Participants:
Series Code: MMS
Program Code: MMS009139S
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00:01 Hi, I'm Dustin Comm with the Maranatha Minute.
00:03 Maranatha recently wrapped its second project 00:05 in the town of Paradise, California. 00:07 The 2018 campfire devastated this community 00:11 and now many residents are living out of RVs 00:13 with no place to store their belongings. 00:16 In 2019, 00:17 Maranatha built 202 storage sheds for Paradise, 00:20 and this September followed it up with another 118. 00:24 The 185 volunteers on this project 00:27 faced extraordinary challenges 00:29 like extreme heat, nearby wildfire evacuations, 00:32 and hazardous air quality due to the smoke. 00:35 Work was even suspended for two days, 00:37 but volunteers worked hard when they could 00:39 to finish these urgently needed structures. 00:43 There are still many Paradise residents in need. 00:45 So a third shed project is set for October 26 00:49 to meet the high demand. 00:51 Watch inspiring videos about this project 00:53 and much more in our recent television special 00:56 Mission Maranatha. 00:57 You can watch anytime on our website. 01:51 More than 16 million people live in the country of Zambia. 01:57 Although this sub-Saharan country 01:58 is most famous for wonders such as Victoria Falls, 02:02 most people can be found living far off the beaten path. 02:20 Lilian lives in the village of Lwendge 02:22 with her husband and their 10 children. 02:25 A teacher by profession, 02:26 Lilian moved to the village years ago 02:28 to care for her disabled father. 02:32 Now, she makes a meager living by traveling into the forest, 02:35 cutting down trees and making charcoal. 02:39 Her situation is not ideal. 02:41 Farming or raising livestock are not options due to drought, 02:45 lack of financial resources and clean water. 02:50 In fact, the nearest well is a few kilometers away 02:53 and Lilian must make several trips a day 02:55 to provide water for her family. 02:59 We suffer a lot here 03:01 because the water is very deep. 03:07 You can't dig with hands. 03:10 It's very difficult, anyway. 03:12 But we have to do it because water is life. 03:25 Despite the difficulties, 03:26 Lilian has found strength 03:28 through her faith connection to God 03:30 and her local church. 03:32 It's important because I find it easy, 03:36 when I am in difficulties, 03:38 I find that my members are the ones to empower me. 03:42 And that encouraged me also to do so, 03:45 so that those who are in difficulties, 03:50 they can also be empowered as I was. 03:54 Lilian attends the Lwendge Seventh-day Adventist Church. 03:57 This congregation started 15 years ago 04:00 and membership has grown to 78 members. 04:03 They are zealous 04:04 about spreading God's love to their neighbors. 04:08 The passion this group has for sharing Christ 04:10 is something you'll find all over the country. 04:12 Because of this, 04:13 Zambia is an area of the world 04:15 with one of the largest Adventist memberships. 04:18 What motivates them to become part of the church 04:21 is actually the knowledge that they receive 04:23 that Jesus loves them 04:25 even before them decided to love Jesus. 04:28 But then He was the one who first decided to love them. 04:31 And so when they realize that actually 04:33 we have someone who loves us, or who loved us before, 04:36 then they are motivated to join the church. 04:40 This rapidly growing church creates challenges. 04:43 Eddie Himoonde is the pastor of the Lwendge congregation, 04:47 but they are just one of the many groups 04:49 he is responsible for. 04:51 In my district, I have 35 organized churches, 04:54 and the area is about 200 kilometers apart. 05:00 Yes, the whole district membership is about 11,260. 05:05 Caring for more than 11,000 members 05:07 is very demanding. 05:08 Visiting the numerous churches in his area 05:10 is a difficult endeavor, 05:12 especially since Pastor Himoonde 05:13 doesn't have access to reliable transportation. 05:16 Sometimes I take maybe a week or two weeks, 05:20 just walking to the furthest church, 05:23 because I don't have a car, I don't have a motorbike, 05:26 I walk. 05:28 And sometimes members, sometimes who agree, 05:30 they come and pick me up on their motorcycle. 05:32 They cycle me to that church. 05:34 But if there's no one who's having even a bicycle 05:35 in that area, 05:37 then I have to walk through, I sleep on the way, 05:39 wake up in the morning and then continue moving 05:41 until I reach to that church. 05:43 Then I begin visiting the members now, 05:45 one on one, 05:47 praying with them, 05:48 seeing how they are doing and encouraging them. 05:50 Then I get back to my home again. 05:52 The large area makes visits few and far between. 05:57 In a year it's once. 05:59 Yes. 06:00 On average it's once because these 35 organized churches. 06:03 And then I still have smaller churches again, 06:05 about 20 of them, which also need my attention. 06:08 So if I visit this church here, 06:10 for me to rotate back to this church, 06:12 it's a challenge. 06:14 So what helps me basically is to train the laymen. 06:18 Laymen are well trained, 06:19 well organized that even if I'm not there, 06:21 they'll still carry on with activities. 06:23 And then they just give me the reports. 06:25 Unless there is something is so much challenging, 06:26 then they call me. 06:28 I quickly come to their aid. 06:36 Pastor Himoonde relies 06:38 on dedicated members like Lilian 06:39 to keep the churches alive and vibrant. 06:42 But one element many congregations 06:44 are still missing 06:45 is an adequate place to worship. 06:47 Although some groups 06:49 are able to build church structures, 06:50 many are left worshiping under trees 06:52 or in simple shelters 06:54 like the members have built in the Lwendge. 06:57 The challenge that I face 06:59 when such incidents happened where we evangelize, 07:03 maybe public campaign, 07:04 then there people give themselves. 07:06 But then when they come to the actual church, 07:09 they find that actually 07:10 where we are worshiping is not conducive. 07:15 There are no seats, 07:17 they are worshipping under the tree 07:18 or maybe under the grass, 07:20 then it becomes a challenge for them to stay on. 07:23 They feel like, 07:25 they cannot really stay on in this church. 07:28 They need a better structure. 07:29 We have some that actually leave this place 07:32 to go and worship in some far distant church 07:35 because there they have at least a structure 07:37 they have built. 07:39 But here they feel like, 07:40 "No. We cannot worship our God in this scenario." 07:44 The challenges Pastor Himoonde faces 07:46 are echoed all across Zambia. 07:48 There just aren't enough churches. 07:51 From 2009 to 2015, 07:53 Maranatha responded to a request 07:55 from the Adventist Church in Zambia 07:56 and built more than 300 churches 07:59 all over the country. 08:00 Since then, 08:01 Adventist membership in Zambia 08:03 has grown to more than 1.2 million people. 08:06 But the rapid growth means 08:07 there are still congregations 08:09 without proper places to worship. 08:11 In 2018 Maranatha returned to Zambia 08:14 to once again build more churches. 08:17 This requires a dedicated local construction team 08:19 that travels from town to town 08:21 bringing the hope of a church to numerous congregations. 08:25 The process of building churches 08:26 includes two visits from the crew. 08:28 First, 08:29 they traveled to the site 08:31 to install metal bases anchored in concrete. 08:33 This ensures that the building has a solid foundation. 08:41 Once this base is hardened and cured, 08:43 the crew loads up the necessary pieces 08:45 for the structure and roof 08:46 and return to complete the church. 08:49 Today, they're headed to Lwendge. 08:52 As the day passes, work steadily progresses. 08:54 The crew is joined by church members 08:56 and other people from the community. 08:58 Everyone is excited 09:00 about the new development in their town. 09:02 Having a proper structure in this area 09:04 actually is evangelism on its own. 09:07 Because like now, we are doing here at Lwendge, 09:10 Maranatha is giving us this structure, 09:13 it becomes easier for me even to evangelize, 09:15 because just the structure itself 09:17 will be preaching to the people around here. 09:19 Already people are already coming here 09:21 and seeing what is happening. 09:22 They just heard the noise here, the works that are going on. 09:25 People are asking, "What is happening there? 09:27 What is happening there?" 09:28 Then they believe that 09:29 now we are worshipping a true God 09:31 because they have given us a structure. 09:32 And then the people will just come on their own. 09:35 Activity on the construction site 09:36 is already enlarging the Lwendge congregation. 09:39 Several members that had drifted away from the group 09:41 have returned 09:43 not only to help build their new church, 09:44 but to reconnect with God and their church family. 09:48 We are very, very excited as a family, 09:52 not only as a family but the entire community. 09:56 We are very, very, very happy and we really appreciate it, 10:01 the job well done. 10:04 This structure will even change many lives of people 10:10 because what they were crying for has now come. 10:14 God has answered our prayers through you. 10:19 And may God bless you abundantly. 10:22 And I think next time we shall have more members 10:27 than we have right now. 10:30 This simple steel frame is providing not only shelter, 10:33 but hope for congregations all over Zambia. 10:37 It might look simple in their eyes, 10:39 but it is big in this community. 10:42 Because it has never happened before. 10:44 The people have never seen such a structure here. 10:47 You see, even the houses around, 10:49 if you're to move around, 10:50 there are no iron sheets around. 10:51 You just use the grass and stuff. 10:53 So when they see just this simple structure, 10:55 it's not simple as it may look like. 10:57 It is big. It will go a long way. 11:00 The ones that Maranatha provided, 11:02 in the first place 11:03 people are very happy about these structures. 11:05 So they are already calling "Pastor, 11:07 we have already started now molding bricks, 11:10 because we have seen that God has come to our aid." 11:12 They are now mobilizing themselves 11:14 to mold the bricks, burn the bricks 11:16 and then begin building the walls. 11:19 If you come back next year, 11:20 you will not find them as open as they are now. 11:25 It's Sabbath morning, 11:26 and one of church members are meeting for worship. 11:29 A few weeks ago, 11:30 their worship experience was far different 11:32 as they were meeting under 11:33 a wall-less thatched roofed structure. 11:35 Their attempt at constructing a church 11:37 sits vacant as the group ran out of resources 11:40 and had to abandon their efforts. 11:42 But then Maranatha came 11:43 and built them a new church 11:45 changing everything for this congregation. 11:48 On the structure when it was built, 11:50 we're motivated. 11:52 We did different kinds of evangelistic programs, 11:58 we invited a lot of people to see the structure 12:02 and how the Adventist movement as Maranatha has helped us. 12:07 It just brought a lot of things to us. 12:10 Yeah, even the way of worship, I think we have improved. 12:15 It is very important that Maranatha continues. 12:18 Actually, I still, 12:20 I'm still going through some pressure now 12:22 because other churches that have heard 12:24 that the Maranatha is building and has built, they are saying, 12:27 "When are they coming here also? 12:29 Because we also need their help." 12:31 When we come back, 12:33 we'll leave the bush and head to Zambia's fourth largest city 12:36 where a small school is making a big impact. 12:50 Although international mission trips are limited right now, 12:53 Maranatha has a number of projects 12:55 coming up in the United States. 12:57 This January, 12:58 escape winter by serving at Camp Kulaqua in Florida. 13:01 This camp is one of the largest 13:03 Seventh-day Adventist summer camps in North America. 13:06 Maranatha is coming for the third year in a row, 13:08 this time to construct a large open air pavilion 13:11 and pour a concrete floor. 13:13 In the spring come to sunny Arizona 13:15 and volunteer at Camp Yavapines. 13:18 This summer camp has served kids and adults 13:20 since 1947 13:22 and needs help maintaining their sprawling acreage. 13:25 Volunteers on this project will help with landscaping, 13:28 clearing deadwood, building bunk beds, 13:30 and constructing bridges over nearby creeks. 13:33 There may not be 13:34 as many international projects currently, 13:36 but there's plenty of work in the United States 13:39 and we need your help. 13:40 To learn more information 13:42 about both of these mission trips, 13:43 and to see our upcoming project calendar, 13:46 visit our website at maranatha.org/volunteer. 13:54 The city of Kabwe 13:55 sits in the central province of Zambia. 13:57 It was founded as a mining town. 13:59 And although the mines have closed, 14:01 commercial farming and other industries 14:02 continue to fuel Zambia's fourth biggest city. 14:06 Kabwe has a vibrant Adventist community. 14:09 Drive throughout the city 14:10 and you'll encounter dozens of Adventist churches 14:12 of all shapes and sizes. 14:15 But for many years, 14:16 the Adventist community was lacking 14:18 one major component, a school. 14:21 The schools that we had here are secular schools 14:24 as well as Catholic schools, basically. 14:27 Now what used to disturb most of the Adventists, 14:32 particularly our conference workers, 14:34 was the issue 14:35 of having those secular meetings 14:38 on the Sabbath. 14:39 Every time there's PTA, on Sabbath. 14:45 There's this kind of gathering Sabbath. 14:47 Hey! 14:49 And it really disturbed them. 14:51 Every time they have to excuse themselves. 14:53 "No. Sorry." 14:54 They have to beat about the bush. 14:56 "I won't be available. 14:57 I'm traveling to such and such a place. 14:59 There's this function." 15:01 Hence, there was need now that we come about to, 15:04 we come out with this school for, 15:06 this church school. 15:08 In 2006, 15:10 the Kabwe Adventist School began with 64 students. 15:14 Each passing week was a matter of prayer 15:16 as no one knew if the school would survive. 15:19 And it began as a real baby. 15:24 No one was sure 15:25 that this school would grow up what it is now. 15:28 Okay. 15:29 Struggling with enrollment, 64 pupils. 15:34 That's how our school progressed. 15:38 It opened to the public on eight of January. 15:42 And the pupils in the class maybe here there are three, 15:46 other class there are four. 15:47 And you would wonder, 15:49 "Is this school ever going to be filled?" 15:51 But despite the small size, 15:53 they were devoted to providing the best, 15:55 most well-rounded education in town. 15:58 And enrollment grew. 16:01 Why? 16:02 Because it clicked in everyone's mind. 16:05 Most of our parents around that Adventist education, 16:12 basically, it is a two-sided coin. 16:16 Okay. 16:17 The development of a spiritual being, 16:19 as well as excellence in the world that we live in. 16:24 Thirteen years later, the baby school is thriving. 16:27 Enrollment has grown to more than 500. 16:30 And the campus now offers education from preschool 16:33 through secondary school. 16:35 Over the last decade, 16:36 the Kabwe Adventist School has set itself apart 16:39 in the sea of education choices in town. 16:46 Local Adventist families aren't the only one 16:49 sending their children to study there. 16:51 Currently 65% of the student population is non-Adventist. 16:55 The local community at large 16:57 has discovered high quality education 16:59 offered on the campus. 17:01 The differences are quite subtle, right? 17:04 So we have the holistic approach 17:06 of the physical, the mental and the spiritual faculties. 17:09 So when we are training their hands, 17:10 we're giving them a skill set 17:11 that other schools do not offer. 17:14 Mostly, people send their kids to school 17:16 just to get the intellectual aspect. 17:19 Have your kids, you know, 17:21 astute and get them very schooled and learned. 17:26 There's also a spiritual aspect to it. 17:27 There are certain challenges that people face in life 17:30 that your intellect might not get you through. 17:32 So you need that spiritual aspect. 17:34 You also need the skill set to help you navigate 17:36 through life's problems and challenges quite easily. 17:39 One of the items 17:40 that contributes to the holistic education 17:42 offered at the Kabwe Adventist School 17:44 is an intentional focus on spiritual development. 17:47 The school staff includes a team of chaplains 17:49 led by Mawuse Michello. 17:52 They care for the spiritual needs 17:53 of each and every person connected with the school. 17:56 So my function is to offer 17:58 the spiritual aspect of the school. 18:00 So remember we have the mental aspect, 18:02 we have the physical aspect. 18:04 So I help out with both the spiritual and the social 18:07 integration of the child. 18:09 And not just the pupils themselves, 18:11 but also the staff members. 18:12 So we do works like counseling 18:16 for both staff members and pupils. 18:18 And even parents when they do see fit. 18:22 We do talk to parents when they come to get reports 18:24 for their children, 18:26 and they do visit our office as well 18:28 just to help them understand 18:29 that we need a balance between the homeschooling 18:32 and the actual space that we have here 18:35 between the teacher and the child. 18:37 The chaplain's work is basically 18:38 quite massive at this place. 18:42 Mawuse has learned that 18:43 ensuring a child's emotional and spiritual needs are met 18:47 makes for more engaged students, 18:49 encouraging and interacting with students 18:51 as well as visiting families in their homes 18:53 is a regular part of his work. 18:55 In this time and age in which we're living in, 18:57 a lot of homes are broken. 19:00 Those that are being made are not made 19:02 on the spiritual stance that they should, 19:04 so it affects the well-being of the child psychologically, 19:08 it affects them socially. 19:09 They become very disruptive. 19:12 But if we can bring in that component 19:14 where we have a school where we build good citizens 19:17 and candidates for heaven as well, 19:18 it actually does a lot for this community 19:21 and the world to come as well. 19:23 So we need more than just this school, 19:26 but most schools to actually open up 19:28 and help with the social well-being 19:31 of the community at large. 19:32 The quality of education offered on the Kabwe campus 19:35 and the nurturing staff 19:37 has families flocking to the school. 19:39 When I first came here, 19:41 I did a sample 19:43 because I really wanted quality education in the kids. 19:48 So when I went around, 19:51 I was told there is Kabwe Adventist School 19:53 being a Christian school. 19:55 So I went there to look for space for the kids. 20:01 It was not easy 20:02 because space there are limited. 20:04 And they accepted me to take the children there. 20:09 Chileshe has three daughters, 20:11 all attending the Kabwe Adventist School. 20:14 He lives 30 minutes outside the town, 20:16 which makes the commute to school a bit challenging. 20:19 But to him, the drive is worth it. 20:21 Education is very important. 20:23 Me, I never had that chance. 20:28 My parents, 20:29 they didn't work well to, on my foundation. 20:33 So I did want to create 20:37 a very good foundation for them. 20:39 And it's an investment. I'm trying to budget for it. 20:43 I really want to invest in them so that even when I die, 20:47 once they finish school, they're going to survive. 20:50 So education is the best gift that I can give a child. 20:54 So I've not even looked at the distance. 20:57 It's far from here to town. 20:59 But I'm one of those 21:00 who are trying at least to give quality education. 21:04 Chileshe's assessment of the school 21:06 is shared by other parents 21:07 who want the best education for their children. 21:10 I looked around the schools around Kabwe, 21:15 but when I found that 21:16 the quality for the education you're providing there 21:20 is much more qualitative than any other schools. 21:26 That's what brought me there. 21:29 The school has impacted me 21:32 in a very big way 21:33 because you are providing 21:37 that kind of holistic type of education. 21:43 You get a child 21:44 but you treat that child like your own. 21:48 Then by the time 21:50 they're coming out of your school, 21:53 they are real citizens of our Zambia. 21:58 Gordon's daughter Precious is in secondary school 22:01 and is the top student in her class. 22:03 He is grateful 22:04 for the excellent academic program at Kabwe. 22:06 And the icing on the cake is the relationship they built 22:09 with the school's faculty and staff. 22:11 We are even good friends with the teachers. 22:14 I know their contact numbers, they've been into my home, 22:18 I've been to their school. 22:19 And each time there is anything concerning our child, 22:25 they contact me. 22:27 Chileshe, Gordon 22:28 and their families are not Adventist, 22:30 but they feel fortunate 22:31 to be part of the Kabwe Adventist School family. 22:34 Demand at the school is high, but space is very limited. 22:38 Parents, they really want to take their children 22:40 at Kabwe Adventist School. 22:42 But there is no space and the staff, 22:47 they have restricted themselves in growing their number. 22:51 They have put the control measure there. 22:54 They don't just accept anyone because of their space. 22:58 So they cannot accommodate the classrooms, 23:02 the space is not enough for expansion. 23:05 Because now we also have a challenge of enrollment. 23:08 Because many people are coming. Okay. 23:09 They have realized that Adventist education is sweet. 23:16 They want to test that sweetness. 23:19 And every time we just say, 23:21 "No. There's no space." 23:23 The ideal design is for about 450. 23:28 But we do extend 23:30 because of the large amount of people 23:32 who want to bring their kids here. 23:33 So you have quite a long list of people 23:36 who are on the waiting list, 23:38 in case someone goes off on transfer, 23:39 they will easily bring their child here. 23:41 But we don't have space for everyone as yet. 23:44 There are more than 500 students 23:46 meeting in a space designed for less 23:48 and a long waiting list for admission. 23:51 The school needed to grow, 23:52 but they had no resources to do so. 23:55 Plus, the current campus is landlocked 23:57 with no physical space to expand. 23:59 From 2009-2014, 24:02 Maranatha constructed seven schools in Zambia. 24:05 When the growing need for churches and schools 24:07 brought us back to the country in 2018, 24:10 the expansion of the Kabwe School 24:11 was high on the list of needs. 24:13 Local church leaders identified a large plot of land 24:16 and Maranatha quickly began construction 24:18 on a 12-classroom campus. 24:21 The new site will be for elementary students 24:23 moving them out of cramped facilities 24:25 and into spacious classrooms. 24:27 This also enables the secondary school 24:29 to expand into the existing elementary classrooms. 24:32 When you go into the new campus, 24:34 you see the new buildings that are coming up. 24:36 It actually gives you hope 24:37 that we have more spaces and more doors 24:40 that are open to allow pupils to come through. 24:43 And the beauty of it is, 24:47 for every child that will go through, 24:48 they'll have an opportunity to actually meet Christ 24:50 in the classroom. 24:52 So the more blocks you have, 24:54 the more opportunities for Christ you have 24:55 to expose Him to the community at large. 24:57 Most of them will never have an opportunity 24:59 to get to a church building 25:00 to actually listen to the gospel. 25:02 But when they come to Christian school, 25:03 that's the one opportunity they have. 25:05 So you actually have more of an opportunity 25:07 to minister to them, 25:08 and to share Christ with them. 25:10 So it's beautiful 25:11 when we see the campus growing that much. 25:12 We have more spaces open 25:15 to actually preach the gospel to them. 25:18 This school, 25:21 it is God Himself that is building it. 25:24 But He cannot come from heaven to come and mold bricks. 25:26 But through His agencies He's able to do that. 25:29 So the coming of Maranatha International, 25:31 it's not human dream. 25:35 No. no, no, no, no, no. 25:37 God Himself puts things in place. 25:40 He has got a plan for everything. 25:42 And at every moment, He puts things in place, 25:46 and they just fit in. 25:48 Maranatha's work to provide 25:50 churches, schools and water wells 25:52 is answering prayers all over Zambia. 25:55 But we need your help. 25:57 Help us provide water 25:59 to communities that are thirsty. 26:04 Help us expand opportunities 26:06 for children to learn about their world. 26:11 And the princess gave him a name. 26:15 Do you know the name? 26:17 Who can guess? 26:18 Me. You? 26:20 Moses. Moses. 26:21 Help us spread hope 26:23 through the construction of churches. 26:25 Projects in Zambia are in need of funding. 26:27 And you can help by making a donation. 26:30 Many of the people who walk through those doors 26:32 who never knew Christ at the very start. 26:35 Once they get to know Him 26:36 and they make their choice for Him. 26:38 It would be nice for you to actually get those messages. 26:41 When you get to heaven, someone comes and say, 26:43 "Thank you for giving." 26:44 So it's an opportunity for us to actually serve humanity. 26:47 You might never be the best of preachers, 26:49 you might never make it to history books 26:52 to be known to be people 26:54 who've helped humanity so much so. 26:56 But when we give the little donations that we can, 26:58 we come and help build the school, 27:00 we send our kids to this place, 27:02 those are the few contributions 27:03 that will actually make so much of a difference 27:05 to people around. 27:06 So making a difference in just one's child's life 27:08 is very important. 27:09 And I would ask you to, to try and do it. 27:12 Yeah, it's an opportunity in life 27:13 to serve God in just this small space. 27:17 You may not realize even as Maranatha, 27:19 the work that you are doing now, 27:20 how far it will go, 27:22 and how far it goes in the minds of the people. 27:24 So it is quite important 27:25 that Maranatha continues building these structures here 27:28 because at the end of the day, 27:30 people praise God for this work that you are doing. |
Revised 2020-10-26