Hi, I'm Dustin Comm
with the Maranatha Minute.
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.63
Forty volunteers
recently finished a project
00:00:03.67\00:00:05.83
at Camp Lawroweld in Maine.
00:00:05.87\00:00:08.14
Built around 1900 to
serve Yale University,
00:00:08.17\00:00:11.27
the camp is now showing its
age more than a century later.
00:00:11.31\00:00:15.21
Volunteers remodeled
the lodge with new flooring,
00:00:15.24\00:00:18.21
pine paneling, tile, showers,
plumbing and electrical.
00:00:18.25\00:00:23.18
They also renovated
a boys' staff house,
00:00:23.22\00:00:25.55
painted furniture
and poured a new floor
00:00:25.59\00:00:28.06
for the girls' bathhouse.
00:00:28.09\00:00:29.86
In addition, all
of the screen doors
00:00:29.89\00:00:31.66
throughout the
camp were replaced
00:00:31.69\00:00:33.50
which were torn and
allowing animals inside.
00:00:33.53\00:00:36.87
This was
Maranatha's first project
00:00:36.90\00:00:38.60
at Camp Lawroweld.
00:00:38.63\00:00:39.97
And it was such a success
00:00:40.00\00:00:41.34
that camp
leadership began filling out
00:00:41.37\00:00:43.14
the application
for a future project
00:00:43.17\00:00:45.27
before this one had ended.
00:00:45.31\00:00:47.44
Join us on another
mission trip in the US
00:00:47.48\00:00:49.98
like on our upcoming
project in Paradise, California,
00:00:50.01\00:00:53.18
starting on October 26.
00:00:53.21\00:00:55.28
Learn more at
maranatha.org/volunteer.
00:00:55.32\00:00:58.72
2020 started like any other year
00:01:34.59\00:01:36.99
for Maranatha
Volunteers International.
00:01:37.03\00:01:39.19
We have just wrapped
the Christmas Family Project
00:01:43.67\00:01:45.87
where 86
volunteers served in Peru.
00:01:45.90\00:01:48.10
A small team of volunteers
took off for Cote d'Ivoire
00:01:53.17\00:01:55.68
for a church
construction project.
00:01:55.71\00:01:57.45
Groups were trickling
00:02:01.28\00:02:02.62
into various
countries here and there.
00:02:02.65\00:02:06.59
Meanwhile, the
Maranatha headquarters
00:02:06.62\00:02:08.69
in California was preparing
00:02:08.72\00:02:10.23
for the annual
surge of volunteers
00:02:10.26\00:02:12.63
in the month of March.
00:02:12.66\00:02:14.10
What was different
this time, however,
00:02:18.33\00:02:19.90
was the threat of a new virus
00:02:19.93\00:02:21.60
that had been wreaking
havoc in Asia and Europe
00:02:21.64\00:02:23.94
in January and February.
00:02:23.97\00:02:27.18
In early March,
00:02:27.21\00:02:29.01
things were
evolving with COVID-19.
00:02:29.04\00:02:31.48
We're hearing
stories out of China.
00:02:31.51\00:02:33.11
And then there was some
cases in the United States.
00:02:33.15\00:02:37.75
And so we really weren't
sure how it's going to impact
00:02:37.79\00:02:41.36
all of our volunteer activity.
00:02:41.39\00:02:44.03
So we had some groups
that were that went out.
00:02:44.06\00:02:49.53
We had some trips that
they started to question,
00:02:49.56\00:02:53.94
but most of our group leaders
were moving forward as planned.
00:02:53.97\00:02:57.54
And then mid-March,
00:02:57.57\00:02:58.91
things started to
really move quickly.
00:02:58.94\00:03:02.11
And I started to look like,
00:03:02.14\00:03:03.95
well, maybe we
might be more affected
00:03:03.98\00:03:06.21
than what we had
hoped we would be.
00:03:06.25\00:03:09.48
So on March 11,
00:03:09.52\00:03:10.99
President Trump
held a press conference
00:03:11.02\00:03:13.02
where he announced
00:03:13.05\00:03:15.06
that things
were going to change,
00:03:15.09\00:03:16.62
there's a pandemic
00:03:16.66\00:03:18.09
and that created and
triggered a number of effects.
00:03:18.13\00:03:22.13
The same day, the
World Health Organization
00:03:22.16\00:03:24.23
announced that
COVID-19 was a pandemic.
00:03:24.27\00:03:28.84
Overseas, other countries
started shutting their borders.
00:03:28.87\00:03:32.47
Airports closed, offices shut,
00:03:32.51\00:03:35.81
people
self-quarantined in their homes.
00:03:35.84\00:03:38.91
Peru was put in
a total lockdown.
00:03:38.95\00:03:41.88
India was on total lockdown.
00:03:41.92\00:03:43.92
Kenyan airports were closed
00:03:43.95\00:03:45.29
and everyone was
put on a lockdown.
00:03:45.32\00:03:47.12
By March,
00:03:47.16\00:03:48.79
groups were
really starting to wonder
00:03:48.82\00:03:50.89
if they were
going to be able to go
00:03:50.93\00:03:52.26
on their mission trip or not.
00:03:52.29\00:03:53.70
And by mid-March,
00:03:53.73\00:03:55.56
many of our trips
had either canceled,
00:03:55.60\00:03:57.63
postponed, or we had a few,
00:03:57.67\00:03:59.87
a few groups that that went out,
00:03:59.90\00:04:01.67
but then had to come
back a little bit early.
00:04:01.70\00:04:04.47
And so, wrapped in
00:04:04.51\00:04:05.87
within a space
of a couple of weeks
00:04:05.91\00:04:07.38
things went from
we're planning for a year
00:04:07.41\00:04:09.68
as normal to suddenly
everything was shut down.
00:04:09.71\00:04:12.31
Last year, Maranatha
mobilized over 2600 volunteers
00:04:24.03\00:04:27.56
to many
countries around the world
00:04:27.60\00:04:29.70
to help build a number
of different buildings.
00:04:29.73\00:04:32.20
But the number of buildings
that those volunteers built
00:04:32.23\00:04:34.87
is actually a small fraction
00:04:34.90\00:04:36.60
of the total number of buildings
00:04:36.64\00:04:37.97
that Maranatha builds each year.
00:04:38.01\00:04:40.48
The rest we use local
labor to build churches
00:04:40.51\00:04:43.38
and schools and water wells,
00:04:43.41\00:04:45.11
all are
happening around the world
00:04:45.15\00:04:47.28
whether
volunteers are there or not.
00:04:47.32\00:04:51.39
Quite frankly, a
lot of our projects
00:04:51.42\00:04:53.89
are prepared
00:04:53.92\00:04:56.06
and completed by
teams in the field.
00:04:56.09\00:05:00.13
We've actually spent
decades developing a competent,
00:05:00.16\00:05:05.33
experienced, committed,
00:05:05.37\00:05:07.27
dedicated team of builders
00:05:07.30\00:05:09.30
that travel around the world
00:05:09.34\00:05:10.67
and get these projects prepared,
00:05:10.71\00:05:12.04
work with the volunteers,
finish up with the volunteers,
00:05:12.07\00:05:14.74
do finish when
they're on the project.
00:05:14.78\00:05:19.15
So, we have been
doing actually a lot of work
00:05:19.18\00:05:23.25
during this time in
the places that we can,
00:05:23.28\00:05:25.02
some places we can't.
00:05:25.05\00:05:26.52
But many places
we've been able to work
00:05:26.55\00:05:28.59
and it's still very effective.
00:05:28.62\00:05:33.73
Now, several months in,
the world is slowly opening up,
00:05:33.76\00:05:37.23
but not necessarily for travel.
00:05:37.27\00:05:40.20
So the work of Maranatha
is still being carried out
00:05:40.24\00:05:42.84
by our local crews in
six different countries.
00:05:42.87\00:05:46.04
Crews are carefully working
in regions that are isolated
00:05:46.07\00:05:49.48
or relatively
untouched by virus.
00:05:49.51\00:05:51.98
One of the places
00:05:57.19\00:05:58.52
where we've been
working is Kenya,
00:05:58.55\00:06:00.76
a country that has welcomed
more than 1,000 volunteers
00:06:00.79\00:06:03.83
since we started working
there extensively in 2016.
00:06:03.86\00:06:08.13
Adventist church leadership
in Kenya asked Maranatha
00:06:08.16\00:06:10.90
to build churches and schools
00:06:10.93\00:06:12.60
for their rapidly
growing membership.
00:06:12.63\00:06:14.70
And since then,
00:06:14.74\00:06:16.07
Maranatha has completed
more than 450 structures.
00:06:16.10\00:06:19.37
And since 2016,
the church has grown
00:06:19.41\00:06:22.01
from 850,000 to more
than 1 million members.
00:06:22.04\00:06:25.78
Kenya has been
00:06:29.88\00:06:31.22
one of Maranatha's
most active countries
00:06:31.25\00:06:33.22
in terms of projects.
00:06:33.25\00:06:35.46
And while COVID
has slowed the work,
00:06:35.49\00:06:37.59
it hasn't shut
it down completely.
00:06:37.63\00:06:40.43
Just a few weeks
00:06:40.46\00:06:41.80
after the initial
shutdown in March,
00:06:41.83\00:06:43.67
Maranatha's local
crew started working
00:06:43.70\00:06:45.63
in rural locations
by sheltering in place.
00:06:45.67\00:06:49.57
So construction continued
00:06:49.60\00:06:51.07
at the Kajiado Adventist
School and Rescue Center
00:06:51.11\00:06:54.21
and Kiutine Adventist School.
00:06:54.24\00:06:57.78
Then, eventually,
the One-Day Church
00:06:57.81\00:07:00.22
and well drilling
teams headed out to the bush
00:07:00.25\00:07:02.55
to begin building once more.
00:07:02.58\00:07:04.65
We have put in
42 One-Day Churches.
00:07:04.69\00:07:09.09
We have put in 18 wells.
00:07:09.12\00:07:12.56
At Kiutine, we
have put in a church,
00:07:12.59\00:07:16.40
which is completely blocked.
00:07:16.43\00:07:18.10
We have finished the
sidewalks, the walkways.
00:07:18.13\00:07:20.84
We have finished landscaping.
00:07:20.87\00:07:22.60
We had some work
at the staff housing
00:07:22.64\00:07:24.21
in a small kitchenette.
00:07:24.24\00:07:25.71
At Kajiado, we finished
00:07:25.74\00:07:27.08
the primary boys' dorm bathroom,
00:07:27.11\00:07:29.04
we finished the sidewalks,
00:07:29.08\00:07:30.65
we got a slab
made for the classroom,
00:07:30.68\00:07:34.55
computer room and a staff room.
00:07:34.58\00:07:36.15
So when the country opens
up and volunteers start coming,
00:07:36.18\00:07:38.95
we're all set and
ready to get the work done.
00:07:38.99\00:07:40.52
So that's what
has been accomplished
00:07:40.56\00:07:41.89
while Coronavirus happened.
00:07:41.92\00:07:44.69
In 2020 alone, even in
the face of a pandemic,
00:07:44.73\00:07:48.20
the team in Kenya has
completed nearly 100 churches
00:07:48.23\00:07:51.53
and more than 30 wells
00:07:51.57\00:07:53.17
along with the various
projects at the school campuses.
00:07:53.20\00:07:57.24
Each project,
whether it's a new church,
00:07:57.27\00:07:59.41
or classroom, or water well
provides a great deal of hope,
00:07:59.44\00:08:02.71
especially during
such uncertain times.
00:08:02.74\00:08:06.01
And this has
provided Ron and his team
00:08:06.05\00:08:08.28
plenty of motivation
00:08:08.32\00:08:09.65
to keep pushing
forward to get the work done.
00:08:09.68\00:08:13.69
When you see firsthand impact,
because I see it firsthand.
00:08:13.72\00:08:18.33
And when you see that,
it gives you more strength.
00:08:18.36\00:08:20.93
It gives you more courage.
It sort of motivates you.
00:08:20.96\00:08:22.93
It tells you that, you
know, you're on the right track.
00:08:22.96\00:08:25.57
And that you're part
of a greater ministry
00:08:25.60\00:08:28.30
that the Lord has chosen.
00:08:28.34\00:08:29.67
And that is what
Maranatha does, you know.
00:08:29.70\00:08:31.04
That is what Maranatha believes
00:08:31.07\00:08:32.94
that we are here to build people
00:08:32.97\00:08:34.61
as we build buildings.
00:08:34.64\00:08:35.98
Northwest of Kenya,
00:08:39.75\00:08:41.08
another team is working
hard on a number of projects.
00:08:41.12\00:08:44.25
Cote d'Ivoire, also
known as the Ivory Coast
00:08:44.29\00:08:46.99
has been a busy
place for Maranatha
00:08:47.02\00:08:48.76
throughout the pandemic,
00:08:48.79\00:08:50.49
as it hadn't yet
been impacted by COVID-19
00:08:50.53\00:08:53.50
other than the airport
closing and the curfew.
00:08:53.53\00:08:56.26
Most life remained the
same in this African country.
00:08:56.30\00:09:01.70
Cote d'Ivoire is a
nation of 25 million people
00:09:01.74\00:09:04.67
with a relatively
stable agricultural industry.
00:09:04.71\00:09:08.54
From coconut to
cassava, and chocolate.
00:09:08.58\00:09:13.42
A large portion of
the country is blanketed
00:09:16.58\00:09:18.82
with farms and plantations.
00:09:18.85\00:09:21.42
The farming industry has
attracted many immigrants
00:09:21.46\00:09:23.79
from its neighboring countries.
00:09:23.83\00:09:25.96
And today, about
24% of the population
00:09:25.99\00:09:28.73
is a mix of
cultures and nationalities.
00:09:28.76\00:09:31.20
When it comes to religion,
00:09:34.24\00:09:35.57
the majority of the
population is Muslim
00:09:35.60\00:09:38.17
with 33%
professing Christianity.
00:09:38.21\00:09:42.61
There are about 10,000
Seventh-day Adventists,
00:09:42.64\00:09:45.81
but that's about to change.
00:09:45.85\00:09:47.52
The Adventist
Church in Cote d'Ivoire
00:09:47.55\00:09:49.15
is slowly growing,
00:09:49.18\00:09:50.55
and they think
they can strengthen
00:09:50.59\00:09:51.92
their community by
building churches and schools.
00:09:51.95\00:09:54.92
So they've asked
Maranatha to help,
00:09:54.96\00:09:57.33
but just three
volunteer projects in,
00:09:57.36\00:09:59.93
the pandemic struck
00:09:59.96\00:10:01.30
putting all
mission trips on hold,
00:10:01.33\00:10:03.26
even in Cote d'Ivoire.
00:10:03.30\00:10:06.57
Then we start thinking,
00:10:06.60\00:10:07.94
how could we
solve the situation,
00:10:07.97\00:10:09.54
the challenge.
00:10:09.57\00:10:10.91
So we had the idea, First,
00:10:10.94\00:10:12.51
we will reduce our team
00:10:12.54\00:10:13.88
so that will give
enough space distance
00:10:13.91\00:10:16.24
for, you know,
social distancing.
00:10:16.28\00:10:18.41
Then we gave them meals here,
00:10:18.45\00:10:21.55
we provide them
with some mattresses
00:10:21.58\00:10:23.52
where they could sleep here,
00:10:23.55\00:10:25.22
and we gave them
gloves, they use mask,
00:10:25.25\00:10:28.12
they also use gel
to clean their hands.
00:10:28.16\00:10:31.53
And this was how we
were able to for four months
00:10:31.56\00:10:34.90
without the lockdown work here.
00:10:34.93\00:10:39.03
In time, workers
completed the Abbebroukoi
00:10:39.07\00:10:41.70
and Anan
Seventh-day Adventist churches,
00:10:41.74\00:10:44.61
two projects that
volunteers had started,
00:10:44.64\00:10:47.58
plus a classroom building.
00:10:47.61\00:10:49.74
In September, with restrictions
lifted in the country,
00:10:49.78\00:10:52.51
both churches had
dedication ceremonies
00:10:52.55\00:10:54.78
that welcomed
the church leadership
00:10:54.82\00:10:56.45
and the local media.
00:10:56.48\00:10:59.69
In Abbebroukoi, the dedication
was an exuberant kickoff
00:10:59.72\00:11:03.06
to an upcoming time
of big positive change
00:11:03.09\00:11:06.06
in the neighborhood.
00:11:06.09\00:11:07.43
In Abbebroukoi,
00:11:12.07\00:11:13.40
we are
enrolling now the children
00:11:13.44\00:11:15.37
and about two months ago,
nine of our lay evangelists,
00:11:15.40\00:11:18.84
they start visiting the area,
00:11:18.87\00:11:21.14
visiting the homes
00:11:21.18\00:11:22.58
and they enrolled 100
people with Bible studies.
00:11:22.61\00:11:25.65
And we were so glad
that about two weeks ago,
00:11:25.68\00:11:29.08
25 people, they were baptized.
00:11:29.12\00:11:31.49
When we started the church here,
00:11:31.52\00:11:34.16
barely the church could
grow in this Muslim area.
00:11:34.19\00:11:36.96
But Adventist education
will be a blessing for us.
00:11:36.99\00:11:40.50
And we hope by
the end of this year
00:11:40.53\00:11:42.16
to have about 60 new members
enrolled here in this church.
00:11:42.20\00:11:48.20
Next, the local
crew is starting work
00:11:48.24\00:11:50.57
on another school.
00:11:50.61\00:11:52.71
There is an
existing church in Niangon.
00:11:52.74\00:11:55.31
But for many years,
they have been praying,
00:11:55.34\00:11:57.01
asking God to
give them a school,
00:11:57.05\00:11:59.31
and the secondary school
00:11:59.35\00:12:00.68
because this is
the greatest need
00:12:00.72\00:12:02.08
in the community.
00:12:02.12\00:12:03.45
And Maranatha is
responding to their request,
00:12:03.49\00:12:06.32
given them seven classrooms,
00:12:06.35\00:12:10.06
two labs, science and computing,
00:12:10.09\00:12:13.33
five traditional classrooms.
00:12:13.36\00:12:16.53
Office to the principal as well,
00:12:16.56\00:12:19.03
a lunch room for the teachers.
00:12:19.07\00:12:21.30
And we hope that by December,
00:12:21.34\00:12:23.77
we will have a
group of volunteers
00:12:23.81\00:12:25.31
coming here to help
us to build that school.
00:12:25.34\00:12:30.31
When we come back,
we'll head south to Zambia,
00:12:30.35\00:12:33.38
where crews are busier than ever
00:12:33.42\00:12:35.08
continuing the mission.
00:12:35.12\00:12:36.45
Right now you may be at home
00:12:47.76\00:12:49.40
wishing you could travel
to another country to serve.
00:12:49.43\00:12:52.43
We know people are
itching to volunteer
00:12:52.47\00:12:54.70
and yet
international travel is limited.
00:12:54.74\00:12:57.81
But you can volunteer to
carry the mission forward
00:12:57.84\00:13:00.24
right where you are
00:13:00.28\00:13:01.61
by organizing a
personal fundraiser
00:13:01.64\00:13:03.41
for Maranatha,
00:13:03.45\00:13:04.78
and we have a
newly redesigned tool
00:13:04.81\00:13:06.55
to help.
00:13:06.58\00:13:07.92
Introducing our revamped
online fundraising platform,
00:13:07.95\00:13:11.85
this tool allows
supporters to create
00:13:11.89\00:13:13.76
their own custom web page
00:13:13.79\00:13:15.39
to raise money for
the mission of Maranatha.
00:13:15.42\00:13:18.29
Once you've
personalized your page
00:13:18.33\00:13:19.96
by adding
photos, video and text,
00:13:20.00\00:13:23.16
share the fundraiser
with family and friends
00:13:23.20\00:13:25.57
and invite them to get involved.
00:13:25.60\00:13:27.67
One hundred
percent of the donations
00:13:27.70\00:13:29.57
go to the
Maranatha program you select.
00:13:29.60\00:13:32.57
To get started with your
own Maranatha fundraiser,
00:13:32.61\00:13:35.24
go to maranatha.org/fundraise.
00:13:35.28\00:13:38.81
Make sure to create an
account first if you haven't,
00:13:38.85\00:13:41.35
then get to work
00:13:41.38\00:13:42.72
contributing to the
mission right from your home.
00:13:42.75\00:13:45.22
Zambia is a
Sub-Saharan African country
00:13:56.80\00:13:59.57
most famous for Victoria Falls,
00:13:59.60\00:14:02.30
a breathtaking
waterfall spanning a mile wide
00:14:02.34\00:14:05.14
and a depth of 304 feet.
00:14:05.17\00:14:09.14
But by Maranatha standards,
00:14:09.18\00:14:10.95
Zambia is famous as a country
00:14:10.98\00:14:12.75
with one of the largest
00:14:12.78\00:14:14.12
Seventh-day Adventist
memberships in the world.
00:14:14.15\00:14:17.69
More than 1.36 million people
00:14:17.72\00:14:20.29
are part of the
Adventist faith in Zambia,
00:14:20.32\00:14:22.72
and many of them
need a place of worship.
00:14:22.76\00:14:26.93
After working in
Zambia from 2009-2015
00:14:26.96\00:14:30.73
to build hundreds of structures,
00:14:30.77\00:14:32.67
Maranatha returned in
2018 to build more churches,
00:14:32.70\00:14:36.91
schools, and also water wells.
00:14:36.94\00:14:40.84
When news of the
pandemic hit the world,
00:14:40.88\00:14:42.91
work in Zambia shut
down for a couple of weeks
00:14:42.94\00:14:45.55
as the crew assessed
the country restrictions
00:14:45.58\00:14:47.88
and the potential risks.
00:14:47.92\00:14:49.78
Then in mid-April
00:14:49.82\00:14:51.15
Maranatha decided
to shelter in place
00:14:51.19\00:14:53.05
and work at the Immanuel
Adventist Secondary School,
00:14:53.09\00:14:56.12
a campus in need
of more classrooms.
00:14:56.16\00:15:00.10
When COVID came on the scene,
00:15:00.13\00:15:02.76
we needed a place
to be able to work
00:15:02.80\00:15:05.00
that was a safe place
00:15:05.03\00:15:07.07
where we could
bring our workers in,
00:15:07.10\00:15:09.27
and they weren't having
to come on and off the job.
00:15:09.30\00:15:12.47
So the Immanuel School
emerged as a good place
00:15:12.51\00:15:15.34
for us to do that.
00:15:15.38\00:15:16.71
There was a big need,
00:15:16.75\00:15:18.08
and so we talked
to the leadership
00:15:18.11\00:15:19.45
and agreed on a couple of things
00:15:19.48\00:15:20.82
and we got started.
00:15:20.85\00:15:22.18
Since then the team has remained
00:15:22.22\00:15:23.69
at Immanuel,
00:15:23.72\00:15:25.05
building several classrooms
and a girls' dormitory.
00:15:25.09\00:15:28.96
And when the country
began opening up some more,
00:15:28.99\00:15:31.69
Maranatha started venturing
out to build One-Day Churches.
00:15:31.73\00:15:35.63
You can't go
anywhere in the country
00:15:35.66\00:15:37.27
without finding
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:15:37.30\00:15:38.63
Every village along the
road, every shop, there's just,
00:15:38.67\00:15:41.40
there's Seventh-day
Adventist all over the country.
00:15:41.44\00:15:43.41
So the need for structures
and buildings is huge.
00:15:43.44\00:15:49.28
They were meeting under trees.
00:15:49.31\00:15:51.28
If they have a
structure, in general,
00:15:51.31\00:15:52.65
they have some kind of
shade structure built up,
00:15:52.68\00:15:54.45
but it's made out of,
00:15:54.48\00:15:55.82
you know, sticks or
thatch went around us,
00:15:55.85\00:15:57.55
it just pulls grass
over top, no metal roof.
00:15:57.59\00:16:01.52
So it's a termite buffet,
00:16:01.56\00:16:03.43
you know, and the
buildings don't last very long.
00:16:03.46\00:16:05.73
And so that's what
we find in most villages
00:16:05.76\00:16:07.63
where we go and
been asked to build.
00:16:07.66\00:16:11.73
The team has also been
drilling water wells at places
00:16:11.77\00:16:14.24
where we have
constructed churches.
00:16:14.27\00:16:16.04
And the impact has been massive.
00:16:16.07\00:16:20.24
There are some
denominations in eastern Zambia
00:16:20.28\00:16:22.84
where we were building
back in February, March
00:16:22.88\00:16:24.91
that actually were restricting
access to only members.
00:16:24.95\00:16:27.98
And they actually charge
them a certain amount of money,
00:16:28.02\00:16:30.65
and even if you
were not a member,
00:16:30.69\00:16:32.72
you couldn't, even with money
00:16:32.75\00:16:34.16
you couldn't access the well.
00:16:34.19\00:16:35.52
Just you had to be
like a real member,
00:16:35.56\00:16:37.53
you know, this club kind
of thing, or this church.
00:16:37.56\00:16:40.66
Our situation is
completely different.
00:16:40.70\00:16:42.13
We put it in,
everybody's so grateful,
00:16:42.16\00:16:43.83
because they can't afford it.
00:16:43.87\00:16:45.20
I mean, a subsistence farmer,
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.34
you know, scratching a
living out of the ground,
00:16:47.37\00:16:49.37
they don't have money for water.
00:16:49.40\00:16:50.74
I mean, they go get
it from poor source,
00:16:50.77\00:16:52.87
because they can't
afford to pay for it
00:16:52.91\00:16:54.28
from some other better source.
00:16:54.31\00:16:56.21
So we're just super stoked
to be able to be providing
00:16:56.24\00:16:59.45
free water to
every thirsty person.
00:16:59.48\00:17:02.48
And we're blessed
with generous donors
00:17:02.52\00:17:04.42
and so we move as
the Lord allows us
00:17:04.45\00:17:07.29
and as provides
resources, you know,
00:17:07.32\00:17:09.02
but, but the impact is big.
00:17:09.06\00:17:11.23
And, of course,
we're going to see
00:17:11.26\00:17:12.73
a lot more of that
00:17:12.76\00:17:14.10
as we continue
to build for them,
00:17:14.13\00:17:16.03
that impact will
continue to grow.
00:17:16.06\00:17:18.03
As of September 2020,
00:17:18.07\00:17:19.80
Maranatha had
already constructed
00:17:19.83\00:17:21.57
more than 50 One-Day Churches
00:17:21.60\00:17:23.57
and drilled more than 100
wells in Zambia just this year.
00:17:23.61\00:17:29.01
The fact that most
of Maranatha's projects
00:17:29.04\00:17:31.58
take place in rural areas
00:17:31.61\00:17:33.52
has been the
saving grace for our work,
00:17:33.55\00:17:35.98
not just in Africa,
00:17:36.02\00:17:37.35
but also in other
parts of the world.
00:17:37.39\00:17:39.15
As the COVID-19 virus
spread around the world,
00:17:48.10\00:17:50.87
India quickly locked
down the entire country.
00:17:50.90\00:17:55.40
The
restrictions were most severe
00:17:55.44\00:17:56.84
in the urban areas
00:17:56.87\00:17:58.21
where people were not
allowed to leave their homes.
00:17:58.24\00:18:03.35
On March 24, 2020,
00:18:03.38\00:18:06.35
our Prime Minister announced
00:18:06.38\00:18:07.72
that India is going
in a complete lockdown.
00:18:07.75\00:18:10.25
And the guidelines for
lockdown was no flights,
00:18:10.29\00:18:15.59
no ground
transportation, no trains.
00:18:15.62\00:18:20.66
Everybody was
supposed to stay indoor.
00:18:20.70\00:18:24.10
And everything
came to standstill,
00:18:24.13\00:18:26.33
complete halt, nothing moved.
00:18:26.37\00:18:29.04
And for that matter of fact,
00:18:29.07\00:18:30.84
some of our team members
00:18:30.87\00:18:32.21
actually stayed
away from their families
00:18:32.24\00:18:33.71
for almost six to seven months.
00:18:33.74\00:18:35.88
They could not go
back to their families
00:18:35.91\00:18:37.41
because the states
were all also locked on,
00:18:37.45\00:18:40.08
the state borders were
sealed, we could not move.
00:18:40.12\00:18:44.82
But a couple weeks later,
00:18:44.85\00:18:46.19
the India team
found a way to work again.
00:18:46.22\00:18:48.72
Unable to go home,
00:18:48.76\00:18:50.09
crews asked
permission from local officials
00:18:50.13\00:18:52.13
to shelter in place at
their construction sites
00:18:52.16\00:18:54.80
and keep working.
00:18:54.83\00:18:57.40
School and church
construction projects
00:18:57.43\00:18:59.67
slowly started up again
00:18:59.70\00:19:01.37
with limited
materials and even tools.
00:19:01.40\00:19:05.17
For example, like
there was one instance
00:19:05.21\00:19:07.04
when we were trying to
finish the church in Kerala.
00:19:07.08\00:19:11.58
We could not move our equipment
from one site to the other.
00:19:11.61\00:19:14.85
So we had only one drill.
00:19:14.88\00:19:17.79
Only one drill to erect
the entire church structure.
00:19:17.82\00:19:20.96
Plus also that same drill
was used to place the roof.
00:19:20.99\00:19:25.96
And my team is very
proud of that drill impact
00:19:25.99\00:19:30.20
because that was
the only one equipment
00:19:30.23\00:19:32.53
we had to finish that church.
00:19:32.57\00:19:34.90
And sometimes
we even had to wait
00:19:34.94\00:19:36.67
for three weeks
00:19:36.71\00:19:38.21
for just to get few screws
00:19:38.24\00:19:39.81
so that we could
put it on the roof.
00:19:39.84\00:19:42.21
It was difficult,
00:19:42.24\00:19:43.68
but team was able to move along.
00:19:43.71\00:19:47.68
India has also been
drilling wells during COVID
00:19:47.72\00:19:50.09
at locations where Maranatha
has constructed churches.
00:19:50.12\00:19:54.49
Water is a dire
need for any mankind.
00:19:54.52\00:19:57.93
You cannot
survive without water.
00:19:57.96\00:20:00.10
And that goes
for my country too.
00:20:00.13\00:20:02.46
In India,
majority of our population
00:20:02.50\00:20:05.47
does not have access
to clean drinking water.
00:20:05.50\00:20:08.10
And from past couple of years
00:20:08.14\00:20:09.47
we have been able
to go and drill wells
00:20:09.50\00:20:11.71
for many
communities in our country.
00:20:11.74\00:20:13.94
And that has helped
our church tremendously
00:20:13.98\00:20:17.11
in making sure that,
00:20:17.15\00:20:18.48
you know,
communities are reached
00:20:18.51\00:20:20.18
which do not have
access to clean water.
00:20:20.22\00:20:22.02
Now some of
those community people
00:20:22.05\00:20:23.49
are able to come to our churches
00:20:23.52\00:20:25.69
and attend churches.
00:20:25.72\00:20:28.66
Despite and during one
of the strictest lockdowns,
00:20:28.69\00:20:31.39
the team in India
is continuing to work
00:20:31.43\00:20:33.70
to share God's message of
hope through construction.
00:20:33.73\00:20:36.53
From India, we head to Brazil,
00:20:48.34\00:20:50.51
a country that is famous
for its expansive rainforest
00:20:50.55\00:20:53.82
and the Amazon River.
00:20:53.85\00:20:57.02
But it is less
known for its deserts,
00:20:57.05\00:20:59.65
areas that have a
scarcity of flora,
00:20:59.69\00:21:01.72
fauna and water.
00:21:01.76\00:21:03.09
Northeastern
Brazil is one such place,
00:21:06.70\00:21:11.10
and it's where
Maranatha has been focusing
00:21:11.13\00:21:13.20
its efforts since late 2019.
00:21:13.23\00:21:17.24
Here, rain is scarce
and vegetation is sparse.
00:21:17.27\00:21:22.24
Water is a
luxury to be purchased
00:21:22.28\00:21:27.02
or collected carefully
when it rains, which is rare.
00:21:27.05\00:21:31.65
For years, Maranatha
has been working in Brazil
00:21:31.69\00:21:34.19
to build nearly
1,000 One-Day Churches
00:21:34.22\00:21:36.73
for congregations in need.
00:21:36.76\00:21:39.73
Many of those structures
were in this dry region.
00:21:39.76\00:21:42.96
And now Maranatha has returned
to visit the congregations
00:21:43.00\00:21:46.07
and provide them a
well even during the crisis.
00:21:46.10\00:21:50.37
Brazil has been hit very
hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,
00:21:50.41\00:21:53.94
and it has impacted
people throughout the country.
00:21:53.98\00:21:56.78
Some of the cities have
been hit extremely hard.
00:21:56.81\00:21:59.95
Yet out in the rural areas,
we've been able to move around,
00:21:59.98\00:22:03.72
we've been able to drill
wells in some of these villages
00:22:03.75\00:22:06.96
in areas where the
need is extremely high.
00:22:06.99\00:22:11.49
While some wells tend
to be private or reserved
00:22:11.53\00:22:14.13
for certain denominations,
00:22:14.16\00:22:15.83
all Maranatha water
wells are free to the public
00:22:15.86\00:22:18.73
with no strings attached.
00:22:18.77\00:22:21.60
As we've drilled
water wells in Brazil,
00:22:21.64\00:22:23.61
we've seen those
wells be an opportunity
00:22:23.64\00:22:26.84
for a Seventh-day
Adventist congregation
00:22:26.88\00:22:28.68
to get to know their community
00:22:28.71\00:22:30.25
in a way that
they didn't before.
00:22:30.28\00:22:31.61
They're meeting their neighbors,
00:22:35.32\00:22:38.05
they're showing their
care for people around them.
00:22:38.09\00:22:42.59
And it's actually
completely changing the view
00:22:42.62\00:22:45.63
that the neighbors have
about them as congregation
00:22:45.66\00:22:48.16
and about them as Christians.
00:22:48.20\00:22:49.80
While Maranatha has
been able to continue
00:23:03.95\00:23:05.91
the mission in most countries,
00:23:05.95\00:23:07.45
there is one place
where work has been halted
00:23:07.48\00:23:09.85
for several months, Peru.
00:23:09.88\00:23:12.12
Maranatha worked in
this South American country
00:23:15.96\00:23:18.33
about 15 years ago,
00:23:18.36\00:23:19.79
providing churches and schools
to dozens of communities.
00:23:19.83\00:23:25.57
The beautiful
setting, rich culture,
00:23:25.60\00:23:28.47
and friendly people
00:23:28.50\00:23:30.17
made it a beloved
project for volunteers.
00:23:30.21\00:23:33.58
And in 2020, the return to Peru
was going to be a big focus.
00:23:33.61\00:23:38.88
The goal was to
build churches and a school
00:23:38.91\00:23:41.42
in the suburbs surrounding Lima,
00:23:41.45\00:23:43.15
Peru's capital city.
00:23:43.18\00:23:44.52
Congregations
that had been chosen
00:23:47.72\00:23:49.46
to receive a new church
00:23:49.49\00:23:50.83
prepared for
Maranatha's Volunteers
00:23:50.86\00:23:52.73
by tearing down
their old buildings
00:23:52.76\00:23:54.83
and clearing the
way for the work.
00:23:54.86\00:23:56.93
Then everything came
to a heartbreaking stop.
00:23:56.97\00:24:00.77
So we're really excited
00:24:00.80\00:24:03.14
for the month
of March and April.
00:24:03.17\00:24:05.87
Those are the busiest
months of the year for us.
00:24:05.91\00:24:09.54
We're expecting
about eight groups
00:24:09.58\00:24:11.61
and close to 500 volunteers.
00:24:11.65\00:24:15.15
In early March,
00:24:15.18\00:24:16.52
Elmer and his team welcomed
00:24:16.55\00:24:17.89
two of the eight groups to Peru.
00:24:17.92\00:24:20.39
As soon as the groups arrived,
00:24:20.42\00:24:21.76
we start hearing
that there was one case
00:24:21.79\00:24:23.59
and two cases.
00:24:23.63\00:24:24.96
By the end of the
week, there were six cases
00:24:24.99\00:24:27.40
and that's when the
World Health Organization
00:24:27.43\00:24:31.00
announced that
this was a pandemic.
00:24:31.03\00:24:33.40
At that moment, the
president of the country
00:24:33.44\00:24:35.74
decided to close the country
00:24:35.77\00:24:37.44
completed with
all the borders close,
00:24:37.47\00:24:40.08
the airport, the
land borders and sea.
00:24:40.11\00:24:45.98
In conjunction
with the Maranatha team
00:24:46.01\00:24:47.92
in the United States,
00:24:47.95\00:24:49.28
Elmer's local
team worked frantically
00:24:49.32\00:24:51.05
to get 100 volunteers
home before Peru's border shut.
00:24:51.09\00:24:55.76
Thirty hours later
00:24:55.79\00:24:57.13
and with 10 minutes to spare
before the border is closed,
00:24:57.16\00:25:00.63
everyone got out.
00:25:00.66\00:25:02.00
It was one problem solved.
00:25:05.43\00:25:07.27
But in Peru, Elmer and the team
were basically on house arrest.
00:25:07.30\00:25:12.74
Work has not
restarted in Peru since March.
00:25:12.77\00:25:15.61
But Maranatha is
continuing to pray
00:25:15.64\00:25:18.01
for projects in Peru.
00:25:18.05\00:25:20.28
I can't predict the future.
00:25:20.32\00:25:21.68
But I can tell you
that we're still committed
00:25:21.72\00:25:24.15
to trying to do
what we had planned to do
00:25:24.19\00:25:26.55
and to honor our commitments
that we made in Peru.
00:25:26.59\00:25:29.62
Right now, it's not
possible to work there.
00:25:29.66\00:25:31.89
But we're waiting for the door
to open and when it will open,
00:25:31.93\00:25:35.36
we'll walk through
and do what we can.
00:25:35.40\00:25:37.60
What keeps me
hoping and trusting
00:25:42.50\00:25:45.61
that God's going
to take care of us
00:25:45.64\00:25:46.98
looking in the past and
see how He has led our lives,
00:25:47.01\00:25:50.31
He has led the
work of Maranatha,
00:25:50.35\00:25:52.18
and personally has
been taking care of me
00:25:52.21\00:25:53.98
and my family.
00:25:54.02\00:25:55.35
And I know that
He can do anything,
00:25:55.38\00:25:58.05
and He has all
under His control.
00:25:58.09\00:26:00.42
We may not understand,
but God sees the big picture.
00:26:00.46\00:26:03.53
So it's a exercise
every day to trust Him
00:26:03.56\00:26:08.20
and know that
He's taking care of us.
00:26:08.23\00:26:11.07
Through God's
blessing and guidance,
00:26:11.10\00:26:13.20
we know He will
open doors for us
00:26:13.23\00:26:15.30
to help these
faithful congregations,
00:26:15.34\00:26:17.84
not only in Peru, but
also in Kenya, Zambia,
00:26:17.87\00:26:23.14
Cote d'Ivoire,
India, and Brazil.
00:26:23.18\00:26:28.28
We also trust that
each of you watching
00:26:28.32\00:26:30.59
will be
inspired to get involved.
00:26:30.62\00:26:32.82
Now more than ever,
00:26:32.85\00:26:34.52
we need your support
00:26:34.56\00:26:36.22
as we navigate this new reality.
00:26:36.26\00:26:40.06
Well, the more I
watch what's transpired
00:26:40.10\00:26:42.53
and continues to transpire
00:26:42.56\00:26:44.43
during this
COVID-19 time period,
00:26:44.47\00:26:47.64
the more I am convinced
00:26:47.67\00:26:50.57
that God wants us here
that we're supposed to be
00:26:50.61\00:26:52.47
or that we're supposed to
be reaching out to people.
00:26:52.51\00:26:57.05
I think that those
that watch Maranatha
00:26:57.08\00:27:00.38
are involved with Maranatha.
00:27:00.42\00:27:02.25
They're involved
00:27:02.28\00:27:03.62
because they want to
see something happen.
00:27:03.65\00:27:05.52
They don't want to see
people go back in a corner
00:27:05.55\00:27:08.56
and fold their arms and retreat.
00:27:08.59\00:27:12.06
They want to see
do as much as you can.
00:27:12.09\00:27:15.36
Push on all the
doors that you can.
00:27:15.40\00:27:17.63
Don't be stupid about
it, don't be unsafe about it.
00:27:17.67\00:27:20.50
But push on all the doors
00:27:20.54\00:27:21.87
and accomplish
everything you can
00:27:21.90\00:27:23.30
and see if God
doesn't open those doors
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.01
and make something happen.
00:27:25.04\00:27:27.28
As we keep
pushing, God keeps blessing,
00:27:27.31\00:27:29.81
and that's,
what's better than that?
00:27:29.84\00:27:32.61