Participants:
Series Code: MMS
Program Code: MMS009152A
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00:01 - Hi. I'm Hilary Macias with the Maranatha Minute.
00:02 September 19 to 21, Maranatha celebrated 00:05 50 years of missions with the supercharged 00:08 convention event. The festivities started on 00:10 Thursday night with a special anniversary dinner 00:12 where nearly 400 people gathered to share Maranatha 00:16 memories from over the years. The event also 00:18 featured the Maranatha History Museum, which 00:21 showcased memorabilia and key moments from 00:23 the organization's five-decade journey. 00:26 On Friday and Sabbath, Seventh-day Adventist 00:28 Church leaders from past and present projects talked 00:31 about the impact Maranatha has made in their countries 00:34 and the current need for more support. The program 00:37 also offered a lineup of volunteers with moving 00:39 testimonies of how Maranatha has transformed their lives. 00:43 All this, plus musical performances from Christian 00:46 Edition, made for an inspiring weekend and 00:48 unforgettable 50th birthday. Relive all the 00:52 best moments from the weekend, or watch it for 00:54 the first time on the free Maranatha Channel 00:56 app on your mobile and streaming devices. 01:00 [singing] - Every morning at the 01:06 secondary school in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, 01:09 hundreds of students gather in this courtyard 01:11 to start their day with prayer. Given that it's 01:16 a Seventh-day Adventist school, it's not a surprise 01:18 that the curriculum involves daily worship. What is 01:22 surprising is that such a small percentage of 01:26 the student body is actually Adventist. Out of nearly 01:29 900 students, Adventists make up only 30%. This 01:35 statistic is not seen as a vulnerability at 01:37 the school, but rather a strength. In this episode 01:42 of Maranatha Mission Stories, we'll see how 01:44 schools are a key component of Côte d'Ivoire's plan to 01:47 grow the Adventist church and share the gospel message. 02:11 Côte d'Ivoire, also known as Ivory Coast, 02:14 is situated on the south coast of West Africa, nestled between 02:17 five other countries. For more than 100 02:21 years, Côte d'Ivoire was under French rule until 02:24 achieving independence in the 1960s. While much 02:29 has changed since then, visitors will still see 02:31 vestiges of French influence in the country 02:34 in some of its architecture, food, language. French 02:42 is the national language of Côte d'Ivoire. Economically, 02:47 Côte d'Ivoire relies heavily on agriculture. 02:50 The land is blanketed with farms and plantations. 02:54 Rubber, palm trees, coconut, cassava, 03:01 and coffee are all major players in the country's 03:04 economy and supply most of the jobs. Yet, the #1 03:09 product is chocolate. Côte d'Ivoire is the 03:13 leading producer and exporter of cocoa beans 03:15 in the world. The relative stability of this agricultural 03:20 industry attracted many from its bordering countries 03:23 to immigrate to Côte d'Ivoire. Today, about 30% of the 03:28 population is a diverse mix of cultures and 03:30 nationalities. when it comes to religion, there 03:35 is diversity. With about 40% of the population 03:38 being Muslim, 33% professing Christianity, and the remaining 03:43 belonging to other belief systems. - Here in Côte 03:46 d'Ivoire in general, and especially in Abidjan, 03:49 you have what's called a multicultural and religious 03:51 aspect. So, it's kind of like a 03:56 swimming pool where you have all kinds of people 03:58 coming-and so far, they have been living 04:01 together with each other. - This diversity is evident 04:08 at the Marcory Adventist College, a middle school 04:11 in the city of Abidjan. Here, the more than 900 04:15 students who attend come from a variety 04:17 of religious backgrounds- and what unites them is 04:20 the quality of education. - In the beginning years, 04:24 there would only be 17 students. Now, we have more than 800 04:30 We will be reaching 1,000 students a year. This 04:37 school is performing so well that even the minister of education 04:43 [in Côte d'Ivoire] knows that the school is here. 05:05 - Mouna Fares is a Lebanese immigrant living in Abidjan. 05:10 When it came time to choose a high school 05:11 for her kids, she chose to send them to Marcory 05:14 even though they are Muslim. 06:00 The Fares family also appreciates how understanding 06:03 the school has been of their Muslim traditions. 06:07 Mouna recalls the time she had to ask that her 06:09 daughters be allowed to wear a head scarf. 06:44 The girls are well integrated into the school and also 06:47 attend all the worship programs. For Noor and 06:50 Hayan, it's a bonus to learn about Jesus. 07:09 Solange, too, is a big believer in Adventist 07:11 education. She sent her oldest child to Marcory 07:15 where she saw his grades and behavior improve 07:18 quickly and dramatically. 07:39 When it came to her daughter's turn to enter 07:41 high school, Solange didn't look anywhere 07:42 else but Marcory. 08:11 Solange appreciates the school so much that 08:13 she admits that she'll try to come to the 08:15 morning worship with her daughter. And while 08:18 she is part of another Christian faith, she says 08:20 she would be happy if her children decided 08:22 to be baptized into the Adventist church. 08:40 Stories like these have been a part of Côte d'Ivoire's 08:43 tradition in the Adventist church. Education has long 08:46 been a way to open doors and introduce 08:49 the gospel to new communities. When we 08:52 come back, we'll hear about the need for more 08:54 schools in Côte d'Ivoire, and how Maranatha is 08:57 going to get involved. 09:12 - In 1969, while we sent humans to the moon, 09:15 a group of people launched what is known today as 09:18 Maranatha Volunteers International. Flying 09:22 private planes to volunteer around the world, a community 09:25 was formed. Missionaries connected through service 09:29 who became like family. This fall, set a flight plan 09:33 for Sacramento, California. Join us at Mission Maranatha, 09:37 our annual convention event. September 19 to 09:41 21, celebrate 50 years of mission. Reconnect 09:45 with old friends and fellow volunteers as 09:48 we remember the projects, the places, and the people 09:52 who helped form Maranatha. Enjoy inspiring testimonies 09:57 from around the world as well as music from 10:00 the acclaimed men's chorus, Christian Edition. 10:03 Admission is free, but make sure to register 10:05 at Maranatha.org/MissionMaranatha 10:13 [piano and strings music] 10:18 - The Seventh-day Adventist message first came to Côte 10:21 d'Ivoire in 1920 by the way of two European 10:24 traders from Ghana. There were some baptisms, but 10:28 no sustained effort. Then, in 1946, American 10:32 missionaries arrived in the country and 10:34 began to establish Adventist schools. - Since right from 10:40 the beginning-the 1940s, 1950s-those schools 10:49 did many things-great things-for the church 10:55 growth in this country, especially our secondary 10:59 school in Bouake. It was the only secondary 11:03 school that we had. This school was opened in 11:08 1958 by the missionaries. These schools are trained. 11:16 Most of the educated members that we have 11:19 in the church today are from that school. - Pastor 11:24 Baka says that so many people attended Bouake 11:27 School that the influence is widespread throughout 11:29 Côte d'Ivoire. - And today, the membership 11:35 is around 9,500-but when you go to the 11:41 Ministry of Interior Affairs, they declare more than 11:46 40,000 because most of those who pass through 11:51 the school are still claiming today 11:55 that they are Seventh-day Adventist. - Limited 11:59 resources and a period of political unrest in the 12:01 country hindered development in more schools. Adventist 12:06 leaders say that, had they more classrooms, 12:08 the potential for growth could've been greater. 12:49 - In 2020, Maranatha will begin mobilizing 12:52 volunteers to Côte d'Ivoire to start an effort that 12:55 includes the construction of schools and churches. 12:59 To start, the projects will be focused in the greater 13:02 Abidjan area, which is the largest city in the 13:04 country and where the majority of the Adventist 13:07 membership is based. Because of the high 13:10 cost of land in the region, classrooms will be constructed 13:13 on existing church properties as a way 13:15 to share the land and provide mutual support. 13:22 One of the school locations is in the neighborhood of 13:24 Plateau Dokui. In this predominantly Muslim 13:28 area, there is a multicultural Adventist church. - This 13:32 church is a combination of Ghanaians and Ivoirians. 13:38 Ghanaians are about 60-70%, and the rest are Ivoirian, 13:42 so it's mixed of two countries-two nationalities. 13:47 - Bismark immigrated to Côte d'Ivoire five years 13:49 ago. But like so many other Ghanaians in his 13:52 church, he left his family at home. One of the main 13:56 reasons is because there is no Adventist school 13:58 for his children. - Most of us here are family, are not here 14:02 because of the fact that we want them to benefit from an 14:06 Adventist education and, as it is non-existent here, we 14:11 are obliged to let them stay at home. - Esperance 14:16 Houeyes has a seven-year-old daughter who is currently 14:18 in a private school. 14:47 At Plateau Dokui, the plan is to start a primary 14:49 school on the church property. Maranatha 14:52 will help by building six classrooms. - Yes, 14:56 it is a great idea to have the school on the 14:58 church premises, because it is a way that we can 15:03 extend the will of God to the communities 15:07 around. - Both Esperance and Bismark are also 15:11 confident that the local residents of Plateau Dokui 15:14 will welcome a new school. 15:59 - Having an Adventist education here will 16:01 have a lot of... Parents here, we have a lot of 16:05 children here, so it will be a great opportunity 16:07 to attract those people. And through education, 16:12 we can spread the gospel to them. 16:19 - In Yopougon Niangon, also a neighborhood 16:21 in the greater Abidjan area, 16:23 another congregation is gearing up to share 16:25 their property with students. The Niangon 16:29 Church, as it is called, was established by a 16:32 small group of Adventists in the early 1980s. They 16:35 rented a small shop, filling the space and 16:38 attracting the attention of everyone in the 16:40 neighborhood. The church grew and purchased a 16:43 cassava field to build a church. [singing] 16:46 Today, there are 169 members. It's a number 16:50 that they want to grow. - Yopougon? 16:55 is the largest and the most populated suburb of Abidjan. 17:02 It carries over 1.5 million inhabitants. So, it is a 17:09 really populated place. But still, we have not 17:13 grown as we should. With this school, we 17:19 will grow faster. People will know more about 17:21 the church. - The plan is to have Maranatha 17:25 build a secondary school grades 6-12 right on the 17:28 property. Baka says that while the neighborhood 17:31 already has plenty of primary schools, there 17:33 are few options for secondary students. A new Adventist 17:37 high school will provide for an urgent need 17:39 while introducing people to the gospel. For the 17:44 Adventist church in Côte d'Ivoire, schools have 17:47 opened the door to new communities and hearts, 17:49 providing a welcoming space where children 17:52 and young people can be educated and learn 17:54 about the love of Jesus. Yet once they hear the 17:57 gospel and want to know more, where will this 17:59 group of believers go to church? When we 18:03 come back, we'll take a look at the need for 18:05 churches in Côte d'Ivoire. 18:14 - What are you doing this Christmas and New 18:17 Years? Why not spend it in Bolivia on the Ultimate 18:20 Workout Alumni Project? From December 23 to 18:23 January 5, join Maranatha in La Paz, building a new 18:27 church. Volunteers on this project will dig ditches, 18:30 mix cement, and pour a foundation. We'll also 18:33 organize plenty of community outreach activities. This 18:36 project unites anyone who has served on Maranatha's 18:39 teens-only mission trip, Ultimate Workout, but 18:41 it's also open to all volunteers. If you can't 18:45 make it to Bolivia, what about Florida, USA? Jump-start 18:49 the new year by volunteering at Camp Kulaqua. From January 18:52 1 to 10, 2020, we'll be constructing decks and 18:55 stairs on several existing cabins, and we could use 18:58 all the help we can get. As with all projects in 19:01 North America, your food and lodging is provided in 19:04 exchange for your service. Just be sure to register 19:07 first. Learn more about these projects and others 19:10 by visiting our website at maranatha.org. 19:22 - From cocoa beans to palm oil to cashews, 19:25 Côte d'Ivoire's agricultural might has made the country 19:28 one of the most economically stable in West Africa. This 19:33 success is obvious when visiting Abidjan, Côte 19:36 d'Ivoire's economic capital. Metropolitan vast and 19:41 expanding, Abidjan is evidence of a country 19:44 on the rise. However, a drive to the city's 19:50 borders are where the high rises stop and modernity 19:54 is a rumor of the future. - If you go through the 19:58 street, you will see everybody selling. 20:01 Sometimes, I even joke, "Who is buying? Because 20:03 everybody is selling." So, there is in the informal 20:06 economy you see ladies selling food. And sometimes, 20:09 there's 3 or 4 kilos of tomatoes; and 20:12 if they are able to sell it, they can feed their 20:15 families. So, the main economy is an informal one. 20:19 I think, more or less, 45-50% of people in 20:23 Côte d'Ivoire, they live around $1 a day. So, 20:27 that is what we call people on the edge 20:29 of poverty. 20:32 - It is in some of these areas where Maranatha 20:34 has committed to build churches for congregations 20:37 struggling to find or build a home of their 20:39 own. People are meeting in homes, patios, classrooms, 20:43 or under trees. The lack of proper worship space 20:48 has created some prejudice toward the Adventist 20:50 church in Côte d'Ivoire. - If your church is under 20:54 trees, it is under some kind of simple roof, and you 20:59 invite people from other denominations or other 21:03 beliefs to come in and attend at your church 21:05 and they see that small church under trees or 21:10 it's small or has a very simple structure, 21:14 they will say, "What kind of God is that 21:16 one?" - The issue of space has definitely 21:19 been a hurdle at the Abebroukoi Adventist 21:21 Church. This church started in 2008 following 21:25 an evangelistic series. Initially, there were 27 21:29 baptisms. But when the pastor fell ill, the congregation 21:33 dwindled to almost nothing. 22:03 After more than a decade, ?, a church leader at 22:06 Abebroukoi, is still attending and still sharing the 22:09 gospel. He helped to grow the membership 22:13 back up to 30-and even today, they have baptized 22:16 new people into the church. But faster growth 22:19 has been difficult because of the odd meeting space. 22:22 This structure, which was started back in 22:25 2008, has never been finished because of the 22:27 lack of funds. 23:13 South of Abebroukoi, on the coastline of Côte d'Ivoire, 23:16 there is a fishing community called 23:18 Sassako-Bégnini. Each day, men and women 23:22 are busy at work, pulling in their catch and preparing 23:25 it for the marketplace. Here, there is a small 23:31 Adventist group that started 30 years ago 23:34 by meeting in homes. 23:46 The village was suspicious of the Adventists and 23:49 refused to sell them land to build a church, or 23:52 even bury their dead in the local cemetery. 23:56 Eventually, the Adventists landed on the patio of 23:59 a church member and worshiped there for three decades. 25:02 Eventually, the Sassako- Bégnini congregation 25:05 befriended a village chief and they obtained 25:07 permission to purchase land. So, in February 2019, 25:12 they built a church from simple materials. It wasn't 25:16 perfect, but it was a definite improvement. 25:20 [singing] Next year, in 2020, 25:23 during the 100th anniversary of the Adventist church in 25:26 Côte d'Ivoire, Maranatha will be constructing a 25:29 new church for Abebroukoi and Sassako-Bégnini. It will 25:33 be an answer to years of prayer for both 25:36 congregations. What's more: Maranatha will 25:39 also construct classrooms for some of these congregations 25:42 to not only grow the membership but also 25:46 provide an urgent need for schools in the community. 25:50 These are just two of the many congregations 25:53 that Maranatha will be helping in the next year 25:55 as we launch our efforts in Côte d'Ivoire. Yet, 26:00 none of this work can be completed without 26:02 your help. Each school, classroom, and sanctuary 26:05 needs to be sponsored, and we need volunteers 26:09 to join us on these projects and many 26:11 more. This will be the first time Maranatha 26:14 has worked in this country, and the impact of the 26:16 churches, schools, and volunteers is likely to 26:19 be significant. - We are so happy. So 26:24 happy for my mother coming, giving us both 26:27 schools and churches, because we know giving 26:31 us churches, many people who feel ashamed to worship, 26:34 they say we have the truth but they wonder why having 26:40 the truth, the same God, cannot give us means to build churches. 26:43 - Adventist leadership are so convinced 26:46 of Maranatha's impact that they are already 26:48 looking at their church history from the perspective 26:51 of before Maranatha and after Maranatha. 27:23 - Maranatha is going to change the whole image 27:26 of evangelism and the church in Côte d'Ivoire. |
Revised 2020-02-10