Hi, I'm Hilary Macias with the Maranatha Minute. 00:00:01.36\00:00:02.96 Recently, the Maranatha Team in India 00:00:03.03\00:00:05.57 completed two water wells in India. 00:00:05.60\00:00:08.07 One in the village of Guavar and another in Beltoli. 00:00:08.10\00:00:11.41 These projects are part of a water program in India 00:00:11.44\00:00:14.71 that Maranatha launched last fall. 00:00:14.74\00:00:16.95 Maranatha is providing wells in villages 00:00:16.98\00:00:19.81 where we have constructed a church or school. 00:00:19.88\00:00:21.92 This year, the goal is to construct at least 30 wells. 00:00:21.95\00:00:25.39 There are an estimated 99 million people in India 00:00:25.42\00:00:28.72 without access to clean water 00:00:28.76\00:00:30.49 and according to the World Bank, 00:00:30.53\00:00:32.16 an estimated 21% of communicable diseases in India 00:00:32.19\00:00:35.96 are linked to contaminated water and the lack of hygiene. 00:00:36.00\00:00:39.10 India is just one of the countries 00:00:39.13\00:00:41.67 where Maranatha is running a water program. 00:00:41.70\00:00:44.04 There are also water programs in Zambia, Kenya and Brazil. 00:00:44.07\00:00:48.28 You can sponsor a water well in India for 10,000 dollars. 00:00:48.34\00:00:52.11 To learn more about how you can help, 00:00:52.15\00:00:54.72 call Maranatha or check out our webpage 00:00:54.75\00:00:57.29 at Maranatha. org. 00:00:57.32\00:00:58.92 Music... 00:00:58.95\00:01:18.41 Maranatha's history is full of extraordinary moments of faith 00:01:18.44\00:01:24.15 that illustrate God's leading in the mission. 00:01:24.21\00:01:27.78 He has been faithful every step of the way 00:01:27.82\00:01:31.29 even through what appeared to be the most impossible requests. 00:01:31.35\00:01:35.09 Today's story looks at two places 00:01:35.12\00:01:37.89 that stretched Maranatha in many ways as an Organization... 00:01:37.93\00:01:41.53 physically, mentally and spiritually. 00:01:41.56\00:01:44.83 The first location is in the Caribbean 00:01:44.87\00:01:47.60 on an island that was closed to the world 00:01:47.64\00:01:50.41 but surprisingly open to the gospel message. 00:01:50.44\00:01:53.17 Music... 00:01:53.21\00:02:01.18 The year is 1993... 00:02:01.22\00:02:02.62 Maranatha is energized by the success of a large project 00:02:02.68\00:02:06.72 called: Santa Domingo '92 00:02:06.76\00:02:08.69 and has just finished construction of 50 new churches 00:02:08.72\00:02:12.06 and three schools in Guatemala. 00:02:12.09\00:02:13.73 The Leaders of the project gathered at their hotel 00:02:13.80\00:02:17.27 around a pizza to evaluate next steps. 00:02:17.30\00:02:20.60 There's a guy named Tem Suarez there 00:02:20.64\00:02:23.51 and Tim, of course, was a Cuban-American, 00:02:23.54\00:02:26.47 he was on our Board of Directors 00:02:26.51\00:02:27.84 and he constantly was bringing up, "Cuba this... Cuba that... " 00:02:27.88\00:02:30.15 and everybody was going, "Yeah, that's Tim, he's Cuban. " 00:02:30.18\00:02:32.15 So, this night it got a little bit more traction 00:02:32.18\00:02:35.35 and Don Folkenberg was there and Bob Paulsen 00:02:35.38\00:02:41.06 we were sitting around just... "Okay, we finished Guatemala, 00:02:41.09\00:02:44.79 what... where's the next big push? 00:02:44.83\00:02:47.20 What's exciting? 00:02:47.23\00:02:48.56 what can we do to change some place for God? 00:02:48.60\00:02:51.80 I mean, I sure knew what it was... 00:02:51.83\00:02:53.44 and, of course, Tem... "I know where we can go 00:02:53.47\00:02:57.11 let's take a look at Cuba... " 00:02:57.14\00:02:59.94 and somebody says... I don't remember who it was, 00:02:59.97\00:03:02.31 and he says, "Well, you know, you can't go into Cuba... 00:03:02.34\00:03:04.11 that's... it's a closed country 00:03:04.15\00:03:05.58 like, a lot of these countries are closed... " 00:03:05.61\00:03:08.55 and giving credit completely where it is due here 00:03:08.58\00:03:11.49 God worked through a guy named Garwin McNeilus. 00:03:11.52\00:03:15.26 The main challenge was 00:03:15.29\00:03:17.66 to get our nerve to go in the first place. 00:03:17.69\00:03:20.63 Garwin was a "get-stuff-done" kind of guy 00:03:20.66\00:03:23.53 and Garwin says, "Have you tried... 00:03:23.57\00:03:26.94 has anybody really tried? 00:03:26.97\00:03:30.11 You say you can't do it, how do we know we can't do it? 00:03:30.14\00:03:33.78 We don't know if we can't do it, 00:03:33.81\00:03:36.04 I haven't been down there, have you been down there? 00:03:36.08\00:03:37.75 Tem says we can go, let's go. " 00:03:37.78\00:03:40.72 Many times you... you hear, 00:03:40.75\00:03:43.12 "We can't go into a country" 00:03:43.15\00:03:46.35 and really, we haven't tried 00:03:46.39\00:03:49.52 and we had talked about Cuba and the need in Cuba 00:03:49.56\00:03:54.23 and I said, "Let's go to Cuba... 00:03:54.26\00:03:56.56 you know, do it. " 00:03:56.60\00:03:59.83 So, Maranatha did. 00:03:59.87\00:04:03.00 So, we put together a team... there's five of us 00:04:03.07\00:04:05.84 and a couple of months later, 00:04:05.87\00:04:08.04 we made our first trip down to Cuba. 00:04:08.08\00:04:10.11 Music... 00:04:10.15\00:04:12.68 In 1994, when we first came over here 00:04:12.71\00:04:16.38 the church was very, very depressed 00:04:16.42\00:04:19.72 in front of our eyes, the buildings were falling apart 00:04:19.75\00:04:23.49 the ministers were real honestly... down in the dumps 00:04:23.53\00:04:27.23 in plain language 00:04:27.26\00:04:29.33 I remember the first meeting in particular, 00:04:29.36\00:04:32.13 we met with all the ministers 00:04:32.17\00:04:33.50 from one end of the island to another, 00:04:33.54\00:04:35.54 it was just like the Holy Spirit was over there... 00:04:35.57\00:04:38.97 was touching us. 00:04:39.01\00:04:40.34 More than 100 people crowded into that meeting room 00:04:40.38\00:04:44.68 at the Union Office in Havana. 00:04:44.71\00:04:46.31 In the room, there was a white board. 00:04:46.35\00:04:49.02 Based on the need that was expressed, 00:04:49.08\00:04:51.69 it was determined to move ahead with 100 new churches 00:04:51.72\00:04:55.19 and 100 renovated churches 00:04:55.22\00:04:57.56 as well as 100 evangelistic campaigns 00:04:57.59\00:05:01.10 and the production of literature, 00:05:01.13\00:05:03.33 to penetrate the areas surrounding those churches. 00:05:03.37\00:05:07.17 The entire project was called, "Christ for Cuba. " 00:05:07.20\00:05:11.07 Unlike similar projects in the Dominican Republic, 00:05:11.11\00:05:14.91 Mexico and Guatemala, 00:05:14.94\00:05:16.54 it would take several years to build and renovate 00:05:16.58\00:05:19.55 200 sanctuaries but the work progressed 00:05:19.58\00:05:22.52 and baptisms increased ten-fold. 00:05:22.55\00:05:25.32 Maranatha rebuilt the country's aging Seminary. 00:05:25.35\00:05:30.36 Students came from around the world 00:05:30.39\00:05:33.70 to take advantage of this post-graduate facility. 00:05:33.73\00:05:36.83 The Seminary was lacking a sanctuary, 00:05:36.87\00:05:40.30 again, Maranatha Volunteers International 00:05:40.34\00:05:43.24 took an empty space on the Seminary grounds 00:05:43.27\00:05:46.07 and transformed it into an inviting place of worship 00:05:46.11\00:05:48.84 and fellowship. 00:05:48.88\00:05:50.21 From the very first meeting Don Noble had with Mr. Fontaine 00:05:50.25\00:05:56.45 it was clear that one of the churches on the list 00:05:56.48\00:05:58.95 that was growing and needed to be expanded 00:05:58.99\00:06:01.26 was the Cárdenas Church. 00:06:01.29\00:06:02.79 The tiny church was filled to capacity every week 00:06:02.82\00:06:06.19 with many members forced to sit outside on the verandah. 00:06:06.23\00:06:09.70 Cárdenas located about a 100 miles east of Havana 00:06:09.73\00:06:14.90 is very near Varadero Beach... 00:06:14.94\00:06:17.07 a magnet of tourism on the Island. 00:06:17.11\00:06:19.71 The city's leadership was not friendly to Adventists 00:06:19.74\00:06:23.75 and created obstacles 00:06:23.78\00:06:25.21 making the construction of a new church there 00:06:25.25\00:06:27.88 next to impossible. 00:06:27.92\00:06:29.68 15 years into the process, 00:06:29.72\00:06:33.46 Don Noble visited the anxious church members. 00:06:33.49\00:06:36.12 I said, "Unfortunately, I have to tell you 00:06:36.16\00:06:38.73 that right now, we have neither permission nor the money 00:06:38.76\00:06:40.66 to build this church... " 00:06:40.70\00:06:43.16 and the reaction we got was 00:06:43.20\00:06:45.23 something I've never seen before... 00:06:45.27\00:06:47.94 I hope I don't see it again. 00:06:47.97\00:06:49.90 It was the entire church... 00:06:49.94\00:06:51.77 just started crying... wailing... some of them, 00:06:51.81\00:06:55.18 it was absolutely horrible. 00:06:55.24\00:06:57.15 Video. 00:06:57.18\00:07:11.46 The congregation was crushed. 00:07:11.49\00:07:13.13 Don was heavy hearted 00:07:13.16\00:07:14.96 Maranatha had been working on a solution for Cárdenas 00:07:15.00\00:07:18.33 for more than 15 years. 00:07:18.37\00:07:19.83 Could it... should it really be over? 00:07:19.87\00:07:23.00 Don turned to prayer, 00:07:23.04\00:07:25.27 so he says, "Well, you know, 00:07:25.31\00:07:27.34 I've seen God do some amazing things 00:07:27.38\00:07:29.21 on this island and in a lot of other places, 00:07:29.24\00:07:31.95 so, you still have prayer left and you got a mighty God 00:07:31.98\00:07:35.88 and I know that you believe in that God. 00:07:35.92\00:07:37.59 So, I think we should pray. 00:07:37.65\00:07:40.52 Video. 00:07:40.56\00:08:00.91 She went marching up the front very confident... 00:08:00.94\00:08:03.88 she turned around... she folded her hands... 00:08:03.91\00:08:06.82 I can still see her... she looked up... not down... 00:08:06.85\00:08:09.15 she looked up, she says, "Dear Jesus, 00:08:09.18\00:08:11.82 thank you for giving us a new church, amen. " 00:08:11.85\00:08:15.62 It was a pivotal moment in the Cárdenas story, 00:08:15.66\00:08:19.16 this was about more than building the church, 00:08:19.19\00:08:22.63 it was about faith. 00:08:22.66\00:08:24.37 And I'm sitting there going, 00:08:24.40\00:08:25.83 "Wow! I think God's going to answer that prayer 00:08:25.87\00:08:30.37 how is He going to say 'No?'" 00:08:30.41\00:08:32.01 Video. 00:08:32.07\00:09:04.87 In late 2015, 00:09:04.91\00:09:08.58 a small crew assembled in Cárdenas to break ground... 00:09:08.61\00:09:11.45 and tear down the old building... 00:09:11.48\00:09:13.55 after more than 30 years of prayer... 00:09:13.58\00:09:15.62 20 years of Permit applications 00:09:15.65\00:09:17.72 and an enduring test of faith, 00:09:17.75\00:09:19.59 Maranatha Volunteers International 00:09:19.62\00:09:22.36 received final permission to begin construction 00:09:22.39\00:09:25.39 on the new Cárdenas church. 00:09:25.46\00:09:27.50 Immediately construction began 00:09:27.53\00:09:29.53 and just as quickly, Maranatha created an opportunity 00:09:29.56\00:09:33.70 for volunteers to head to Cuba 00:09:33.74\00:09:35.94 for a two-week construction project. 00:09:35.97\00:09:38.17 Photo. 00:09:38.21\00:09:44.78 Local crews worked alongside the volunteers 00:09:44.81\00:09:46.48 and continued building 00:09:46.51\00:09:48.18 long after the volunteers returned home. 00:09:48.22\00:09:50.89 18 months later, after decades of prayer, 00:09:50.92\00:09:53.56 the Cárdenas Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:09:53.59\00:09:56.19 was transformed from this 00:09:56.22\00:09:57.79 to this. 00:09:57.83\00:09:59.49 Music... 00:09:59.53\00:10:04.03 Thousands of church members from all over the island 00:10:04.07\00:10:06.53 came to the dedication. 00:10:06.57\00:10:08.30 Video. 00:10:08.37\00:10:35.86 Today, in the morning, I was here and two guys came 00:10:35.90\00:10:40.20 and they were not Christians 00:10:40.24\00:10:42.04 and they came and they were watching the... the church 00:10:42.07\00:10:45.51 and they were talking about how beautiful... 00:10:45.54\00:10:48.44 how nice the church was 00:10:48.48\00:10:50.38 and for this City, this church is very important 00:10:50.41\00:10:55.12 because the Adventist Church in this city is very famous, 00:10:55.15\00:10:59.72 everybody knows it. 00:10:59.75\00:11:01.09 Video. 00:11:01.12\00:11:38.19 It is a sanctuary worthy of the God it represents. 00:11:38.23\00:11:42.06 The sanctuary can accommodate 500 people 00:11:42.10\00:11:45.17 and the Fellowship Hall upstairs connected by video and sound 00:11:45.20\00:11:48.67 another 250 people. 00:11:48.70\00:11:50.77 Video... 00:11:50.81\00:12:53.47 You know, this church is built clearly on the foundation... 00:12:53.50\00:12:58.24 the reality... the power of prayer 00:12:58.27\00:13:01.74 without question. 00:13:01.78\00:13:03.14 Clapping. 00:13:03.18\00:13:11.45 And frankly, the future is more important than the history. 00:13:11.49\00:13:14.32 The history is very valuable here... 00:13:14.39\00:13:16.89 they've learned a lot of lessons 00:13:16.93\00:13:18.36 but the future is what this church is about. 00:13:18.39\00:13:20.60 It's going to be a great lighthouse 00:13:20.63\00:13:22.33 in the... in the Cárdenas community. 00:13:22.36\00:13:24.00 Music... 00:13:24.03\00:13:30.14 Today, Maranatha Volunteers International 00:13:30.17\00:13:32.41 continues in prayer and faith 00:13:32.44\00:13:34.51 to answer the call from the church in Cuba. 00:13:34.54\00:13:37.21 Music... 00:13:37.25\00:13:38.91 From our beginnings there in 1994 till now, 00:13:38.95\00:13:42.65 the Adventist Church in Cuba 00:13:42.68\00:13:45.19 remains close to the heart of Maranatha. 00:13:45.22\00:13:47.76 Christ for Cuba... then... now... and tomorrow. 00:13:47.79\00:13:54.33 Music... 00:13:54.36\00:14:07.61 Coming up next, 00:14:07.64\00:14:09.51 we head to a country of more than a billion people 00:14:09.54\00:14:12.91 and a billion reasons to keep sharing the mission. 00:14:12.98\00:14:16.32 Music... 00:14:16.35\00:14:27.40 More music... 00:14:27.43\00:14:30.57 For more than a decade, 00:14:30.60\00:14:32.23 Maranatha Mission stories has taken you around the world 00:14:32.27\00:14:35.44 showing you the need and challenging you to get involved. 00:14:35.47\00:14:38.61 Music... 00:14:38.64\00:14:40.68 Now, we're introducing new ways for you to stay informed 00:14:40.71\00:14:43.95 and inspired about the mission. 00:14:43.98\00:14:45.71 Watch your favorite episode of Maranatha Mission stories 00:14:45.75\00:14:50.15 as well as other Maranatha videos on your Apple TV. 00:14:50.19\00:14:53.49 Visit the APP store... search for the Maranatha Channel 00:14:53.52\00:14:57.89 and hit "Install. " 00:14:57.93\00:14:59.79 You'll have access to all of our latest video content 00:14:59.86\00:15:04.43 and you can watch any time. 00:15:04.47\00:15:06.33 Our videos are available on demand 24 hours a day. 00:15:06.37\00:15:10.24 Our content can also be viewed on ROKU and Amazon fireTV. 00:15:10.27\00:15:15.24 The Maranatha Channel bringing mission adventures 00:15:15.28\00:15:19.41 to your Living Room. 00:15:19.45\00:15:20.78 Music... 00:15:20.82\00:15:26.59 There are certain events in Maranatha's history 00:15:26.62\00:15:30.46 that help to catapult the Organization 00:15:30.49\00:15:32.49 to new levels of productivity, 00:15:32.53\00:15:34.20 events that pushed Maranatha to think bigger and aim higher. 00:15:34.23\00:15:38.10 Among those... is India, 00:15:40.04\00:15:41.37 a place where Maranatha has invested in the mission 00:15:41.40\00:15:44.21 to build people and communities. 00:15:44.24\00:15:46.44 Music... 00:15:46.47\00:15:52.61 The 1990s were a faith-building decade for Maranatha. 00:15:52.65\00:15:56.28 God led the Organization through a large-scale project 00:15:56.32\00:15:59.95 in the Dominican Republic 00:15:59.99\00:16:01.32 and miraculous construction on the island of Cuba 00:16:01.36\00:16:06.26 but when God leads, there are always new challenges, 00:16:06.29\00:16:11.27 this time, on the sub-continent of India. 00:16:11.30\00:16:14.50 Maranatha started in India 00:16:14.54\00:16:16.50 actually in the early middle '80s 00:16:16.54\00:16:19.11 at the campus north of Delhi called Roorkee 00:16:19.17\00:16:23.55 but it was a common goal to do a project... leave... 00:16:23.58\00:16:26.65 it wasn't the long continued involvement 00:16:26.68\00:16:30.39 that started probably a little more than 20 years ago now. 00:16:30.45\00:16:35.56 At the time, the Adventist Church was struggling. 00:16:35.59\00:16:38.53 Adventists represented a small percentage 00:16:38.56\00:16:41.83 of the general population 00:16:41.86\00:16:43.20 and the places they had to worship 00:16:43.23\00:16:45.30 didn't inspire others to join them. 00:16:45.33\00:16:47.47 Ron Watts, President of the Adventist Church in India 00:16:47.54\00:16:52.97 at that time, reached down to Maranatha 00:16:53.01\00:16:55.28 for help in growing their fledgling group. 00:16:55.31\00:16:57.58 I asked Ron at that time, 00:16:57.61\00:17:00.02 I said, "Ron, how many members do you have?" 00:17:00.05\00:17:01.52 He says, "Well, in the books we have about 200,000." 00:17:01.55\00:17:03.95 He says, "Really, I have to tell you, 00:17:03.99\00:17:06.12 it's not more than a 100,000 00:17:06.15\00:17:07.49 and really we need a new church here. " 00:17:07.52\00:17:10.93 He said, "This is a huge, huge area of primarily Hindus 00:17:10.96\00:17:18.80 that don't even know who Jesus is... never heard of Him... 00:17:18.83\00:17:22.57 don't know anything about the Creator God, 00:17:22.60\00:17:24.71 don't know anything about salvation, 00:17:24.74\00:17:26.88 he says, "This is what we're here for... 00:17:26.91\00:17:29.01 that's what we should be doing. " 00:17:29.04\00:17:30.98 Narrator: Although Maranatha had previously done 00:17:31.01\00:17:34.08 a handful of projects in India, 00:17:34.12\00:17:35.52 the decision was made 00:17:35.58\00:17:37.12 to establish a permanent presence in the country 00:17:37.15\00:17:39.59 to facilitate evangelism meetings and build churches. 00:17:39.62\00:17:43.96 And then we started talking and we moved our leadership 00:17:43.99\00:17:48.30 from Cuba over to... to India 00:17:48.33\00:17:52.63 to start overseeing those campaigns 00:17:52.67\00:17:55.50 and to start some construction 00:17:55.54\00:17:56.87 and we didn't know where it was going 00:17:56.91\00:17:58.64 but it worked. 00:17:58.67\00:18:00.24 Garwin McNeilus, a business man from Minnesota, 00:18:00.28\00:18:03.95 was asked to get involved. 00:18:04.01\00:18:05.48 Ron Watts said, "Why don't you come and do an Effort. " 00:18:05.51\00:18:09.48 And I said, "Sure, we'll go. " 00:18:09.55\00:18:11.85 Now, I've never done an Effort 00:18:11.89\00:18:14.16 and so, I contacted my friend, Bob Paulsen, 00:18:14.19\00:18:18.69 who, I knew could do the preaching, 00:18:18.73\00:18:21.96 and Maranatha helped us and we set up Tenali, 00:18:22.00\00:18:25.63 we had over 3,000 people in Tenali 00:18:25.67\00:18:29.34 it was just overwhelming 00:18:29.37\00:18:30.84 and what took me back... 00:18:30.87\00:18:32.27 when we closed up... all 3,000 wanted special prayer 00:18:32.31\00:18:36.34 and they just crowded around you 00:18:36.38\00:18:38.78 and the hunger in the wilderness. 00:18:38.81\00:18:41.15 Narrator: The success there 00:18:41.18\00:18:43.42 led to the organization of larger meetings 00:18:43.45\00:18:45.79 in the town of Ongole. 00:18:45.82\00:18:47.16 I remember the big Ongole Project 00:18:47.19\00:18:49.02 of over 50,000 people there listening... 00:18:49.06\00:18:53.40 Bob Paulsen stand up and say, 00:18:53.43\00:18:56.93 "I want to introduce you to not just any old God... 00:18:56.97\00:19:00.24 not just another God but the Creator God... " 00:19:00.27\00:19:03.04 and they're all listening to this 00:19:03.07\00:19:05.37 and it was powerful. 00:19:05.41\00:19:07.71 It was just overwhelming 00:19:07.74\00:19:09.94 and Maranatha was just deeply involved 00:19:09.98\00:19:13.52 in organizing and coordinating the effort of all the churches 00:19:13.55\00:19:17.75 but I just can't help but think... 00:19:17.79\00:19:20.79 in heaven, what would it be like 00:19:20.86\00:19:24.09 when we have an India Homecoming. 00:19:24.13\00:19:27.33 There will be 1,000s and 1,000s of people there 00:19:27.36\00:19:30.37 as a result of it. 00:19:30.40\00:19:31.73 Narrator: The 50,000 people in the crowd 00:19:31.77\00:19:36.10 weren't the only ones listening, 00:19:36.14\00:19:37.97 half way across the world, 00:19:38.04\00:19:40.11 this meeting would have an impact on a family 00:19:40.14\00:19:42.54 living in Medford, Oregon. 00:19:42.58\00:19:43.98 I had no idea about going to India or any place else, 00:19:44.01\00:19:47.78 I was happy to stay on the United States side of everything 00:19:47.82\00:19:53.05 didn't look forward to traveling at all 00:19:53.09\00:19:55.96 Merlin found... he was watching television 00:19:55.99\00:19:58.83 and he was watching Garwin McNeilus 00:19:58.86\00:20:02.23 and they'd been doing Evangelistic Meetings 00:20:02.26\00:20:05.53 over in Ongole, 00:20:05.57\00:20:07.17 and he was intently watching that 00:20:07.20\00:20:09.74 and when it was over, he said, 00:20:09.77\00:20:12.24 "I think we could do that... " 00:20:12.27\00:20:14.71 and I was trying to... 00:20:14.74\00:20:16.81 "We could do that?" 00:20:16.85\00:20:18.81 "Oh yeah, I think we could. " 00:20:18.85\00:20:20.18 The television program they watched 00:20:20.22\00:20:23.32 was a report put together by 3ABN 00:20:23.35\00:20:25.72 highlighting the recent meetings. 00:20:25.75\00:20:28.09 What JoAnn and her husband, Merlin, didn't know 00:20:28.12\00:20:33.43 was their son, Bruce, was also watching 00:20:33.46\00:20:36.23 and felt impressed to get involved. 00:20:36.26\00:20:38.67 I was committed to call Don on Monday 00:20:38.70\00:20:42.10 and tell him that I'd like to go over there to India sometime 00:20:42.14\00:20:46.21 and help if they had a... a need or an opening 00:20:46.24\00:20:48.54 and in just a few minutes, my Dad called, 00:20:48.58\00:20:52.25 and he said, "Hey, have you ever thought about going to India?" 00:20:52.28\00:20:55.42 And I said, "As a matter of fact I have and I will go. " 00:20:55.45\00:20:59.19 Narrator: Six months later, 00:20:59.22\00:21:01.49 Bruce was on an airplane headed to India. 00:21:01.52\00:21:03.96 Merlin joined him on the next trip 00:21:03.99\00:21:06.39 but JoAnne, in her 70s, 00:21:06.43\00:21:08.73 wasn't sure about making the long journey. 00:21:08.76\00:21:11.37 She wondered if there was anything 00:21:11.40\00:21:13.70 that she could contribute to the effort. 00:21:13.74\00:21:15.14 Bruce said to me, "You can go 00:21:15.17\00:21:19.57 and even if you just hug the ladies 00:21:19.61\00:21:22.94 and smile at them if you can't understand them, 00:21:23.01\00:21:26.88 they're going to understand you. " 00:21:26.92\00:21:28.62 So, that's what I did. 00:21:28.65\00:21:30.85 I went there, I gave them hugs... 00:21:30.89\00:21:33.12 I was 72 the first time I went to India 00:21:33.15\00:21:38.29 and the culture shock was so severe 00:21:38.33\00:21:43.13 there was like... 00:21:43.16\00:21:45.87 "I need to fix these things, these poor people... 00:21:45.90\00:21:50.24 they don't have anything and yet, they're happy 00:21:50.27\00:21:54.58 and I kept talking to Merlin about it, 00:21:54.61\00:21:57.08 and he said, "I want to tell you something, 00:21:57.11\00:22:01.12 by coming here and helping them to know 00:22:01.15\00:22:05.05 that there is a Creator God... that we're helping them 00:22:05.12\00:22:11.39 with the greatest thing that they can have. " 00:22:11.43\00:22:14.16 Narrator: The Fjarli family was hooked on India. 00:22:14.20\00:22:16.93 Not only did they continue to conduct evangelism campaigns 00:22:16.97\00:22:20.70 they also helped to fund 100s of churches 00:22:20.74\00:22:23.61 and several large-school campuses. 00:22:23.64\00:22:25.97 The Fjarli family really got involved in India in a major way 00:22:26.01\00:22:30.58 and I don't have any question that God used them 00:22:30.61\00:22:33.98 Merle Fjarli... unknown some up to 60s... 00:22:34.02\00:22:37.49 tough guy to commit a guy to generous... 00:22:37.52\00:22:44.16 man of few words... so, the best bang for the buck, 00:22:44.19\00:22:49.70 it was his line... 00:22:49.73\00:22:51.53 "It was the best bang for the buck... " 00:22:51.57\00:22:52.97 and he felt that in a society like India 00:22:53.00\00:22:56.44 where there are so many people, 00:22:56.47\00:22:57.81 you could get the best bang for the buck. 00:22:57.84\00:22:59.61 JoAnn Fjarli: You leave India but it never leaves you 00:22:59.64\00:23:03.48 and to think about going back... 00:23:03.51\00:23:06.72 I... I had to go back... it was such a blessing 00:23:06.75\00:23:14.59 to see that I could put smiles on the little kids' faces 00:23:14.62\00:23:20.60 and I just had to go back... it was... 00:23:20.63\00:23:23.93 I think the Lord put it in my heart 00:23:23.97\00:23:27.27 to treasure the times in India. 00:23:27.30\00:23:31.07 Narrator: Maranatha has worked in India for more than 20 years, 00:23:31.11\00:23:35.58 today, more than 2,000 structures 00:23:35.61\00:23:38.68 stand as influential anchors in their communities... 00:23:38.71\00:23:42.02 monuments to a living God. 00:23:42.05\00:23:45.52 You build a building 00:23:45.55\00:23:46.89 and those same ones that were built in the '90s, 00:23:46.92\00:23:50.03 are producing souls today 00:23:50.06\00:23:53.16 and they've spawned and next to them spawned 00:23:53.19\00:23:56.30 and the church family as a result... 00:23:56.33\00:23:58.43 there will be 1,000s in eternity as a result of that one project. 00:23:58.47\00:24:03.54 But the impact goes beyond the people of India. 00:24:03.61\00:24:07.51 JoAnne: You think you're going to go there, 00:24:07.58\00:24:11.41 to change people and let them know that there is a real God 00:24:11.45\00:24:17.42 that knows them... and it changed us 00:24:17.45\00:24:23.59 and it changed my husband 00:24:23.63\00:24:26.09 more than I could ever have dreamed that it would. 00:24:26.16\00:24:29.60 Narrator: Merlin passed away in 2014 00:24:29.63\00:24:32.60 but his sons, Bruce and Clint 00:24:32.63\00:24:35.40 have continued the family's legacy of service. 00:24:35.44\00:24:40.11 I think Dad was really blessed by going to India 00:24:40.14\00:24:44.71 and raising the money to advance in India. 00:24:44.78\00:24:49.65 He had fun doing that... he was blessed by doing that... 00:24:49.68\00:24:54.82 it softened him... 00:24:54.86\00:24:57.73 it... it exposed the soft side of his heart 00:24:57.76\00:25:04.07 that most people never saw. 00:25:04.10\00:25:10.17 It was just amazing 00:25:10.21\00:25:12.47 because, from my perspective, I think it was just a miracle 00:25:12.54\00:25:15.88 and our families have been part of it 00:25:15.91\00:25:20.15 which is quite a blessing but it was God's work that drove 00:25:20.22\00:25:26.49 and it was pretty hard to stop 00:25:26.52\00:25:28.46 and it was a little bit of help 00:25:28.49\00:25:30.36 and we've been very blessed to be able to help. 00:25:30.39\00:25:33.46 Maranatha's commitment to India is unwavering 00:25:33.50\00:25:36.46 as more and more people are longing to hear the gospel. 00:25:36.50\00:25:39.90 There continues to be requests 00:25:39.93\00:25:43.51 for more churches and schools in India 00:25:43.54\00:25:45.71 and in 2018, Maranatha started drilling water wells 00:25:45.74\00:25:50.31 in areas of great need. 00:25:50.35\00:25:51.95 And they came into India... a wonderful reunion 00:25:52.01\00:25:56.12 with a lot of people that gave their hearts to Jesus. 00:25:56.15\00:26:00.76 It was an awesome thing to do. 00:26:00.79\00:26:02.96 I've been tuning in... so, that started 30 years... 00:26:02.99\00:26:08.53 Narrator: As Maranatha continues working in India, 00:26:08.56\00:26:14.10 your support is needed in the country. 00:26:14.14\00:26:17.11 Please, make a donation toward church, school 00:26:17.14\00:26:20.21 or water-well projects in India. 00:26:20.24\00:26:22.04 Call the number on your screen 00:26:22.08\00:26:24.38 or visit Maranatha. org to give. 00:26:24.41\00:26:26.65 Music... 00:26:26.68\00:26:39.76 Plan ahead for the new year 00:26:39.79\00:26:42.66 by signing up for a mission trip to Cote d'Ivoire, 00:26:42.70\00:26:45.23 from January 30 to February 11, 2020, 00:26:45.27\00:26:48.54 we need volunteers to build the 00:26:48.57\00:26:50.44 Abebroukoi Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:26:50.47\00:26:52.41 Currently, this congregation is meeting in a patio area, 00:26:52.44\00:26:55.91 and they need help building a place of worship. 00:26:55.94\00:26:58.51 For those who have a more flexible schedule, 00:26:58.55\00:27:01.12 we have an immediate need coming up. 00:27:01.15\00:27:03.18 From November 5 to 26, 00:27:03.22\00:27:05.25 we're looking for volunteers to help in Paradise California 00:27:05.29\00:27:08.12 in the United States. 00:27:08.16\00:27:09.56 Last year, Paradise was ravaged by a wild fire. 00:27:09.59\00:27:13.36 Now, residents are moving back 00:27:13.40\00:27:15.96 and need a place to store their things. 00:27:16.00\00:27:17.73 Maranatha will be constructing 200 storage sheds 00:27:17.77\00:27:21.10 in partnership with the Paradise Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:27:21.14\00:27:23.91 Resources in Paradise are limited 00:27:23.94\00:27:26.37 and volunteers on this project will need to be flexible. 00:27:26.41\00:27:28.94 If you want to help, 00:27:28.98\00:27:30.31 register for the project in Paradise right away. 00:27:30.35\00:27:33.38 Learn more about these volunteer projects and others 00:27:33.42\00:27:36.45 at maranatha. org 00:27:36.48\00:27:37.85 by visiting the Volunteer Opportunities Page. 00:27:37.89\00:27:40.12 Narrator: From the very beginning 00:27:40.16\00:27:42.89 and through every triumph and bump in the road since, 00:27:42.92\00:27:45.86 God has had His hand in the development and growth 00:27:45.89\00:27:48.66 of Maranatha. 00:27:48.70\00:27:50.03 They have been His volunteers... 00:27:50.07\00:27:51.73 His projects... 00:27:51.77\00:27:54.57 and His mission. 00:27:54.60\00:27:57.37 Music... 00:27:57.41\00:28:04.68