Participants:
Series Code: MMS
Program Code: MMS010021A
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00:01 - Hi. I'm Hilary Marcias with the Maranatha Minute.
00:03 This month, the country of Côte d'Ivoire welcomed 00:06 its first team of Maranatha volunteers. This team of 00:09 22 came all the way from Brazil to help build the Annan 00:13 Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Annan 00:15 congregation currently has a church, which was 00:18 built decades ago through the hard work of members 00:20 who scrimped and saved throughout the years. However, 00:23 the government has announced that a new 00:25 road will be cutting straight through the 00:27 village and through the precise location of the 00:30 church site. Now, the congregation will have 00:33 to move to a new site and need help building 00:35 an actual structure. Maranatha has committed 00:38 to building a new sanctuary in Annan as part of the 00:41 larger effort in Côte d'Ivoire to provide 00:43 churches and schools in the greater Abidjan area. 00:46 Get the latest on projects like Côte d'Ivoire and how 00:49 you can get involved by registering for Maranatha 00:52 Matters, our weekly email newsletter. Go to maranatha.org, 00:56 scroll to the bottom, and sign up. 01:27 inside the dormitory. 01:31 And then in the morning, we find out that the 01:33 mud is floating on the floor. It was a challenge 01:38 coping with the situation. Sometimes, the rain 01:41 will come in through the windows-the 01:44 unclosable windows. - It was challenging 01:46 at night. The location was hard, and also 01:51 to wake up in the morning then go to class when you 01:55 have not slept well at night...so it was challenging. 02:00 - It was not good; it was really, really 02:03 challenging. Sometimes, you want to become 02:05 discouraged and hoped to go to another school. 02:09 But due to the circumstances, we still pressed on due to 02:13 the encouragement the teacher was giving 02:16 us and telling us, "Just pray hard, and 02:19 something's gonna happen." So we prayed and believed 02:23 that something is going to happen even after the 02:26 longsuffering and that truly, God cared. - The 02:31 Kiutine Adventist school in Kenya is a secondary 02:33 boarding school home to 230 students. For years, 02:37 the students have lived in deplorable conditions. 02:40 Seventh-day Adventist Church leadership in Kenya 02:42 approached Maranatha for help. And in 2018, 02:45 Maranatha agreed to improve the campus at 02:48 Kiutine. Groups of Maranatha volunteers 02:52 began constructing new dormitories, classrooms, 02:55 bathrooms, a kitchen, and a cafeteria. As 03:02 volunteer teams were organized, The Ultimate 03:03 Workout, Maranatha's annual teens-only mission 03:06 trip for high schoolers, was added to the list of 03:09 those that would help at Kiutine. In its 29th 03:12 year, this would be Ultimate Workout's 03:14 first visit to the continent of Africa. In July 2019, 03:18 111 teens and adult leaders made their 03:22 way to Kenya for an experience they'd never 03:24 forget. - They're so sweet. They're so kind, 03:30 they're so welcoming, they want to meet you, 03:33 they're curious about you... They're just great 03:38 people in general. Like, I've never met kinder 03:41 people in my life. - The Kiutine students 03:44 are very loving, very appreciative, thanking 03:50 us for being here, very hospitable... I remember 03:54 when I got off the bus and we were first- I'm 03:59 loading our luggage. One of the Kiutine students 04:04 grabbed me by the hand and walked me to the truck 04:08 to get our luggage off. And since then, he's 04:11 found me in worship, we've sat and sung 04:13 together, it...you know. He brought his brother, 04:17 I met the whole... We've taken pictures together; 04:20 they're just very warm and inviting people. - One 04:24 thing I really noticed about them and just 04:26 everyone here is they're always so content. Like, 04:29 I mean, we've seen what they've come from and 04:32 what they still currently have, and they're so 04:35 content. - So I got to tour the campus 04:39 where they used to stay, and I went into the girls' 04:43 dorm. I was quite shocked by what I saw. It was just 04:47 mud floor and bunk beds that were not really 04:52 bunk beds, and it was just open. The floorboards 04:56 were, the walls, were open, so anything could actually 04:59 come in. I was just wondering what happens 05:02 when the rain fell. It was just really sad 05:06 and deplorable. - Lots of dust and high winds. 05:14 It was definitely a different atmosphere, 05:16 and also very different living conditions. - The 05:21 dormitories weren't very good, the floor was just 05:24 bad... One thing that stood out to me, personally, 05:27 is the showers. Just like, this, like, closed off area, 05:30 and there's just rocks everywhere and you just 05:32 have a bucket, and you dump it over your head. 05:36 So, it was really bad, and I'm glad that we're 05:38 here to help and make them new ones, but yeah. 05:41 Just everything that was the boys' dorm, the girls' 05:43 dorm... And the kitchen wasn't so great, either. 05:47 - I was not expecting to see something like 05:50 these conditions as poor as they are... I mean, you 05:54 wouldn't see anything like this back home. 05:58 - It's just totally different. I mean, 06:00 my school has running water, it has walls, 06:04 actual walls... It's just completely different. 06:10 I don't even think you can compare the two, 06:12 because now- even though my school, I wouldn't say 06:15 it's in the best condition, it's still a thousand times 06:20 better than what they used to have. - Oh, it 06:24 humbles me, and it makes me feel like I'm a spoiled 06:27 brat. [laughs] Yeah. We're very fortunate in 06:35 America and we take for granted what we have. 06:38 - When we come back, see how Ultimate Workout 06:41 volunteers help to improve conditions at the Kiutine 06:44 school and serve in the local community. 07:01 - For more than a decade, Maranatha Mission Stories 07:04 has taken you around the world, showing you the 07:06 need and challenging you to get involved. Now, 07:11 we're introducing new ways for you to stay 07:13 informed and inspired about the mission. 07:17 Watch your favorite episode of Maranatha Mission Stories, 07:20 as well as other Maranatha videos on your Apple TV. 07:25 Visit the App Store, search for The Maranatha 07:27 Channel, and hit install. 07:32 You'll have access to all of our latest video 07:34 content, and you can watch anytime. Our 07:37 videos are available on demand, 24 hours 07:40 a day. Our content can also be viewed on Roku 07:43 and Amazon Fire TV. The Maranatha Channel, 07:48 bringing mission adventures to your living room. 08:00 - For Ultimate Workout in 2019, volunteers 08:03 were tasked with constructing a new boys' dorm and a 08:06 classroom at the Kiutine Adventist school in Kenya. 08:12 After learning how to lay block, the teens got 08:15 to work building these much-needed structures. 08:18 - I really like the block work. I did medical team 08:25 once. I really enjoyed that, but I also really 08:29 love the construction aspect. I love getting a 08:32 pickaxe and hitting concrete or rock, 08:39 building a foundation... I love getting my hands 08:41 dirty. - I think even though the kids are 08:44 happy with what they have now, I think it's 08:46 going to mean much more for them. They recognize 08:50 that they can get a better education if they 08:52 have a better place to learn in. So I think it 08:55 will be really good that they can have clean- 09:02 a roof that don't leak when they're learning, 09:05 desks that work when they need to, just... 09:08 So, I think it's going to be great for their education. 09:11 - Besides construction, the volunteers were able 09:13 to serve on one of two outreach teams and a 09:16 medical team. - I've been doing VBS and 09:18 outreach this whole time, and I actually genuinely 09:24 care about them and I'm going to miss them a lot. 09:30 - In visiting the local schools, and the 09:33 kids are just so amazing. They're so sweet, they're 09:35 so curious; they grab all over you, they love 09:38 to hug you, they love to touch you, and just... 09:40 You feel so loved even though you don't know 09:42 them. A lot of the kids, I don't know their names, 09:45 probably 'cause I can't pronounce them or remember 09:48 them, but they still love me. And even though they may 09:51 think I'm kind of weird or different, they still 09:55 love me and they're so welcoming. - The four or 09:58 five communities that we've gone to provide 10:01 medical services, the need has been so great. 10:05 And we haven't been able to see everyone, but it 10:08 has been a difference between this mission 10:11 trip and others that I've gone on. Our role here 10:14 is twofold; it's one to mentor the young people 10:18 that we have brought over and give them exposure 10:21 into medicine. We've been able to show them 10:24 how to do things that they probably won't do 10:28 for several years in the future. Some of them said 10:30 they didn't really know that it would be so hands-on, 10:33 and they've been able to- you know. I go by the 10:36 mantra-and it's in medicine- that you see one, you do 10:40 one, and then you teach one. So, they would see 10:42 procedures being done, and then we'd allow them 10:44 to do it. - In between construction and outreach, 10:48 volunteers also took breaks to experience 10:50 quintessential Kenya by going on a safari in 10:53 nearby Meru National Park. - The special moment 10:56 was the safari. I've always wanted to be 11:00 able to go on a safari. And although it is long- 11:03 it was about eight hours- but we got to see everything 11:06 but a lion. Getting to see all of God's creations 11:11 up close is really an amazing thing. Seeing 11:14 rhinos-I never thought I would ever see a rhino. 11:18 That would definitely be a high point in the 11:20 trip so far. - The first Sabbath also featured 11:23 a trip to visit a Samburu tribe to worship in a church 11:26 Maranatha constructed. Ultimate Workout volunteers 11:30 led the church services and experienced a new 11:32 culture. [singing] - Going out to the Samburu 11:36 tribe was very special. Those people had been 11:42 worshiping under a tree, and now they have a one-day 11:45 church and they have pride in that, and they have water 11:48 to drink... - We got to meet some of the 11:53 people in the village and just got to talk to 11:57 them. It was really cool to see all these huts and 11:59 stuff; but here, which is like buildings that are 12:02 similar to kind of- not exactly similar to what we 12:05 have at home, but to see people with mud huts 12:09 and stuff and straws for roofs, that was really 12:12 cool. And the ladies and people there, they 12:15 let us go inside and check it out, which was 12:17 REALLY cool. It was very small; it was just like, 12:20 one sleeping area and a kitchen. It was very 12:22 small, but it was such a neat experience just 12:24 to walk in and to see that. And the people 12:27 there, they started singing and dancing 12:29 in their traditional style and everything. 12:32 That was so cool. I got some videos of it. [singing] 12:36 - One of the unique aspects of this trip was the abundant 12:38 opportunities for interaction between Ultimate Workout 12:41 volunteers and the Kiutine students. - You come into 12:45 this new environment and you don't really 12:46 expect the people you see to be pretty much 12:50 just like you. There are kids just like you even 12:55 though they speak a different language and 12:57 it seems a little bit different, they experience 13:00 the same things that you experience and they react 13:04 to them in a similar fashion. It's interesting 13:08 to figure that out and see how similar you are 13:13 to somebody who's on the other half of the 13:16 world. - They're amazing. I love the kids here. I 13:21 make it a point to kind of get to know every one 13:23 of them. I have made so many friends. They're 13:26 very nice; they're always smiling. If they have a 13:30 bad day, they don't let me see that. 13:33 - It has been an amazing experience 13:38 having them around. For me, I never thought that 13:41 I would come in close contact with you guys- 13:45 these volunteers. But through you, at least 13:48 we have shared a lot. We have known each 13:51 other, we have known what are the hobbies 13:54 of each side. We've really known that there is no 13:57 difference between you guys and us. It has been 14:00 a blessing...yeah. - They like asking a lot 14:05 of questions, figuring out what it's like, 14:07 which I've done the same to them. I'm 14:11 assuming everybody's asked that question or 14:14 said that "I would love to go to Africa." And 14:17 when you get the chance, you can ask them, "What's 14:20 it like? How do things go around here from 14:25 day-to-day life?" They're all really nice 14:28 kids. They're really great singers, especially. 14:32 [singing] - We have gained a lot 14:38 of inspiration from them because you have come 14:43 to understand that you worship the same God. 14:46 And through singing, you have gained a lot 14:51 of messages from them. I know God is pleased of 14:58 what they are doing and He has blessed us through 15:03 them. - With Ultimate Workout designed to 15:05 stretch volunteers' physical and spiritual 15:08 muscles, each day featured multiple worship 15:10 services, including joint programs with the Kiutine 15:13 students. - Joint worships are amazing because just 15:17 Maranatha, when we're having worship, we sing 15:21 and we come and get into it, but not as much. 15:23 But when the kids come over, they really hype us up. 15:26 Personally, they just... They sing very loud; 15:28 they're very into it, and that kind of motivates 15:30 me. That kind of gets me excited, and I get 15:32 more into it, and we just... And when you 15:34 have a bigger crowd, there's more singing, 15:36 it's louder, and it's just more of, like, a 15:38 choir, and it's really cool. They enjoy the 15:40 music; they love it, and they kind of help me 15:43 to kind of enjoy the music, as well, and to 15:46 kind of get into worship. [singing] - My favorite 15:50 part is just the singing. They just drown us out. 15:53 We can't even be heard; they're just always so 15:55 happy. It just makes me smile. I just sit there 15:59 and just close my eyes, and I wish I could just 16:01 look out at all of us instead of just being 16:05 in the mix, because it's just really cool to see 16:10 a bunch of different cultures just completely 16:12 mix but we're all there for the same purpose 16:15 and stuff, so... I don't know. I think it's really 16:18 cool that we get to unite for that. - I just wish I 16:21 could just sit back and just observe it instead 16:24 of being a part of it, 'cause it sounds so good, 16:27 it just looks so good to see them mingling with 16:30 our participants and just hearing the sounds 16:34 of worship and just watching them participate. 16:37 And even though we have such vast difference even 16:40 economically, you can't tell it when we're in worship. 16:42 You really can't. They're just really together and 16:45 just reading the Bible together, sharing everything. 16:49 [singing] - They are pretty interactive 16:52 during worships for the sermon. I was sitting 16:55 next to a girl, and back at home- our church is 16:58 pretty quiet during the sermon. And during the 17:01 sermon, all of the Kiutine students, 17:03 they responded "Amen!" to the pastor and I 17:06 didn't, and she thought it was a little disrespectful 17:09 that I didn't just 'cause I'm not used to it. 17:12 - Due to the way we have been interacting during 17:15 the worships, we have really built the contact 17:19 between us and you. We have shared, and we have 17:23 known that we share a common God and really 17:26 felt that Jesus Christ loves us because we 17:29 are common and share anything in common that 17:32 all of us, we have come to know that all of us, 17:35 God loves us. - When we come back, watch 17:38 the push to complete the work before time 17:40 runs out on the teens' trip in Kenya. 17:54 - In a little over a week, Maranatha is heading 17:57 to Paradise, California to start a mission project, 18:00 and we need your help. From November 5 to 18:03 26, we need volunteers to help build 200 storage 18:06 sheds for residents who lost their homes in the 18:09 2018 Camp Fire. These sheds will provide a 18:12 place for people to store their things as those in 18:15 the area are currently living in RVs and trailers. 18:18 The timing of this project is critical as the rainy 18:21 season is approaching fast. Then, from December 18:24 23 to January 5, spend Christmas and New Years 18:27 on a mission trip. The Ultimate Workout 18:29 Alumni Project is going to La Paz, Bolivia to build 18:32 a new church for a congregation in need. 18:35 While this project is designed for those 18:37 who have been part of Ultimate Workout in the 18:39 past, it's open to all volunteers. So if you're 18:42 looking for adventure over the holidays, register 18:44 for this project today. Learn about all our 18:47 volunteer opportunities on our website at 18:50 maranatha.org under Volunteer Opportunities. 18:57 - Throughout the nearly two-week Ultimate Workout 18:59 in Kenya, friendships were forged, new cultures 19:02 were experienced, and spiritual lessons learned. 19:05 But as the time for departure neared, 19:07 there was concern that the boys' dorm may not 19:10 be completed in time. A special dedication had 19:13 been planned, and the volunteers didn't want 19:15 to leave the building unfinished. - This morning, 19:19 we had an opportunity to choose to go to outreach 19:22 or stay and do construction. I decided to stay, mainly 19:29 because Wills was the lead construction worker, 19:35 reminded us that this is a special situation. 19:39 We get to build this whole place from the 19:43 ground up, and then we get to help them move 19:45 into it. It's something that I've never experienced; 19:49 it's something that he has never experienced. 19:52 Being able to put in their bunk beds, set 19:56 up their mattresses and help them move into a 19:58 place, I'm hoping it's gonna be a really great 20:03 thing. - I'm sure they're very excited, because 20:08 they've been watching us build them, and other 20:11 Maranatha volunteers. They watch them build 20:14 it, and they're really excited to have more 20:16 space and to have more showers and better bathrooms 20:20 and stuff. I think they're very, very pumped, very 20:22 excited, to have better living conditions. I mean, 20:26 I would be, too, if I were them. - With new 20:29 resolve to finish the work on time, volunteers 20:32 made a push to accelerate the construction of the 20:34 boys' dorm-and got the job done! - I'm a lot 20:39 more capable than what I think. We can push our 20:47 bodies farther than what our mind can 20:49 think. We might think that we aren't able to 20:54 lift the block up to the next level and be able 20:58 to set another one-you know?-just before lunch... 21:02 but we can do it. [singing] 21:08 - On the final Friday, the boys' dormitory 21:10 and the new classroom were dedicated with a 21:13 number of regional Seventh-day Adventist 21:15 Church officials present. - The new dorm-we are 21:22 able to sleep in our own beddings, and 21:28 comfortably. And when it comes time for 21:32 going to class, you don't feel like you have been 21:37 in the wrong place at night, so it is good. - It 21:43 means the world to them, I would assume. If I lived 21:45 in these kinds of conditions and I had 21:49 a shower built for me and I actually had a 21:52 decent bathroom and a nice living space, I 21:57 would be pretty grateful for what I got, you know? 22:01 - It's like heaven. At least, I'd assume so. 22:04 If I lived in this prior to those, that's a huge 22:08 change. - If we compare the times we were sleeping 22:12 in the old dorms, people were sluggish during the 22:16 day because they never slept, and people were 22:18 sleeping in classes when the teacher was teaching. 22:21 But now because you are enjoying sleep back in the 22:24 dormitory, you don't have that sleep, and now you 22:28 can cooperate in class. May God bless you for 22:32 the wonderful work that you have done unto our 22:34 school. If it was not for you, we don't know 22:36 where it would be. You've really transformed this 22:39 school. We can't express the gratitude we have 22:42 because you have been really good to us, you've 22:45 really helped us come from the situation that 22:48 we were in. And really now, it's great. May 22:51 God bless you. [singing] 23:21 - The joyous celebration was followed by a special 23:23 Sabbath that sought 37 people baptized, including 23:27 Kiutine students and 26 Ultimate Workout volunteers. 23:32 It was the culmination of a nearly two-week 23:34 experience filled with spiritual growth, physical 23:37 challenges, and expending worldviews. - It's quite 23:44 a workout-mentally, spiritually-getting to 23:46 know God... I feel like that can actually bring 23:49 you closer to God. And physically, it's hard work. 23:52 So, it's, all around... I love the name- 23:55 Ultimate Workout-it quite is an ultimate 23:57 workout. - Ultimate Workout is...it's a 24:02 tough experience. [clapping] It pushes you out of your 24:07 comfort zone, which is something that very 24:10 few people like. Going outside of the country 24:14 is never easy, getting used to the time changes- 24:19 and Ultimate Workout presents all of that. 24:23 It presents waking up early, getting to work, 24:27 worship... I mean, worship is a time of 24:32 rest and praising the Lord-but right after 24:36 that, we're going straight to work. It's hard, but 24:40 that's what's great about it. - I don't know. 24:46 I guess I learned how to be more loving and open, 24:49 because back home you have your space that 24:54 you're comfortable in. And when you're 24:56 completely removed from it and dropped in another 24:59 situation, it makes you have to adapt. - I think 25:06 I just learned that I need to be more content 25:08 with what I have. There's a lot of stuff that it's 25:10 like, "Oh, I need this, or I need that." But 25:13 after being here, I realize that a bunch 25:16 of my needs are more just wants. - I listen to 25:19 them talk, especially at night in the dorm or 25:21 on our way back from our projects-and they 25:24 recognize, first of all, that they are blessed 25:26 beyond measure-that they have more than 25:29 what they sometimes don't realize. I think, 25:35 also, like yesterday they realize that, "Oh, 25:38 we may be different geographically, we 25:41 may be different economically, but we are kind of the same." 25:45 - They should experience this. I mean, you take 25:48 for granted the life that you're living, and 25:51 you never know that unless you expose yourself 25:54 to other continents, countries, other peoples, 25:58 other cultures, you'll never know that you 26:00 have a great life and that others have a 26:05 great life, too, but they just do it on a lot less. 26:08 I would really strongly say that as many young 26:11 people that hear this and know about this, 26:14 they should really try to come and be a part 26:16 of it, 'cause there is so much work to be done 26:18 and there's so many hands that can be 26:21 involved in this work. And the reward, you 26:27 may not see until we get to heaven. - Every 26:30 parent should send their teen on an Ultimate Workout. 26:33 First of all, no joke. Teens are really 26:35 connecting with Christ through service. We're 26:39 just there as the adults to guide them and mentor 26:41 them, but they pretty much plan and execute 26:44 everything. You want your child to really 26:48 connect while there's- you want your team 26:50 to really get to know God through service. 26:52 It's the Ultimate Workout. [singing] 26:56 - You experience the hard work, the grit- 26:59 and the growth that you experience. It's something 27:04 that you can't even put a price on. Being able 27:07 to experience different cultures, different 27:09 people, different points of view-it's priceless. 27:15 - I feel like everyone should have this 27:18 experience. Before I came here, I was kind 27:21 of nervous. I was like, "I don't know if I would 27:22 be able to make friends, I don't know how it's 27:24 going to be... I'm scared about the squatty potties." 27:27 But, you know, I feel like everyone should 27:29 be able to get out of their comfort zone and 27:32 to be put into a place you're not familiar with, 27:35 with people you're not familiar with, and just to 27:38 learn to adapt and to love and to grow with 27:42 people you don't know. And I think everyone 27:43 should be able to go on this trip. I really think 27:47 it's amazing, and it's probably the best thing 27:48 that's ever happened in my life. |
Revised 2019-12-19