEDED IT.

THIS IS OUR TIME TO SAY

TO GOD THAT WE THANK HIM

FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR

US TO MEET TOGETHER.

AND IT IS ALSO THIS GOD

WHO HAD BEEN WORKING ALL

OF THIS TIME TO BRING THIS

CREW FROM WORLD VISION ON

THIS WHITE BOAT TO COME

OUT AND RESCUE US.

Reporter: AT THE

TIME, PRESIDENT JIMMY

CARTER DECLARED THAT ANY

REFUGEES PICKED UP BY A

U.S.-OWNED SHIP WOULD BE

GUARANTEED ASYLUM IN THE

UNITED STATES.

SO WITHIN MONTHS AFTER

BEING RESCUED, VIN AND HIS

FAMILY ARRIVED AT THEIR

NEW HOME IN FORT SMITH,

ARKANSAS.

SOON THEY FOUND A PLACE

WHERE THEY COULD FIT IN, A

CHURCH THAT OFFERED A

VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE

SERVICE.

THE CHUNGS DECIDED TO

ATTEND AND COULDN'T

BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAW.

IN THE CHURCH, MY

MOTHER SAW A FRAMED

PICTURE OF JESUS.

AND WHEN SHE LOOKED AT

THAT PICTURE, SHE THOUGHT,

THAT WAS THE MAN IN MY

DREAM.

AND HIS NAME WAS JESUS.

AND HE IS A MAN WHO BRINGS

SOMEONE BACK TO LIFE.

THAT SOMEONE COULD DIE AND

HAVE A NEW LIFE THROUGH

HIM.

Reporter: THE CHUNG

FAMILY MADE THE MOST OF

AMERICA.

HIS FATHER WORKED LONG

HOURS TO SUPPORT HIS

FAMILY OF 10.

VIN STUDIED HARD AND

GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL

VALEDICTORIAN.

FROM THERE HE WENT TO

HARVARD TO BECOME A

DOCTOR.

AND A FEW YEARS AGO, HE

WENT BACK TO VIETNAM.

THERE HE MET SOME COUSINS

AND RELATIVES, HIS FAMILY

THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT OUT.

I VISITED THEM IN HUTS,

WITH NO ELECTRICITY AND NO

RUNNING WATER.

I THINK AT THAT POINT WAS

WHEN I REALIZED THAT EVEN

THOUGH I HAD WORKED LONG

AND HARD TO GET TO WHERE I

WAS, IT WAS REALLY THROUGH

NO MERIT OF MY OWN.

WHAT REALLY STRUCK ME AT

THAT POINT WAS LUKE 12:

48: "TO WHOM MUCH IS

GIVEN, MUCH IS EXPECTED."

I NEVER THOUGHT THAT VERSE

APPLIED TO ME.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT

JESUS WAS TALKING ABOUT

THE RICH, OR MAYBE THE

POWERFUL PEOPLE, WHO COULD

HAVE AN INFLUENCE AND HAVE

SOMETHING TO GIVE.

BUT WHEN I WAS IN VIETNAM,

I WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT

EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE,

REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH OR

HOW LITTLE, HAS BEEN GIVEN

TO US.

AND THAT WE ARE STEWARDS

OF ALL OF OUR RESOURCES,

ALL OF OUR OPPORTUNITIES

AND OUR POTENTIAL

INFLUENCE FOR THE KINGDOM

OF GOD.

Reporter: VIN ARRIVED

IN AMERICA WITH JUST THE

CLOTHES ON HIS BACK.

HE WORKED LONG AND HARD,

AND NOW HE HAD TO REPAY

THE FAVOR.

WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE

JOURNEY THAT MY FAMILY

WENT THROUGH, TO GO FROM

VIETNAM TO THIS COUNTRY, I

HAVE NO DOUBT THAT GOD WAS

IN THE BOAT.

NOW THAT I HAVE BEEN

RESCUED, NOW THAT I'M

SAFELY ON SHORE, MY

OBLIGATION IS TO SEND THE

BOAT BACK TO THOSE PEOPLE

WHO ARE IN NEED.

Reporter: TODAY VIN

CHUNG IS DOING JUST THAT.

HE LIVES IN COLORADO

SPRINGS WITH HIS WIFE AND

CHILDREN.

HE OWNS AND OPERATES HIS

OWN PRACTICE AS A

DERMATOLOGIST.

HE ALSO SERVES ON THE

BOARD AT WORLD VISION, THE

SAME ORGANIZATION THAT

SAVED HIS LIFE MORE THAN

30 YEARS AGO.

AND AFTER A JOURNEY THAT

TOOK HIM 10,000 MILES

ACROSS TWO CO CONTINENTS, HE

IS FINALLY HOME.

Gordon: WHAT A

WONDERFUL STORY.

TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN,

MUCH SHALL ALSO BE

REQUIRED.

AND YOU LOOK AT THAT

WONDERFUL STORY.

HOW AGAINST ALL ODDS THEY

MADE IT BECAUSE THEY

PRAYED AND BECAUSE THEY

BELIEVED AND BECAUSE THEY

TRUSTED GOD.

BUT THE WONDERFUL THING

ABOUT IT IS THERE IS A

GROUP WHO ALSO BELIEVED,

WHO ALSO PRAYED, WHO ALSO

TRUSTED GOD.

AND WHO GOT THE WONDERFUL

IDEA, WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT

TO BE IN A BOAT THAT WOULD

RESCUE THESE PEOPLE, THAT

WOULD GO OUT AND SEARCH

AND SWEEP THE SEA TO FIND

THEM?

SO IF YOU ARE THINKING

THAT MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE A

SEA SWEEPER, AND MAYBE YOU

SHOULD GO AND LOOK, DON'T

RESIST THAT.

GO.

YOU'LL GO ON A WONDERFUL

ADVENTURE.

AND IT WILL BE INCREDIBLE

WHAT HAPPENS.

WELL, THAT'S NOT THE ONLY

STORY IN THE VIN FAMILY.

ALL TOGETHER, THEY NOW

HAVE 21 UNIVERSITY

DEGREES.

AND YOU CAN READ MORE OF

THEIR WONDERFUL JOURNEY,

THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, IN

THE BOOK.

AND IT'S CALLED "WHERE THE

WIND LEADS."

YOU CAN GET A COPY BY

GOING TO

700clubinteractive.com.

PORTION OF THE BOOK SALES

GO BACK INTO WORLD VISION,

THE SAME ORGANIZATION THAT

PLUCKED THEM OUT OF THE

SEA.

AND WE WANT TO THANK WORLD

VISION FOR PROVIDING SOME

OF THE PHOTOS AND THE

VIDEOS YOU JUST SAW IN

THAT STORY.

> UP NEXT, AN EXPERT

FISHERMAN WHO JUST NEEDED

A BOAT.

SEE THE GIFT THAT GOT HIM

BACK IN THE WATER.

UP NEXT.

Gordon: WHEN TYPHOON

HAIYAN STRUCK THE

FISHERMEN, MANY FISHERMEN

LOST THEIR BOATS AND

FISHING GEAR IN THE STORM.

SO "OPERATION BLESSING" IS

GIVING THEM EVERYTHING

THEY NEED TO GET BACK TO

WORK AND FEED THEIR

FAMILIES.

Reporter: AT AGE 523,

CANTIN'S AIM IS AS SHARP

AS HIS SPEAR GUN.

MY FATHER TAUGHT ME

SPEAR FISHING TECHNIQUES,

WITH THE BLESSINGS OF THE

SEA FOR OUR LIVELIHOOD.

Reporter: HE NEVER

IMAGINED THAT THE SAME

OCEAN THAT PROVIDED FOOD

FOR HIS FAMILY WOULD

DESTROY HIS BOAT.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN

A TYPHOON RIPPED THROUGH

THEIR TOWN.

WE HAD TO HOLD ON TO

THE TREES UNTIL THE WATER

WENT DOWN.

MY BOAT WAS TIED TO THIS

TREE, BUT IT BROKE INTO

THREE PARTS AND ENDED UP

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE

BAY.

Reporter: FOR THREE

DAYS, THE COUPLE SURVIVED

ON COCONUTS AND RICE.

OUR SITUATION WAS

HOPELESS.

I KNEW WE COULD NOT DEPEND

ON RELIEF SUPPLIES FOR TOO

LONG.

I HAD TO START FISHING

AGAIN, BUT IT WAS

IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT A BOAT.

Reporter: HE JOINED

WITH OTHER FISHERMEN AND

RENTED BOATS AND NETS TO

FISH, BUT AFTER THE RENT

WAS PAID, THERE WAS LITTLE

LEFT TO FEED THE FAMILY.

SO CBN BROUGHT ALL OF THE

MATERIALS NEEDED TO BUILD

NEW BOATS FOR CANTIN AND

OTHER FISHERMEN IN THE

VILLAGE.

SOON THE BOATS MADE THEIR

MAIDEN VOYAGE.

I LOVE THE BOAT.

IT IS BIGGER THAN THE ONE

I HAD.

I CAN GO FISHING ANYWHERE.

Reporter: CANTIN CAN

NOW GO SPEAR FISHING IN

THE DEEPER WATERS, AND HE

MADE ENOUGH TO MAKE A

BUSINESS FOR HIS WIFE.

AFTER THE DISASTER, GOD

USED CBN TO GIVE ME THIS

GREAT HOPE.

I WISH I COULD HUG ALL OF

YOU WHO GAVE TO CBN.

THANK YOU.

Gordon: YOU CAN GET A

HUG FROM HALF WAY AROUND

THE WORLD.

HOW?

JUST BY BEING A MEMBER OF

"THE 700 CLUB."

A PORTION OF EVERY GIFT

GOES INTO "OPERATION

BLESSING."

ANOTHER PORTION GOES INTO

CBN INTERNATIONAL TO

PREACH THE GOSPEL.

WE PREACH THE GOSPEL.

WE HELP PEOPLE.

WE WANT TO DO IT IN VERY

TANGIBLE WAYS.

AND YOU'RE A PART OF

ALLIST WHEALLOF IT WHEN YOU JOIN "THE

700 CLUB."

HOW MUCH IS IT?

IT IS JUST 65 CENTS A DAY,

$20 A MONTH.

AND YOU'LL HELP PEOPLE IN

NEED.

IF THAT'S YOU, GIVE US A

CALL.

THE NUMBER IS ON THE

SCREEN AND IT'S TOLL-FREE:

1-888-777-1999.

WHEN YOU CALL, ASK FOR

PLEDGE EXPRESS.

THAT'S MONTHLY GIVING

WHERE THE BANK DOES ALL OF

THE WORK.

WE SAVE SO MUCH ON THE

PROCESSING, WE CAN SEND AS

OUR GIFT FOR YOU "POWER

FOR LIFE" MONTHLY TEACHING

C.D.s.

JUST LOG ON TO

700clubinteractive.com

AND YOU'LL AUTOMATICALLY

SIGN UP FOR PLEDGE

EXPRESS.

SO DO IT NOW,

1-888-777-1999.

> WELL, STILL AHEAD,

ANOTHER RESCUE ON THE HIGH

SEAS.

THREE FISHERMEN IN

SHARK-INFESTED WATERS.

MORE SHARKS SHOWED UP

AND STARTED GETTING MORE

VIOLENT AND RUNNING INTO

US.

I WAS WORRIED ABOUT US

BEING EATEN.

AND THAT'S WHEN HE SAID,

ANDY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO

MAKE IT.

Gordon: SEE HOW THEY

SURVIVE, UP NEXT.

Gordon: FOR 3 38 LONG

HOURS, KEITH AND HIS TWO

FRIENDS BOBBED HELPLESSLY

IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

THEY WERE STRANDED, WITH

NO BOAT, NO RADIO, AND NO

ONE WHO KNEW WHERE THEY

WERE, EXCEPT A SCHOOL OF

HUNGRY SHARKS.

IT WAS JUST SECOND, AND

WE WERE IN THE WATER,

FLOATING, WITH ALL OF THE

BAIT, ALL OF THE FISH WE

CAUGHT, THE CHUM AND THE

BLOOD, EVERYTHING IS ALL

IN THE WATER.

I STARTED THINKING ABOUT

THIS IS GOING TO DRAW IN

SHARKS.

Reporter: THE SEAS

WERE CALM AS KEITH

KENNERLEY AND TWO OF HIS

BUDDIES HEADED OUT INTO

THE ATLANTIC FOR A DAY OF

DEEP SEA FISHING.

35 MILES OUT, THE FISH

WERE BITING.

A RED SNAPPER WOULD

TAKE OFF, AND IT WAS

AWESOME.

WE FIGURED AFTER WE CAUGHT

ALL OF THESE FISH, WE

WOULD CHUM LATER AND CATCH

SOME BIG SHARKS.

EVERYTHING WAS GOING

GREAT.

Reporter: BUT A BOAT

THAT WAS PASSING BY WARNED

THEM ABOUT AN APPROACHING

STORM.

HE SAID THE WEATHER WAS

TURNING BAD AND HE WAS

HEADING HOME.

I SAID WE WERE GOING TO

FISH ANOTHER HOUR AND HEAD

BACK IN.

WE GAVE OUR CALL SIGNS AND

HE LEFT AND WE WENT BACK

TO FISHING.

Reporter: ONE OF THEM

TOLD KEITH HE NOTICED

WATER IN THE BOAT'S HULL.

I KEPT FISHING AND TOLD

HIM IT WAS NO BIG DEAL AND

NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

Reporter: BUT KEITH

REALIZEHAD FORGOTTEN THEY DIDN'T

TIGHTEN THE DRAIN PLUGS.

HE LOOKED AT ME AND

SAID, THIS IS REALLY

SERIOUS, AND I LOOKED BACK

AND THE WATER WAS ALMOST

UP TO HIS KNEES.

THE FIRST THING I TRIED TO

DO WAS TRY TO GET THE

BOAT'S RADIO TO SEND OUT

AN S.O.S. BECAUSE WE WERE

TAKING ON WATER.

NOTHING WOULD TURN ON.

THE BOAT HAD TAKEN ON ALL

OF THIS WATER.

JUST A SMALL WAVE CAME ON

OVER THE BACK, AND THE

BOAT WAS IN THE WATER.

WE GOT TO THE BOAT, AND

SHE WAS IN THE WATER WITH

THE BOW STICKING UP ABOVE

THE WATER, MAYBE TWO OR

THREE FEET.

ONE MINUTE YOU'RE STANDING

ON SOMETHING, AND THE NEXT

MINUTE YOU'RE IN THE WATER

WITH YOUR CLOTHES ON AND

IT WAS EARLY JUNE, AND

THAT WATER WAS REALLY

COLD.

I WENT UNDER THE BOAT

THREE OR FOUR TIMES AND

GOT THREE OUR FOUR

LIFEVESTS ON.

BUT AFTER A WHILE, THEY

START PULLING YOU DOWN.

Reporter: TO STAY

AFLOAT, THE MEN TOOK TURNS

CLINGING TO THE BOW.

BUT THE STORM CLOSED IN.

MY BIGGEST FEAR WAS,

ARE WE GOING TO BE FOUND?

I HADN'T TOLD ANYONE BUT

WE'RE GOING FISHING.

Reporter: TO MAKE

MATTERS WORSE, THE BAIT

AND CHUM WAS ALSO THROWN

INTO THE WATER AND

ATTRACTING SOME UNWANTED

GUESTS.

I SAID, WE HAVE SHARKS.

THEY'RE CIRCLING THE BOAT.

THEY'RE CIRCLING US.

MORE SHARKS SHOWED UP AND

STARTED GETTING MORE

VIOLENT, AND RUNNING INTO

US.

I WAS WORRIED ABOUT US

BEING EATEN.

THAT'S WHEN HE SAID, ANDY,

WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE

IT.

Reporter: FINALLY THE

STORM WAS UPON THEM.

I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE

LONGEST NIGHT I HAD EVER

LIVED IN MY LIFE.

YOU COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS

OUT THERE.

WE HAD THREE BIG STORMS

OUT THERE, LIGHTNING

STORMS.

Reporter: FACING

DEATH, KEITH STARTED

PRAYING.

I STARTED PRAYING AND

ASKING THE LORD TO FORGIVE

ME FOR THE THINGS I'D DONE

IN MY LIFE.

I ASKED HIM TO FORGIVE ME,

AND IF HE COULD, TAKE US

OUT OF THERE.

I WASN'T READY TO DIE.

Reporter: LATER THAT

NIGHT, THE STORM SUBSIDED.

ONE OF KEITH'S FRIENDS,

WHO WAS AN ATHEIST, HAD

BEEN WATCHING HIM.

HE SAID, EVERY ONCE IN

A WHILE YOU'RE NOT HERE.

I SAID, I'M PRAYING.

THAT HE'LL OPEN THE GATES

OF HEAVEN AND BRING ME IN.

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW,

KEITH, I NEVER BELIEVED

ANY OF THAT.

AND I SAID, REALLY?

AND HE SAID, YEAH.

AND I SAID, WELL, YOU NEED

TO.

AND HE SAID, WHAT DOES IT

TAKE?

SO WE TALKED SOME MORE AND

WE PRAYED OVER IT AND HE

ACCEPTED JESUS AS HIS LORD

AND SAVIOR, RIGHT THERE IN

THE WATER.

Reporter: THE SHARKS

CONTINUED CIRCLING THEM

THROUGH THE NIGHT.

THE NEXT MORNING A SCHOOL

OF DOLPHINS APPEARED.

DOLPHINS WOULD SHOW UP,

AND THE SHARKS WOULD

LEAVE.

BUT AS SOON AS THE

DOLPHINS WERE LEAVE, THE

SHARKS WOULD COME BACK IN

ON US.

Reporter: THE HOURS

OF STRUGGLING AND EXPOSURE

TO THE SUN AND SALTWATER

WERE TAKING A HEAVY TOLL.

YOU COULDN'T HARDLY

TALK BECAUSE YOUR TONGUE

WAS SWOLLEN UP FROM THE

SALTWATER.

YOUR LIPS WERE SWOLLEN AND

CRACKED AND YOU WERE

SUNBURN.

MY LEGS WERE TIRED.

I THOUGHT, IT WOULD BE

GREAT TO STAND ON THE

GROUND, STAND ON THE EARTH

AGAIN.

Reporter: MEANWHILE,

THE COAST GUARD HAD

LAUNCHED A SEARCH FOR THE

MISSING MEN.

BUT ANOTHER DAY PASSED AND

ONCE AGAIN IT WAS GETTING

DARK.

THE EXHAUSTED FISHERMEN

WERE CONVINCED THEY WOULD

DIE.

WE WERE STILL FIGHTING

JUST TO STAY AFLOAT.

THE BOAT IS COMING APART.

AND IT'S ALMOST GETTING

DARK AGAIN.

WE'RE GOING TO EITHER

DROWN OR STARVE OR WE'RE

GOING TO BE EATEN BY THESE

SHARKS.

I SAID, NOBODY KNOWS WHERE

WE'RE AT AND WE'RE DYING.

Reporter: FINALLY,

KEITH SAW A SHIP HEADED

THEIR WAY.

THEY BROKE OFF THE BOAT'S

ANTENNA AND TIED A

HANDKERCHIEF TO IT.

THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT

THEIR EYE, THAT ANTENNA

WITH THAT HAND KER CHIF ON HANDKERCHIEF.

Reporter: AND THEY

WERE RESCUED BY THE U.S.

COAST GUARD.

ON THE WAY BACK, WE

TALKED.

AND I KNOW THE LORD WAS

TAKING CARE OF US.

AND I KNOW DANIEL IN THE

LION'S DEN, AND THE LORD

DIDN'T LET THEM OPEN THEIR

MOUTHS.

AND THE LORD DIDN'T LET

THOSE SHARKS OPEN THEIR

MOUTHS, EITHER.

Reporter: FOR KEITH,

THE TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE

HAUNTED HIM FOR YEARS.

AFTER WE WERE RESCUED,

I WOULD WAKE UP IN THE

MORNING, AND BECAUSE OF

ALL OF THE STRESS AND WHAT

HAPPENED OUT THERE, I

WOULD JUST BALL, START

CRYING FOR NO REASON.

Reporter: IT TOOK

SOME TIME, BUT EVENTUALLY

KEITH RECOVERED.

TODAY HE OWNS A SUCCESSFUL

BUSINESS, AND HIS LIFE IS

FOCUSED ON THE LORD.

I'M NOT WORTHY.

I NEVER WAS WORTHY.

AND I DON'T THINK I WILL

EVER BE WORTHY OF THE LOVE

THAT THE LORD HAS FOR ME

OR ANYONE ELSE.

IF HE CAN LOVE ME, I KNOW

HE CAN LOVE EVERYBODY ELSE

OUT THERE.

Gordon: AND HE CAN

LOVE YOU, TOO.

HE MAKES US WORTHY.

THE PRICE HE PAID FOR US

MAKES US WORTHY.

AND IT IS HIS UNMERITED

FAVOR, HIS GRACE.

IT IS BY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS

GIVEN TO US.

> THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE

HAVE FOR THIS PROGRAM.

WE LEAVE YOU WITH TODAY'S

POWER MINUTE FROM PSALM

56: "WE WENT THROUGH FIRE

AND WATER, BUT YOU BROUGHT

US TO A PLACE OF

ABUNDANCE."

LET GOD DO THAT FOR YOU

TODAY.

JUST REACH OUT IN PRAYER

TO HIM, AND SAY, YES,

LORD, I WANT TO DO IT YOUR

WAY.

GOD BLESS YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN

TOMORROW.