Participants:
Series Code: MMS
Program Code: MMS011041S
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00:20 This year started off with such high hopes.
00:24 Like so many of you, Maranatha had great plans. 00:29 We hoped to mobilize 2,700 volunteers around the world. 00:36 Congregations had their heart set on worship 00:39 in a beautiful new church. 00:44 Children were daydreaming about sunny classrooms 00:47 and clean dormitories. 00:49 Women were counting down the days 00:51 until they could pump fresh, clean water for their families. 00:56 And many of you were setting plans in place 00:58 to be a helping hand. 01:03 Life took an unexpected turn in 2020. 01:08 And for a moment, it felt like all these hopes were dashed. 01:14 Then, we started to push. 01:17 We pushed against every closing door 01:19 while praying for God to lead the way. 01:23 And God, He opened the doors. 01:28 He opened the doors into Kenya, Cuba, Zambia, Brazil, India, 01:34 Cote d'Ivoire. 01:37 He found ways for the mission to continue pushing forward. 01:43 Today, we'll take a trip around the world, 01:45 highlighting the work Maranatha is doing 01:48 and how you can help. 02:00 Cote d'Ivoire, 02:02 this West African country 02:03 is a fascinating melting pot of cultures and religions. 02:09 Adventism was first introduced in this nation 02:11 more than 100 years ago, 02:14 but a lack of resources and infrastructure 02:16 has hindered growth. 02:18 In 2018, Maranatha embarked on an ambitious endeavor 02:22 to provide churches, schools and water wells 02:25 beginning around the city of Abidjan. 02:29 Work progressed through 2019 and 2020 02:32 began with high hopes. 02:34 But in March, the global pandemic looming, 02:37 there was much uncertainty 02:39 as to the future of these plans. 02:42 So we pray, Lord, this is our big need, 02:46 our greatest opportunity. 02:48 Please help us to avoid the same situation 02:51 of locking down here in Abidjan, 02:53 so we will not be able to work in this country. 02:56 Gilberto began to put together a plan 02:58 to safely resume working, 03:00 a formula that would be used in other countries as well. 03:06 Maranatha's local crew 03:07 sheltered in place on construction sites, 03:09 pushing the work forward. 03:13 And in September of 2020, 03:15 our first project, 03:16 the Anan Seventh-day Adventist Church 03:18 was inaugurated. 03:22 Hope continued to flow as school started 03:24 at the first Maranatha built school in the country 03:27 in Abbebroukoi. 03:31 Water wells are now being drilled at church sites 03:34 enabling greater access to clean water. 03:40 And in December, 03:41 a small team of volunteers 03:43 successfully worked at the Niangon School, 03:46 our first international mission trip since March. 03:51 Maranatha's effort in Cote d'Ivoire is working 03:54 to not only grow our faith during this challenging time, 03:57 but to also grow our community of faith. 04:04 While work in Cote d'Ivoire has continued 04:07 despite the pandemic, 04:08 the situation has been very different 04:10 in the country of Peru. 04:23 This is a street in a town outside Lima, Peru. 04:27 It's a typical residential street. 04:30 Tucked into the line of buildings is a church. 04:33 If you blink while walking past you might miss it, 04:36 and many people do. 04:39 Many people walk right past 04:41 without noticing the church sign. 04:44 But the Frente de Agosto Seventh-day Adventist Church 04:47 has been around for more than 20 years. 04:50 The problem was that their church was an old house. 04:54 It was easy to ignore or entirely invisible 04:57 as a place of worship. 05:21 The story of Frente de Agosto 05:23 exemplifies the problem of many congregations in Peru. 05:27 The number of church groups are growing, 05:29 but they don't have 05:31 actual church buildings to meet in. 05:34 Part of the growth can be blamed on Maranatha. 05:38 In 2003, 05:39 Adventist leadership in Peru 05:40 asked Maranatha to build 100 churches. 05:45 Over the next few years, 05:46 more than 3, 000 volunteers 05:48 poured into the country on mission trips. 05:52 The experience ignited a flurry of activity in Peru, 05:56 but resulted in more congregations 05:58 and a new need for more places of worship. 06:02 It wasn't long before 06:03 church leadership reached out to Maranatha once more. 06:07 In December 2019, 06:09 Maranatha returned to launch a new effort, 06:12 building churches and schools in Peru. 06:15 Before the Coronavirus pandemic, 06:17 volunteers had already worked at four sites 06:19 answering prayers for three congregations 06:22 and a community in need of a school. 06:25 In the spring and summer, 06:27 several other groups were slated to receive a new church. 06:29 In fact, 06:31 some of them had already torn down their old space 06:33 in preparation for volunteers to arrive. 06:37 But in March, Peru went into strict lockdown, 06:40 shutting down all of Maranatha's work. 06:43 The work halted for many months 06:45 before the country began to open. 06:49 Now, the work is slowly resuming. 06:54 And now, they pray and they hope 06:56 that Maranatha's going to be able to continue doing the work 06:59 and accomplish what they did. 07:01 And we always stay in touch with them 07:02 and reminding them to pray, 07:04 and trust that God can work miracles. 07:08 Miracles for congregations like Frente de Agosto. 07:13 Once the new building is constructed, 07:15 the church will no longer go unnoticed. 07:19 Like so many of the other Maranatha churches 07:21 that have been built in Peru, 07:23 the new sanctuary will serve as a beacon of good news 07:26 and hope to the community. 07:28 A light too bright to be ignored. 07:33 When we come back here are more ways 07:36 Maranatha's mission is continuing around the world. 07:49 Maranatha's Donate button 07:50 is more powerful than you think. 07:52 Anytime, day or night with a simple click, 07:55 you can drill a well, 07:56 bringing fresh water to an entire community. 08:00 With a touch, you can touch a child's life 08:02 through a dorm, a classroom. 08:05 Your push pushes up a wall on a church or school. 08:08 That little Donate button puts the roof on this church, 08:11 puts the smile on this face. 08:14 Find Maranatha's Donate button today 08:16 and bring real change to a world in need. 08:29 At 1.4 million members, 08:31 the Adventist Church in Zambia boasts 08:33 one of the largest memberships in the world. 08:38 Visit on the Sabbath morning 08:39 and you will witness churches full of joyful singing, 08:45 passionate preaching, 08:49 and members reaching out to their communities 08:52 in any way they can. 08:57 But what Zambian church members possess in zeal, 09:00 they lack in proper places to worship. 09:04 They're meeting under trees. 09:06 If they have a structure in general, 09:07 they have some kind of shade structure built up, 09:09 but it's made out of, you know, sticks, 09:11 let's say what around us it just pulls grass over top. 09:16 From 2009-2015 Maranatha worked in Zambia 09:20 to construct One-Day churches and school campuses 09:23 in the southern part of the country. 09:28 In 2018, 09:29 a growing church membership 09:31 brought Maranatha back to Zambia 09:32 to build additional schools 09:34 and One-Day churches 09:35 as well as provide clean water by drilling wells. 09:41 Our work is currently focused 09:43 in the northern part of the country. 09:46 Areas previously unentered 09:48 and so remote that few have ventured into the bush. 09:54 Yet here there is a small 09:55 but growing number of Adventist communities. 10:01 Each week, even during the pandemic 10:03 Maranatha's crews traveled dusty roads 10:05 to bring spiritual shelter and clean water 10:08 to needy congregations. 10:12 The completion of each church elicits joyful celebration, 10:16 and the wells are improving lives 10:18 by providing clean water 10:20 that enables better hygiene, 10:21 plentiful crops and healthy livestock. 10:26 So far in 2020, 10:28 200 water wells have been drilled in Zambia. 10:34 In addition to providing churches and wells, 10:36 Maranatha is helping 10:37 to bolster Christian education in the country 10:39 through the construction of schools. 10:45 This includes the completion 10:47 of a 12-classroom elementary campus 10:49 in the city of Kabwe. 10:55 The new campus moved students out of cramped classrooms 10:59 and into a bright new school. 11:02 Once the Kabwe campus was complete, 11:04 Maranatha began work 11:05 at the Emmanuel Adventist Secondary School. 11:10 The original buildings on campus 11:11 were built through the sacrifice of many people 11:14 who wanted local children 11:15 to have a quality Christian education. 11:19 But as the school has grown, the space is now inadequate. 11:23 Maranatha responded to their need 11:25 by building two blocks of three classrooms 11:28 along with the girls' dormitory, 11:29 bathrooms and a new well. 11:32 Maranatha's crew sheltered in place on the campus 11:35 to work on the buildings. 11:38 When complete, 11:39 these structures will help the school 11:40 expand their reach. 11:45 Maranatha's work in Zambia continues 11:47 as the requests for help are growing. 11:51 Because there are still many 11:52 who hunger to learn more about the world around them. 11:57 Who thirst for physical and spiritual water, 12:03 and who spread the gospel 12:05 in anticipation of Christ's return. 12:21 For the past decade, 12:22 Maranatha has worked in Brazil 12:24 to bring proper places of worship 12:26 to more than 1,000 congregations. 12:29 But recently, a new need presented itself, 12:33 water. 12:35 Brazil is famous for the Amazon rainforest, 12:37 where an abundance of rain and river water 12:40 make for a lush green landscape. 12:45 But in the northeastern part of Brazil, 12:47 the geography changes to a dry, brown desert. 12:52 Sometimes this region goes months 12:54 without any rainfall. 12:56 Recent years of drought have made it even worse. 13:20 And the people suffer too. 13:22 Many residents here are subsistence farmers 13:24 or work jobs that earn a humble wage. 13:28 The lack of financial means 13:30 makes it difficult for many people 13:31 to overcome the water crisis. 13:38 These are the dilemmas 13:39 people face in the northeast of Brazil. 13:43 Whether to buy water or food, 13:47 whether to go thirsty or drink dirty water. 13:52 In 2019, 13:54 Maranatha responded to this crisis 13:56 by drilling water wells 13:57 at Maranatha built churches throughout the region. 14:02 And this precious resource 14:04 is not only quenching a desperate physical thirst, 14:07 but also opening up new opportunities 14:09 for these congregations to engage their communities. 14:14 Churches that may have been unknown previously 14:17 now have neighbors at their doorstep every day. 14:21 Friendships are forming. 14:25 Conversations are happening 14:26 all at the local Adventist Church. 14:31 When the donors provide their resource 14:34 for Maranatha's well program, 14:37 they provide not just water for them, 14:41 they are providing hope, life, 14:45 and a better future for these families, 14:50 for these communities. 14:52 Despite the pandemic, 14:54 Maranatha has been able to continue 14:56 bringing clean water to northeast Brazil, 14:58 now totaling more than 60 communities. 15:02 We will continue helping as many villages as possible, 15:06 paving the way for more souls to connect 15:08 with the wellspring of life. 15:22 Maranatha's mission takes us around the globe. 15:28 We work in areas to fulfill a specific need. 15:33 When our scope of work is complete, 15:34 we move on to help elsewhere. 15:38 But for the last 22 years, 15:40 Maranatha has had a sustained presence in India. 15:45 So what has kept Maranatha in India so long? 15:49 Big needs and a big request. 15:53 In 1998, Seventh-day Adventist Church leadership in India 15:57 approached Maranatha with an ambitious dream 16:00 to grow to 1 million members. 16:05 And to facilitate that growth, they requested 10,000 churches. 16:13 Twenty two years later, 16:14 Maranatha has built nearly 2,000 churches. 16:18 It is a far cry from the 10,000 requested. 16:23 But those churches have created immense growth 16:26 and Adventist membership in India 16:28 has increased from less than 100,000 16:30 to more than 1.1 million. 16:38 Despite this significant growth, 16:39 the majority of people in this vast country 16:42 still don't know Jesus. 16:47 And those that do struggle to share the gospel 16:50 when their worship structures 16:51 are not representative of the God they serve. 16:58 So Maranatha's effort in India continues. 17:02 Over the past year, 17:03 we've worked all across the country 17:05 to continue constructing churches, 17:09 schools, and water wells. 17:16 India is a vast country with a complex culture 17:19 and diverse landscape 17:20 that can often pose difficulties 17:22 to accomplishing our work. 17:26 But COVID-19 presented a unique set of challenges. 17:32 During the lockdown, for us, everything kind of slowed down. 17:37 There was one instance 17:39 when we were trying to finish the church in Kerala. 17:43 We could not move our equipment from one site to the other. 17:46 So we had only one drill. 17:49 Only one drill 17:50 to erect the entire church structure. 17:52 Plus, also that same drill was used to place the roof. 17:57 State borders were sealed, we could not move. 18:00 It was frustrating 18:01 because you could not send your team members 18:03 back to their families. 18:05 But thanks to their sacrifice, 18:06 even a pandemic could not stop the progress of God's work. 18:15 Churches continued to be constructed 18:17 providing shelter for grateful members. 18:28 More than 130 wells were drilled, 18:30 providing clean water at a time 18:32 when sanitation is of utmost importance. 18:41 And classrooms arose 18:43 providing more opportunities to share Christ. 18:49 The last 22 years have been a journey of faith. 18:58 One where God continues to open doors 19:01 so that more people can choose Him. 19:09 When we come back, 19:10 we'll travel to an area of the world 19:11 that has hosted the largest number of volunteers this year 19:15 and also see how buildings are changing lives in Kenya. 19:30 COVID-19 could have halted the work this year. 19:33 But through God's leading 19:35 and the compassion of people like you, 19:37 Maranatha pushed forward in faith, 19:39 the results, 19:40 nearly 450 water wells, 200 churches, 19:44 multiple school campuses, all because of your generosity. 19:48 And now we're asking you to help us 19:50 finish strong in 2020 by making a year-end gift. 19:53 Go to maranatha.org/2020give 19:56 or call the number on your screen. 20:10 Plane tickets and passports. 20:13 These are some of the things that come to mind 20:15 when you think of missions. 20:19 But for hundreds of volunteers serving with Maranatha means 20:22 traveling around North America in their car or RV 20:26 to help church congregations, 20:32 school campuses, 20:36 or camps and retreat centers. 20:39 Over the past year, 20:41 Maranatha Volunteers have aided in a variety of projects. 20:46 From breathing new life into camps, 20:49 to building sheds for fire victims 20:51 in Paradise, California. 20:57 No job is too big or too small for this dedicated workforce. 21:03 In March of 2020, 21:05 most of Maranatha's volunteer activity came to a halt. 21:09 But as summer arrived, 21:11 people were longing 21:12 for some semblance of normal life, 21:14 and that included volunteering. 21:18 While international travel was out of the question, 21:20 Maranatha began developing opportunities 21:22 to serve locally 21:24 starting at Milo Adventist Academy 21:26 in Days Creek, Oregon. 21:29 After a thorough discussion with leadership, 21:31 site visits, and research on Oregon guidelines, 21:34 Maranatha in faith 21:35 decided to move forward with a long list of protocols 21:38 for safety and health. 21:41 Soon, there were 50 volunteers registered. 21:47 Volunteers were excited to be back in the mission field 21:49 and approach the work with vigor. 21:54 With safety measures in place, 21:56 volunteering looked a little bit different. 21:59 But the camaraderie built from a common goal 22:02 remained the same. 22:06 North America continues 22:08 to be a major focus for Maranatha. 22:11 These projects don't require a passport for most, 22:15 and they still meet the deep desire to serve. 22:20 For Maranatha Volunteers, when the world is hurting, 22:23 service is the best way to heal. 22:37 Buildings can change reality. 22:39 Over the last 50 years 22:41 Maranatha has seen this time and time again. 22:45 And for the past four years, 22:46 we've seen this impact in the country of Kenya 22:50 with a simple structure 22:51 that can be transported 22:52 into some of the most remote parts of the country. 22:55 Maranatha's One-Day Church provides a strong shelter 22:58 for congregations meeting in terrible conditions. 23:02 One great impact is that, see, 23:04 when people worship 23:06 under with something made out of sticks, 23:09 or under rotten tin sheets, 23:11 or open air, in the hot air, and when it rains, 23:14 and is extremely hot, they're made fun of. 23:17 The community looks at that denominations and says, 23:19 "What is this? 23:21 Which denominations is this that 23:22 they can't even provide a decent church?" 23:23 And people are also ashamed to come into these churches, 23:27 you know, because who wants to come and worship 23:29 in the open air on rocks, sitting on the rocks? 23:32 So when these churches are put in, 23:34 many people are proud of, 23:35 it is simple structure, 23:37 but is one of the best structures 23:38 in that locality. 23:44 In 2020, 23:45 our local crew has constructed 23:46 120 of these desperately needed structures 23:49 in remote parts of the country. 23:53 And wherever there is a church and the need, 23:55 our crew has been busy drilling wells 23:57 on the church property. 24:00 Clean water is transforming communities 24:02 in the extremely dry Ukambani region. 24:06 Water is life. 24:08 Water is a basic necessity of life. 24:09 And so, when you provide this basic necessity of life, 24:14 people are healthier, happier, families stay together. 24:17 As life giving water is provided 24:19 at Maranatha built churches across the country, 24:22 we see communities beginning to center 24:24 around the local Adventist Church 24:26 connecting people not just to a crucial resource 24:29 but to the wellspring of life. 24:36 Futures lives and outlooks have also been impacted 24:39 for hundreds of students at school campuses 24:42 transformed by the work of Maranatha's local crews. 24:48 For more than 20 years, 24:49 the Kajiado Adventist School and Rescue Center in Kenya 24:53 has saved nearly 2, 000 Maasai girls 24:55 from the fate of child marriage and female genital mutilation. 25:01 Kajiado provides these girls a safe place to live, learn 25:04 and grow in Jesus Christ. 25:09 Maranatha has been helping to improve their aging campus. 25:15 Throughout 2020, 25:16 local crews have sheltered in place at Kajiado 25:18 constructing a new high school campus 25:20 including classrooms, dormitories, 25:22 showers, and restrooms. 25:27 For the students and staff here, 25:29 it is a dream come true. 25:32 A similar renewal is happening 25:33 at the Kiutine Adventist School. 25:36 The aging school campus made it difficult for students 25:39 to learn or even get a good night's rest. 25:43 Over the past two years, 25:44 Maranatha has constructed three new classrooms, 25:47 four dorms, a new kitchen, a water well. 25:52 The new infrastructure has made a big difference in morale 25:55 and the school's ability to educate. 25:57 For these students, 25:58 life has changed before their eyes. 26:01 With a good night's rest, adequate facilities, 26:03 and the natural beauty the landscaping provides, 26:06 students grades have improved dramatically. 26:09 Maranatha's transformative work 26:11 continues to push forward in Kenya, 26:13 churches, schools, wells, all of them, 26:17 changing lives. 26:25 2020 has been a challenge. 26:27 But through the hand of God, 26:29 the mission of Maranatha has continued to move. 26:32 Each day hope for a brighter future 26:35 is shared around the world. 26:38 But our crews aren't the only ones 26:40 that have been busy. 26:41 It is also our supporters. 26:44 I frankly have been blown away that people, 26:47 despite all that you hear in the news, 26:51 and everything that is barraging this, 26:54 you could kind of pull into yourself, 26:57 hold back to yourself, 26:59 instead of being generous and giving, 27:01 we've seen so many people have taught beyond themselves 27:06 and taught to the people 27:08 that are receiving these projects. 27:09 We are one of the rare mission organizations 27:12 still able to work during this pandemic. 27:15 So, when you give, 27:17 your dollars go immediately into the mission field 27:20 to build and change lives. 27:23 To make a gift, call the number on your screen, 27:26 mail a check to our headquarters, 27:27 or give online. 27:36 Every dollar is critical to the mission of Maranatha. 27:40 Every dollar pushes the mission forward, 27:43 opening doors for hope to thrive 27:46 and the gospel to shine around the world. |
Revised 2021-01-08