[music]
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Hi, I know, I'm
not Dick Duerksen,
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but this is
"Maranatha Mission Stories."
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And today we're here in
Nueva Guinea, Nicaragua.
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I'm here on Maranatha's
Summer Family Project,
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with my family, having
fun, and making a difference.
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You'll hear more
about that later, but first,
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here's what's
happening in Maranatha's world.
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Last week, the Bulawayo 1
Project kicked off in Zimbabwe,
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where volunteers are
building a large education
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and evangelism center.
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Hundreds of people,
including church leaders
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from the Southern Africa-Indian
Ocean Division, gathered at
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the job-site for
the opening ceremony.
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The large building
comes complete with several
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classrooms, offices,
bathrooms, and auditorium.
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The future primary school
will also serve as a church
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in Bulawayo for a congregation
of about 300 members.
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Church leaders from Peru report
that the work of Maranatha has
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made a significant impact there.
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Just a few years after
Maranatha concluded efforts in
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the country, the Seventh-day
Adventist Church has flourished
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in areas where
there is a new church.
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One such region is in the
outskirts of Chiclayo, where
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Ultimate Workout volunteers
built five churches in 2006.
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Since then, membership
has grown at a rapid pace.
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Read more stories about
how missions are transforming
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communities around the
world in our quarterly magazine,
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"The Volunteer."
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To join our mailing
list, sign up at Maranatha.org.
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This is my very first mission
project, but it definitely
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won't be my last.
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Here are some of Maranatha's
up and coming projects.
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So what are you waiting for?
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Sign up today.
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Join Maranatha in changing
the world by getting involved in
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missions
starting this Christmas.
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From December 19 to January
1, we need volunteers for our
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annual Christmas Family Project
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to be held this
year in Nicaragua.
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Volunteers of all ages
are welcome to join this
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holiday experience.
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It will be a Christmas
blessing that your family
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will never forget.
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In January,
volunteers are needed for
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the Falakata
school project in India.
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We're building 16
One-Day School classrooms.
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Volunteers do not need
construction experience
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to join this project.
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If you've had a
desire to serve in India,
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this is a great opportunity.
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Your participation will help
to change the lives of hundreds
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of children who
desperately need a school.
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For more information
about all our upcoming projects,
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visit our online project
calendar at maranatha.org.
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During the next year,
Maranatha will be focused on
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constructing churches
and schools in 16 countries.
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The projects will provide
a place to worship for almost
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200,000 people and will
give more than 26,000 students
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a place to attend school.
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Your help is needed to
make these projects a reality.
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To make a gift, please go
to Maranatha.org and click on
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the "Donate" button.
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Your donation
makes a difference.
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I may be little, but I
made a big school in Nicaragua.
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[music]
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Don't let their size fool you.
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These kids, along with
their moms, dad, aunts, uncles,
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grandmas, and grandpas
transformed a community in
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Nueva Guinea, Nicaragua.
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They were all volunteers
on the Summer Family Project,
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a special program that
invites people of all ages,
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from 3 to 83, to
serve on a mission trip.
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For one little 6-year-old
girl, this family project
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was what you could
call an early career move.
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I want to be a
missionary when I grow up.
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Well, by the time Marjani was
three, and I would ask her, "Oh,
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honey, what do you want to
be when you grow up," she'd say,
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"Mommy, I want to be a
missionary and a doctor."
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It's like, "Oh, that's awesome,"
and I decided that, you know,
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later on we should try a
mission trip while she's young
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so that she could see
what the experience is like.
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And you think, "Boy, she's only
6 years old," but there's a lot
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of research that shows
that a person is formed
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between birth and the age of 7.
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And if we can get our children
to understand what it is to give
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of themselves when they're
very young, then there's a good
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chance that when they become
adults, they will actually want
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to be giving and caring
about the community around them,
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so I thought it would be
a great experience for her
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while she was young.
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So when Roxanne heard
about Maranatha's Summer Family
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Project, she felt it
would be the perfect environment
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for Marjani's
first mission experience.
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What kind of families come
on the Summer Family Project?
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Every kind of
family you can imagine.
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We have single people coming.
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We have divorced people.
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We have families of
husband and wife and child.
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We sometimes have a
grandparent and a grandchild.
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We have people who are
not even biologically related,
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but they're
friends of the friend,
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and so that
family becomes enlarged.
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For us, whoever is part of God
is part of the family, and so
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we've become one large family.
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We look out for each
other and you're gonna find
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all kinds of diversity here.
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For the August family,
the idea of serving together
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was appealing.
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I think that we model the
behavior for our children,
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and if your children are
seeing that you give your time
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to others, they, too,
fall in line with that.
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And with us coming together,
that was the understanding,
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before we even left Connecticut,
that we're going there to help
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as the August
family, the August team.
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The August team joined
other families to help construct
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a large school and
reach out to the community
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through medical clinics
and children's programs.
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[music]
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Hundreds in Nueva Guinea were
positively impacted, but some
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of the biggest transformations
were taking place within
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the volunteer group.
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For Johanna Viteri of
Massachusetts, the Family
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Project not only drew her closer
to God, but closer to her son.
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My son did not
want to come here.
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I did tell him we were
going on a mission trip,
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but I left out
all of the details.
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I really love home.
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I love my friends and my home
and my state, and so I didn't
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really want to come at first.
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Despite J.P.'s apprehension,
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Johanna felt serving
together would be a great way
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Well, my son just graduated
from high school and I thought,
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before he goes out
into the world and--
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you know, sometimes when
the kids leave for college,
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they never come back home.
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I wanted to have
this experience with him.
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Being fluent in
Spanish meant Johanna and J.P.
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were in high demand.
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They worked in all aspects
of the project and that time
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spent together bonded them.
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Out here, it's just
simple, and you really have to
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communicate more with, you
know, with people face-to-face.
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And it's forcing me--well, not
forcing me, but it is more like
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encouraged me more to, you know,
talk to my mom more and we've
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actually, you know, strengthened
our relationship already.
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We have really bonded, you know.
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In the mornings, we
have worship together,
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even before the worship
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that we do as a group,
and we've been able to share
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some things of why we're
here, our feelings, and I think
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this has really made us
stronger as a mom and son.
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But not everyone
came with a relative.
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For Nick Vera Cruz, who came
alone, Maranatha's projects have
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become a way for him
to heal and find family.
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Going back just a year, 2009,
December 5th, my wife passed
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away and by March of 2010,
I was very lonely and down.
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And I called Maranatha,
the office, and I asked
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if I could go on a mission trip.
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And they told me that
there was one coming up in June.
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It was a family
mission trip they were going to
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Tonala, Mexico, and so I
asked if I could go along,
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and they said yes.
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We'd love to have you.
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That first trip
sparked a whole new passion
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in Nick's life.
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When I first went to Mexico,
I was still kind of down,
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but excited about this trip.
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And I left Mexico and
that experience had changed me,
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had done a great
thing for my spiritual
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and emotional feelings.
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So ever since then, I've
been so involved with Maranatha.
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I've been on five mission trips.
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This is my fifth one, and
every one of them is different.
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It was just wonderful,
wonderful, wonderful experience.
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Nick isn't the only
one hooked on missions.
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I want to go on another
mission trip, and I want to
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because it's very, very fun.
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You know, when you look back on
the back of the Sabbath School
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quarterly and you see where
the mission offering is gonna
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go, you know, for 13th
Sabbath, it has greater meaning
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for us now because
we've been on a mission trip.
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I think kids should go on
a mission trip just to get
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a little taste of what it's like
in different countries where
00:10:02.23\00:10:06.36
other kids live and know
exactly how they would feel if,
00:10:06.36\00:10:11.06
you know, if they didn't have
a school or they didn't have
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a church or things like that.
00:10:14.00\00:10:16.10
By God's grace, I want to
come back on a yearly basis.
00:10:20.60\00:10:24.20
I want it to be a part of
my child's, you know, when she
00:10:24.20\00:10:27.23
looks back on her life,
that this was a tradition that
00:10:27.23\00:10:29.60
the August family did, and that
in turn, that she'll just grow
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to be someone that sees
the importance of mission.
00:10:33.43\00:10:36.40
I think this trip just kind
of has opened their eyes to how
00:10:38.13\00:10:41.63
blessed they are and I just
hope that they'll learn to use
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what they have to
bless other people.
00:10:44.66\00:10:47.13
I'm going back home
and I'm telling everybody,
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all of my friends,
that they have to do this.
00:10:59.20\00:11:01.63
Forget about going on a
cruise or on a lavish vacation.
00:11:01.63\00:11:05.16
If you want to have the
experience of a lifetime,
00:11:05.16\00:11:08.00
you definitely want to do a
mission trip with Maranatha.
00:11:08.00\00:11:13.63
Most of the schools in
Livingstone are government.
00:11:16.43\00:11:19.13
Other children are going to
schools that do not teach us
00:11:19.13\00:11:22.60
the doctrines of the church.
00:11:22.60\00:11:24.86
Parents, they have no choice.
00:11:24.86\00:11:26.93
They have no chance to choose
where to take their children.
00:11:26.93\00:11:29.53
Two years ago, Maranatha
volunteers answered many prayers
00:11:29.53\00:11:32.86
by building two primary
schools in Livingstone, Zambia.
00:11:32.86\00:11:37.03
Today, hundreds of children are
receiving a Christian education,
00:11:37.03\00:11:40.50
but there is still no
Adventist secondary school.
00:11:40.50\00:11:44.33
Beginning in January 2013, help
Maranatha build an education and
00:11:44.33\00:11:49.13
evangelism center, along with
seven One-Day School classrooms.
00:11:49.13\00:11:54.03
Medical outreach and children's
programs will also be conducted
00:11:54.03\00:11:57.13
in surrounding villages.
00:11:57.13\00:11:59.00
You'll also get to see
the breathtaking waters of
00:11:59.00\00:12:01.36
Victoria Falls, take a sunset
cruise on the Zambezi River,
00:12:01.36\00:12:05.23
and experience the
thrill of a safari game drive.
00:12:05.23\00:12:09.86
The children of
Livingstone are waiting for you.
00:12:09.86\00:12:12.10
Sign up today.
00:12:12.10\00:12:14.43
As you know, Summer Family
Project is all about families.
00:12:15.83\00:12:20.13
So we figured it would
be a good idea to bring
00:12:20.13\00:12:21.90
a family to "Maranatha
Mission Stories" today.
00:12:21.90\00:12:24.16
The Milson's, from
right here in California,
00:12:24.16\00:12:26.23
and I've got Katrina,
Jaimie, and Ron, correct?
00:12:26.23\00:12:29.43
- That's it. - Or Bob.
00:12:29.43\00:12:31.63
Did you guys all figure
out who you were in Spanish
00:12:31.63\00:12:34.33
once you got down to Nicaragua?
00:12:34.33\00:12:38.36
[laughing]
00:12:38.36\00:12:40.03
Was that a bit of a challenge?
00:12:40.03\00:12:41.46
It was.
00:12:41.46\00:12:42.80
I mean, speaking the
Spanish language is a challenge
00:12:42.80\00:12:46.63
for us because we don't
know any Spanish whatsoever.
00:12:46.63\00:12:50.23
Has it been a challenge
speaking American English?
00:12:50.23\00:12:53.93
Because you're all
from Australia, right?
00:12:53.93\00:12:55.43
Yes.
00:12:55.43\00:12:56.76
But that's been a
good thing, right?
00:12:56.76\00:12:58.26
It's been a good thing.
00:12:58.26\00:12:59.70
We love hearing
good Aussie accents here.
00:12:59.70\00:13:01.83
You need to know that.
00:13:01.83\00:13:03.50
Big question.
00:13:03.50\00:13:04.86
You have your options.
00:13:04.86\00:13:06.20
It's March last year.
00:13:06.20\00:13:07.80
You can go to Disneyland.
00:13:07.80\00:13:09.80
You can go to Legoland.
00:13:09.80\00:13:11.20
You can go to a variety
of places, and somebody says,
00:13:11.20\00:13:14.46
"Well, how about going
on Summer Family Project?"
00:13:14.46\00:13:17.33
How did you make
the decision and why?
00:13:17.33\00:13:20.33
Well, I guess, you
mentioned Disneyland in there.
00:13:20.33\00:13:22.93
Well, I guess
that's kind of easy.
00:13:22.93\00:13:24.50
We've been there
a few times already.
00:13:24.50\00:13:25.96
But we've always heard about
Maranatha, and recently there's
00:13:25.96\00:13:30.10
been these family mission
trips, and we've always had them
00:13:30.10\00:13:33.56
on our mind, but either the time
didn't work out or the funding
00:13:33.56\00:13:36.56
didn't working out.
00:13:36.56\00:13:37.90
So we prayed about it
last year and we thought,
00:13:37.90\00:13:40.06
"Well, let's
see if we can do it.
00:13:40.06\00:13:41.43
"If God can help us save
up the money, then I'm sure
00:13:41.43\00:13:43.50
God can help us be involved and
partake in this family project."
00:13:43.50\00:13:47.96
And we thought,
"Well, let's do it.
00:13:47.96\00:13:50.03
Let's do it.
00:13:50.03\00:13:51.36
We've heard a lot about it.
00:13:51.36\00:13:52.70
We've heard people come
back with some amazing stories,
00:13:52.70\00:13:54.13
amazing experiences,"
00:13:54.13\00:13:55.46
and so, "Look, we
want a part of that, too."
00:13:55.46\00:13:58.10
So away you went.
00:13:58.10\00:13:59.43
The money came together.
00:13:59.43\00:14:01.00
The money came together
and the time came together,
00:14:01.00\00:14:02.76
and it all fell into place.
00:14:02.76\00:14:05.33
At what point on the trip
did you feel you were truly
00:14:05.33\00:14:08.60
on a mission experience?
00:14:08.60\00:14:11.80
I guess once you hit
Nueva Guinea and then you
00:14:11.80\00:14:15.63
feel the heat and
you feel the humidity,
00:14:15.63\00:14:18.80
and you're like,
"Yes, we're really living
00:14:18.80\00:14:21.46
the mission
experience," and I guess also,
00:14:21.46\00:14:25.50
the trip down there, you see
the way they live and you see
00:14:25.50\00:14:30.50
the different houses and
how they live, you just feel,
00:14:30.50\00:14:35.56
"We're really here and we're
really gonna be doing something
00:14:35.56\00:14:38.53
for these people."
00:14:38.53\00:14:40.23
It was a cultural thing.
00:14:40.23\00:14:41.56
As soon as we landed in Managua,
other than the heat, we just
00:14:41.56\00:14:44.66
heard different
language, different people,
00:14:44.66\00:14:46.56
different culture, so we
knew then and there that,
00:14:46.56\00:14:48.93
"Hey, we're on a mission trip."
00:14:48.93\00:14:51.60
Now, when you got
into the hotel, Jaimie,
00:14:51.60\00:14:53.83
in Nueva Guinea, New Guinea.
00:14:53.83\00:14:57.16
You ever been to
New Guinea, Nicaragua?
00:14:57.16\00:14:58.50
It's just crazy, isn't it?
00:14:58.50\00:15:00.16
But you got into your hotel.
00:15:00.16\00:15:01.50
Did it feel just like home?
00:15:01.50\00:15:02.83
No.
00:15:02.83\00:15:04.16
What was different?
00:15:04.16\00:15:05.90
Okay, let's go and pick names.
00:15:05.90\00:15:08.46
Bedbugs, small bed, dirty,
00:15:08.46\00:15:13.86
and a whole
bunch of other things.
00:15:13.86\00:15:16.50
And there wasn't a
whole lot of hot water.
00:15:16.50\00:15:18.03
No, not really.
00:15:18.03\00:15:19.46
Now, what is that laugh about?
00:15:19.46\00:15:21.36
There wasn't any hot water?
00:15:21.36\00:15:22.73
Is that what that meant?
00:15:22.73\00:15:24.06
If you had water--
00:15:24.06\00:15:25.40
If you had water, you
prayed it would be hot?
00:15:25.40\00:15:27.13
Well, actually, it
doesn't matter whether it was
00:15:27.13\00:15:28.80
cold or hot.
00:15:28.80\00:15:30.13
If you had water, then
you know you're being blessed.
00:15:30.13\00:15:32.16
There was one instance
where we came back from,
00:15:32.16\00:15:36.13
I think, first or second day.
00:15:36.13\00:15:37.86
I can't
remember what day it was.
00:15:37.86\00:15:39.43
You know, you're all
dirty, you're all smelly, you're
00:15:39.43\00:15:41.80
all sweaty, and yeah, the first
thing you want to do is get up
00:15:41.80\00:15:44.13
to your room and take a shower.
00:15:44.13\00:15:45.46
So we went there, or I
got in there and turned
00:15:45.46\00:15:47.46
the water on and guess what?
00:15:47.46\00:15:49.00
No water.
00:15:49.00\00:15:50.53
It's better to have it happen
that way than to get all soaped
00:15:50.53\00:15:53.16
up and then there's no water.
00:15:53.16\00:15:55.06
Well, that's true.
00:15:55.06\00:15:56.93
So then we had to do
the old-fashioned way.
00:15:56.93\00:15:58.66
Katrina got some
bottles and, you know.
00:15:58.66\00:16:01.03
- And it worked just
fine. -It works just find, yep.
00:16:01.03\00:16:03.30
It works just fine.
00:16:03.30\00:16:04.90
I want to know what each of
you did on the project itself.
00:16:04.90\00:16:07.16
The reason I wanted to know
about where you were, I mean,
00:16:07.16\00:16:10.60
it's so different from
where you live in Melbourne
00:16:10.60\00:16:13.76
and where you live
here in California.
00:16:13.76\00:16:15.83
Is it okay to go
someplace that's that different?
00:16:15.83\00:16:19.03
Absolutely.
00:16:19.03\00:16:20.50
We wouldn't have gone, you know,
if we didn't know it was okay.
00:16:20.50\00:16:23.06
And we were assured by
Steve Case at Maranatha
00:16:23.06\00:16:25.03
that it was a safe place to go.
00:16:25.03\00:16:26.63
It was safe, just
don't worry about the water.
00:16:26.63\00:16:28.63
That's right. It was very safe.
00:16:28.63\00:16:29.96
So what did you do every day?
00:16:29.96\00:16:31.36
Well, I was involved with
the construction projects,
00:16:31.36\00:16:33.96
so I was there and we'd
get up early in the morning.
00:16:33.96\00:16:37.46
We'd get ready.
00:16:37.46\00:16:38.83
We'd hop on a bus.
00:16:38.83\00:16:40.36
The bus ride wasn't that long,
00:16:40.36\00:16:42.50
so we could have even
walked if we wanted to.
00:16:42.50\00:16:44.43
But we're all
together as a team.
00:16:44.43\00:16:46.03
I liked that family atmosphere
and the team atmosphere.
00:16:46.03\00:16:48.50
So we got there.
00:16:48.50\00:16:49.90
We laid block.
00:16:49.90\00:16:51.26
Actually, that was part of our
project, we laid block there,
00:16:51.26\00:16:53.36
so we did that every day.
00:16:53.36\00:16:55.06
And occasionally I would
be involved with the kids,
00:16:55.06\00:17:00.50
helping out with the kids.
00:17:00.50\00:17:02.46
- The VBS. - The
Vacation Bible school.
00:17:02.46\00:17:04.23
So occasionally I'd help
out with the VBS, because I love
00:17:04.23\00:17:06.33
kids and I wanted to see
my son there being involved,
00:17:06.33\00:17:08.63
so I think once or
twice I did that as well, too.
00:17:08.63\00:17:11.93
Jaimie, you get ready.
00:17:11.93\00:17:13.26
What did you do, Katrina?
00:17:13.26\00:17:14.60
I did a variety
of things, actually.
00:17:14.60\00:17:16.16
I mean, I guess the
first-- I was involved
00:17:16.16\00:17:18.86
with the construction project,
which is interesting, because--
00:17:18.86\00:17:21.20
You were laying blocks, too?
00:17:21.20\00:17:22.60
I was laying blocks, too, yes,
00:17:22.60\00:17:24.00
as much as I
could probably lift.
00:17:24.00\00:17:25.56
I guess I was involved
with putting the cement into
00:17:25.56\00:17:29.36
the places where it needs to go.
00:17:29.36\00:17:31.43
She was throwing mud around.
00:17:31.43\00:17:33.20
I was throwing mud around.
00:17:33.20\00:17:35.76
But also, I was
involved with, which is really,
00:17:35.76\00:17:38.93
really interesting,
the medical ministry.
00:17:38.93\00:17:40.90
The medical--the day that
we went to the City Hall, where
00:17:40.90\00:17:46.96
the mayor's offices are,
and we had the opportunity to
00:17:46.96\00:17:53.36
see the people that came
in, that worked for the city,
00:17:53.36\00:17:56.70
works the for the City Hall.
00:17:56.70\00:18:00.13
And so they came with
their families, and they were
00:18:00.13\00:18:03.46
to get checked, you know,
by the various doctors there.
00:18:03.46\00:18:07.30
I was basically
getting the people in order
00:18:07.30\00:18:08.96
and collecting tickets.
00:18:08.96\00:18:10.66
They had tickets, you
know, that was for them.
00:18:10.66\00:18:12.60
And it was great to see the
people come through, because
00:18:12.60\00:18:16.56
they really appreciated the
time that we spent with them.
00:18:16.56\00:18:19.80
Did you make some good friends?
00:18:19.80\00:18:21.63
As much as I could speak
the language, I made some
00:18:21.63\00:18:24.06
good friends, you know, within
the people in the community.
00:18:24.06\00:18:27.10
I made friends with the little
children and I made friends
00:18:27.10\00:18:31.30
with the mothers that
were there, helping them out
00:18:31.30\00:18:32.83
as much as I probably could,
00:18:32.83\00:18:34.33
communicating as much as
I possibly could with them.
00:18:34.33\00:18:37.43
But it was very interesting,
and so I spent some time,
00:18:37.43\00:18:41.36
one day with the
medical ministry.
00:18:41.36\00:18:44.26
Also, I got a chance to spend
one day with the kitchen crew,
00:18:44.26\00:18:48.60
and that was a
very interesting aspect.
00:18:48.60\00:18:51.73
It's Loretta.
00:18:51.73\00:18:53.06
She was fantastic in heading
up the kitchen and also just
00:18:53.06\00:18:57.60
organizing everything that
we needed from the meals to,
00:18:57.60\00:19:00.43
just the snacks and
everything and the lunches.
00:19:00.43\00:19:03.40
So did Loretta
make cinnamon rolls?
00:19:03.40\00:19:07.20
Not this time around.
00:19:07.20\00:19:08.60
Not this time?
00:19:08.60\00:19:09.93
You're gonna have to
come on another trip.
00:19:09.93\00:19:13.16
But what I loved from that,
we had the pineapple juice.
00:19:13.16\00:19:19.70
The fresh pineapple that
was from the local markets
00:19:19.70\00:19:26.06
and it was crushed and made.
00:19:26.06\00:19:28.20
It was absolutely gorgeous.
00:19:28.20\00:19:29.63
But the food in general was
fantastic, and so I spent a day
00:19:29.63\00:19:34.16
with her in the kitchen and
she took us out to the markets
00:19:34.16\00:19:37.36
to buy the produce
and to buy the bread.
00:19:37.36\00:19:41.60
So we got to see everything,
you know, what they do
00:19:41.60\00:19:45.10
in the marketplace.
00:19:45.10\00:19:46.70
The way it really is, exactly,
and that was really fun.
00:19:46.70\00:19:49.53
So Jaimie, what did you do?
00:19:49.53\00:19:51.46
Well, I did construction.
00:19:51.46\00:19:54.10
Now, I see you holding the
bricks and putting them in,
00:19:54.10\00:19:56.13
the big blocks?
00:19:56.13\00:19:57.60
Sort of.
00:19:57.60\00:19:59.23
With help from his dad.
00:19:59.23\00:20:00.63
That's good.
That's what it's about.
00:20:00.63\00:20:02.80
It's about help from
mom and dad to make it work.
00:20:02.80\00:20:04.83
Yeah.
00:20:04.83\00:20:06.56
So I did, like, I put
paste or the mud, whatever,
00:20:06.56\00:20:12.10
on the bricks, and
someone else would lift it up
00:20:12.10\00:20:16.40
and I would help them.
00:20:16.40\00:20:18.06
And when I
thought of construction,
00:20:18.06\00:20:20.10
I meant like construction
00:20:20.10\00:20:21.63
like you see in the
city or something like that.
00:20:21.63\00:20:23.30
I thought I couldn't even do it,
but then when I saw it like this
00:20:23.30\00:20:27.76
and I saw a lot of kids
doing it, and so I'm like,
00:20:27.76\00:20:31.06
"Oh, this is gonna be fun,"
so I just decided to do it.
00:20:31.06\00:20:33.80
And have a good time.
00:20:33.80\00:20:35.40
Now, you told me that someday
you want to be a contractor,
00:20:35.40\00:20:38.63
at least do
construction in your life.
00:20:38.63\00:20:40.26
When did I say that?
00:20:40.26\00:20:41.60
A little bit earlier.
00:20:41.60\00:20:42.93
Is that something
you really want to do?
00:20:42.93\00:20:44.36
Maybe.
00:20:44.36\00:20:45.93
Did this trip
help you decide that?
00:20:45.93\00:20:49.50
I don't really know.
00:20:49.50\00:20:52.00
I didn't really think of that.
00:20:52.00\00:20:53.56
So I have another
question, then, for your family.
00:20:53.56\00:20:55.40
As you look back at this now,
'cause it's been several months,
00:20:55.40\00:20:59.06
what is the impact of going on
this trip on your spirituality
00:20:59.06\00:21:03.96
in your family?
00:21:03.96\00:21:06.43
The one thing that I have
really, I guess, focused on now
00:21:06.43\00:21:11.50
and as a family, spiritually
to emphasize the value
00:21:11.50\00:21:20.56
that you place upon someone's
life, or people's lives,
00:21:20.56\00:21:25.60
by being of service to them.
00:21:25.60\00:21:28.86
I think that by placing that
value on them, how much more
00:21:28.86\00:21:34.16
would they see the
value that God places on them?
00:21:34.16\00:21:39.13
And so, it's just amazing
how, you know, you're part of,
00:21:39.13\00:21:44.56
you know, I guess bringing God
to them whether they know God
00:21:44.56\00:21:48.76
or don't know God.
00:21:48.76\00:21:50.53
And then giving the opportunity
for them to basically, you know,
00:21:50.53\00:21:56.50
start a relationship with him.
00:21:56.50\00:21:58.70
Get to know him, and
that's all part and parcel
00:21:58.70\00:22:01.50
with serving others.
00:22:01.50\00:22:03.23
She just said the
right word, to serve.
00:22:03.23\00:22:06.90
I mean, we know Christ came here
to this earth, to our earth, our
00:22:06.90\00:22:10.36
home, to serve, and that's one
thing we've always as a family
00:22:10.36\00:22:13.63
wanted to do.
00:22:13.63\00:22:14.96
Through our lives, and I'm
sure through yours as well.
00:22:14.96\00:22:17.26
You've probably done
many projects and, you know,
00:22:17.26\00:22:18.96
we're always
involved in serving.
00:22:18.96\00:22:20.66
We wanted to give
Jaimie the opportunity, too,
00:22:20.66\00:22:22.66
to experience what it's like
to go to a different country
00:22:22.66\00:22:24.90
and to serve other people.
00:22:24.90\00:22:26.53
And there's always a verse
that I always want to remember
00:22:26.53\00:22:29.90
in the Bible, when Jesus
says, "By this all men will know
00:22:29.90\00:22:32.60
that you are my disciples,
if you love one another."
00:22:32.60\00:22:35.96
And we know about the people
of Nicaragua, but it's not until
00:22:35.96\00:22:40.53
you really go there and you
actually see them and hug them
00:22:40.53\00:22:44.00
and talk to them in
some language or way.
00:22:44.00\00:22:47.36
Communicate in some way.
00:22:47.36\00:22:48.86
In some way you communicate
that it really makes you try to
00:22:48.86\00:22:50.86
understand that, you know,
how much we love each other.
00:22:50.86\00:22:53.30
And that's what
makes it real, isn't it?
00:22:53.30\00:22:55.83
That's right.
00:22:55.83\00:22:57.16
So where next?
00:22:57.16\00:22:58.50
Well, we don't know.
00:22:58.50\00:22:59.83
I mean, we're thinking and we're
talking about the next Maranatha
00:22:59.83\00:23:02.03
family mission trip.
00:23:02.03\00:23:03.76
We know the dates
but unfortunately,
00:23:03.76\00:23:05.33
we don't know where yet.
00:23:05.33\00:23:07.56
Are you just about ready
to get your passport out?
00:23:07.56\00:23:09.83
Yes, actually, yeah.
00:23:09.83\00:23:11.70
We're actually heading off to
Australia in December to renew
00:23:11.70\00:23:14.56
our visas, so once we come
back, we'll be ready and armed.
00:23:14.56\00:23:18.06
Thanks so much for coming
here and sharing today, and
00:23:18.06\00:23:20.76
I'm looking forward to seeing
you somewhere next summer.
00:23:20.76\00:23:23.80
-Thank you. - Thank you.
00:23:23.80\00:23:26.23
- Jaimie, you're
awesome. - Thank you.
00:23:26.23\00:23:28.80
-God bless. - You, too.
00:23:28.80\00:23:30.30
Thank you.
00:23:30.30\00:23:31.63
[music]
00:23:32.13\00:23:47.13
[music]
00:23:47.63\00:24:02.70
[music]
00:24:03.20\00:24:18.20
[music]
00:24:18.70\00:24:29.23
There was a day in Israel
00:24:31.56\00:24:32.90
when Jesus stopped
his disciples cold.
00:24:32.90\00:24:35.80
He'd been healing some
of the older folks in town,
00:24:35.80\00:24:38.40
the hard of hearing,
the ones with cataracts
00:24:38.40\00:24:41.30
blinding their vision,
00:24:41.30\00:24:42.76
the ones needing knee or hip
replacements, when a crowd of
00:24:42.76\00:24:45.96
active children finally
grew too loud for the disciples
00:24:45.96\00:24:49.43
to handle anymore.
00:24:49.43\00:24:51.03
You've been there.
00:24:51.03\00:24:52.56
Trying to do a job that
requires your fully-concentrated
00:24:52.56\00:24:55.40
attention, when suddenly
the kids are arguing loudly or
00:24:55.40\00:24:59.13
the cat jumps up on the table,
and everyone starts yelling
00:24:59.13\00:25:02.33
at her to get down, and
you want to shout for them all
00:25:02.33\00:25:06.16
to shut up.
00:25:06.16\00:25:08.16
That's where the disciples
were, ready to shout and already
00:25:08.16\00:25:12.36
shouting at the kids.
00:25:12.36\00:25:14.03
"Get out of here.
00:25:14.03\00:25:15.36
"Can't you see Jesus
needs you to be quiet?
00:25:15.36\00:25:17.66
"Go home and
play. Go somewhere else.
00:25:17.66\00:25:20.73
"Get out of here.
00:25:20.73\00:25:22.16
We're doing important things."
00:25:22.16\00:25:24.06
Jesus stopped
them in mid-command.
00:25:24.06\00:25:27.56
"Excuse me,
fellas," I can hear him say.
00:25:27.56\00:25:30.83
"I need those kids.
00:25:30.83\00:25:33.00
"I love hearing them play.
00:25:33.00\00:25:35.50
"It's like
heavenly music to my ears.
00:25:35.50\00:25:38.66
Makes it easier for me to
work to have kids around."
00:25:38.66\00:25:42.63
You know, that brings on a
very uncomfortable silence,
00:25:42.63\00:25:47.23
a long one.
00:25:47.23\00:25:49.50
The Master breaks it.
00:25:49.50\00:25:52.03
"I want everyone to hear this.
00:25:52.03\00:25:54.30
"Around my home in
heaven, there are lots of kids.
00:25:54.30\00:25:58.56
"In fact, the only way to
get in the gates of heaven is
00:25:58.56\00:26:02.96
"to become like one of
these bright-eyed wonders.
00:26:02.96\00:26:06.26
Come here, kids."
00:26:06.26\00:26:08.30
And they all obey, slipping
through the lines of elders
00:26:08.30\00:26:11.26
waiting to be healed,
piling on his lap like a swarm
00:26:11.26\00:26:14.96
of happy puppies.
00:26:14.96\00:26:17.40
"Now," he says when
they're all settled,
00:26:17.40\00:26:19.50
"What story would
you like to hear?"
00:26:19.50\00:26:23.40
And thus, the first
Family Project began.
00:26:23.40\00:26:27.66
Jesus, kids,
parents, needy and disciples,
00:26:27.66\00:26:31.90
all together sharing in
the story of redemption.
00:26:31.90\00:26:36.83
Maranatha needs your
continued support to build
00:26:38.20\00:26:40.33
more churches and schools for
00:26:40.33\00:26:42.03
the growing Adventist
Church around the world.
00:26:42.03\00:26:44.53
For more information
about how you can get involved,
00:26:44.53\00:26:46.73
call 800-467-6384,
00:26:46.73\00:26:50.56
or you can visit our
website at maranatha.org
00:26:50.56\00:26:53.76
for information on
upcoming volunteer opportunities
00:26:53.76\00:26:56.66
or to donate online.
00:26:56.66\00:26:58.93
You can also send
your gift in the mail to:
00:26:58.93\00:27:00.83
Maranatha
Volunteers International,
00:27:00.83\00:27:03.06
990 Reserve Drive, Suite 100,
Roseville, California 95678.
00:27:03.06\00:27:09.70
Thank you for your support.
00:27:09.70\00:27:11.26
Our website is maranatha.org.
00:27:11.26\00:27:13.66
Maranatha volunteers
often say that for them,
00:27:14.43\00:27:17.26
missions is not
a one-time event.
00:27:17.26\00:27:20.06
It's a lifestyle.
00:27:20.06\00:27:21.53
It's who they are
00:27:21.53\00:27:23.30
and who they are
teaching their children to be.
00:27:23.30\00:27:26.03
It's great to see so
many parents giving their kids
00:27:26.03\00:27:29.53
a head start on that philosophy,
and it's also inspiring to see
00:27:29.53\00:27:33.76
that we're already
training the next generation
00:27:33.76\00:27:36.70
of Maranatha volunteers.
00:27:36.70\00:27:38.83
If you would like to watch this
episode again, or download it
00:27:38.83\00:27:42.33
to share with
friends or your church group,
00:27:42.33\00:27:44.70
please visit on us
online at maranatha.org.
00:27:44.70\00:27:49.50
Thanks for watching today.
00:27:49.50\00:27:51.33
I'm Dick Duerksen, host of
"Maranatha Mission Stories,"
00:27:51.33\00:27:54.23
and I'm looking forward
to seeing you next time.
00:27:54.23\00:27:58.20
[music]
00:27:59.06\00:28:14.13
CC by Aberdeen Captioning
1-800-688-6621 www.abercap.com
00:28:24.96\00:28:28.50