I got my Bible, my
passport and my camera.
00:00:01.98\00:00:04.12
We're off to Mexico.
00:00:04.47\00:00:05.79
You may think that when
200 teenagers go to Mexico
00:00:35.96\00:00:38.46
on a mission trip they
stay in a hotel like this.
00:00:38.49\00:00:40.69
We have a surprise for them.
00:00:41.89\00:00:43.03
The only thing that's
similar are the palm trees.
00:00:43.06\00:00:46.31
Ultimate Workout is a
unique experience where you can
00:00:48.00\00:00:51.47
come and its middling
your working yourself that.
00:00:51.50\00:00:54.37
It's intense, it's just
very intense, hardly any
00:01:08.68\00:01:11.84
electricity, running
water, if you food is sketch,
00:01:11.87\00:01:17.58
its definitely not a vacation.
00:01:18.10\00:01:20.41
Its different, its different
and most of the leaders
00:01:22.89\00:01:25.95
they're not older than
25. Its very rare to have
00:01:25.98\00:01:29.33
someone older than
25 on ultimate workout
00:01:29.36\00:01:31.21
and that what's make it unique.
00:01:31.24\00:01:32.50
I'm Dustin Griffin and
I am from North Carolina.
00:01:32.53\00:01:35.03
I'm Alec Thompson and I am
from Sacramento, California.
00:01:35.06\00:01:37.57
I am Donghai and I am
from Fresno, California.
00:01:37.60\00:01:40.67
My name is Kayla
Monteho and I am from Mexico.
00:01:41.05\00:01:44.24
Chiapas, Mexico was the
stage for nearly 200 teens
00:01:44.79\00:01:47.65
and adults who spread out
to five distant and mostly
00:01:47.68\00:01:50.44
secluded locations.
Since Chiapas is mountainous
00:01:50.47\00:01:53.67
each group had their
own spectacular visitors
00:01:53.70\00:01:56.01
and since Chiapas is
mostly rural farm land,
00:01:56.04\00:01:59.29
God's creation was ever present.
00:01:59.60\00:02:01.54
In addition to the
five construction crews,
00:02:02.26\00:02:04.08
a volunteer medical
team spend several days
00:02:04.11\00:02:06.55
serving the
communities at 3 to 5 sites.
00:02:06.58\00:02:09.11
UW 20 it changed lives.
00:02:09.77\00:02:12.25
My favorite movement so
far it had to be a river.
00:02:15.91\00:02:18.04
It's just awesome, you
know, it's nice cool water,
00:02:19.29\00:02:22.46
you swim. Not what you expect
00:02:22.66\00:02:25.25
when you're going
on a mission trip.
00:02:25.28\00:02:26.91
We make new friends
from all over the country
00:02:28.86\00:02:31.43
which is really cool and
you'll never forget about
00:02:31.46\00:02:35.13
and you get to
serve God in a way
00:02:36.40\00:02:38.94
you'll never
serve him in the States
00:02:38.97\00:02:41.09
and that's the most
gratifying part ever.
00:02:41.12\00:02:44.50
A few of the churches
the Ultimate Workout team
00:02:46.63\00:02:48.83
are constructing,
have incredible people and
00:02:48.86\00:02:50.84
stories attached to
them. Tzeltal is one of those.
00:02:50.87\00:02:54.37
Nestled in the clouds
this tiny village is part
00:02:58.00\00:03:00.62
of long history
that reaches back to
00:03:00.65\00:03:03.12
the Mayans. The man
who brought the UW team
00:03:03.15\00:03:09.74
to Tzeltal is
Sebastian. Most UW groups have
00:03:09.77\00:03:13.44
worship alone in the
evenings, but here in
00:03:13.47\00:03:15.44
Tzeltal many members
of the community join
00:03:15.47\00:03:18.31
the young people to
worship and to learn about God.
00:03:18.34\00:03:21.65
Nearby the ancient ruins
of the Mayan civilization
00:03:26.02\00:03:28.84
rise above the trees
where two millenniums
00:03:28.87\00:03:31.46
of history have been uncovered.
00:03:31.49\00:03:33.25
A history that has
nothing to do with Christianity.
00:03:33.54\00:03:36.26
Sebastian is a Chiapaneco
that's means he was born
00:03:39.35\00:03:42.60
and raised in Chiapas
down in Mexico not totally
00:03:42.63\00:03:46.02
true however,
because he's not a native
00:03:46.05\00:03:48.20
Spanish speaker. He
has always spoken Tzeltal
00:03:48.23\00:03:50.67
which is a language
that traces directly to the
00:03:50.70\00:03:53.20
Mayan Empire. This is his
city. These are his people.
00:03:53.23\00:03:58.27
One day he looked at
his father and he said Dad,
00:03:58.92\00:04:01.47
I'm going to leave my
wife and my daughter with you
00:04:01.78\00:04:03.97
and go to United States
so that we can have enough
00:04:04.20\00:04:06.28
money to survive
economically here
00:04:06.31\00:04:08.87
in our village.
Father said okay,
00:04:08.90\00:04:12.27
Sebastian came to the
U.S.A looking for riches.
00:04:13.27\00:04:16.84
The wealth he
found was far greater
00:04:17.57\00:04:21.04
than what he expected.
00:04:21.07\00:04:22.08
Okay, you worked with
your Dad after your schooling
00:04:24.33\00:04:27.07
and one day you said oh
I don't want to be here,
00:04:27.10\00:04:29.53
what happened? I said
that because my family
00:04:29.81\00:04:33.15
was having economic
problems and I made the
00:04:33.18\00:04:35.80
decision to travel since
people always go to the U.S.
00:04:35.83\00:04:38.98
you know the American
dream. Well this is what
00:04:39.19\00:04:43.95
got my attention too,
I have to leave my family
00:04:43.98\00:04:46.58
in order to travel
to the U.S. for the good
00:04:46.61\00:04:49.41
of my family, this
is what I thought about
00:04:49.44\00:04:52.08
that I wanted to leave my town.
00:04:53.68\00:04:56.13
So for economic
reason you had to leave?
00:04:56.58\00:04:59.32
Yes, for my family
with economic problems here,
00:05:00.05\00:05:03.55
well this is what I thought.
I have to go to the U.S.
00:05:04.18\00:05:07.14
in order to change
my life economically.
00:05:07.42\00:05:09.96
I've never even
thought about changing
00:05:12.62\00:05:14.22
my life
spiritually only economically.
00:05:14.25\00:05:16.78
And you were already
married. Yes, by then,
00:05:17.66\00:05:20.10
yes, so your wife
and daughter stayed here.
00:05:20.13\00:05:23.07
Yes, they
stayed here with my Dad
00:05:24.04\00:05:26.17
and how was the U.S.?
00:05:26.32\00:05:27.94
It was March 21 2006.
00:05:28.85\00:05:31.23
And where did you cross?
00:05:31.51\00:05:32.97
From Sonoyta. And
when you crossed eight
00:05:33.39\00:05:36.42
days in the desert.
Eight days in the desert,
00:05:36.45\00:05:40.06
I went there
and learned how much
00:05:40.46\00:05:42.14
I appreciate myself,
I learned how to love
00:05:42.17\00:05:44.66
my family closer
than ever before.
00:05:44.69\00:05:46.97
How did that happen?
From the eight day walk
00:05:47.44\00:05:51.01
there I saw many
people abandoned,
00:05:51.04\00:05:53.53
dead, skeletons rotten.
And you were alone there
00:05:53.56\00:06:00.10
all by yourself or in
a group? No, I was in a
00:06:00.13\00:06:03.41
group of 17 people,
but it was there where
00:06:03.44\00:06:06.54
I changed a lot, because I
said I'm alone in the desert
00:06:06.57\00:06:10.04
without my family,
seeing people abandoned there,
00:06:10.26\00:06:12.90
rotting corpse, so I
said what I am doing here,
00:06:13.22\00:06:16.88
even though I
don't have money at home
00:06:17.22\00:06:19.34
I am rich with my
family. This is what I said
00:06:19.51\00:06:22.62
while I was
walking in the desert,
00:06:22.65\00:06:24.09
but there I learned how to pray,
00:06:27.05\00:06:28.62
I learn to pray day
and night on and on,
00:06:28.86\00:06:31.48
that's how the days went.
00:06:31.94\00:06:33.27
And what was God's response?
00:06:33.99\00:06:35.70
And he help me make it through.
00:06:38.08\00:06:39.29
Sebastian did make it through.
00:06:40.47\00:06:42.30
He ended up in
Portland, Oregon with only
00:06:42.67\00:06:44.86
the clothes on his
back and friends who were
00:06:44.89\00:06:48.95
teaching him the
Bible. I came to the States
00:06:48.98\00:06:51.90
with only the clothes
on my back, so this person
00:06:51.93\00:06:54.47
brought me
clothes, a blanket, I'm very
00:06:54.87\00:06:59.32
grateful to this
person. I have always seen
00:06:59.35\00:07:01.65
him like a father, his
name is Hector Carmelo.
00:07:01.68\00:07:04.21
And Hector was
doing Bible studies too.
00:07:06.79\00:07:08.40
Yes, it was him, so
you too studying with him.
00:07:09.67\00:07:12.96
with him, yes, I began to
study with brother Hector.
00:07:13.26\00:07:16.19
Close that's the
difference right,
00:07:16.50\00:07:18.48
close and
friendship. Friendship that was
00:07:18.68\00:07:21.63
the first thing I saw
and he came with another
00:07:21.66\00:07:23.91
person name Miguel
Abiel Montiel. He's someone
00:07:23.94\00:07:27.52
that I always pray
for, because he did big
00:07:27.85\00:07:30.39
things for me and
this project. All of this?
00:07:30.42\00:07:34.39
When we come back the
story of the Sebastian's
00:07:36.47\00:07:39.36
decision to face
another border crossing,
00:07:39.39\00:07:41.94
to return home and
be the first to bring
00:07:42.79\00:07:45.07
the light and
hope of the Adventist
00:07:45.10\00:07:46.70
message to his community.
00:07:46.73\00:07:48.46
Join us at
Maranatha's annual convention
00:08:01.19\00:08:03.72
as we celebrate God's greatness.
00:08:04.01\00:08:06.67
See how the one day
church is answering thousands
00:08:08.49\00:08:11.83
of prayers around the globe.
00:08:11.86\00:08:13.63
Hear testimonies from
those whose lives have
00:08:17.11\00:08:19.98
been transformed by
missions. Discover ways
00:08:20.01\00:08:27.42
you can be
involved in helping others.
00:08:27.45\00:08:29.93
Fellowship with other
volunteers and listen to
00:08:37.78\00:08:40.93
inspiring music from
Christian recording artist
00:08:40.96\00:08:43.67
Steve Green. September
10 and 11 at the Rolling
00:08:43.70\00:08:53.71
Hills Community
Church Tualatin, Oregon,
00:08:53.74\00:08:56.25
register today at Maranatha.org.
00:08:56.74\00:08:59.82
The Tzeltal community
is a small secluded village
00:09:31.41\00:09:33.94
about 80 kilometers in
any direction from any other
00:09:33.97\00:09:36.82
Seventh-Day Adventist.
Tzeltal has one dilapidated
00:09:36.85\00:09:40.38
school and a
Catholic church that may see a
00:09:40.41\00:09:44.23
priest once a year.
Now, because of Sebastian,
00:09:44.26\00:09:50.16
Tzeltal has been over
run by American, Canadian
00:09:50.65\00:09:54.14
and Mexican teenagers.
They came with willing
00:09:54.17\00:09:57.59
hearts and a determination
to help Sebastian build
00:09:57.62\00:10:01.28
a church. After
his Baptism, Sebastian
00:10:01.31\00:10:05.43
began thinking more
and more about going home
00:10:05.46\00:10:07.86
and sharing this new faith
which he just couldn't keep
00:10:08.17\00:10:11.58
to himself while listening
to Pastor Boo Jung lecture
00:10:11.61\00:10:15.11
about the Gospel
in Portland, Oregon.
00:10:15.14\00:10:16.79
Sebastian determined
he had to go home now,
00:10:17.40\00:10:20.64
but not without ammunition.
00:10:21.95\00:10:23.41
Yes, I made the
decision. I have to
00:10:24.66\00:10:26.65
go back for my
family, because now I have
00:10:26.68\00:10:28.65
already been away
for quite a while.
00:10:28.68\00:10:30.21
I have to go back for
my family and I am going
00:10:30.90\00:10:32.98
to work for my
family. And this was only way
00:10:33.01\00:10:36.34
to go back. No, in
fact I already had plans
00:10:36.37\00:10:39.42
to come back
because I came with Bibles,
00:10:39.45\00:10:41.51
biblical
commentaries, I had enough,
00:10:41.54\00:10:44.13
on your back, no, I
had approximately 60 books
00:10:44.16\00:10:47.59
that I have brought.
Oh, a pretty big suitcase.
00:10:47.62\00:10:50.53
Yes, in fact I had
problems crossing the border
00:10:50.56\00:10:53.11
with the suitcase,
because right after they let you
00:10:53.14\00:10:55.34
go by with three
books, but I had way more
00:10:55.37\00:10:57.97
than three books so
they wouldn't let me,
00:10:58.00\00:10:59.53
but thanks to God.
They gave me the green light
00:10:59.56\00:11:02.17
on the line and in this
way I was able to get through
00:11:02.20\00:11:04.57
all of my suitcase.
Really. Yes, God must have
00:11:04.60\00:11:07.60
been there in that moment.
00:11:07.63\00:11:08.60
And you got here, no
when I arrived the first thing
00:11:08.84\00:11:12.40
that I worried
about was my Dad and Mom,
00:11:12.43\00:11:14.16
thank goodness
that they were alive,
00:11:14.53\00:11:16.08
so I had to talk to
them about God's word,
00:11:16.35\00:11:18.24
about the love of God.
00:11:18.50\00:11:19.57
And what did your Mom
say. Well, I know that God
00:11:20.21\00:11:23.84
has worked with them
as well already before
00:11:23.87\00:11:26.57
I got there, it wasn't
hard for me because the goals
00:11:26.60\00:11:29.30
that God had were
already coming true.
00:11:29.33\00:11:31.34
Well, I know they
saw me as a full grown
00:11:34.75\00:11:37.28
mature person, in
other words I practically
00:11:37.31\00:11:40.33
completely changed. Of
course not economically,
00:11:40.36\00:11:44.90
but spiritually yes.
Its better than anything.
00:11:44.93\00:11:49.32
Yes and so when I
arrived I fought for my family,
00:11:49.75\00:11:53.29
and there wasn't a
Adventist church there.
00:11:53.32\00:11:55.27
No, no other wasn't an
Adventist church within
00:11:55.30\00:11:58.19
80 kilometers in
any direction. Sebastian
00:11:58.22\00:12:01.31
was the Adventist
Church and he began working
00:12:01.34\00:12:05.28
first with his family
and then with his neighbors
00:12:05.31\00:12:07.60
in Tzeltal. Today,
there are 30 members
00:12:07.63\00:12:10.71
in his church and
with Maranatha's Ultimate
00:12:10.74\00:12:12.81
Workout kids here
in full force Sebastian
00:12:12.84\00:12:15.84
sees the hand of God at work.
00:12:15.87\00:12:17.62
Did you dreams ever
include a church here
00:12:20.97\00:12:23.01
with a group of
a Americano gringos
00:12:23.04\00:12:25.33
constructing it
completely, even in your dreams.
00:12:25.36\00:12:28.37
No, never, never I
know that this project
00:12:31.19\00:12:33.82
wasn't designed by
human being. Its more that
00:12:33.85\00:12:36.62
it was designed in
the heights of heaven
00:12:36.65\00:12:38.17
in order to continue until now.
00:12:38.52\00:12:40.16
And this is the
longing that I have after my
00:12:41.09\00:12:43.09
departure to the U.S. my
desire was to have a church,
00:12:43.12\00:12:46.20
but God has heard me,
as it says in his word man
00:12:46.45\00:12:50.19
suggests and God arranges.
00:12:50.22\00:12:52.25
This is what I
lived, so I have to pray
00:12:52.57\00:12:54.85
for my church. I have to
do something for my church,
00:12:54.88\00:12:57.43
I have to do
something for the people thanks
00:12:57.46\00:13:00.07
be to God that things
are going well until now.
00:13:00.10\00:13:02.57
I know that God's
continues to help me,
00:13:02.99\00:13:05.22
the difficulties,
the problems they happen,
00:13:05.70\00:13:08.22
but I know that God is with us.
00:13:08.60\00:13:10.20
The mountains of
Chiapas are packed with history,
00:13:12.90\00:13:15.46
but it discovered
something interesting
00:13:16.32\00:13:17.69
about the people of Chiapas.
00:13:17.72\00:13:19.06
They live in the
now. The past is okay,
00:13:19.09\00:13:21.21
the future is hopeful,
today is what's important.
00:13:21.24\00:13:24.21
This is Sebastian's
church. He lives in the now.
00:13:25.09\00:13:28.97
This is his church
today. Come back in 10 years
00:13:29.28\00:13:32.81
it will be
packed with Christians.
00:13:33.23\00:13:36.40
When we come back
another ultimate workout
00:13:37.14\00:13:40.21
church is being build.
00:13:40.24\00:13:41.37
This time by the
town trouble maker.
00:13:42.04\00:13:44.53
Ultimate Workout took the
body of San Pedro by storm,
00:14:56.08\00:14:58.87
dozens of teenagers and
young adults were either
00:14:59.28\00:15:01.30
building the
church or participating in
00:15:01.33\00:15:04.59
a much needed
free medical clinic.
00:15:04.62\00:15:06.92
I am on the medical
team as a nurse and so what
00:15:07.19\00:15:10.58
I've been doing is
I've been triaging a lot,
00:15:10.61\00:15:12.56
so I see all the
patients and you know taking
00:15:12.59\00:15:15.61
their vital signs,
figuring out why they're here
00:15:15.64\00:15:17.29
and then send it
back to the doctors.
00:15:17.32\00:15:18.77
Kaylee Turk is a
nursing student who has taken
00:15:19.04\00:15:21.29
two weeks of her summer
to travel through Chiapas
00:15:21.32\00:15:23.65
with a medical team
and serve three of the
00:15:23.68\00:15:26.47
five Ultimate
Workout Communities.
00:15:26.50\00:15:28.43
Professionals like
Ari Garbeth a dentist from
00:15:29.22\00:15:31.44
Sacramento and
Martin Kelly a Physician
00:15:31.47\00:15:34.74
from San Antonio,
Texas, are helping the young
00:15:34.77\00:15:37.27
people learn
valuable skills on this
00:15:37.30\00:15:39.49
on the job work environment.
00:15:39.92\00:15:42.33
Get a lot of
satisfaction from helping people
00:15:42.36\00:15:45.15
that are pain. The
people who don't have access
00:15:45.18\00:15:48.75
to healthcare. Providing
rudimentary care for them,
00:15:48.78\00:15:52.26
this is something
that keeps me grounded
00:15:52.67\00:15:54.88
and brings me back
to the reality of why
00:15:54.91\00:15:57.41
I became a dentist
in the first place.
00:15:57.44\00:15:59.29
A Stone's throw away is
the new Maranatha church.
00:16:00.75\00:16:03.67
Although the day we
were shooting in San Pedro.
00:16:04.00\00:16:06.28
It was hot and
sunny that was unusual.
00:16:06.31\00:16:09.43
Okay, what was it
like San Pedro. Wet, muddy,
00:16:10.13\00:16:14.14
dirty, there is
nothing good in all that.
00:16:15.65\00:16:18.52
Cold showers, It
was awesome. You said,
00:16:18.55\00:16:21.39
somebody told me
they had hot showers.
00:16:21.42\00:16:22.94
On rainy days,
that's not that. Okay,
00:16:27.26\00:16:29.36
everybody at once.
Was anything good here?
00:16:29.39\00:16:31.55
It was fantastic. Awesome,
that's the creative way.
00:16:31.58\00:16:34.68
It is good, it is
fantastic, it is wet and
00:16:34.71\00:16:37.25
soggy and nasty and
muddy. You know maybe
00:16:37.28\00:16:41.43
trials are good for
you. Max would say that,
00:16:41.46\00:16:43.79
Maximino was in prison
and I would love to tell
00:16:44.09\00:16:46.95
you a story, but
actually he can tell it a whole
00:16:46.98\00:16:49.50
lot better than I
can. You got to meet Max.
00:16:49.53\00:16:51.33
I would like to tell
you when I was in prison
00:16:53.39\00:16:56.16
I was a person of
the streets, I was a
00:16:57.60\00:17:01.65
person that didn't
know God. I was ten years
00:17:01.68\00:17:07.22
three months and
15 days in prison.
00:17:07.25\00:17:10.32
Later on God touched my
heart and I got to know God.
00:17:11.22\00:17:17.40
Maximino Perez Ruiz,
well he's been called
00:17:18.57\00:17:22.54
an outlaw in this
region, but Loretta Spivin,
00:17:22.57\00:17:24.98
San Pedro's team
leader gave Max another.
00:17:25.26\00:17:27.85
Whatever we said
we needed Max said
00:17:28.01\00:17:29.88
I can do that, no
problem, sure, so we needed
00:17:29.91\00:17:32.68
the area cleared and
Max said I can do that.
00:17:32.71\00:17:34.86
If you needed bathrooms,
Max said I can do that.
00:17:35.15\00:17:37.80
We needed living
areas, every single thing that
00:17:37.83\00:17:40.94
we said Max said he
can do it. Now I am gonna
00:17:40.97\00:17:43.82
tell the truth when
somebody tells you they
00:17:43.85\00:17:45.90
can do everything
it makes you a little
00:17:45.93\00:17:48.31
concerned, but
when we got here Max
00:17:48.34\00:17:51.38
had done all the best
and more, so we figured out
00:17:51.41\00:17:55.26
that Max really
is a mover and shaker
00:17:55.29\00:17:57.38
and his nick name
is the Mayor although
00:17:57.41\00:17:59.28
he is not the Mayor,
but he can get anything
00:17:59.31\00:18:01.55
done really that
needs to be done.
00:18:01.58\00:18:03.47
The San Pedro church
and its growing congregation
00:18:12.53\00:18:15.25
exists largely due to
Max learning about Jesus.
00:18:15.28\00:18:18.40
How did that happened?
00:18:18.72\00:18:19.69
One day a religious
sect came that was called
00:18:23.76\00:18:26.56
Jehovah's Witnesses. They
came to share these flyers
00:18:26.59\00:18:30.83
in the prison. Then they
gave me one and I started
00:18:30.86\00:18:35.46
to read it. In the
afternoon around five,
00:18:35.49\00:18:38.57
around five in the afternoon
I felt my heart changed,
00:18:38.60\00:18:41.67
as if I was putting
on new clothes, pants,
00:18:42.26\00:18:44.86
these new shoes,
as if I was bathed.
00:18:45.08\00:18:48.21
I felt clean that
afternoon, so I began
00:18:48.93\00:18:52.44
to read, to read, to read.
00:18:52.47\00:18:54.96
I finished around 10 at night.
00:18:55.91\00:18:57.59
Next Max began
reading a Bible then Max began
00:18:59.38\00:19:03.20
searching for more
understanding by listening
00:19:03.23\00:19:05.33
to the radio. He found
a Seventh-Day Adventist
00:19:05.36\00:19:07.84
Pastor and use the prison
telephone to make contact.
00:19:07.87\00:19:10.38
The Pastor and his
colleagues then began
00:19:10.77\00:19:12.61
visiting Max in
prison. I want to tell you
00:19:12.64\00:19:18.38
something as it was,
when the brothers of the
00:19:18.41\00:19:21.23
Alpha Omega arrived
in the prison they prayed
00:19:21.26\00:19:24.83
for me. They
gave me the address,
00:19:24.86\00:19:27.32
I didn't know them,
but when I got to know
00:19:27.83\00:19:30.06
them then I began to
pray. To pray more for myself,
00:19:30.09\00:19:35.70
because I saw in the
Bible that Peter was in prison
00:19:36.20\00:19:39.67
and Paul then I
prayed for myself at night
00:19:40.37\00:19:45.10
that God might pardon
me. Because I didn't do
00:19:46.49\00:19:49.62
what they have
accused me of but I had
00:19:49.65\00:19:52.24
committed other
things, other sins before God.
00:19:52.27\00:19:54.84
And, well, I asked God
that he might forgive me
00:19:54.87\00:19:58.43
of the dirty sins
that I have committed
00:19:58.46\00:20:00.48
and other things and I
prayed a lot then I began
00:20:00.51\00:20:04.00
to pray, to pray, to
pray, four or five months
00:20:04.03\00:20:07.50
passed when they
called me to my parole
00:20:07.53\00:20:09.90
trial to give me my freedom.
00:20:09.93\00:20:12.22
When Max was
released from prison
00:20:12.25\00:20:14.15
he shared his faith
with his wife and children
00:20:14.18\00:20:16.32
one by one and
they accepted Sabbath
00:20:16.35\00:20:19.23
as part of their Christian walk.
00:20:19.26\00:20:20.52
At a meeting he attended
in San Cristobal he learned
00:20:21.45\00:20:23.95
about Maranatha
and Max never known
00:20:23.98\00:20:26.72
for being shy,
went directly to the
00:20:26.75\00:20:29.35
President of the mission.
00:20:29.38\00:20:30.91
So I asked him, I
don't have the money to pay
00:20:32.07\00:20:34.48
for it, but if they
had the ability to help me,
00:20:34.51\00:20:37.16
I might ask for a house
of worship. I was alone,
00:20:37.50\00:20:41.02
but time would
make the church grow and
00:20:41.05\00:20:44.48
they accepted me
and everyone said yes.
00:20:44.51\00:20:46.76
Whose land is it?
Mine, the land is yours.
00:20:47.24\00:20:51.97
The land is yours and it's
a donation from your family
00:20:52.00\00:20:54.55
to the church right. Exactly.
00:20:54.58\00:20:58.52
A part of Favela mission.
00:20:59.15\00:21:00.99
Max admitted that he
had been an awful person
00:21:05.44\00:21:07.84
and that his life
was going nowhere good,
00:21:07.87\00:21:10.10
but now a church
sits in his front yard.
00:21:10.49\00:21:13.60
A testimony to the
power of grace and an ironic
00:21:13.94\00:21:17.79
end to a tale that
well might have had
00:21:17.82\00:21:20.80
a very tragic ending.
00:21:20.83\00:21:22.55
But for Max his
prison cell became
00:21:28.01\00:21:31.33
a doorway to eternity.
00:21:31.36\00:21:32.94
In 1980, a young Adventist
farmer brought his family
00:21:38.71\00:21:41.82
and settled at the
very top of this hill.
00:21:42.05\00:21:43.86
Even though all of
his friends relatives
00:21:43.89\00:21:45.92
everybody said.
Only God can grow coffee
00:21:45.95\00:21:49.22
on the hill side, so
he came and said I not
00:21:49.25\00:21:52.50
gonna grow coffee.
I'm gonna raise cattle,
00:21:52.53\00:21:55.14
I am gonna plant fruit
trees, I am gonna plant
00:21:55.17\00:21:57.53
coconut palms
and he had a blast.
00:21:57.56\00:22:00.45
A baby garden of Eden
on the top of the hill
00:22:00.48\00:22:02.77
and then he said I
can't do this alone.
00:22:03.34\00:22:05.09
I need to bring other
people in to what I know
00:22:05.12\00:22:07.48
about Ladinos. So
he built this church.
00:22:07.51\00:22:10.89
Can you believe it.
Five members, seven members,
00:22:11.35\00:22:14.47
12 members, 17,
21, 22 members in the
00:22:14.50\00:22:18.72
first church at Ladinos.
00:22:18.75\00:22:21.26
Ladinos, the new
church, there were
00:22:28.25\00:22:31.85
24, 27, 29, 30,
31, 32 and last Sabbath
00:22:31.88\00:22:37.47
well look inside. Even
though you can see today
00:22:38.59\00:22:42.08
we are using it as a
UW 20 construction site
00:22:42.11\00:22:45.08
last Sabbath. There
are 40 adults and 40
00:22:45.72\00:22:48.70
children in church at Ladinos.
00:22:48.73\00:22:51.78
Last Sabbath this
was church, next Sabbath
00:22:55.47\00:22:59.93
which is now I think
about four days away.
00:22:59.96\00:23:02.89
This will be the
first Sabbath in the brand
00:23:07.60\00:23:09.28
new church at
Ladinos. I want to meet
00:23:09.31\00:23:13.05
Pastor Omar in a
minute, and I want to tell you
00:23:13.08\00:23:14.62
something about it
and Pastor Omar says
00:23:14.65\00:23:16.78
this is an amazing
place, next Sabbath
00:23:17.19\00:23:20.14
there will be 40
adults and 40 children,
00:23:20.44\00:23:22.40
but give it about
six months we will have
00:23:22.43\00:23:25.04
80 to 90 adults and 80
to 90 children attending
00:23:25.07\00:23:28.66
church at Ladinos. Its
not a very good place to
00:23:28.69\00:23:33.34
grow coffee. Its
an incredible place
00:23:33.37\00:23:36.21
to grow souls.
Pastor Omar Rodriguez Lopez,
00:23:36.47\00:23:42.17
and his wife Karina
serve the Ladinos congregation.
00:23:42.20\00:23:45.98
The two of them actually
take care of 29 churches
00:23:46.88\00:23:49.12
that have about
1800 members total.
00:23:49.15\00:23:51.51
And so in place of
my devotional this week
00:23:52.37\00:23:54.41
I would like you
to hear Pastor Omar,
00:23:54.66\00:23:56.27
his words of gratitude
toward those who support
00:23:56.30\00:23:59.32
Maranatha, Ultimate
Workout and Jesus Christ.
00:23:59.35\00:24:03.61
I wanted to tell them
that not only in my heart,
00:24:10.64\00:24:13.12
but in all the
hearts of the people we are
00:24:13.44\00:24:16.15
very grateful. There
are people that never dream
00:24:16.18\00:24:18.73
they would see a
church like this one for
00:24:18.76\00:24:20.64
a long time. We made a
huge effort in order to see
00:24:20.67\00:24:24.28
this become a
reality. I wanted to say to the
00:24:24.31\00:24:27.81
people that are
donating to the people that are
00:24:27.84\00:24:29.75
giving out their time and
their money that they will
00:24:29.78\00:24:31.95
not know the impact
of what they gave until
00:24:31.98\00:24:35.47
they come to
Ladinos. The people from there
00:24:35.50\00:24:38.63
cry because of what
they see, apart from their
00:24:38.66\00:24:41.92
condition they could
have never believed that
00:24:41.95\00:24:44.47
people from over there
in far lands are donating.
00:24:44.50\00:24:48.46
They are also coming,
paying travel, and food,
00:24:48.49\00:24:51.03
hotel expenses from
their own funds in order to
00:24:51.06\00:24:53.67
be able to come
and build the church.
00:24:53.70\00:24:55.65
For them this has
changed their life from
00:24:56.33\00:24:58.98
what was there
to what lies ahead.
00:24:59.01\00:25:01.22
This is a giant ruin
city. It was once the capital
00:25:05.10\00:25:08.78
of the Mayan Empire
for all of what we know
00:25:08.81\00:25:10.66
today is Southern
Mexican, and Hondurus
00:25:10.69\00:25:12.65
all that changed,
nothing's the same
00:25:13.09\00:25:16.53
and yet everything is the same.
00:25:16.86\00:25:18.87
The stones are here
and they're all packed
00:25:18.90\00:25:20.97
in exactly the same
incredibly careful way.
00:25:21.00\00:25:23.52
So I like the kids who
come on Ultimate Workout,
00:25:24.46\00:25:26.68
they will go home
completely different
00:25:27.37\00:25:30.58
and exactly the same.
Still have the same names,
00:25:31.02\00:25:34.11
still live in the same
houses, still on the same
00:25:34.14\00:25:35.73
iPods, but you know
everything will be different
00:25:35.76\00:25:39.95
coming on UW
transforms your heart.
00:25:40.45\00:25:43.49
It's something
that no one will never
00:25:44.43\00:25:46.26
get to do in the
homes in a lifetime.
00:25:46.29\00:25:47.74
It builds a
character and it makes you.
00:25:47.97\00:25:49.56
It gives you
confidence. God shows himself
00:25:50.01\00:25:52.58
in the little things.
This, it compares to nothing
00:25:52.61\00:25:55.87
I have ever done.
00:25:55.90\00:25:56.87
You get to know better in
a different way. You know,
00:25:57.51\00:25:59.02
you kind of get to step
into God's shoes per say.
00:25:59.05\00:26:02.03
It's gonna give you
experiences that you're not
00:26:02.51\00:26:04.40
gonna get in
school. There is no way,
00:26:04.43\00:26:07.01
you know they don't let
us do this kind of thing.
00:26:07.04\00:26:09.11
You get transformed. You
don't notice it until it's
00:26:09.14\00:26:14.39
too late. You just start
changing little by little.
00:26:14.42\00:26:18.30
And it's just the
awesome thing you can do.
00:26:18.33\00:26:21.37
It helps you to
just be a better person
00:26:21.69\00:26:24.12
and it changes
you. And the hard work,
00:26:24.15\00:26:27.35
the work here
it's extremely hard
00:26:27.38\00:26:29.43
but at the end when
you're finished you know
00:26:29.46\00:26:31.93
it's worth it. Its just
amazing to see the things
00:26:31.96\00:26:34.56
God can do in your
life and in others.
00:26:34.59\00:26:36.59
You have to come in
to the best experience
00:26:36.91\00:26:39.36
you will ever have
there is nothing like this.
00:26:39.39\00:26:41.78
It's an experience to
come here, to be here.
00:26:42.76\00:26:46.80
Are you looking for a
way to get more involved
00:26:52.59\00:26:54.83
in missions, call
our toll free number
00:26:54.86\00:26:56.98
at 1-800-467-6386
and more information or
00:26:57.01\00:27:02.74
visit our
website at maranatha.org
00:27:02.77\00:27:05.69
to find upcoming
volunteer opportunities.
00:27:05.72\00:27:08.04
You can also donate
online to help Maranatha
00:27:08.40\00:27:11.39
continue to transform
lives or send your gift
00:27:11.42\00:27:14.79
in the mail to
Maranatha Volunteers
00:27:14.82\00:27:16.76
International 990,
Reserve Drive, Suite 100,
00:27:16.79\00:27:21.06
Roseville, California-95678,
thank you for your support,
00:27:21.09\00:27:26.55
our toll free number
once again is 1-800-467-6386,
00:27:26.58\00:27:32.45
our website is maranatha.org.
00:27:32.48\00:27:35.70
Thanks for joining
us today on Maranatha
00:27:37.14\00:27:38.85
mission stories, I am
you host Dick Duerksen
00:27:38.88\00:27:41.07
and I especially
like to thank you for your
00:27:41.10\00:27:43.61
prayers, your
participation and your
00:27:43.64\00:27:46.36
generous donation. You
help keep Maranatha successful.
00:27:46.39\00:27:50.59
I'll see you again next week
00:27:51.36\00:27:52.54
right here on
Maranatha mission stories.
00:27:52.57\00:27:55.95