Participants:
Series Code: MMS
Program Code: MMS011014S
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00:01 Hi, I'm Dustin Comm with the Maranatha Minute.
00:03 Maranatha is wrapping up work 00:04 at the Immanuel Adventist Secondary School in Zambia. 00:08 This boarding academy serves 320 students, 00:11 and was a major focal point for Maranatha 00:13 throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 00:16 Our local crews sheltered in place 00:18 to construct a three classroom building, 00:20 a girls' dormitory and bathrooms, 00:23 and are now completing a second three classroom block. 00:27 The team also made improvements to the school's water source 00:30 and supplied it to the boys' side of campus. 00:32 These additions will allow the school 00:34 to accept more students. 00:37 Previously, school leadership had to turn away 00:39 40 kids each year due to lack of space, 00:42 even with some students already sleeping in a garage. 00:46 Now as they returned to campus this week, 00:48 all of these students 00:50 will be properly housed in a dorm. 00:52 Projects like Immanuel 00:54 aren't possible without your generosity. 00:56 To support Maranatha's work around the world, 00:58 go to our website. 01:35 2020 started like any other year 01:37 for Maranatha Volunteers International. 01:44 We've just wrapped the Christmas Family Project 01:46 where 86 volunteers served in Peru. 01:54 A small team of volunteers took off for Cote d'Ivoire 01:56 for a church construction project. 02:02 Groups were trickling 02:03 into various countries here and there. 02:07 Meanwhile, 02:08 the Maranatha headquarters in California was preparing 02:11 for the annual surge of volunteers 02:13 in the month of March. 02:19 What was different this time, however, 02:20 was the threat of a new virus 02:22 that had been wreaking havoc in Asia and Europe 02:25 in January and February. 02:28 In early March, 02:30 things were evolving with COVID-19. 02:32 We're hearing stories out of China. 02:34 And then there was some cases in the United States. 02:38 And so we really weren't sure how it's going to impact 02:42 all of our volunteer activity. 02:45 So we had some groups that were that went out. 02:50 We had some trips that they started to question, 02:54 but most of our group leaders were moving forward as planned. 02:58 And then mid-March, 02:59 things started to really move quickly. 03:03 And I started to look like, 03:04 well, maybe we might be more affected 03:07 than what we had hoped we would be. 03:10 So on March 11, 03:12 President Trump held a press conference 03:14 where he announced that things were going to change, 03:17 there's a pandemic 03:19 and that created and triggered a number of effects. 03:22 The same day, 03:24 the World Health Organization announced 03:25 that COVID-19 was a pandemic. 03:29 Overseas, other countries started shutting their borders. 03:33 Airports closed, offices shut, 03:36 people self-quarantined in their homes. 03:39 Peru was put in a total lockdown. 03:42 India was on total lockdown. 03:45 Kenyan airports were closed 03:46 and everyone was put on a lockdown. 03:48 By March, groups were really starting to wonder 03:52 if they were going to be able to go 03:53 on their mission trip or not. 03:54 And by mid-March, 03:56 many of our trips had either cancelled, postponed, 03:59 or we had a few, a few groups that went out, 04:02 but then had to come back a little bit early. 04:05 And so, wrapped in within a space of a couple of weeks 04:08 things went from we're planning for a year as normal 04:11 to suddenly everything was shut down. 04:25 Last year, Maranatha mobilized over 2600 volunteers 04:28 to many countries around the world 04:30 to help build a number of different buildings. 04:33 But the number of buildings that those volunteers built 04:36 was actually a small fraction 04:37 of the total number of buildings 04:39 that Maranatha builds each year. 04:41 The rest we use local labor to build churches and schools 04:45 and water wells, 04:46 all are happening around the world 04:48 whether volunteers are there or not. 04:52 Quite frankly, 04:53 a lot of our projects are prepared 04:56 and completed by teams in the field. 05:01 We've actually spent decades developing a competent, 05:06 experienced, committed, dedicated team of builders 05:10 that travel around the world 05:11 and get these projects prepared, 05:13 work with the volunteers, 05:14 finish up with the volunteers 05:15 that don't finish when they're on the project. 05:20 So, we have been doing 05:22 actually a lot of work during this time 05:24 in the places that we can, some places we can't. 05:27 But many places we've been able to work 05:29 and it's still very effective. 05:34 Now, several months in, the world is slowly opening up, 05:38 but not necessarily for travel. 05:41 So the work of Maranatha is still being carried out 05:43 by our local crews in six different countries. 05:47 Crews are carefully working in regions that are isolated 05:50 or relatively untouched by the virus. 05:58 One of the places 05:59 where we've been working is Kenya, 06:01 a country that has welcomed more than 1, 000 volunteers 06:04 since we started working there extensively in 2016. 06:09 Adventist Church leadership in Kenya 06:11 asked Maranatha to build churches and schools 06:13 for their rapidly growing membership. 06:15 And since then, 06:17 Maranatha has completed more than 450 structures. 06:20 And since 2016, 06:22 the church has grown 06:23 from 850, 000 to more than 1 million members. 06:31 Kenya has been 06:32 one of Maranatha's most active countries 06:34 in terms of projects. 06:36 And while COVID has slowed the work, 06:38 it hasn't shut it down completely. 06:41 Just a few weeks 06:42 after the initial shutdown in March, 06:44 Maranatha's local crew 06:46 started working in rural locations 06:47 by sheltering in place. 06:50 So construction continued 06:52 at the Kajiado Adventist School and Rescue Center 06:55 and Kiutine Adventist School. 06:58 Then, eventually, 07:00 the One-Day Church and well drilling teams 07:02 headed out to the bush to begin building once more. 07:05 We have put in 42 One-Day Churches. 07:10 We have put in 18 wells. 07:13 At Kiutine, we have put in a church, 07:17 which is completely blocked. 07:19 We have finished the sidewalks, the walkways. 07:21 We have finished landscaping. 07:23 We had some work at the staff housing 07:25 in a small kitchenette. 07:26 At Kajiado, 07:27 we finished the primary boys' dorm bathroom, 07:29 we finished the sidewalks, 07:31 we got a slab made for the classroom, 07:35 computer room and a staff room. 07:37 So when the country opens up and volunteers start coming, 07:39 we're all set and ready to get the work done. 07:41 So that's what has been accomplished 07:42 while Coronavirus happened. 07:45 In 2020 alone, even in the face of a pandemic, 07:49 the team in Kenya has completed nearly 100 churches 07:52 and more than 30 wells 07:54 along with the various projects at the school campuses. 07:58 Each project, whether it's a new church, 08:00 or classroom, or water well provides a great deal of hope, 08:03 especially during such uncertain times. 08:07 And this has provided Ron and his team 08:09 plenty of motivation 08:10 to keep pushing forward to get the work done. 08:14 When you see firsthand impact, because I see it firsthand. 08:19 And when you see that, it gives you more strength. 08:21 It gives you more courage. It sort of motivates you. 08:23 It tells you that, you know, you're on the right track. 08:26 And that you're part of the a greater ministry 08:29 that the Lord has chosen. 08:30 And that is what Maranatha does, you know. 08:32 That is what Maranatha believes 08:33 that we are here to build people 08:35 as we build buildings. 08:40 Northwest of Kenya, 08:42 another team is working hard on a number of projects. 08:45 Cote d'Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast 08:48 has been a busy place for Maranatha 08:49 throughout the pandemic, 08:51 as it hadn't yet been impacted by COVID-19 08:54 other than the airport closing and the curfew. 08:57 Most life remained the same in this African country. 09:02 Cote d'Ivoire is a nation of 25 million people 09:05 with a relatively stable agricultural industry. 09:09 From coconut to cassava, and chocolate. 09:17 A large portion of the country 09:19 is blanketed with farms and plantations. 09:22 The farming industry has attracted many immigrants 09:24 from its neighboring countries. 09:27 And today, about 24% of the population 09:29 is a mix of cultures and nationalities. 09:35 When it comes to religion, 09:36 the majority of the population is Muslim 09:39 with 33% professing Christianity. 09:43 There are about 10,000 Seventh-day Adventists, 09:46 but that's about to change. 09:48 The Adventist Church in Cote d'Ivoire 09:50 is slowly growing, 09:51 and they think 09:52 they can strengthen their community 09:54 by building churches and schools. 09:55 So they've asked Maranatha to help, 09:58 but just three volunteer projects in, 10:01 the pandemic struck 10:02 putting all mission trips on hold, 10:04 even in Cote d'Ivoire. 10:07 Then we start thinking, 10:08 how could we solve the situation, the challenge. 10:11 So we had the idea, 10:13 first, we will reduce our team 10:14 so that will give enough space distance for, 10:17 you know, social distancing. 10:19 Then we gave them meals here, 10:22 we provide them with some mattresses 10:24 where they could sleep here, 10:26 and we gave them gloves, they use mask, 10:29 they also use gel to clean their hands. 10:32 And this was how we were able to for four months 10:35 without the lockdown work here. 10:40 In time, workers completed the Abbebroukoi 10:42 and Anan Seventh-day Adventist churches, 10:45 two projects that volunteers had started, 10:48 plus a classroom building. 10:50 In September, 10:51 with restrictions lifted in the country, 10:53 both churches had dedication ceremonies 10:55 that welcomed the church leadership 10:57 and the local media. 11:00 In Abbebroukoi, 11:02 the dedication was an exuberant kickoff 11:04 to an upcoming time 11:05 of big positive change in the neighborhood. 11:13 In Abbebroukoi, 11:14 we are enrolling now the children 11:16 and about two months ago, nine of our lay evangelists, 11:19 they start visiting the area, 11:22 visiting the homes 11:23 and they enrolled 100 people with Bible studies. 11:26 And we were so glad that 11:28 about two weeks ago, 25 people, they were baptized. 11:32 When we started the church here, 11:35 barely the church could grow in this Muslim area. 11:38 But Adventist education will be a blessing for us. 11:41 And we hope by the end of this year 11:43 to have about 60 new members enrolled here in this church. 11:49 Next, the local crew is starting work 11:51 on another school. 11:53 There is an existing church in Niangon. 11:56 But for many years, they have been praying, 11:58 asking God to give them a school, 12:00 and the secondary school 12:01 because this is the greatest need 12:03 in the community. 12:04 And Maranatha is responding to their request, 12:07 given them seven classrooms, two labs, 12:12 science and computing, 12:14 five traditional classrooms. 12:17 Office to the principal as well, 12:20 a lunch room for the teachers. 12:22 And we hope that by December, 12:24 we will have a group of volunteers 12:26 coming here to help us to build that school. 12:31 When we come back, we'll head south to Zambia, 12:34 where crews are busier than ever 12:36 continuing the mission. 12:48 Maranatha is planning 12:50 a number of volunteer mission trips 12:51 around the globe for 2021. 12:54 But if you'd prefer to serve at home this year, 12:56 consider one of our many North America projects. 12:59 In May join us in Tennessee 13:01 as we construct a brand new building 13:03 for the Jamestown Seventh-day Adventist Church. 13:06 Volunteers on this project 13:07 will help with wood framing, siding, roofing 13:11 and window installation. 13:13 Then in June 13:14 help us in North Carolina at Mount Pisgah Academy. 13:17 Volunteers on this project 13:19 will help renovate 41 girls' dorm rooms. 13:22 The work will include electrical, flooring, 13:25 door installation, block wall removal, 13:28 and the installation of dressers, 13:30 shelving units and bunk beds. 13:32 If neither of these projects work for you, 13:34 Maranatha has plans 13:36 for around 20 North America projects in 2021. 13:40 Please visit maranatha.org/volunteer 13:43 to browse our current list of projects. 13:46 We hope to see you there soon. 13:57 Zambia is a Sub-Saharan African country 14:00 most famous for Victoria Falls, 14:03 a breathtaking waterfall spanning a mile wide 14:06 and a depth of 304 feet. 14:10 But by Maranatha standards, 14:11 Zambia is famous as a country 14:13 with one of the largest Seventh-day Adventist 14:16 memberships in the world. 14:18 More than 1.36 million people 14:21 are part of the Adventist faith in Zambia, 14:23 and many of them need a place of worship. 14:28 After working in Zambia from 2009-2015 14:31 to build hundreds of structures, 14:33 Maranatha returned in 2018 to build more churches, 14:37 schools, and also water wells. 14:41 When news of the pandemic hit the world, 14:43 work in Zambia shut down for a couple of weeks 14:46 as the crew assessed the country restrictions 14:48 and the potential risks. 14:50 Then in mid-April, 14:52 Maranatha decided to shelter in place 14:54 and work at the Immanuel Adventist Secondary School, 14:57 a campus in need of more classrooms. 15:01 When COVID came on the scene, 15:03 we needed a place to be able to work 15:06 that was a safe place 15:08 where we could bring our workers in, 15:10 and they weren't having to come on and off the job. 15:13 So the Immanuel School emerged 15:16 as a good place for us to do that. 15:17 There was a big need, 15:18 and so we talked to the leadership 15:20 and agreed on a couple of things 15:21 and we got started. 15:23 Since then the team has remained at Immanuel, 15:25 building several classrooms and a girls' dormitory. 15:30 And when the country began opening up some more, 15:32 Maranatha started venturing out to build One-Day Churches. 15:36 You can't go anywhere in the country 15:38 without finding Seventh-day Adventist. 15:39 Every village along the road, every shop, 15:41 there's just, there's Seventh-day Adventist 15:43 all over the country. 15:44 So the need for structures and buildings is huge. 15:50 They were meeting under trees. 15:52 If they have a structure, in general, 15:53 they have some kind of shade structure built up, 15:55 but it's made out of, you know, sticks, 15:57 we'll take what around us, 15:58 it just pulls grass over top, no metal roof. 16:02 So it's a termite buffet, you know, 16:05 and the buildings don't last very long. 16:06 And so that's what we find in most villages where we go 16:09 and been asked to build. 16:12 The team has also been drilling water wells at places 16:15 where we have constructed churches. 16:17 And the impact has been massive. 16:21 There are some denominations in eastern Zambia 16:23 where we were building back in February, March 16:25 that actually were restricting access 16:27 to only members. 16:28 And they actually charge them a certain amount of money, 16:31 and even if you were not a member, 16:33 you couldn't, 16:34 even with money you couldn't access the well. 16:36 Just you had to be like a real member, 16:38 you know, this club kind of thing, 16:40 or this church. 16:41 Our situation is completely different. 16:43 We put it in, everybody's so grateful, 16:44 because they can't afford it. 16:46 I mean, a subsistence farmer, 16:48 you know, scratching a living out of the ground, 16:50 they don't have money for water. 16:51 I mean, they go get it from poor source, 16:53 because they can't afford to pay for it 16:55 from some other better source. 16:57 So we're just super stoked 16:59 to be able to be providing free water 17:01 to every thirsty person. 17:03 And we're blessed with generous donors 17:05 and so we move as the Lord allows us 17:08 and as provides resources, 17:09 you know, but, but the impact is big. 17:12 And, of course, 17:13 we're going to see a lot more of that 17:15 as we continue to build for them, 17:17 that impact will continue to grow. 17:19 As of September 2020, 17:20 Maranatha had already constructed 17:22 more than 50 One-Day Churches 17:24 and drilled more than 100 wells in Zambia just this year. 17:29 The fact that most of Maranatha's projects 17:32 take place in rural areas 17:34 has been the saving grace for our work, 17:37 not just in Africa, 17:38 but also in other parts of the world. 17:49 As the COVID-19 virus spread around the world, 17:51 India quickly locked down the entire country. 17:56 The restrictions were most severe 17:57 in the urban areas 17:59 where people were not allowed to leave their homes. 18:04 On March 24, 2020, 18:07 our Prime Minister announced that 18:08 India is going in a complete lockdown. 18:11 And the guidelines for lockdown was 18:14 no flights, 18:16 no ground transportation, no trains. 18:21 Everybody was supposed to stay indoor. 18:25 And everything came to standstill, 18:27 complete halt, nothing moved. 18:30 And for that matter of fact, 18:31 some of our team members 18:33 actually stayed away from their families 18:34 for almost six to seven months. 18:36 They could not go back to their families 18:38 because the states were all also locked on, 18:41 the state borders were sealed, 18:43 we could not move. 18:45 But a couple weeks later, 18:47 the India team found a way to work again. 18:49 Unable to go home, 18:51 crews asked permission from local officials 18:53 to shelter in place at their construction sites 18:55 and keep working. 18:58 School and church construction projects 19:00 slowly started up again 19:02 with limited materials and even tools. 19:06 For example, like there was one instance 19:08 when we were trying to finish the church in Kerala. 19:12 We could not move our equipment from one site to the other. 19:15 So we had only one drill. 19:18 Only one drill to erect the entire church structure. 19:22 Plus also that same drill was used to place the roof. 19:26 And my team is very proud of that drill impact 19:31 because that was the only one equipment 19:33 we had to finish that church. 19:35 And sometimes 19:37 we even had to wait for three weeks 19:39 for just to get few screws 19:40 so that we could put it on the roof. 19:43 It was difficult, 19:44 but team was able to move along. 19:48 India has also been drilling wells 19:50 during COVID at locations 19:51 where Maranatha has constructed churches. 19:55 Water is a dire need for any mankind. 19:59 You cannot survive without water. 20:01 And that goes for my country too. 20:03 In India, 20:05 majority of our population does not have access 20:07 to clean drinking water. 20:09 And from past couple of years 20:10 we have been able to go and drill wells 20:12 for many communities in our country. 20:14 And that has helped our church tremendously 20:18 in making sure that, 20:19 you know, communities are reached 20:21 which do not have access to clean water. 20:23 Now some of those community people 20:24 are able to come to our churches 20:26 and attend churches. 20:29 Despite enduring one of the strictest lockdowns, 20:32 the team in India is continuing to work 20:34 to share God's message of hope through construction. 20:49 From India, we head to Brazil, 20:51 a country that is famous for its expansive rainforest 20:54 and the Amazon River. 20:57 But it is less known for its deserts, 21:00 areas that have a scarcity of flora, fauna and water. 21:07 Northeastern Brazil is one such place, 21:12 and it's where Maranatha has been focusing its efforts 21:14 since late 2019. 21:18 Here, rain is scarce and vegetation is sparse. 21:23 Water is a luxury to be purchased 21:27 or collected carefully when it rains, which is rare. 21:32 For years, Maranatha has been working in Brazil 21:35 to build nearly 1,000 One-Day Churches 21:37 for congregations in need. 21:40 Many of those structures were in this dry region. 21:44 And now Maranatha has returned to visit the congregations 21:47 and provide them a well even during the crisis. 21:51 Brazil has been hit very hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, 21:55 and it has impacted people throughout the country. 21:57 Some of the cities have been hit extremely hard. 22:00 Yet out in the rural areas, we've been able to move around, 22:04 we've been able to drill wells 22:06 in some of these villages in areas 22:08 where the need is extremely high. 22:12 While some wells tend to be private or reserved 22:15 for certain denominations, 22:16 all Maranatha water wells are free to the public 22:19 with no strings attached. 22:22 As we've drilled water wells in Brazil, 22:24 we've seen those wells be an opportunity 22:27 for a Seventh-day Adventist congregation 22:29 to get to know their community 22:31 in a way that they didn't before. 22:36 They're meeting their neighbors, 22:39 they're showing their care for people around them. 22:43 And it's actually completely changing the view 22:46 that the neighbors have about them as congregation 22:49 and about them as Christians. 23:04 While Maranatha has been able to continue the mission 23:07 in most countries, 23:08 there is one place where work has been halted 23:10 for several months, Peru. 23:16 Maranatha worked in this South American country 23:19 about 15 years ago, 23:20 providing churches and schools to dozens of communities. 23:26 The beautiful setting, rich culture, 23:29 and friendly people 23:31 made it a beloved project for volunteers. 23:34 And in 2020, the return to Peru was going to be a big focus. 23:39 The goal was to build churches and a school 23:42 in the suburbs surrounding Lima, 23:44 Peru's capital city. 23:48 Congregations that had been chosen 23:50 to receive a new church 23:51 prepared for Maranatha's Volunteers 23:53 by tearing down their old buildings 23:55 and clearing the way for the work. 23:57 Then everything came to a heartbreaking stop. 24:01 So we're really excited 24:04 for the month of March and April. 24:06 Those are the busiest months of the year for us. 24:10 We're expecting about eight groups 24:12 and close to 500 volunteers. 24:16 In early March, 24:17 Elmer and his team welcomed 24:18 two of the eight groups to Peru. 24:21 As soon as the groups arrived, 24:22 we start hearing that 24:24 there was one case and two cases. 24:25 By the end of the week, 24:27 there were six cases 24:28 and that's when 24:30 the World Health Organization 24:32 announced that this was a pandemic. 24:34 At that moment, 24:35 the president of the country decided to close the country 24:38 completed with all the borders close, 24:41 the airport, the land borders and sea. 24:47 In conjunction with the Maranatha team 24:48 in the United States, 24:50 Elmer's local team worked frantically 24:52 to get 100 volunteers home before Peru's border shut. 24:56 Thirty hours later and with 10 minutes to spare 25:00 before the border is closed, everyone got out. 25:06 It was one problem solved. 25:08 But in Peru, Elmer and the team were basically on house arrest. 25:13 Work has not restarted in Peru since March. 25:16 But Maranatha is continuing to pray for projects in Peru. 25:21 I can't predict the future. 25:22 But I can tell you that 25:24 we're still committed to trying to do 25:26 what we had planned to do 25:27 and to honor our commitments that we made in Peru. 25:30 Right now, it's not possible to work there. 25:33 But we're waiting for the door to open 25:34 and when it will open, 25:36 we'll walk through and do what we can. 25:43 What keeps me hoping and trusting 25:46 that God's going to take care of us 25:48 looking in the past 25:49 and see how He has led our lives, 25:51 He has led the work of Maranatha, 25:53 and personally has been taking care 25:54 of me and my family. 25:56 And I know that He can do anything, 25:59 and He has all under His control. 26:01 We may not understand, but God sees the big picture. 26:04 So it's a exercise every day to trust Him 26:09 and know that He's taking care of us. 26:12 Through God's blessing and guidance, 26:14 we know He will open doors for us 26:16 to help these faithful congregations, 26:18 not only in Peru, but also in Kenya, 26:22 Zambia, 26:24 Cote d'Ivoire, 26:26 India, and Brazil. 26:29 We also trust that each of you watching 26:31 will be inspired to get involved. 26:33 Now more than ever, 26:35 we need your support 26:37 as we navigate this new reality. 26:41 Well, the more I watch 26:42 what's transpired and continues to transpire 26:45 during this COVID-19 time period, 26:48 the more I am convinced 26:51 that God wants us here that we're supposed to be 26:53 or that we're supposed to be reaching out to people. 26:58 I think that those that watch Maranatha 27:01 or involved with Maranatha. 27:03 They're involved because 27:04 they want to see something happen. 27:06 They don't want to see people go back in a corner 27:09 and fold their arms and retreat. 27:13 They want to see do as much as you can. 27:16 Push on all the doors that you can. 27:18 Don't be stupid about it, don't be unsafe about it. 27:21 But push on all the doors 27:22 and accomplish everything you can 27:24 and see if God doesn't open those doors 27:25 and make something happen. 27:28 As we keep pushing, God keeps blessing, 27:30 and that's, 27:32 what's better than that? |
Revised 2021-02-18