Hi, I'm Dustin Comm
with the Maranatha Minute.
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Recently Maranatha finished
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the Mangalam Dam Seventh-day
Adventist Church in India.
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Construction began at the
start of the COVID-19 pandemic
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and our local
crew sheltered in place
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at the site to
see the job through.
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For months they
overcame many challenges
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including heavy rain, a monsoon
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and lack of
construction materials
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due to the lockdown.
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With a new building now ready,
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this congregation is excited
to meet in a proper church
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once restrictions are lifted.
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For years, they
met in members homes
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without any room to grow.
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Now, a spacious new
building and a water well
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drilled by Maranatha
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will aid their
passion for evangelism.
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Although the
pandemic prevented them
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from having a large celebration,
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a small group of
members recently came together
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to receive the keys
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and have a prayer of dedication.
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Hear more stories
from the mission field
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during Mission Maranatha,
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our two-hour television
special on September 19.
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Go to
maranatha.org/missionmaranatha
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to learn more.
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Tucked into the
conifer hills of Central Oregon
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along the south Umpqua River
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is what some say
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is the most remote
Seventh-day Adventist Academy
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in North America,
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Milo Adventist Academy.
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This rural campus
sits at the foothills
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of the Southern
Cascade Mountains.
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There is no
cell phone reception,
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the internet is spotty,
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and the nearest grocery store
is about an hour's drive away.
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But the lack of
convenience has made up for
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by the beauty of the location.
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The secondary boarding
school was established in 1965
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and over the years
more than 3,000 students
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have walked through the halls,
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lived in the dorms and
graduated from the program.
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But more than five decades
of educating young people
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has taken a toll on
the physical campus,
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which is why Randy
Thornton, Principal of Milo
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contacted Maranatha
more than four years ago.
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I've been familiar,
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been aware of
Maranatha for decades,
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growing up in Adventism,
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and seeing the amazing work
they've done for a long time.
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And I got to admit,
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I just saw an
opportunity for Milo
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to be blessed with a
lot of volunteer labor.
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We had a lot of
things that we needed here.
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The first year welcomed a
group of high school students
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on Ultimate Workout,
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a mission trip for teenagers.
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The Milo project
was the first time
00:03:04.91\00:03:06.98
Ultimate Workout was
held in the United States
00:03:07.02\00:03:09.65
rather than overseas
00:03:09.68\00:03:11.02
and the experience
made an impact on Randy.
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The thing about Maranatha
that has really captivated me,
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I'm certainly grateful
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for all of the
incredible physical plant work
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that gets done.
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But your model
of building people
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and the way that I see
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people changed in
serving is just incredible.
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And so that really, yeah,
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we keep on hoping
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that we'll get a
project every summer
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because we got a lot of things
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we'd like to accomplish
for God's kids here at Milo.
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Randy's hopes were fulfilled.
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Maranatha
renovation projects at Milo
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have become almost
an annual tradition.
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But in 2020,
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the streak was
about to be broken
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because of an unexpected
threat called COVID-19.
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By early March,
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the novel Coronavirus
had been declared a pandemic
00:04:02.64\00:04:05.07
and the US
government began to unroll
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a series of travel restrictions.
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Most Maranatha projects
had to be postponed for months.
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But by early summer
in the United States,
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some areas were
starting to open up
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for carefully
monitored activities
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and volunteers were
getting antsy to serve.
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So when the annual Milo
project started creeping up
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on the calendar,
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volunteers started
knocking on the figurative door.
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Leroy Callum is a
longtime volunteer
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and leader for
Maranatha project.
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Like the typical
Maranatha volunteer,
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he's one who can
rarely sit still.
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Well, I just know that
the where I can get the list
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or at least who sends them in,
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and it seemed like it
grew and grew and grew
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and people I've talked to said,
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you know, I need to
get out of the house
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because I did call
a few people and say,
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"You know, what do you think?"
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And they said,
"Well, I'm getting bored.
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I need to get on
get doing something.
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So let's get out and do it."
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So most of people I
think are really receptive
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about getting out and
let's get something done.
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Ed Jensen
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is a Maranatha board
member and volunteer.
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He has served as
the project coordinator
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for multiple Maranatha projects.
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And he was slated to lead Milo.
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I went on a project
in February to Alabama.
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And then I had three projects
lined up in April and May.
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But they were all,
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those months are
totally blocked out.
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So June was the next
month after April and May.
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And I thought, well,
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they'll probably
block out June too,
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because the outside
statistics of COVID infections
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and all were
going a little crazy.
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So I fully expected this
when they never happened.
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But then they never,
nobody was saying no,
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nobody was saying no.
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After a thorough
discussion with leadership,
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site visits and
research on Oregon guidelines,
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Maranatha
decided to move forward
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with the project in faith
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and with a long
list of protocols
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for safety and health.
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Soon, there were 50
volunteers registered,
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the maximum number of
people allowed to gather
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under COVID-19
rules for Douglas County
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where Milo Academy is located.
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Given its rural location
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and low number of
cases in the county,
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Milo appeared
to be an ideal site
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for a first
project during COVID.
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As it looked
through the volunteers,
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he saw that a number of
them were medical professionals,
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quickly he began
calling and asking them
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to be part of a
medical team for safety.
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I was a nurse for over 30 years,
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but I was an
infection control nurse
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for 25 years.
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At first when Ed called me,
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I thought about it for a minute.
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And then I said,
"Well, you know, Ed,
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I've done this a long time,
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doesn't take too long to
get my brain back working."
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So I said, he,
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and I had worked with Ed before.
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So I said, "Yes, I'll do it.
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I'll do it."
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I just end asking questions
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and discussing
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with our project coordinator.
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And the questions I was asking,
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he became obvious
that I'm a physician,
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and that I had some
background experience
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with COVID and planning.
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And so then I was asked
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to just kind of be a
meeting of the minds,
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so to speak of a
group working together
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to come up with
all of our different,
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all of our different
background information
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to put together to
see if we could come up
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with the safest
plan for everybody.
00:07:26.01\00:07:28.08
Arlene, Michelle
and two more nurses,
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Lori and Julie
formed a medical team.
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Together, they created
a system of safety checks.
00:07:33.55\00:07:37.19
In the mornings, we
take their temperature,
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and they used hand sanitizer.
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We do it again in the evening
and do the hand sanitizer.
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We recorded just that,
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yes, they passed not what was
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but just that they pass,
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we want to have a trail
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so that if Douglas County
Health Department does show up,
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we have proof
that we are monitoring
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and tracking everybody.
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There's markers on the floor
when they come in the door.
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And we have our
own hand sanitizer
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separate from
the one on the wall.
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And then you'd go through line.
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We keep our six feet away,
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we wear masks and the tray line.
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And then we cleaned the
tables, chairs after every meal.
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One thing that I
was really grateful for
00:08:24.40\00:08:26.70
is that that Ed Jensen
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in behalf of Maranatha
was number one concerned
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about our population, our kids.
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And, but you know
we've been all here together.
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So again, we
already know we don't have,
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but as more people
come on from outside,
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he was very
concerned about making sure
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that we were safe, and
that we were comfortable.
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And I was really
grateful for that.
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With the safety protocol
in place and in practice,
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volunteers could
focus on the work.
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It's a work that
Milo is grateful for.
00:09:00.00\00:09:02.97
So the scope of
the projects this year
00:09:03.00\00:09:04.61
is two house remodels.
00:09:04.64\00:09:07.71
Our oval that
keeps the students dry
00:09:07.74\00:09:09.48
in the wintertime
from the wet rains
00:09:09.51\00:09:11.81
is being refaced and resided
00:09:11.85\00:09:15.22
so that it's doesn't rot
away and fall away on us.
00:09:15.25\00:09:18.15
So that's a big plus.
00:09:18.19\00:09:19.85
And there's a lot of renovating
00:09:19.89\00:09:22.02
going on in the
girls' dorm rooms,
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painting,
decorating, refinishing cabinets
00:09:23.46\00:09:25.93
that are starting to look rough.
00:09:25.96\00:09:28.40
So we have like
eight major buildings
00:09:28.43\00:09:30.67
on the campus over proper,
00:09:30.70\00:09:32.67
plus 13 acres we mow,
00:09:32.70\00:09:34.34
plus we have a
400 acre property,
00:09:34.37\00:09:36.34
plus a junior camp.
00:09:36.37\00:09:37.71
And we have one
maintenance person
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that takes care of all of that.
00:09:39.14\00:09:40.81
So the idea of
the project's person
00:09:40.84\00:09:43.04
which is myself
is to do the projects
00:09:43.08\00:09:45.61
that maintenance
would never ever look at
00:09:45.65\00:09:47.32
because there's
just not enough time
00:09:47.35\00:09:48.85
and hours in a day
00:09:48.88\00:09:50.22
because they're so busy
00:09:50.25\00:09:51.59
taking care of the
rest of the campus.
00:09:51.62\00:09:54.49
We really want to
thank Maranatha for coming
00:09:54.52\00:09:56.22
because without them,
00:09:56.26\00:09:58.09
it would take us a lot
longer to improve our campus
00:09:58.13\00:10:01.33
and every year we
can see improvements,
00:10:01.36\00:10:03.77
but it improves much
faster and much better
00:10:03.80\00:10:07.60
with Maranatha's
help for two weeks
00:10:07.64\00:10:09.10
because 50 people in
two weeks can do a lot more
00:10:09.14\00:10:12.87
than one person
can do in 52 weeks.
00:10:12.91\00:10:15.28
Year by year,
00:10:15.31\00:10:16.64
the campus is
changing for the better,
00:10:16.68\00:10:18.38
thanks to Maranatha Volunteers.
00:10:18.41\00:10:20.52
With every project,
the family of students,
00:10:20.55\00:10:22.95
faculty and
staff gets stronger too
00:10:22.98\00:10:25.19
as they have the
privilege of people
00:10:25.22\00:10:26.92
investing in their community.
00:10:26.96\00:10:29.39
But campus renovations
00:10:29.42\00:10:30.76
aren't the only things
happening on these projects.
00:10:30.79\00:10:33.33
With each
Maranatha mission trip,
00:10:33.36\00:10:35.16
another community is
strengthened and built,
00:10:35.20\00:10:38.03
the volunteers.
00:10:38.07\00:10:40.97
I believe that it's
important to maintain
00:10:41.00\00:10:43.77
some semblance of normality,
even amid a pandemic, it's...
00:10:43.81\00:10:50.35
We need to, means don't go away
00:10:50.38\00:10:52.48
just because there's a pandemic,
00:10:52.51\00:10:54.35
and many projects have
already been cancelled.
00:10:54.38\00:10:57.85
So I think it's important
to make a start somewhere
00:10:57.89\00:11:01.96
and get out there and start
00:11:01.99\00:11:04.06
maybe stretching God's promises
and calling on Him to say,
00:11:04.09\00:11:10.93
Lord, we want to
continue this organization
00:11:10.97\00:11:13.64
and continue our volunteering,
00:11:13.67\00:11:16.14
and go ahead and
step out in faith
00:11:16.17\00:11:18.87
and do the work that
you've called us to do.
00:11:18.91\00:11:23.18
When we come back
00:11:23.21\00:11:24.55
hear more about
the unique community
00:11:24.58\00:11:26.15
found on North America projects
00:11:26.18\00:11:28.02
and how the experience
is touching people's lives.
00:11:28.05\00:11:30.99
This year, join
Maranatha's annual convention
00:11:44.17\00:11:46.67
straight from your living room.
00:11:46.70\00:11:48.30
On September 19,
watch Mission Maranatha,
00:11:48.34\00:11:51.01
a two-hour
television broadcast event.
00:11:51.04\00:11:53.64
This special will
feature volunteer testimonies,
00:11:53.68\00:11:56.01
reports from the mission field
00:11:56.04\00:11:57.51
and ways that
you can stay involved
00:11:57.55\00:11:59.15
even from home.
00:11:59.18\00:12:00.82
At our traditional conventions,
00:12:00.85\00:12:02.42
a favorite of many is
the time spent in the lobby
00:12:02.45\00:12:04.99
between programs.
00:12:05.02\00:12:06.42
Here people catch
up with old friends,
00:12:06.45\00:12:08.32
meet new ones and talk
about upcoming mission trips.
00:12:08.36\00:12:11.46
This year, join us
00:12:11.49\00:12:12.83
after our broadcast
in our virtual lobby.
00:12:12.86\00:12:15.26
This online meeting
00:12:15.30\00:12:16.63
will allow you to
see fellow volunteers
00:12:16.67\00:12:18.33
and talk with our staff
about various country projects.
00:12:18.37\00:12:21.54
Register at
maranatha.org/missionmaranatha.
00:12:21.57\00:12:25.87
And finally,
make sure to join us
00:12:25.91\00:12:27.51
for a special
webinar on September 18,
00:12:27.54\00:12:29.88
the day before the broadcast.
00:12:29.91\00:12:31.78
Our experts will
discuss how you can best plan
00:12:31.81\00:12:34.15
for your financial future
00:12:34.18\00:12:35.58
and support
Maranatha at the same time.
00:12:35.62\00:12:38.25
Go to
maranatha.org/missionmaranatha
00:12:38.29\00:12:41.42
to register.
00:12:41.46\00:12:43.79
It's unique, it's
simple, it's affordable.
00:12:43.83\00:12:46.76
This is the One-Day Church,
00:12:46.80\00:12:48.50
Maranatha's worship solution
in remote areas of Africa
00:12:48.53\00:12:52.30
for church families
who have no church home.
00:12:52.33\00:12:55.07
A frame and a
roof is the beginning,
00:12:55.10\00:12:57.01
local church
members do the rest.
00:12:57.04\00:12:59.17
The One-Day
Church starts at $7,500,
00:12:59.21\00:13:02.28
a price which can be
divided into $1,500 shares.
00:13:02.31\00:13:06.05
Each share comes with a photo
of the church you helped build
00:13:06.08\00:13:09.62
the One-Day Church, a
home for our church family.
00:13:09.65\00:13:13.42
Anyone can build a church.
00:13:24.83\00:13:26.50
Simply give just $10 each month,
00:13:26.53\00:13:29.07
and your donation,
00:13:29.10\00:13:30.44
along with thousands of others
00:13:30.47\00:13:32.01
will fund a new place of worship
00:13:32.04\00:13:33.74
every month.
00:13:33.78\00:13:36.54
The potential for
change is all around you.
00:13:36.58\00:13:39.78
All you have to do is look.
00:13:39.81\00:13:42.08
After a long spring
season of sheltering in place
00:13:47.66\00:13:50.59
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
00:13:50.63\00:13:52.56
By summer,
Americans were anxious
00:13:52.59\00:13:54.66
to jump back into life.
00:13:54.70\00:13:56.56
While most were
eager for haircuts,
00:13:56.60\00:13:58.63
beaches and restaurants,
00:13:58.67\00:14:00.00
Maranatha
volunteers were eager to serve.
00:14:00.04\00:14:03.14
Given the remaining restrictions
00:14:03.17\00:14:04.54
for international travel,
00:14:04.57\00:14:05.94
the best option
for mission trips
00:14:05.97\00:14:07.71
was more local.
00:14:07.74\00:14:09.28
Each year, Maranatha organizes
about 60 projects a year
00:14:09.31\00:14:13.01
mobilizing more
than 2,200 volunteers
00:14:13.05\00:14:15.98
each year to
countries around the world.
00:14:16.02\00:14:18.15
And almost half
of these projects
00:14:18.19\00:14:19.89
take place in the
United States or Canada,
00:14:19.92\00:14:23.06
called North America projects.
00:14:23.09\00:14:24.89
These mission
trips are different
00:14:24.93\00:14:26.26
from the international ones
00:14:26.29\00:14:27.63
and that they do not
require a participation fee.
00:14:27.66\00:14:30.53
Except for travel,
food and lodging are covered
00:14:30.57\00:14:33.07
in exchange for
the volunteer service.
00:14:33.10\00:14:35.20
This arrangement has
made it easier for people,
00:14:35.24\00:14:37.84
especially retired folks
00:14:37.87\00:14:39.27
to go on
multiple projects a year.
00:14:39.31\00:14:42.31
Susie Fox is among
these repeat volunteers
00:14:42.34\00:14:44.95
in North America.
00:14:44.98\00:14:46.55
I had retired
early and so I decided,
00:14:46.58\00:14:49.92
I needed to do
something for to keep busy.
00:14:49.95\00:14:54.96
And I did a few by myself
00:14:54.99\00:14:58.89
and then when
my husband retired,
00:14:58.93\00:15:00.90
he really needed
something to keep himself busy.
00:15:00.93\00:15:03.63
So we got involved
with Maranatha in 2010.
00:15:03.67\00:15:08.17
And we've done
00:15:08.20\00:15:10.14
anywhere from
three to six projects
00:15:10.17\00:15:12.31
a year since then.
00:15:12.34\00:15:15.34
2020 was no different.
00:15:15.38\00:15:16.88
Susie and her husband
Fred had planned to serve
00:15:16.91\00:15:19.08
on a number of
Maranatha projects
00:15:19.11\00:15:20.65
in North America
00:15:20.68\00:15:22.02
and one
overseas until COVID hit.
00:15:22.05\00:15:24.65
We were scheduled,
00:15:24.69\00:15:26.02
we were looking forward
to going back to Paradise
00:15:26.05\00:15:27.92
because we had done
that one in the fall.
00:15:27.96\00:15:29.82
And we were very disappointed.
00:15:29.86\00:15:32.73
Maranatha cancelled,
00:15:32.76\00:15:35.06
outlined or
basically postponed it.
00:15:35.10\00:15:37.63
And so we were hoping
00:15:37.67\00:15:40.20
they wouldn't
postpone the Milo one.
00:15:40.24\00:15:42.37
Milo is special to us.
00:15:42.40\00:15:44.47
Both my husband and I,
00:15:44.51\00:15:45.84
because we went to school here
00:15:45.87\00:15:47.21
and we graduated a
long, long time ago.
00:15:47.24\00:15:50.21
And it is been always a special,
00:15:50.25\00:15:54.42
soft spot in our heart for Milo.
00:15:57.55\00:16:00.39
We always tried to
come and help them.
00:16:00.42\00:16:03.96
This year, it's...
00:16:03.99\00:16:05.59
We have about
eight or nine of us
00:16:05.63\00:16:09.20
that are alumni
from our generation
00:16:09.23\00:16:12.23
of attendees here at Milo
00:16:12.27\00:16:15.00
and we feel like that
had we not come to Milo
00:16:15.04\00:16:18.54
who knows where
we would be today,
00:16:18.57\00:16:20.31
whether we'd still
be in the church or,
00:16:20.34\00:16:23.04
so we feel like
00:16:23.08\00:16:24.41
Christians
education is important.
00:16:24.45\00:16:27.15
But while this
project is extraordinary
00:16:27.18\00:16:29.32
because of her
personal connection
00:16:29.35\00:16:30.69
to the place,
00:16:30.72\00:16:32.05
Susie Fox says
00:16:32.09\00:16:33.42
each Maranatha
project is personal
00:16:33.46\00:16:34.99
in how it creates belonging
and a sense of purpose.
00:16:35.02\00:16:38.43
We do the projects
because as time has gone on,
00:16:38.46\00:16:42.90
we have developed a family,
00:16:42.93\00:16:44.97
a lot of the same
people came on the,
00:16:45.00\00:16:48.47
come on the
projects, and we're just,
00:16:48.50\00:16:51.77
it's just our second family.
00:16:51.81\00:16:55.81
It keeps us busy.
00:16:55.84\00:16:57.25
We like doing
things with our hands
00:16:57.28\00:16:59.68
and feel like that
we're doing something
00:16:59.71\00:17:02.65
for God or for the community.
00:17:02.68\00:17:04.35
And this is one
thing that we could do.
00:17:04.39\00:17:05.79
I'm not evangelist or out,
00:17:05.82\00:17:08.46
you know, giving
Bible studies necessarily,
00:17:08.49\00:17:11.36
but this is
something we really feel like
00:17:11.39\00:17:13.40
that there's a need
and we enjoy doing it.
00:17:13.43\00:17:16.93
As a retired
missionary and contractor,
00:17:16.97\00:17:19.37
these North
American mission trips
00:17:19.40\00:17:20.84
are all in Leroy's wheelhouse
00:17:20.87\00:17:22.94
and as a fellow doer,
these projects keep him busy.
00:17:22.97\00:17:26.31
But Leroy says
00:17:26.34\00:17:27.68
it's about more than
the work and activity.
00:17:27.71\00:17:29.74
It's about the people.
00:17:29.78\00:17:32.11
As I traveled and met
people and talked with people,
00:17:32.15\00:17:36.92
there's a lot of people
that that come to Maranatha
00:17:36.95\00:17:40.79
are broken.
00:17:40.82\00:17:42.32
They have broken families,
they have broken relationships.
00:17:42.36\00:17:46.93
And there's just a
lot of stories out there
00:17:46.96\00:17:52.07
that when they come
here, they're accepted.
00:17:52.10\00:17:56.47
Nobody judges them
from what their past was
00:17:56.50\00:17:59.24
or where they've been or
what they've come through.
00:17:59.27\00:18:02.61
They just love
them and say, hey,
00:18:02.64\00:18:05.45
you're part of our
Maranatha families.
00:18:05.48\00:18:09.15
The COVID
guidelines for this project
00:18:09.18\00:18:11.09
have made it
particularly difficult
00:18:11.12\00:18:12.85
for Leroy as he finds it hard
00:18:12.89\00:18:14.69
to not hug his
old and new friends
00:18:14.72\00:18:17.36
and practice social distancing.
00:18:17.39\00:18:19.16
But even with
these new limitations,
00:18:19.19\00:18:21.16
the community is
still being built.
00:18:21.20\00:18:24.87
Michelle is on her
second Maranatha project
00:18:24.90\00:18:27.14
and her first with her family.
00:18:27.17\00:18:28.97
As a physician,
she had reservations
00:18:29.00\00:18:30.84
about the project,
00:18:30.87\00:18:32.21
but felt reassured by
the safety protocol in place
00:18:32.24\00:18:35.01
and the isolation
of Milo's location.
00:18:35.04\00:18:37.78
She also felt the
project would be a good way
00:18:37.81\00:18:40.02
to introduce
her kids to service.
00:18:40.05\00:18:42.75
I have two 12-year olds
and I have a 15-year-old
00:18:42.78\00:18:45.89
who are unable to
go to school right now.
00:18:45.92\00:18:50.13
So my 15-year-old
00:18:50.16\00:18:52.23
is a sophomore in high school
00:18:52.26\00:18:53.60
and he is thrilled,
00:18:53.63\00:18:55.16
he's able to learn
from some of our contractors
00:18:55.20\00:18:58.20
and retired tradesmen
00:18:58.23\00:19:01.80
and is just excited
to be able to be of use.
00:19:01.84\00:19:06.47
And the younger two as
well are excited to be of use.
00:19:06.51\00:19:10.88
Of course, they're
young, and they're energetic,
00:19:10.91\00:19:12.81
and so they always bring
something to the project.
00:19:12.85\00:19:16.28
As a physician,
Michelle did plenty of research
00:19:16.32\00:19:18.65
before bringing
her family to Oregon.
00:19:18.69\00:19:20.69
Ultimately, her
decision was motivated
00:19:20.72\00:19:22.92
by the importance of community.
00:19:22.96\00:19:26.96
We have this time together
00:19:27.00\00:19:29.13
and time is something
00:19:29.16\00:19:30.50
that is one of our
most precious resources.
00:19:30.53\00:19:34.84
The money doesn't matter.
00:19:34.87\00:19:36.20
The job title doesn't matter.
00:19:36.24\00:19:38.07
The certain accomplishments
00:19:38.11\00:19:39.94
that we work so
hard for in a day,
00:19:39.97\00:19:41.41
they really don't matter.
00:19:41.44\00:19:43.21
But the time together
00:19:43.24\00:19:44.58
and the time to be
able to be together
00:19:44.61\00:19:46.11
as a family is really precious
00:19:46.15\00:19:48.98
and then to be
able to join together
00:19:49.02\00:19:50.49
with other members of
the community like-minded,
00:19:50.52\00:19:53.09
keeping our distance being safe,
00:19:53.12\00:19:55.22
protecting each
other as we work together.
00:19:55.26\00:19:58.49
I read an article that
said, we don't social distance,
00:19:58.53\00:20:01.70
we physically distance.
00:20:01.73\00:20:04.00
Times are uncertain
and the stakes are high.
00:20:04.03\00:20:07.80
But if you think about it,
00:20:07.84\00:20:09.17
and you go back through history,
00:20:09.20\00:20:10.54
it's not the first time.
00:20:10.57\00:20:12.24
And what we're
building with Maranatha
00:20:12.27\00:20:14.38
will outlast COVID
and it will outlast us.
00:20:14.41\00:20:18.81
And so I think what
we ultimately decided
00:20:18.85\00:20:21.12
is that the best we can do
00:20:21.15\00:20:23.55
is to listen
conscientiously to our leaders,
00:20:23.59\00:20:27.69
and come together as a community
00:20:27.72\00:20:30.29
and do good works.
00:20:30.33\00:20:32.29
And that's what I hope my
kids take away from the trip
00:20:32.33\00:20:35.13
is that we have to come together
00:20:35.16\00:20:37.80
as a community,
00:20:37.83\00:20:39.17
and it is upon
us to do good works.
00:20:39.20\00:20:43.41
This community is what has drawn
00:20:43.44\00:20:45.17
the same volunteers on
multiple mission trips.
00:20:45.21\00:20:48.44
When we come back,
00:20:48.48\00:20:49.81
we meet a man who
has found new community
00:20:49.84\00:20:52.08
in service through Maranatha.
00:20:52.11\00:20:54.02
Some companies
spend millions of dollars
00:21:07.33\00:21:09.46
to bring you
these sounds and images.
00:21:09.50\00:21:13.10
I made it.
00:21:13.13\00:21:15.54
These sounds and
images are created
00:21:15.57\00:21:17.57
from the dollars
you give to Maranatha.
00:21:17.61\00:21:21.24
Your support of our
well drilling efforts
00:21:21.28\00:21:23.28
is bringing
clean accessible water
00:21:23.31\00:21:25.21
to communities in
Africa, India and Brazil
00:21:25.25\00:21:29.12
because while this
sells soda, this saves lives.
00:21:29.15\00:21:34.79
For more than a decade,
00:21:38.83\00:21:40.36
Maranatha mission stories
is taking you around the world,
00:21:40.40\00:21:43.83
showing you the need
00:21:43.87\00:21:45.20
and challenging
you to get involved.
00:21:45.23\00:21:48.67
Now we're introducing new
ways for you to stay informed
00:21:48.70\00:21:52.04
and inspired about the mission.
00:21:52.07\00:21:55.14
Watch your favorite episode
of Maranatha mission stories,
00:21:55.18\00:21:58.21
as well as
other Maranatha videos
00:21:58.25\00:22:00.08
on your Apple TV.
00:22:00.12\00:22:02.78
Visit the App Store,
00:22:02.82\00:22:04.15
search for the Maranatha channel
00:22:04.19\00:22:06.19
and hit install.
00:22:06.22\00:22:09.52
You'll have access
00:22:09.56\00:22:10.89
to all of our
latest video content,
00:22:10.93\00:22:12.79
and you can watch anytime.
00:22:12.83\00:22:14.83
Our videos are available
on demand 24 hours a day.
00:22:14.86\00:22:19.33
Our content can also be viewed
on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
00:22:19.37\00:22:24.37
The Maranatha channel,
00:22:24.41\00:22:25.91
bringing mission
adventures to your living room.
00:22:25.94\00:22:28.54
We're friends. You're friend.
00:22:37.02\00:22:38.75
Know a kid who
loves mission stories?
00:22:38.79\00:22:41.36
Tell them about Maranatha kids.
00:22:41.39\00:22:46.49
Maranatha kids is a fun
and easy way for your children
00:22:46.53\00:22:49.96
to explore the mission field
00:22:50.00\00:22:51.67
and learn how even kids
can make a difference for God.
00:22:51.70\00:22:55.47
Each week we'll email you
00:22:55.50\00:22:56.87
a short video
featuring a person,
00:22:56.91\00:22:59.24
place or facet of
the work Maranatha does
00:22:59.27\00:23:02.08
around the world.
00:23:02.11\00:23:03.98
You'll also
receive a discussion guide
00:23:04.01\00:23:05.95
with additional information,
00:23:05.98\00:23:07.95
questions to consider
00:23:07.98\00:23:09.38
as well as things to pray about.
00:23:09.42\00:23:13.42
You can also join
00:23:13.46\00:23:14.79
the Maranatha
kids Facebook group
00:23:14.82\00:23:16.56
for additional
content and to connect
00:23:16.59\00:23:18.69
with other
mission minded families.
00:23:18.73\00:23:23.57
Visit
maranatha.org/kids to sign up
00:23:23.60\00:23:28.30
and get your little volunteer
00:23:28.34\00:23:29.70
started on their
mission adventure.
00:23:29.74\00:23:32.01
All of Maranatha's mission trips
00:23:37.91\00:23:39.45
focus on building community,
00:23:39.48\00:23:41.38
not just for the
people who are being served,
00:23:41.42\00:23:43.52
but those who are serving.
00:23:43.55\00:23:45.32
Friendships
created on experience
00:23:45.35\00:23:47.39
are what makes
each project so special.
00:23:47.42\00:23:50.03
And while these
relationships are formed
00:23:50.06\00:23:51.86
on international projects,
00:23:51.89\00:23:53.23
the ones formed
00:23:53.26\00:23:54.60
through North
American mission trips
00:23:54.63\00:23:55.96
are arguably stronger,
00:23:56.00\00:23:57.77
since these mission
trips are mostly free,
00:23:57.80\00:23:59.90
volunteers can participate
in multiple experiences a year,
00:23:59.93\00:24:03.64
which means they see
many of the same faces
00:24:03.67\00:24:05.97
on the project.
00:24:06.01\00:24:07.61
The familiarity contributes
00:24:07.64\00:24:09.14
to deeper and
long-lasting friendships.
00:24:09.18\00:24:11.88
This special community
00:24:11.91\00:24:13.31
is why Wesley
Wilson loves Maranatha.
00:24:13.35\00:24:16.22
Wes is a
relatively new volunteer,
00:24:16.25\00:24:18.29
but he is discovering
an unexpected dedication
00:24:18.32\00:24:21.06
to this lifestyle.
00:24:21.09\00:24:22.72
Well, I'd heard about Maranatha
00:24:22.76\00:24:24.56
back in probably
the 80s and the 90s.
00:24:24.59\00:24:28.26
And I thought, oh, I
would like to do that
00:24:28.30\00:24:30.13
but I couldn't
afford it raising a family.
00:24:30.17\00:24:33.34
Fast forward a couple
decades and Wes was retired
00:24:33.37\00:24:36.34
and a widower.
00:24:36.37\00:24:37.97
Well, I watch 3ABN quite a bit.
00:24:38.01\00:24:41.51
And what's her name?
00:24:41.54\00:24:44.11
Hilary Macias,
00:24:44.15\00:24:45.95
she was on there and
she would promote Maranatha
00:24:45.98\00:24:49.32
and you need to
come and all that.
00:24:49.35\00:24:51.65
Man, it's kind of
like the Lord was saying,
00:24:51.69\00:24:53.76
yeah, you better go.
00:24:53.79\00:24:55.72
So I put it off and
I watched another one,
00:24:55.76\00:24:58.96
and he got more
stringent, more urgent.
00:24:58.99\00:25:01.96
Okay, Lord, I'll
go and that wound up
00:25:02.00\00:25:04.27
being the Vancouver project.
00:25:04.30\00:25:06.43
So I loaded it up and I went up
00:25:06.47\00:25:07.94
to Vancouver, Washington
00:25:07.97\00:25:11.71
and drove up
there and, oh, wow, boy,
00:25:11.74\00:25:16.14
I really, do I
really want to do this?
00:25:16.18\00:25:19.18
Wes was nervous
00:25:19.21\00:25:20.55
until a fellow volunteer came up
00:25:20.58\00:25:22.05
and gave him a big
hug to welcome him.
00:25:22.08\00:25:25.09
I like the
fellowship and a friendship.
00:25:25.12\00:25:27.56
And the more that I work,
00:25:27.59\00:25:29.16
the friendlier I got
and I enjoyed the work.
00:25:29.19\00:25:33.56
The part of feeling
included with people
00:25:33.60\00:25:37.13
is a big part of
the human experience.
00:25:37.17\00:25:39.93
But people who joined Maranatha
you become part of the group.
00:25:39.97\00:25:46.71
You make friends with them,
they treat you as an equal.
00:25:46.74\00:25:51.21
And they welcome you
at every step of the way.
00:25:51.25\00:25:54.75
This sense of community
00:25:54.78\00:25:56.12
is what draws
thousands of people
00:25:56.15\00:25:57.99
to Maranatha
mission trips every year.
00:25:58.02\00:26:00.86
Some come in
search of adventure,
00:26:00.89\00:26:03.29
others want to stay active,
00:26:03.32\00:26:05.49
all come seeking a
purpose and a way to give back
00:26:05.53\00:26:09.30
even in the midst of a pandemic.
00:26:09.33\00:26:12.80
Well, one of the
things about Maranatha
00:26:12.83\00:26:15.67
is that the people
that are part of Maranatha,
00:26:15.70\00:26:19.77
they want to be a
blessing, they want to serve.
00:26:19.81\00:26:22.98
And it's just amazing
to be with people who are,
00:26:23.01\00:26:26.15
love the Lord
00:26:26.18\00:26:27.68
and want to be a
blessing to others.
00:26:27.72\00:26:29.58
It's just invigorating
00:26:29.62\00:26:31.65
to be among a group
of people like that.
00:26:31.69\00:26:36.02
The Coronavirus pandemic
00:26:36.06\00:26:37.46
has certainly
upended the service aspect
00:26:37.49\00:26:39.76
of Maranatha that we all love.
00:26:39.79\00:26:41.90
It's hard to predict
00:26:41.93\00:26:43.26
when Maranatha
Volunteer projects
00:26:43.30\00:26:44.87
will return to normal
00:26:44.90\00:26:46.23
with a full schedule of
opportunities for service.
00:26:46.27\00:26:48.84
For now, we're taking
it one project at a time.
00:26:48.87\00:26:53.27
Yet most of Maranatha's
construction projects
00:26:53.31\00:26:55.74
have always been built by
our local and country crews,
00:26:55.78\00:26:59.08
and now more than ever,
00:26:59.11\00:27:00.52
they are needed
to continue the work.
00:27:00.55\00:27:02.58
Since March,
00:27:02.62\00:27:03.95
these teams have
been building churches,
00:27:03.99\00:27:05.62
schools and water wells
in countries like India,
00:27:05.65\00:27:09.79
Brazil, Zambia,
00:27:09.82\00:27:13.53
Kenya,
00:27:17.43\00:27:18.77
and Cote d'Ivoire.
00:27:21.54\00:27:24.87
Whether in Milo, Oregon,
00:27:24.91\00:27:27.48
or Abbebroukoi, Cote d'Ivoire,
00:27:27.51\00:27:29.38
the work has never stopped.
00:27:29.41\00:27:32.01
And this mission needs
your continued support.
00:27:32.05\00:27:35.45
Please make a
donation to Maranatha
00:27:35.48\00:27:37.42
as we carry
forward this commission.
00:27:37.45\00:27:40.22
After all, we
may cherish the joy
00:27:40.26\00:27:42.72
that comes with service.
00:27:42.76\00:27:44.19
But the ultimate
goal of Maranatha
00:27:44.23\00:27:45.99
is to build people,
00:27:46.03\00:27:47.56
communities and the
gospel throughout the world.
00:27:47.60\00:27:50.90