Participants:
Series Code: MMS
Program Code: MMS009027A
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00:01 Union College's school song
00:02 may be about slinging the ink and push in the pen. 00:04 But this week is all about swinging the hammer. 00:07 About 90 Maranatha Volunteers 00:09 are on campus in Lincoln, Nebraska 00:11 to renovate the women's dormitory. 00:13 The work includes demolition, painting, and carpentry. 00:16 The project will also require much electrical work. 00:19 And fortunately, this team has plenty of skilled workers. 00:23 Among the volunteers is Larry Road Sr. 00:25 He was the electrician who wired this same dorm 00:28 when it was first built. 00:29 Now he is almost 90 years old and back to help. 00:33 Another Maranatha volunteer Mick Ray 00:35 owns Empire Electric in Lincoln. 00:38 He has encouraged his staff of trained electricians 00:40 to join the project for as many days as possible. 00:43 It's the generosity of volunteers like 00:45 Larry and Mick 00:47 who make each Maranatha mission trip 00:48 a success and a blessing to everyone involved. 00:51 Hear more about our projects in North America 00:54 at our Annual Mission Maranatha Event 00:55 in Sacramento, California, September 19 to 21. 00:58 Check out our website. 01:29 Every year Maranatha coordinates 01:32 approximately 16 mission trips for more than 2,000 volunteers. 01:39 The goal of each project is to fulfill a practical need 01:42 in a local community, 01:44 such as providing a structure or critical outreach. 01:51 Each project also aims to create an experience 01:54 that is transformative 01:55 in the lives of everyone involved. 02:01 When it comes to this goal, Maranatha has seen 02:04 the biggest impact in the youngest volunteers. 02:23 Ultimate workout is a mission trip 02:25 specially designed for teenagers in high school. 02:36 You think the basic living conditions 02:38 and the challenging work 02:39 would be a deterrent for young people. 02:42 But it is one of Maranatha's most popular projects. 02:50 Since 1990, more than 3,800 volunteers 02:53 have participated in this mission experience. 03:06 The summer of 2018 was no different, 03:08 as nearly 100 teens gathered in Entre Rios, Bolivia 03:12 ready to tackle several projects 03:14 in the community. 03:20 One of their major focus areas 03:21 was the Entre Rios Adventist School. 03:24 The school is well regarded, 03:26 but has outgrown their facilities 03:28 and their existing classrooms were in need of renovation. 03:33 The team's worked to build new classrooms for the school 03:36 as well as helping to update the existing ones. 03:46 Another group focused on helping 03:48 the Rio Blanco congregation. 03:51 Each week 50 people meet in this church. 03:55 But the structure was showing some exterior wear and tear. 03:59 The teens attacked the project with gusto, 04:02 cleaning and repainting the outside of the church 04:04 as well as constructing retaining wall on the property. 04:12 Outside of construction, finding other ways 04:15 to make a difference in the community 04:16 was a large part of the volunteers' work. 04:19 Teens served in a variety of ways 04:21 including community cleanup and children's programs. 04:29 The medical team traveled around the local community. 04:32 This outreach also enabled the teams 04:34 to work alongside medical professionals 04:36 and gain invaluable experience. 04:45 Yet the physical work is only one part of the experience. 04:49 Perhaps more than any other Maranatha project, 04:51 ultimate workout emphasizes 04:53 spiritual growth in its volunteers. 04:55 Adult leaders are carefully selected 04:57 and a program is prayerfully planned 05:00 to nurture and atmosphere holy focused 05:02 on a closer walk with God. 05:05 Pastor Brandon Westgate 05:07 has served as the spiritual coordinator 05:09 for Ultimate Workout for several years, 05:11 leading the teenagers through morning 05:13 and evening worships. 05:14 This year, he used small group discussions 05:17 to build trust among the volunteers. 05:20 He encouraged them to share their stories with each other 05:22 in the context of faith and with the goal 05:25 of strengthening their relationship with God. 05:29 The results were powerful. 05:32 It's nice to know that I'm not alone 05:34 in those situations. 05:36 And it's been really cool how we've been able to bond 05:41 and relate to each other and help each other through it. 05:44 And how we've been able to develop trust enough 05:48 with each other in this short amount of time, 05:51 in order to tell each other things like this 05:53 and trust the other person 05:55 to not mock you but to help you. 05:58 The whole community idea has been 06:02 overwhelming, honestly. 06:04 For Noah Wenberg, the worships didn't just grow his faith, 06:08 it brought him back to God 06:10 after a period of disbelief and disconnect. 06:13 When I was 12, I became atheist 06:15 because of some stuff that happened to my family 06:18 and we lost my older brother 06:20 and I didn't feel that right. 06:24 Because everybody said God was a loving God and caring 06:28 and so I got angry at Him and I threw it against Him. 06:31 And I'd decided it would be easier 06:33 not to believe in Him at all. 06:35 And I fell in a dark path and coming here, 06:37 as I saw the community and the grace 06:39 and the teens that came and the staff, 06:43 and it reminded me and God showed me that 06:47 He's there and He cares. 06:48 I felt like I was the only person 06:50 that had that struggle because everybody here 06:53 is an Adventist himself and I opened 06:55 because when I got to know my team better, 06:58 I learned that I wasn't the only one 07:01 struggling with it. 07:02 And I wasn't different 07:03 and that people coming back to Christ just like I was. 07:10 This has got to be the easiest place 07:13 to build relationship with people 07:14 because you have people who think like you, 07:17 who believe like you, 07:18 and even those who don't believe like you 07:20 start to believe because of how close we got. 07:23 I feel like now like I'm part of like a community 07:26 because there is people of my age 07:28 who felt the same way I did when I first got here. 07:31 And like we've all formed like a connection like I feel like 07:34 after this I'll know so many more 07:37 Adventist young adults and young people 07:40 and we only get stronger from here. 07:44 The whole group in general 07:47 has been awesome with, 07:49 you know, sharing experiences. 07:50 It would be wonderful to get together in heaven. 07:55 But not all of the teams arrive as willing participants. 07:58 Last year, Josh Gayle's first ultimate workout experience 08:02 had a rocky start. 08:04 I flew down to Panama and Dina 08:08 was picking out the participants that day 08:12 and she picked me up. 08:13 And the first words I said to her was 08:15 I don't want to be here and my mom made me come here. 08:20 And she looked at me and said, well, you have two options, 08:25 you can make this the best two weeks of your life 08:27 or the worst two weeks of your life. 08:30 It wasn't long before Josh began making connections 08:33 with other teams during work and worship. 08:35 Ten days later, not only did he return home changed, 08:38 but the positive experience brought him back the next year 08:41 to serve in Bolivia. 08:43 Like many of the teams, 08:45 worship is still his favorite part 08:46 of the project. 08:48 I am on cloud nine. 08:50 When I'm behind my instrument 08:52 and everyone's singing their heart out 08:55 and like the spirit moves with the music. 08:59 And I feel that and I just like, 09:01 I think I'm almost cheered up while playing. 09:06 It's such a powerful experience being able to be about, 09:10 I'd be behind Isaac and beside all of, 09:12 all my colleagues, 09:14 we're making a joyful noise together. 09:18 It's a great thing. 09:23 In Bolivia, by the close of the project, 09:25 the volunteers were able 09:26 to help with quite a bit of transformation 09:28 in the local community. 09:31 They successfully built a classroom. 09:40 Renovated a church. 09:45 Served 550 patients 09:50 and shared the love of Jesus all around. 09:59 Yet the biggest change was within themselves. 10:08 At the end of the project 10:09 18 teams made the decision 10:11 to commit or recommit their lives to Christ. 10:14 I think the part that's changed my life the most was like 10:19 seeing God again in the small things 10:22 and I had the opportunity to get me baptized. 10:27 I struggled most with Christ, 10:29 a good eight months before I got here. 10:31 And so my heart was still little hard. 10:33 And throughout the week, it just softened. 10:36 And I had this like mountaintop experience, 10:40 where eventually I was baptized this week 10:43 which was just an amazing decision 10:45 and the best decision of my life. 10:47 And so it's just... It's been incredible. 10:54 This is the power of missions. 11:01 When we answer the call to grow faith 11:03 and hope in each other and in ourselves, 11:06 there is no limit to what God will provide. 11:11 I think that being able to serve 11:13 and impact other people really helped me change my own life, 11:16 and that's something I'll never forget. 11:25 Experience ultimate workout next year in Kenya. 11:29 Go to maranatha.org to learn more. 11:33 Next, we'll take a look at how the actual buildings 11:35 Maranatha constructs 11:37 are making an impact on young people in Angola. 11:55 For more than a decade Maranatha Mission Stories 11:58 has taken you around the world, showing you the need 12:01 and challenging you to get involved. 12:05 Now, we're introducing new ways for you to stay informed 12:08 and inspired about the mission. 12:11 Watch your favorite episode of Maranatha Mission Stories 12:14 as well as other Maranatha videos 12:16 on your Apple TV. 12:19 Visit the App Store, search for the Maranatha Channel 12:22 and hit install. 12:26 You'll have access to all of our latest video content, 12:29 and you can watch anytime. 12:31 Our videos are available on demand 24 hours a day. 12:35 Our content can also be viewed on Roku and Amazon Fire TV. 12:40 The Maranatha Channel bringing mission adventures 12:43 to your living room. 12:54 In 1969, while we send humans to the moon, 12:58 a group of people launched what is known today 13:00 as Maranatha Volunteers International. 13:04 Flying private planes to volunteer around the world 13:07 a community was formed. 13:10 Missionaries connected through service who became like family. 13:14 This fall, set a flight plan for Sacramento, California. 13:18 Join us at Mission Maranatha, our annual convention event. 13:23 September 19 to 21 celebrate 50 years of mission. 13:27 Reconnect with old friends and fellow volunteers 13:31 as we remember the projects, the places, 13:34 and the people who helped form Maranatha. 13:38 Enjoy inspiring testimonies from around the world, 13:41 as well as music from the acclaimed men's chorus 13:44 Christian Edition. 13:46 Admission is free, but make sure to register 13:48 at maranatha.org/missionmaranatha. 13:54 According to the United Nations, 13:56 the fertility rate in Angola is 5.7 births per woman. 14:00 In rural areas, 14:02 the number jumps to eight children per woman. 14:04 The result is a young population 14:06 with almost half of the country under the age of 14. 14:10 As Angola emerges from 27 years of civil war, 14:14 the country is looking to this younger generation 14:16 to help rebuild the nation. 14:19 A critical component of the recovery process 14:21 is education, 14:23 but many of the schools 14:24 were destroyed during the conflict. 14:27 And the country lacks the infrastructure 14:29 and resources to rebuild. 14:32 So many people are in need of a quality education. 14:36 Where can they find hope for a better future? 14:39 With the help of Maranatha Volunteers International 14:42 the Seventh-day Adventist Church 14:43 is slowly rebuilding its educational system, 14:47 providing an alternative for families 14:49 who are seeking more than 14:50 what is currently offered in government schools. 14:53 Recently, we returned to Angola to see 14:55 how the buildings constructed by Maranatha 14:57 are affecting the local communities. 15:02 Luanda, Angola's capital has many of the trappings 15:05 of a cutting edge metropolis. 15:09 The city is experiencing a renaissance 15:11 as the discovery of oil and diamonds 15:13 has brought an influx of money into the country. 15:18 But much of the progress is isolated to a select few. 15:24 The landscape changes 15:25 as you enter the many neighborhoods 15:27 that extend beyond the city skyline. 15:30 Pavement turns to dirt and time slows. 15:35 The neighborhood of Alegria is west of the city. 15:38 In Portuguese, the language spoken in Angola, 15:41 alegria means happiness. 15:44 And in spite of the many challenges 15:45 people face, happiness can be found, 15:49 especially on the faces of the children like Amelia. 15:54 She moved to the area four years ago 15:56 when she was 12 years old. 16:22 The unstable circumstances of Amelia's home life 16:25 left her struggling. 16:27 One day she ended up 16:29 on her aunt's doorstep distraught. 16:46 Her aunt, a Seventh-day Adventist 16:48 invited Amelia to live with her 16:50 and immediately found a way to place her 16:52 in the Alegria Adventist School 16:54 located a few blocks from their home. 16:58 The Alegria School started in a pastor's yard 17:01 and later moved into the Alegria church. 17:05 Little by little members managed to build 17:07 five classrooms. 17:09 At the new school, Amelia was learning many things. 17:13 Yet the conditions of the old buildings 17:15 left much to be desired. 17:26 And like many in Angola, 17:28 Amelia's family could barely afford 17:30 to keep her in private school. 18:12 The Alegria School charges 18:13 between $5 and $10 per month per student. 18:17 Even this is a struggle, 18:20 as about half of the population lives below the poverty line, 18:23 earning around $3 a day. 18:26 The life conditions of people around 18:29 in this community is not that so good. 18:31 Because of the social problems 18:33 we have these kinds of problems also within the church setting 18:36 and the people here, they are not that rich. 18:41 And we really face a lot of difficulties here 18:45 and this difficulties they are brought also 18:47 within the church because the church 18:49 are made up of people who made up the society, 18:52 so we don't have that much here in the church. 18:56 And we tried to do with what we have. 19:29 Despite the poor infrastructure of the school, 19:32 and the financial sacrifice required of parents, 19:35 the quality Christian education 19:37 had the school operating above capacity. 19:40 But expansion was out of the realm of possibility. 19:44 The school struggled to build the existing classrooms 19:47 and had no additional funding. 19:49 When Maranatha began working in Angola in 2013, 19:53 new classrooms for the Alegria School 19:55 were a priority. 19:57 In May 2017, Maranatha cruise began pouring floors 20:01 and assembling frames for 12 20:03 one day school classrooms at Alegria. 20:06 Today, Amelia and her fellow students 20:08 are learning in bright new classrooms. 20:13 Alegria is just one of the places 20:15 where Maranatha is promoting change. 20:17 For years to come, hundreds of churches, 20:20 classrooms, and a large education 20:22 and evangelism center will change 20:24 not only the landscape, 20:25 but the lives of thousands of people in Angola. 20:52 This mission is already being fulfilled at Alegria. 20:55 Amelia's journey is evidence 20:57 of how a Christ centered education 20:58 can change your life in more ways than one. 21:56 When Amelia decided to come to Luanda and find her family, 21:59 she was just looking for a better life. 22:03 What God had in store for her was much more. 22:07 She found hope. 22:29 Now, Amelia wants to become a teacher 22:31 and lead other children to Christ. 22:51 Maranatha donors and volunteers will forever have a place 22:54 in the heart of the people in Angola. 22:59 Now, their desire is that other parts of the world 23:01 may also be blessed 23:03 by the construction of structures 23:05 where the gospel can be taught 23:07 and shared with young people like Amelia. 24:09 From July 19 to 28, join Maranatha 24:12 in rural New York at Union Springs Academy. 24:15 We need your help in renovating the boys' dorm. 24:18 Work will include removing old floors 24:20 and installing new flooring, replacing light fixtures, 24:23 refurbishing furniture, landscaping and more. 24:26 Everyone is welcome to join this mission experience 24:29 and in exchange for your help, 24:30 you'll receive free room and board, 24:32 just be sure to register first. 24:34 Then from October 16 to 27, 24:36 we urgently need more volunteers 24:38 for our mission trip to Bolivia, 24:40 where we'll be constructing classrooms 24:42 at the Entre Rios School. 24:43 We'll also need help with roofing 24:45 and pouring sidewalks. 24:47 Depending on the size of the volunteer team, 24:48 we may also organize outreach activities 24:50 in the surrounding community. 24:52 The Entre Rios School was once a thriving campus 24:55 with more than 400 students. 24:56 Now, competition from government schools 24:58 has caused enrollment to decline. 25:00 Updated facilities will go a long way 25:02 in drawing more students 25:04 to the Seventh-day Adventist campus. 25:05 Learn more about these projects 25:07 and others by visiting our website. 25:14 Bolivia, 25:16 located in the heart of South America 25:19 is a captivating country 25:20 brimming with breathtaking landscapes, 25:24 colorful culture and welcoming people. 25:28 Here everyone is a missionary, inviting neighbors to church 25:32 and creating community for people to belong. 25:35 Their primary challenge, churches. 25:38 There are not enough churches in Bolivia 25:41 and people are meeting in broken buildings, 25:43 people's homes and dusty sheds. 25:49 Starting in 2018, 25:50 we'll be taking the mission of Maranatha 25:52 to every part of Bolivia. 25:57 Join the movement, make a donation 26:00 or volunteer on an upcoming project. 26:25 Maranatha Mission trips make a broad impact 26:28 on everyone involved. 26:35 From the volunteer taking the leap of faith, 26:40 to the recipient of a brand new building, 26:45 to the donor who makes it all possible. 26:51 Change overflows and blesses many lives. 26:58 For the young people affected by missions, 27:00 the impact occurs at a pivotal time. 27:03 A revelation of faith or a solid education can alter 27:06 the course of their lives in significant ways. 27:18 For Makayla, Noah and others, 27:20 Ultimate Workout revealed the courage, strength, 27:22 and grace found in community. 27:30 For Amelia, a classroom created a second chance of life. 27:40 For all, the mission's experience 27:43 leaves them changed. |
Revised 2019-07-29