Participants:
Series Code: MMS
Program Code: MMS011062S
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00:01 Maranatha's latest water wells in Brazil
00:02 are altering daily life 00:04 in the dry northeastern part of the country. 00:07 In the state of Pernambuco, 00:08 most people rely on the inconsistent delivery 00:10 of water from the government. 00:13 Deliveries are sometimes delayed for weeks, 00:15 forcing residents here 00:16 to collect water from dirty sources. 00:19 Maranatha recently drilled four new wells in Pernambuco 00:22 at the Campo do Mage, Citro Rodriguez, 00:25 Citro Sako 00:26 and Amaro Seventh-day Adventist Churches. 00:33 These new water sources will consistently provide 00:36 this basic need every day 00:38 right at the local Adventist Church. 00:41 Now families won't have to worry 00:42 whether the next delivery is going to make it 00:44 before their supply runs out. 00:46 And they won't have to settle 00:48 for potentially contaminated water. 00:51 To see daily photos, videos and reports from Brazil 00:54 and the rest of the mission field, 00:55 follow Maranatha on social media 00:57 via Facebook and Instagram. 01:19 Abidjan 01:21 located on the coast of Western Africa, 01:24 it is the largest city 01:25 and the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire. 01:29 Modern, busy. 01:32 going places and growing. 01:36 Cote d'Ivoire is one of the fastest growing 01:38 economies in the world. 01:40 This success is what draws people to the city. 01:43 People from various villages and towns 01:45 and even people from outside the country, 01:48 all come in search of opportunity, 01:51 an eclectic mix of people. 01:54 Many who can afford little, 01:56 often striving for that elusive prize 01:59 called success. 02:04 The roads are filled beyond capacity. 02:10 Color coded taxis and few enforced traffic laws 02:13 creating massive jams of every vehicle imaginable 02:16 and a need for patience. 02:21 If people aren't stuck in traffic, 02:22 they are likely selling something on the street. 02:26 In the suburbs, 02:28 there was a street market in every neighborhood. 02:34 In addition to commerce, religion permeates city life. 02:38 The call to prayer sounds regularly 02:40 as those who practice Islam turn their thoughts heavenward. 02:44 Four out of 10 people in Cote d'Ivoire are Muslim. 02:49 Three out of 10 are Christian and worth noting, 02:52 there is no divisiveness in this religious mix. 02:56 Christians are mostly Catholic. 02:58 Their large sanctuaries 03:00 open for mass many times over the weekend. 03:03 And among the Christians in Cote d'Ivoire, 03:05 there is a small number of Seventh-day Adventists 03:08 about 10,000 members. 03:10 And even though some worship in modern sanctuaries, 03:13 most worship in a place like this one in Abbebroukoi, 03:17 a suburb north of Abidjan. 03:19 It is no wonder 03:21 that Seventh-day Adventists find it difficult 03:23 to grow their faith community. 03:41 Daniel Ange and his wife 03:42 had been attending the Dokwee Adventist Church 03:45 one of only a couple 03:46 more established congregations in Abidjan. 03:50 When he moved to the area of Abbebroukoi, 03:53 he and his wife were surprised at what they found for church. 04:16 Daniel determined they would not return 04:18 to the Abbebroukoi Church, 04:19 but in a dream he was impressed not to go back 04:23 to his former church. 04:24 Instead, Daniel joined Abbebroukoi 04:27 and prayed for God's provision. 04:30 This is where the story of Cote d'Ivoire 04:32 merges with Maranatha. 04:35 In 2018, 04:36 the Adventist Church in Cote d'Ivoire 04:38 asked for Maranatha's help in building places of worship. 04:41 In early 2020, 04:42 Maranatha volunteers arrived in Cote d'Ivoire 04:44 to start building the Abbebroukoi Church 04:46 and a primary school, 04:48 the only one in the neighborhood. 04:52 There was much excitement generated 04:53 by the visiting teams. 04:56 However, the volunteers were forced home 04:58 when the COVID-19 pandemic 04:59 began shutting down international travel. 05:04 Cote d'Ivoire like every other country in the world 05:06 locked down, 05:08 but Maranatha working with the local government 05:11 found a way to keep our local workers on task. 05:14 By September, 05:16 the Abbebroukoi Church 05:17 and school campus were completed. 05:20 There was a dedication 05:22 and a great celebration in the community. 05:54 Already just months after completion, 05:57 the church is making an impact and drawing people in. 07:14 As they come to our church or to our school, 07:17 they discover that there is far more things 07:19 that God is concerned and wants to help you. 07:22 And so, here we have this advantage. 07:25 People comes in 07:26 when they attend our church or school 07:28 they discover that 07:30 we have something to say about health, about education, 07:33 and then they start wondering 07:34 what a nice people, what a nice church. 07:36 They are not only concerned 07:37 with spiritual religious things, 07:39 but also they want to teach me how to live better. 07:45 The school is also opened with 37 students 07:47 from church and neighborhood families. 07:50 While it's only been a few months, 07:51 the parents are seeing remarkable progress. 07:56 Sidonie's daughter has a learning disability. 07:59 She was pleased 08:01 when she learned her daughter would be welcome at the school. 09:26 So once the children come to learn here, 09:29 they not only learn math, science, 09:31 but they learn about God and also about how to serve God 09:34 and how to serve others, 09:36 and once they go home this is the beauty, 09:38 they start teaching the parents, 09:39 they become teachers, they become missionaries there. 09:58 Maranatha's church 09:59 and school classroom construction 10:01 is so important 10:02 to the growth of the church here, 10:04 that leadership is already defining the church 10:06 as pre-Maranatha and post-Maranatha. 10:10 With only 10,000 members in a country of 25 million, 10:14 education and improved infrastructure 10:16 will be key to reaching Ivorians 10:19 with the message of Jesus' soon return. 10:22 Your support of Maranatha makes it possible for us 10:25 to transform entire communities. 10:31 The flourishing 10:32 of Abbebroukoi's church and school 10:34 presents a picture of easy success. 10:36 But the road to completing the project 10:38 was anything but simple. 10:41 In 2020, 10:43 Cote d'Ivoire was slated to be an important destination 10:45 for Maranatha volunteers 10:47 as there were several congregations 10:48 waiting for a new church or a new school. 10:53 In early March, 2020, 10:54 the entire world went into lockdown 10:57 as we learned about the dangers of COVID-19. 11:00 Volunteers could not travel internationally, 11:03 Maranatha cruise around the world 11:05 temporarily closed shop. 11:07 In the beginning, it was kind of questionable 11:09 what is going to happen. 11:11 But when we realize that 11:14 some countries are open for work, 11:17 especially construction, 11:19 we continue doing construction 11:21 in most of the countries where we work. 11:23 We made tremendous progress 11:25 with our local workers that we have on ground. 11:31 In every country where Maranatha is building, 11:34 there was a local crew that works diligently 11:36 behind the scenes. 11:38 They prepare job sites for the arrival of volunteers, 11:41 assist volunteers during construction, 11:44 and finish the projects 11:45 after volunteers have gone home. 11:47 Some of these crew members are from other countries, 11:49 but they were unable to get home 11:51 because of the pandemic. 11:53 When COVID hit, some of them were locked down, 11:57 being able to work but not be able to go home 12:00 because of restrictions. 12:02 So that was very hard on them, 12:05 because usually they go home every three, four months. 12:08 But I know some guys 12:10 they couldn't go back for six, seven, eight months, 12:13 which is very hard. 12:16 So they stayed put. 12:17 And in 2020, 12:19 these crews became the hands and feet of Maranatha. 12:22 After an initial shutdown, 12:24 most of the countries allowed for some work, 12:26 especially in rural areas 12:28 where Maranatha had ongoing projects. 12:30 The crews got back to work including in Cote d'Ivoire. 12:34 It was a sacrifice to be away from family, 12:36 but for many on the crew, the work is more than a job. 12:39 It is a mission. 12:42 Carlos Morales is from Mexico. 12:45 He has been working for Maranatha 12:46 as part of the construction crew 12:48 since 2017. 12:49 He does it for three reasons for the income, to travel, 12:53 and to serve God. 12:56 I know that the mission 12:59 also means to share the gospel 13:04 in other areas, 13:09 I cannot... 13:10 For example I cannot preach. 13:12 And so, 13:17 when I build churches, 13:20 I tried to do my best. 13:22 I tried to construct 13:27 a very well, a very nice church, 13:29 because I know that in this place or in that place, 13:33 we're going to worship God. 14:06 Thanks to the work of Jean-Marc, Carlos 14:09 and crew members around the world, 14:11 in 2020, Maranatha completed 207 churches, 14:15 multiple classrooms 14:16 and finished 424 water wells 14:19 in India, Brazil, Kenya and Zambia. 14:22 And in Cote d'Ivoire, 14:23 they finished up two churches and five classrooms 14:26 including Abbebroukoi. 14:28 In spite of everything, the year was a success. 14:32 God inspired people to keep going 14:34 and giving to the mission. 14:36 When the COVID-19 thing hit back early this year, 14:41 we had no idea as a country, as an organization Maranatha 14:45 or as individuals on the board 14:47 how it would affect our operations. 14:51 And I think our initial reaction was, 14:55 it was going to shut everything down. 14:57 Our donations were going to go down 14:58 and we were just going to kinda hold up 15:01 and see what happened. 15:02 But as the months went by it became obvious 15:07 that was not going to be the case. 15:09 Yes, we can no longer travel internationally, 15:11 but the giving continued to come. 15:14 And, in fact, it increased. 15:16 There was feelings on the board 15:17 that maybe we're being prepared for something great. 15:21 As 2020 began to wind down and countries opened back up, 15:24 Maranatha started to hear from volunteers 15:26 who wanted to serve overseas. 15:29 I felt all along that 15:30 that's the lifeblood of Maranatha. 15:32 We are people 15:34 that spread the gospel to all countries of the world. 15:37 So as time went by, 15:39 I thought I felt it was very important 15:42 that a trip be put together somewhere. 15:45 The question was where? 15:47 While the intensity of infections and deaths 15:50 from the COVID-19 pandemic 15:51 was dramatically increasing in the United States 15:54 and other western countries, 15:56 Cote d'Ivoire had reported an infection rate 15:59 of less than 1/10 of 1%. 16:04 For Maranatha, Cote d'Ivoire, 16:05 with an appropriate measure of safety precautions 16:08 became the single opportunity for volunteers 16:11 to begin serving again internationally. 16:15 The volunteer projects department 16:17 put together a mission trip, 16:18 and in December, 2020, 16:20 a small team headed to Cote d'Ivoire 16:22 to build a school in a place called Niangon. 16:27 When we come back, 16:28 meet the people who stepped out in faith 16:30 to serve under the most unusual conditions 16:33 and what they learned while on the trip. 16:46 If you're ready 16:48 for an international mission trip, 16:49 join us in Kenya this summer starting June 16. 16:53 We'll be serving 16:54 at the Kajiado Adventist School and Rescue Center, 16:56 which primarily serves Maasai girls 16:58 who have escaped child marriage 17:00 and a dangerous ritual circumcision 17:02 known as female genital mutilation. 17:05 For the past couple of years, 17:06 Maranatha has been working here 17:08 to improve the infrastructure for these elementary students, 17:11 adding new dorms, classrooms, restrooms, 17:14 offices, and a water well. 17:17 Because the school only offered up to eighth grade, 17:20 previously students would have to leave Kajiado 17:22 to attend high school 17:24 and other places across the region. 17:26 Now, Maranatha is adding a high school 17:28 so these girls can stay at home until graduation. 17:32 Volunteers on this project 17:34 will help construct 17:35 one of the new high school buildings 17:37 and have the opportunity 17:39 to conduct community outreach in the area. 17:42 To learn more about this project and others, 17:44 visit our website. 17:48 After nine months on hiatus, 17:50 Maranatha launched 17:51 the first international mission trip 17:53 since the pandemic. 17:54 In December, 2020, 17:56 volunteers arrived in Cote d'Ivoire, 17:58 their mission, to build an administration building 18:00 and classrooms 18:02 on the property 18:03 of the Niangon Adventist Church. 18:06 Niangon is a vibrant congregation 18:08 with a drive to share the gospel 18:10 with their community. 18:12 And the plan is to do this through Christian education. 18:16 This is one of the most inhabited places 18:19 in this country. 18:21 And they have been requesting for many years 18:23 to build a secondary school here 18:25 because they have around some primary school 18:27 but the need is a secondary school. 18:29 And as you can see, we have the church building behind me 18:32 and next to it, 18:34 we are building now the office as well a classroom. 18:37 Surely enough, we are trying to save these nice mango trees 18:39 because mangoes are so sweet here in Abidjan. 18:42 And then as you see farther there, 18:45 there is the toilet as well a classroom. 18:48 And in this plot here that you can see empty, 18:51 we are planning to build five buildings 18:53 with classrooms as well. 18:54 And then we might have 18:56 around 250, 300 children in this area. 18:59 And that will be a blessing for the community 19:02 as well for the church here in this area. 19:05 When we arrived, 19:07 there was one layer of block on the slab 19:09 and we started building up the walls 19:12 which we had a pretty good crew 19:14 and just does a sense of accomplishment 19:18 and also a vision for the future 19:21 of seeing these kids having a place 19:24 to get an education to further their place in life. 19:36 I was very impressed with our workers, 19:39 particularly those that are here 19:41 from Central America. 19:42 These are men that have left their families 19:46 for many, many months at a time. 19:48 They're in a foreign country. 19:51 And their attitude is so wonderful 19:55 and, of course, when they see us 19:57 they get very excited to see somebody 19:59 traveling to visit with them. 20:01 But I say this time and time again to the board 20:03 that the quality of construction 20:06 and craftsmanship 20:07 and the appearance of our job sites 20:10 and our finished product are, 20:12 I would put them up against anything 20:13 that we build even in the US. 20:17 In addition to Niangon, 20:18 the volunteers visited multiple communities 20:20 to see the need for churches in Cote d'Ivoire. 20:31 One area where the Adventist Church is growing 20:33 is in the coastal village towns east of Abidjan. 20:38 An abundance of seafood supports the local economy. 20:48 The people who live here have constructed small churches 20:51 from bamboo and other local materials. 20:58 The volunteers felt privileged 20:59 to build the first of 20 one-day churches 21:02 that will dock this coastal region. 21:06 What a thrill to see our church building structure 21:09 go up in one day. 21:12 It's amazing to the people 21:13 because around here the specialty is 21:15 partially completed buildings, 21:16 you see them everywhere. 21:17 So to go there and do a building 21:19 that can now be functional in one day 21:23 is a thrilling site 21:24 and to the local people it's like wow. 21:27 This beach is where church members 21:29 who will receive the one-day church 21:31 had been worshipping in a simple bamboo structure 21:34 and addition to the elder's house. 21:37 They will move the structure to the new church 21:39 and use it for Sabbath school classes. 21:42 Eric, the elder at the Avagou Church 21:44 says that people are attracted to their church at first 21:47 because as he puts it, 21:50 we are teaching things from the Bible 21:52 truths that they have never heard. 21:55 And we are attentive to their needs. 22:16 But even with biblical truths and a Christ-like presence, 22:19 the shack of a church keeps people away. 23:53 Another first in Cote d'Ivoire, water wells. 23:56 Recently, Maranatha launched a water program 23:58 in Cote d'Ivoire. 24:01 Most of the communities 24:02 on the outskirts of Abidjan have water systems. 24:05 However, the water is only available 24:07 intermittently. 24:08 So wherever Maranatha built a new church, 24:11 if a well is feasible, we will provide a water source, 24:14 sometimes with a pump and tank, 24:16 and sometimes with a hand pump. 24:23 Church members are going to be provide 24:25 free water, drinking water 24:28 to that community right on the coast 24:29 where, you know, getting fresh water 24:31 is a bit of a challenge 24:32 and they can come especially on Sabbath, 24:34 they can hear a Sabbath service while they get their water 24:36 and it's bound to attract them. 24:39 The first hand pump water well was dedicated in December 24:42 at the Anan Adventist Church 24:44 which was constructed by volunteers in 2019. 24:47 One thing I like about the well 24:49 is that it's exactly what people need. 24:51 And when you give them what they need, 24:53 you see them smile. 24:55 And when you give them what they need, 24:57 you can ask them to follow the Christ 24:59 who provided for this need they had. 25:02 So may the Lord bless Maranatha. 25:04 And I know a lot of souls would be won for Christ. 25:09 After 10 busy days, 25:11 the group wrapped up their experience 25:12 in Cote d'Ivoire. 25:14 For these veteran volunteers, 25:16 the return to the mission field was like going home, 25:19 and it filled them with a spiritual energy 25:21 that is difficult to quantify. 25:23 There is little more satisfying 25:25 than to join church members in song 25:27 in their new church home or witnessed the children's joy 25:30 as they learn from Christian teachers 25:33 in their new school classrooms. 25:35 When you see the real thing, 25:37 and you see the real impact these projects have on people, 25:41 we have a bigger love for those that we see. 25:45 Going to Abbebroukoi the other day, 25:47 we see members in the church 25:49 and it's like I've known them all my life. 25:51 I've never seen them before. 25:53 But it's like you've known them all your life 25:56 and they're brothers and sisters. 25:59 In my heart, 26:01 having grown up in this continent, 26:03 and seeing the tremendous need, 26:05 and knowing that 26:06 there are some things you can do 26:07 that have a long impact on many people 26:10 is very attractive and meaningful. 26:13 A school where hundreds of kids go through Adventist education, 26:18 they probably come from non-Adventist homes 26:20 because usually 90% of Adventist students 26:23 in our schools in Africa are non-Adventist. 26:26 And so this is a way to effectively take Adventism 26:29 back to the community. 26:31 When kids go home singing Adventist songs, 26:33 when kids go home 26:34 having being able to repeat Bible text, 26:37 you know, you have done a project 26:38 that has evangelistic and life changing impacts. 26:41 And the need in the continent is huge. 26:45 And coming to help as we little as we can 26:49 is a huge impact. 26:51 As a Maranatha volunteer, 26:53 what becomes clear 26:54 is that Seventh-day Adventist communities 26:56 are places of refuge, refreshment and revival 26:59 in the urban tangle of Abidjan. 27:02 People who spend every waking hour 27:05 of every day 27:06 trying to survive and find a place to rest 27:09 and co-mingle with people of like mind, 27:11 people of faith, 27:13 people for whom love and concern 27:16 is their motivation. 27:19 As we look forward to the coming year, 27:21 I want to encourage all of those of you 27:24 who have been on trips 27:26 before who are thinking about going on trips, 27:28 there's a larger bigger opportunity now 27:30 than there ever has been 27:32 to make an impact on the world around you. 27:35 Not just the world at home, 27:37 but the world of our countries 27:40 where people are desperate for the Word of God. 27:43 They know nothing of a Savior 27:46 and with us having the ability 27:49 and the opportunity to spread that Word. 27:52 I want to encourage you to take that chance. 27:55 Go somewhere and make a difference. |
Revised 2021-03-22