- Hi. I'm Hillary Macias
with the Maranatha Minute.
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
For three weeks,
Pacific Union College in Angwin,
00:00:02.86\00:00:05.93
California was hopping
with activity as Maranatha
00:00:06.03\00:00:08.64
volunteers filled
the men's residence hall
00:00:08.74\00:00:11.01
for a renovation project.
Volunteers helped to lay
00:00:11.11\00:00:14.14
flooring, build and
install new cabinetry, plaster
00:00:14.24\00:00:16.64
and paint 31 rooms
in the dormitory-which
00:00:16.75\00:00:19.75
was seven more rooms
than anticipated. The main
00:00:19.85\00:00:22.68
group of volunteers
came from all over the United
00:00:22.75\00:00:25.32
States, and there were
plenty of drop-ins from
00:00:25.42\00:00:27.19
the community as faculty,
staff, and church members
00:00:27.29\00:00:29.69
rolled up their
sleeves to help. The dorm
00:00:29.79\00:00:32.53
renovations will go
a long way in providing
00:00:32.63\00:00:34.56
an improved experience
for incoming students at
00:00:34.66\00:00:37.07
PUC. PUC was Maranatha's
second college campus project
00:00:37.20\00:00:41.04
this summer.
Earlier, a group of volunteers
00:00:41.14\00:00:43.94
worked at Union
College in Nebraska on their
00:00:44.07\00:00:46.54
women's residence
halls. Learn more about all of
00:00:46.68\00:00:49.64
Maranatha's North
America projects at the upcoming
00:00:49.74\00:00:52.58
Maranatha Convention
happening next weekend,
00:00:52.68\00:00:54.85
September 19 to 21 in
Sacramento, California.
00:00:54.95\00:00:58.42
[singing] - Every morning at the
00:01:00.56\00:01:05.96
secondary school in
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire,
00:01:06.06\00:01:08.90
hundreds of students
gather in this courtyard
00:01:09.00\00:01:11.07
to start their day
with prayer. Given that it's
00:01:11.17\00:01:16.00
a Seventh-day Adventist
school, it's not a surprise
00:01:16.10\00:01:18.71
that the curriculum
involves daily worship. What is
00:01:18.81\00:01:22.48
surprising is that
such a small percentage of
00:01:22.61\00:01:25.91
the student body is actually
Adventist. Out of nearly
00:01:26.05\00:01:29.72
900 students, Adventists
make up only 30%. This
00:01:29.78\00:01:35.72
statistic is not
seen as a vulnerability at
00:01:35.82\00:01:37.76
the school, but rather a
strength. In this episode
00:01:37.86\00:01:41.93
of Maranatha Mission
Stories, we'll see how
00:01:42.03\00:01:44.23
schools are a key component
of Côte d'Ivoire's plan to
00:01:44.33\00:01:47.24
grow the Adventist church
and share the gospel message.
00:01:47.37\00:01:51.07
Côte d'Ivoire, also
known as Ivory Coast,
00:02:11.69\00:02:14.03
is situated on the south coast
of West Africa, nestled between
00:02:14.30\00:02:17.50
five other
countries. For more than 100
00:02:17.60\00:02:21.60
years, Côte d'Ivoire
was under French rule until
00:02:21.70\00:02:24.17
achieving independence
in the 1960s. While much
00:02:24.34\00:02:29.14
has changed since
then, visitors will still see
00:02:29.21\00:02:31.55
vestiges of French
influence in the country
00:02:31.65\00:02:33.92
in some of its architecture,
food, language. French
00:02:34.02\00:02:42.86
is the national language of
Côte d'Ivoire. Economically,
00:02:42.96\00:02:47.40
Côte d'Ivoire relies
heavily on agriculture.
00:02:47.46\00:02:50.17
The land is blanketed
with farms and plantations.
00:02:50.87\00:02:53.50
Rubber, palm
trees, coconut, cassava,
00:02:54.64\00:03:01.24
and coffee are all
major players in the country's
00:03:01.48\00:03:03.98
economy and supply most
of the jobs. Yet, the #1
00:03:04.08\00:03:09.82
product is
chocolate. Côte d'Ivoire is the
00:03:09.95\00:03:13.36
leading producer and
exporter of cocoa beans
00:03:13.46\00:03:15.89
in the world. The relative
stability of this agricultural
00:03:15.99\00:03:20.56
industry attracted many
from its bordering countries
00:03:20.66\00:03:23.43
to immigrate to Côte d'Ivoire.
Today, about 30% of the
00:03:23.57\00:03:28.14
population is a
diverse mix of cultures and
00:03:28.24\00:03:30.64
nationalities. when it
comes to religion, there
00:03:30.77\00:03:35.58
is diversity. With
about 40% of the population
00:03:35.71\00:03:38.75
being Muslim, 33% professing
Christianity, and the remaining
00:03:38.88\00:03:43.39
belonging to other
belief systems. - Here in Côte
00:03:43.49\00:03:46.86
d'Ivoire in general,
and especially in Abidjan,
00:03:46.96\00:03:49.42
you have what's called a
multicultural and religious
00:03:49.56\00:03:51.86
aspect. So, it's kind of like a
00:03:51.96\00:03:56.26
swimming pool where you
have all kinds of people
00:03:56.36\00:03:58.27
coming-and so far,
they have been living
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together with each other.
- This diversity is evident
00:04:01.27\00:04:08.81
at the Marcory Adventist
College, a middle school
00:04:08.94\00:04:11.68
in the city of
Abidjan. Here, the more than 900
00:04:11.78\00:04:14.88
students who
attend come from a variety
00:04:15.02\00:04:17.22
of religious backgrounds-
and what unites them is
00:04:17.29\00:04:19.92
the quality of education.
- In the beginning years,
00:04:20.02\00:04:24.89
there would only be 17 students.
Now, we have more than 800.
00:04:24.96\00:04:30.70
We will be reaching
1,000 students a year. This
00:04:30.83\00:04:37.81
school is doing so well that
even the minister of education
00:04:37.91\00:04:43.14
[in Côte d'Ivoire]
knows that the school is here.
00:04:43.24\00:04:47.88
- Mouna Fares is a Lebanese
immigrant living in Abidjan.
00:05:05.60\00:05:09.50
When it came time
to choose a high school
00:05:10.11\00:05:11.77
for her kids, she
chose to send them to Marcory
00:05:11.87\00:05:14.24
even though they are Muslim.
00:05:14.34\00:05:16.24
The Fares family also
appreciates how understanding
00:06:00.82\00:06:03.49
the school has been of
their Muslim traditions.
00:06:03.59\00:06:05.89
Mouna recalls the time
she had to ask that her
00:06:07.10\00:06:09.10
daughters be
allowed to wear a headscarf.
00:06:09.20\00:06:11.83
The girls are well integrated
into the school and also
00:06:44.63\00:06:47.20
attend all the
worship programs. For Noor and
00:06:47.30\00:06:50.77
Hayan, it's a bonus
to learn about Jesus.
00:06:50.87\00:06:54.01
Solange, too, is a
big believer in Adventist
00:07:09.19\00:07:11.66
education. She sent
her oldest child to Marcory
00:07:11.79\00:07:15.16
where she saw his
grades and behavior improve
00:07:15.26\00:07:18.10
quickly and dramatically.
00:07:18.20\00:07:20.20
When it came to her
daughter's turn to enter
00:07:39.09\00:07:40.96
high school,
Solange didn't look anywhere
00:07:41.02\00:07:42.76
else but Marcory.
00:07:42.89\00:07:44.99
Solange appreciates
the school so much that
00:08:11.02\00:08:13.86
she admits that
she'll try to come to the
00:08:13.92\00:08:15.49
morning worship with
her daughter. And while
00:08:15.59\00:08:18.09
she is part of another
Christian faith, she says
00:08:18.19\00:08:20.46
she would be happy
if her children decided
00:08:20.56\00:08:22.50
to be baptized into
the Adventist church.
00:08:22.63\00:08:25.50
Stories like these have
been a part of Côte d'Ivoire's
00:08:40.65\00:08:43.08
tradition in the Adventist
church. Education has long
00:08:43.18\00:08:46.76
been a way to open
doors and introduce
00:08:46.82\00:08:49.49
the gospel to new
communities. When we
00:08:49.59\00:08:52.36
come back, we'll hear
about the need for more
00:08:52.46\00:08:54.43
schools in Côte
d'Ivoire, and how Maranatha is
00:08:54.50\00:08:57.23
going to get involved.
00:08:57.30\00:08:58.77
- In 1969, while we
sent humans to the moon,
00:09:12.21\00:09:15.48
a group of people
launched what is known today as
00:09:15.58\00:09:18.25
Maranatha Volunteers
International. Flying
00:09:18.35\00:09:22.09
private planes to volunteer
around the world, a community
00:09:22.19\00:09:25.36
was formed. Missionaries
connected through service
00:09:25.46\00:09:28.96
who became like family.
This fall, set a flight plan
00:09:29.06\00:09:33.54
for Sacramento, California.
Join us at Mission Maranatha,
00:09:33.64\00:09:37.74
our annual convention
event. September 19 to
00:09:37.84\00:09:41.78
21, celebrate 50
years of mission. Reconnect
00:09:41.88\00:09:45.58
with old friends
and fellow volunteers as
00:09:45.68\00:09:48.22
we remember the projects,
the places, and the people
00:09:48.35\00:09:52.72
who helped form Maranatha.
Enjoy inspiring testimonies
00:09:52.79\00:09:57.33
from around the
world as well as music from
00:09:57.43\00:09:59.89
the acclaimed men's
chorus, Christian Edition.
00:10:00.00\00:10:02.63
Admission is free,
but make sure to register
00:10:03.47\00:10:05.70
at
Maranatha.org/MissionMaranatha
00:10:05.80\00:10:09.64
[piano and strings music]
00:10:13.58\00:10:17.81
- The Seventh-day Adventist
message first came to Côte
00:10:18.41\00:10:21.32
d'Ivoire in 1920 by
the way of two European
00:10:21.42\00:10:24.45
traders from Ghana.
There were some baptisms, but
00:10:24.55\00:10:27.99
no sustained effort.
Then, in 1946, American
00:10:28.09\00:10:32.49
missionaries
arrived in the country and
00:10:32.59\00:10:34.16
began to establish Adventist
schools. - Since right from
00:10:34.30\00:10:40.20
the beginning-the
1940s, 1950s-those schools
00:10:40.34\00:10:46.68
did many things-great
things-for the church
00:10:49.21\00:10:55.22
growth in this country,
especially our secondary
00:10:55.32\00:10:59.89
school in Bouake. It
was the only secondary
00:10:59.99\00:11:02.99
school that we had.
This school was opened in
00:11:03.09\00:11:08.20
1958 by the missionaries.
These schools are trained.
00:11:08.30\00:11:16.14
Most of the
educated members that we have
00:11:16.24\00:11:19.41
in the church today are
from that school. - Pastor
00:11:19.54\00:11:24.71
Baka says that so
many people attended Bouake
00:11:24.81\00:11:27.18
School that the influence
is widespread throughout
00:11:27.28\00:11:29.82
Côte d'Ivoire. - And
today, the membership
00:11:29.92\00:11:35.66
is around
9,500-but when you go to the
00:11:35.76\00:11:40.90
Ministry of Interior
Affairs, they declare more than
00:11:41.00\00:11:46.33
40,000 because most
of those who pass through
00:11:46.43\00:11:51.01
the school are
still claiming today
00:11:51.11\00:11:55.24
that they are
Seventh-day Adventist. - Limited
00:11:55.38\00:11:59.15
resources and a period
of political unrest in the
00:11:59.25\00:12:01.68
country hindered development
in more schools. Adventist
00:12:01.82\00:12:05.99
leaders say that,
had they more classrooms,
00:12:06.12\00:12:08.26
the potential for
growth could've been greater.
00:12:08.36\00:12:10.56
- In 2020, Maranatha
will begin mobilizing
00:12:49.43\00:12:52.17
volunteers to Côte
d'Ivoire to start an effort that
00:12:52.27\00:12:54.97
includes the construction
of schools and churches.
00:12:55.07\00:12:57.57
To start, the projects
will be focused in the greater
00:12:59.71\00:13:02.24
Abidjan area, which is
the largest city in the
00:13:02.34\00:13:04.85
country and where the
majority of the Adventist
00:13:04.91\00:13:06.95
membership is
based. Because of the high
00:13:07.05\00:13:10.89
cost of land in the region,
classrooms will be constructed
00:13:10.99\00:13:13.62
on existing church
properties as a way
00:13:13.72\00:13:15.89
to share the land and
provide mutual support.
00:13:15.96\00:13:18.76
One of the school locations
is in the neighborhood of
00:13:22.00\00:13:24.50
Plateau Dokui. In
this predominantly Muslim
00:13:24.60\00:13:28.07
area, there is a multicultural
Adventist church. - This
00:13:28.17\00:13:31.91
church is a combination
of Ghanaians and Ivoirians.
00:13:32.01\00:13:38.21
Ghanaians are about 60-70%,
and the rest are Ivoirian,
00:13:38.31\00:13:42.82
so it's mixed of two
countries-two nationalities.
00:13:42.88\00:13:46.72
- Bismark immigrated to
Côte d'Ivoire five years
00:13:47.46\00:13:49.72
ago. But like so many
other Ghanaians in his
00:13:49.79\00:13:52.53
church, he left his
family at home. One of the main
00:13:52.59\00:13:56.00
reasons are because
there is no Adventist school
00:13:56.10\00:13:58.43
for his children. - Most of us
are family because of the fact
00:13:58.57\00:14:04.04
that we want them to benefit
from an Adventist education
00:14:04.14\00:14:08.14
and, as it is
known, existent here, we
00:14:08.28\00:14:11.08
are obliged to let them
stay at home. - Esperance
00:14:11.21\00:14:15.98
Houeyes has a seven-year-old
daughter who is currently
00:14:16.08\00:14:18.59
in a private school.
00:14:18.69\00:14:20.06
At Plateau Dokui, the
plan is to start a primary
00:14:47.08\00:14:49.68
school on the
church property. Maranatha
00:14:49.78\00:14:52.62
will help by building
six classrooms. - Yes,
00:14:52.72\00:14:56.49
it is a great idea to
have the school on the
00:14:56.56\00:14:58.23
church premises,
because it is a way that we can
00:14:58.33\00:15:03.43
extend the will of
God to the communities
00:15:03.53\00:15:07.34
around. - Both
Esperance and Bismark are also
00:15:07.44\00:15:11.34
confident that the local
residents of Plateau Dokui
00:15:11.44\00:15:14.18
will welcome a new school.
00:15:14.24\00:15:15.88
- Having an
Adventist education here will
00:15:59.69\00:16:01.62
have a lot of...
Parents here, we have a lot of
00:16:01.72\00:16:05.06
children here, so it
will be a great opportunity
00:16:05.16\00:16:07.83
to attract those
people. And through education,
00:16:07.93\00:16:12.27
we can spread
the gospel to them.
00:16:12.37\00:16:15.84
- In Yopougon
Niangon, also a neighborhood
00:16:19.37\00:16:21.64
in the greater Abidjan area,
00:16:21.71\00:16:23.35
another congregation
is gearing up to share
00:16:23.45\00:16:25.61
their property with
students. The Niangon
00:16:25.75\00:16:29.55
Church, as it is
called, was established by a
00:16:29.65\00:16:32.02
small group of Adventists
in the early 1980s. They
00:16:32.15\00:16:35.89
rented a small shop,
filling the space and
00:16:35.99\00:16:38.59
attracting the
attention of everyone in the
00:16:38.69\00:16:40.63
neighborhood. The
church grew and purchased a
00:16:40.76\00:16:43.10
cassava field to
build a church. [singing]
00:16:43.20\00:16:46.43
Today, there are 169
members. It's a number
00:16:46.53\00:16:50.71
that they want
to grow. - Yopougon?
00:16:50.81\00:16:55.38
is the largest and the most
populated suburb of Abidjan.
00:16:55.48\00:17:01.12
It carries over 1.5
million inhabitants. So, it is a
00:17:02.38\00:17:08.99
really populated
place. But still, we have not
00:17:09.06\00:17:13.43
grown as we should.
With this school, we
00:17:13.56\00:17:17.73
will grow faster.
People will know more about
00:17:19.03\00:17:21.70
the church. - The
plan is to have Maranatha
00:17:21.80\00:17:25.01
build a secondary
school grades 6-12 right on the
00:17:25.11\00:17:27.94
property. Baka says
that while the neighborhood
00:17:28.04\00:17:31.11
already has plenty of
primary schools, there
00:17:31.25\00:17:33.82
are few options for secondary
students. A new Adventist
00:17:33.92\00:17:37.59
high school will
provide for an urgent need
00:17:37.65\00:17:39.82
while introducing
people to the gospel. For the
00:17:39.89\00:17:44.66
Adventist church in
Côte d'Ivoire, schools have
00:17:44.79\00:17:46.96
opened the door to new
communities and hearts,
00:17:47.06\00:17:49.70
providing a
welcoming space where children
00:17:49.83\00:17:51.93
and young people can
be educated and learn
00:17:52.07\00:17:54.60
about the love of
Jesus. Yet once they hear the
00:17:54.70\00:17:57.41
gospel and want to
know more, where will this
00:17:57.54\00:17:59.81
group of believers
go to church? When we
00:17:59.91\00:18:03.61
come back, we'll take
a look at the need for
00:18:03.71\00:18:05.45
churches in Côte d'Ivoire.
00:18:05.55\00:18:07.35
- This Christmas,
give your loved ones the
00:18:14.99\00:18:17.16
extraordinary experience
of serving on a mission
00:18:17.26\00:18:19.59
trip by joining our
family project in Peru. From
00:18:19.69\00:18:23.00
December 19 to 29,
help us paint an elementary
00:18:23.06\00:18:25.73
school in the city
of Ñaña, just outside of
00:18:25.83\00:18:28.04
Lima. Volunteers
will also help construct
00:18:28.14\00:18:30.64
Sabbath school classrooms
at a nearby church in addition
00:18:30.77\00:18:33.41
to coordinating outreach
activities. We're hoping
00:18:33.48\00:18:35.98
to have medical and
dental clinics so if you have a
00:18:36.08\00:18:38.15
medical background and
are willing to help, give
00:18:38.25\00:18:40.78
us a call. Family projects
are designed for volunteers
00:18:40.92\00:18:44.02
of all ages, and
everyone is welcome to join. If
00:18:44.12\00:18:47.12
you can't head to
Peru, what about Canada?
00:18:47.22\00:18:49.76
From September 30
to October 11, we need
00:18:49.86\00:18:52.56
help with renovations
at Camp Frenda in Ontario.
00:18:52.69\00:18:54.93
Volunteers will
fell trees, paint, and do
00:18:55.00\00:18:58.13
other renovation projects
at the facilities. As with
00:18:58.23\00:19:01.00
all Maranatha
projects in North America, your
00:19:01.10\00:19:03.34
food and lodging is provided
for free in exchange for
00:19:03.44\00:19:05.97
your volunteer labor.
Just be sure to register
00:19:06.07\00:19:08.18
first. Learn more
about these projects on our
00:19:08.28\00:19:11.05
website at maranatha.org.
00:19:11.18\00:19:13.68
- From cocoa beans
to palm oil to cashews,
00:19:22.79\00:19:25.39
Côte d'Ivoire's agricultural
might has made the country
00:19:25.49\00:19:28.23
one of the most economically
stable in West Africa. This
00:19:28.36\00:19:33.10
success is obvious
when visiting Abidjan, Côte
00:19:33.20\00:19:36.37
d'Ivoire's economic
capital. Metropolitan vast and
00:19:36.47\00:19:40.94
expanding, Abidjan
is evidence of a country
00:19:41.04\00:19:44.05
on the rise.
However, a drive to the city's
00:19:44.15\00:19:50.69
borders are where the
high rises stop and modernity
00:19:50.75\00:19:53.99
is a rumor of the
future. - If you go through the
00:19:54.09\00:19:58.49
street, you will
see everybody selling.
00:19:58.56\00:20:01.06
Sometimes, I even
joke, "Who is buying? Because
00:20:01.16\00:20:03.53
everybody is selling."
So, there is in the poor
00:20:03.60\00:20:06.17
economy you see ladies
selling food. And sometimes,
00:20:06.27\00:20:09.87
there's 3 or 4
kilos of tomatoes; and
00:20:09.97\00:20:12.27
if they are able to
sell it, they can feed their
00:20:12.37\00:20:15.08
families. So, the main
economy is an informal one.
00:20:15.18\00:20:19.68
I think, more or
less, 45-50% of people in
00:20:19.78\00:20:23.25
Côte d'Ivoire, they
live around $1 a day. So,
00:20:23.35\00:20:27.02
that is what we
call people on the edge
00:20:27.12\00:20:29.66
of poverty.
00:20:29.72\00:20:31.09
- It is in some of
these areas where Maranatha
00:20:32.39\00:20:34.76
has committed to build
churches for congregations
00:20:34.86\00:20:37.37
struggling to find
or build a home of their
00:20:37.47\00:20:39.73
own. People are meeting
in homes, patios, classrooms,
00:20:39.80\00:20:43.84
or under trees. The
lack of proper worship space
00:20:43.94\00:20:48.34
has created some
prejudice toward the Adventist
00:20:48.41\00:20:50.58
church in Côte d'Ivoire.
- If your church is under
00:20:50.68\00:20:54.65
trees, it is under some
kind of simple roof, and you
00:20:54.75\00:20:59.02
invite people from
other denominations or other
00:20:59.12\00:21:03.16
beliefs to come in
and attend at your church
00:21:03.22\00:21:05.43
and they see that
small church under trees or
00:21:05.56\00:21:10.67
it's small or has a
very simple structure,
00:21:10.77\00:21:14.24
they will say,
"What kind of God is that
00:21:14.30\00:21:16.37
one?" - The issue
of space has definitely
00:21:16.50\00:21:19.17
been a hurdle at
the Abebroukoi Adventist
00:21:19.27\00:21:21.54
Church. This church
started in 2008 following
00:21:21.64\00:21:25.65
an evangelistic series.
Initially, there were 27
00:21:25.75\00:21:29.72
baptisms. But when the pastor
fell ill, the congregation
00:21:29.82\00:21:33.46
dwindled to almost nothing.
00:21:33.56\00:21:35.49
?, a church leader at
00:22:03.35\00:22:06.42
Abebroukoi is still
attending and still sharing the
00:22:06.52\00:22:09.39
gospel. He helped
to grow the membership
00:22:09.52\00:22:13.19
back up to 30-and even
today, they have baptized
00:22:13.33\00:22:16.16
new people into the
church. But faster growth
00:22:16.26\00:22:19.63
has been difficult because
of the odd meeting space.
00:22:19.77\00:22:22.67
This structure,
which was started back in
00:22:22.77\00:22:25.17
2008, has never been
finished because of the
00:22:25.27\00:22:27.84
lack of funds.
00:22:27.94\00:22:29.58
South of Abebroukoi, on
the coastline of Côte d'Ivoire,
00:23:13.42\00:23:16.32
there is a
fishing community called
00:23:16.42\00:23:17.99
Sassako-Bégnini.
Each day, men and women
00:23:18.09\00:23:22.16
are busy at work, pulling
in their catch and preparing
00:23:22.26\00:23:25.10
it for the marketplace.
Here, there is a small
00:23:25.20\00:23:31.77
Adventist group
that started 30 years ago
00:23:31.84\00:23:34.18
by meeting in homes.
00:23:34.28\00:23:36.08
The village was
suspicious of the Adventists and
00:23:46.52\00:23:49.19
refused to sell them
land to build a church, or
00:23:49.29\00:23:52.33
even bury their dead
in the local cemetery.
00:23:52.43\00:23:55.40
Eventually, the Adventists
landed on the patio of
00:23:56.63\00:23:59.10
a church member and worshiped
there for three decades.
00:23:59.20\00:24:02.54
Eventually, the
Sassako- Bégnini congregation
00:25:02.70\00:25:05.33
befriended a village
chief and they obtained
00:25:05.47\00:25:07.40
permission to purchase
land. So, in February 2019,
00:25:07.50\00:25:12.27
they built a church from
simple materials. It wasn't
00:25:12.37\00:25:16.01
perfect, but it was
a definite improvement.
00:25:16.08\00:25:18.61
[singing] Next year, in 2020,
00:25:20.65\00:25:22.92
during the 100th anniversary
of the Adventist church in
00:25:23.02\00:25:26.29
Côte d'Ivoire,
Maranatha will be constructing a
00:25:26.39\00:25:29.22
new church for Abebroukoi
and Sassako-Bégnini. It will
00:25:29.32\00:25:33.63
be an answer to
years of prayer for both
00:25:33.73\00:25:36.13
congregations.
What's more: Maranatha will
00:25:36.23\00:25:39.83
also, construct classrooms
for some of these congregations
00:25:39.93\00:25:42.74
to not only grow
the membership but also
00:25:42.87\00:25:45.97
provide an urgent need
for schools in the community.
00:25:46.11\00:25:49.04
These are just two of
the many congregations
00:25:50.38\00:25:53.31
that Maranatha will be
helping in the next year
00:25:53.42\00:25:55.42
as we launch our
efforts in Côte d'Ivoire. Yet,
00:25:55.52\00:26:00.09
none of this work
can be completed without
00:26:00.19\00:26:02.29
your help. Each school,
classroom, and sanctuary
00:26:02.39\00:26:05.79
needs to be sponsored,
and we need volunteers
00:26:05.89\00:26:08.86
to join us on
these projects and many
00:26:09.00\00:26:11.23
more. This will be
the first time Maranatha
00:26:11.33\00:26:13.97
has worked in this
country, and the impact of the
00:26:14.10\00:26:16.44
churches, schools, and
volunteers is likely to
00:26:16.57\00:26:19.54
be significant. -
We are so happy. So
00:26:19.64\00:26:24.28
happy for my mother
coming, giving us both
00:26:24.41\00:26:27.15
schools and churches,
because we know giving
00:26:27.22\00:26:30.92
us churches, many people
who feel ashamed to worship,
00:26:31.05\00:26:34.89
they say we have the
truth but they wonder why having
00:26:34.99\00:26:40.20
the truth, the same God, cannot
give us means to build churches.
00:26:40.30\00:26:43.80
- Adventist
leadership are so convinced
00:26:43.90\00:26:46.43
of Maranatha's
impact that they are already
00:26:46.53\00:26:48.57
looking at their church
history from the perspective
00:26:48.67\00:26:51.01
of before Maranatha
and after Maranatha.
00:26:51.11\00:26:54.81
- Maranatha is going
to change the whole image
00:27:23.94\00:27:26.41
of evangelism and the
church in Côte d'Ivoire.
00:27:26.51\00:27:29.78