Hi, I'm Dustin Comm
with the Maranatha Minute.
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.40
Giving Tuesday was December 1,
00:00:03.43\00:00:05.27
and Maranatha
raised more than $250,000.
00:00:05.30\00:00:08.97
This total breaks
last year's record
00:00:09.00\00:00:10.67
by nearly $150,000.
00:00:10.71\00:00:12.91
And the funds will provide
25 new water wells in Zambia.
00:00:12.94\00:00:17.11
Each well has the potential
to serve 600 people or more.
00:00:17.15\00:00:20.65
And they also
support community livestock,
00:00:20.68\00:00:22.95
which is often the
main source of income
00:00:22.98\00:00:25.19
for families in rural Zambia.
00:00:25.22\00:00:27.56
This year's campaign
also included a challenge
00:00:27.59\00:00:30.09
called no tap Tuesday,
00:00:30.13\00:00:32.09
where
participants were encouraged
00:00:32.13\00:00:33.86
to turn off their
faucets for an entire day.
00:00:33.90\00:00:36.70
Instead, they would collect
water from a neighbor's house
00:00:36.73\00:00:39.47
or purchase it from a store
00:00:39.50\00:00:41.17
sharing their
experience on social media.
00:00:41.20\00:00:44.01
Many commented how
impactful the challenge was
00:00:44.04\00:00:46.61
in showing how integral clean
accessible water is to us all.
00:00:46.64\00:00:51.28
If you weren't
able to contribute
00:00:51.31\00:00:52.65
toward Giving Tuesday,
00:00:52.68\00:00:54.02
you can still
support the mission anytime.
00:00:54.05\00:00:56.15
Give us a call or
donate on our website.
00:00:56.18\00:00:58.49
2020 started like any other year
00:01:35.62\00:01:37.99
for Maranatha
Volunteers International.
00:01:38.03\00:01:39.96
We have just wrapped
the Christmas Family Project
00:01:44.70\00:01:46.90
where 86
volunteers served in Peru.
00:01:46.94\00:01:49.00
A small team of volunteers
took off for Cote d'Ivoire
00:01:54.18\00:01:56.71
for a church
construction project.
00:01:56.75\00:01:58.28
Groups were trickling
00:02:02.28\00:02:03.62
into various
countries here and there.
00:02:03.65\00:02:07.49
Meanwhile,
00:02:07.52\00:02:08.86
the Maranatha headquarters
in California was preparing
00:02:08.89\00:02:11.29
for the annual
surge of volunteers
00:02:11.33\00:02:13.63
in the month of March.
00:02:13.66\00:02:15.00
What was different
this time, however,
00:02:19.27\00:02:20.97
was the threat of a new virus
00:02:21.00\00:02:22.67
that had been wreaking
havoc in Asia and Europe
00:02:22.70\00:02:24.97
in January and February.
00:02:25.01\00:02:28.18
In early March,
00:02:28.21\00:02:30.05
things were
evolving with COVID-19.
00:02:30.08\00:02:32.51
We're hearing
stories out of China.
00:02:32.55\00:02:34.18
And then there was some
cases in the United States.
00:02:34.22\00:02:38.69
And so we really weren't
sure how it's going to impact
00:02:38.72\00:02:42.39
all of our volunteer activity.
00:02:42.42\00:02:45.06
So we had some groups
that were that went out.
00:02:45.09\00:02:50.57
We had some trips that
they started to question,
00:02:50.60\00:02:54.94
but most of our group leaders
were moving forward as planned.
00:02:54.97\00:02:58.51
And then mid-March, things
started to really move quickly.
00:02:58.54\00:03:03.18
And I started to look like,
00:03:03.21\00:03:04.98
well, maybe we
might be more affected
00:03:05.01\00:03:07.22
than what we had
hoped we would be.
00:03:07.25\00:03:10.42
So on March 11,
00:03:10.45\00:03:11.99
President Trump
held a press conference
00:03:12.02\00:03:13.99
where he announced that
things were going to change,
00:03:14.02\00:03:17.69
there's a pandemic
00:03:17.73\00:03:19.06
and that created and
triggered a number of effects.
00:03:19.09\00:03:22.86
The same day,
00:03:22.90\00:03:24.23
the World Health
Organization announced that
00:03:24.27\00:03:25.83
COVID-19 was a pandemic.
00:03:25.87\00:03:29.84
Overseas, other countries
started shutting their borders.
00:03:29.87\00:03:33.38
Airports closed, offices shut,
00:03:33.41\00:03:36.81
people
self-quarantined in their homes.
00:03:36.85\00:03:39.91
Peru was put in
a total lockdown.
00:03:39.95\00:03:42.82
India was on total lockdown.
00:03:42.85\00:03:44.92
Kenyan airports were closed
00:03:44.95\00:03:46.29
and everyone was
put on a lockdown.
00:03:46.32\00:03:48.09
By March,
00:03:48.12\00:03:49.82
groups were
really starting to wonder
00:03:49.86\00:03:51.89
if they were
going to be able to go
00:03:51.93\00:03:53.26
on their mission trip or not.
00:03:53.29\00:03:54.73
And by mid-March,
00:03:54.76\00:03:56.46
many of our trips
had either cancelled,
00:03:56.50\00:03:58.50
postponed, or we had a few,
00:03:58.53\00:04:00.94
a few groups that that went out,
00:04:00.97\00:04:02.67
but then had to come
back a little bit early.
00:04:02.70\00:04:05.51
And so, wrapped in
00:04:05.54\00:04:06.98
within a space
of a couple of weeks
00:04:07.01\00:04:08.38
things went from we're
planning for a year as normal
00:04:08.41\00:04:11.35
to suddenly
everything was shut down.
00:04:11.38\00:04:13.28
Last year, Maranatha
mobilized over 2600 volunteers
00:04:25.03\00:04:28.60
to many
countries around the world
00:04:28.63\00:04:30.73
to help build a number
of different buildings.
00:04:30.77\00:04:33.20
But the number of buildings
that those volunteers built
00:04:33.23\00:04:35.90
is actually a small fraction
00:04:35.94\00:04:37.54
of the total number of buildings
00:04:37.57\00:04:38.91
that Maranatha builds each year.
00:04:38.94\00:04:41.48
The rest we use local labor
00:04:41.51\00:04:43.21
to build churches and
schools and water wells,
00:04:43.24\00:04:46.05
all are
happening around the world
00:04:46.08\00:04:48.38
whether
volunteers are there or not.
00:04:48.42\00:04:52.39
Quite frankly, a
lot of our projects
00:04:52.42\00:04:54.92
are prepared and
completed by teams in the field.
00:04:54.96\00:05:01.16
We've actually spent
decades developing a competent,
00:05:01.20\00:05:06.20
experienced, committed,
dedicated team of builders
00:05:06.23\00:05:10.34
that travel around the world
00:05:10.37\00:05:11.71
and get these projects prepared,
00:05:11.74\00:05:13.07
work with the volunteers,
00:05:13.11\00:05:14.58
finish up with the volunteers
00:05:14.61\00:05:15.94
who don't finish when
they're on the project.
00:05:15.98\00:05:20.18
So, we have been
doing actually a lot of work
00:05:20.22\00:05:24.29
during this time in
the places that we can,
00:05:24.32\00:05:25.99
some places we can't.
00:05:26.02\00:05:27.62
But many places
we've been able to work
00:05:27.66\00:05:29.59
and it's still very effective.
00:05:29.62\00:05:31.73
Now, several months in,
the world is slowly opening up,
00:05:34.73\00:05:38.27
but not necessarily for travel.
00:05:38.30\00:05:41.27
So the work of Maranatha
is still being carried out
00:05:41.30\00:05:43.87
by our local crews in
six different countries.
00:05:43.91\00:05:47.08
Crews are carefully working
00:05:47.11\00:05:48.71
in regions that are isolated
00:05:48.74\00:05:50.41
or relatively
untouched by virus.
00:05:50.45\00:05:52.91
One of the places
00:05:58.19\00:05:59.52
where we've been
working is Kenya,
00:05:59.55\00:06:01.72
a country that has welcomed
more than 1, 000 volunteers
00:06:01.76\00:06:04.83
since we started working
there extensively in 2016.
00:06:04.86\00:06:09.16
Adventist church
leadership in Kenya
00:06:09.20\00:06:11.00
asked Maranatha to
build churches and schools
00:06:11.03\00:06:13.54
for their rapidly
growing membership.
00:06:13.57\00:06:15.74
And since then,
00:06:15.77\00:06:17.11
Maranatha has completed
more than 450 structures.
00:06:17.14\00:06:20.38
And since 2016,
00:06:20.41\00:06:22.11
the church has
grown from 850, 000
00:06:22.14\00:06:24.68
to more than 1 million members.
00:06:24.71\00:06:26.75
Kenya has been
one of Maranatha's
00:06:31.29\00:06:32.85
most active
countries in terms of projects.
00:06:32.89\00:06:36.42
And while COVID
has slowed the work,
00:06:36.46\00:06:38.49
it hasn't shut
it down completely.
00:06:38.53\00:06:41.80
Just a few weeks after
the initial shutdown in March,
00:06:41.83\00:06:44.63
Maranatha's local crew
00:06:44.67\00:06:46.00
started working
in rural locations
00:06:46.03\00:06:47.87
by sheltering in place.
00:06:47.90\00:06:50.57
So construction continued
at the Kajiado Adventist School
00:06:50.61\00:06:53.78
and Rescue Center and
Kiutine Adventist School.
00:06:53.81\00:06:58.78
Then, eventually,
00:06:58.81\00:07:00.15
the One-Day Church
and well drilling teams
00:07:00.18\00:07:02.48
headed out to the bush
to begin building once more.
00:07:02.52\00:07:05.65
We have put in
42 One-Day Churches.
00:07:05.69\00:07:10.06
We have put in 18 wells.
00:07:10.09\00:07:13.56
At Kiutine, we
have put in a church,
00:07:13.60\00:07:17.40
which is completely blocked.
00:07:17.43\00:07:19.10
We have finished the
sidewalks, the walkways.
00:07:19.13\00:07:21.84
We have finished landscaping.
00:07:21.87\00:07:23.57
We had some work
at the staff housing
00:07:23.61\00:07:25.24
in a small kitchenette.
00:07:25.27\00:07:26.61
At Kajiado,
00:07:26.64\00:07:27.98
we finished the
primary boys' dorm bathroom,
00:07:28.01\00:07:29.88
we finished the sidewalks,
00:07:29.91\00:07:31.61
we got a slab
made for the classroom,
00:07:31.65\00:07:35.55
computer room and a staff room.
00:07:35.58\00:07:37.19
So when the country opens
up and volunteers start coming,
00:07:37.22\00:07:39.89
we're all set and
ready to get the work done.
00:07:39.92\00:07:41.56
So that's what
has been accomplished
00:07:41.59\00:07:42.92
while Coronavirus happened.
00:07:42.96\00:07:45.59
In 2020 alone, even in
the face of a pandemic,
00:07:45.63\00:07:49.20
the team in Kenya has
completed nearly 100 churches
00:07:49.23\00:07:52.57
and more than 30 wells
00:07:52.60\00:07:54.24
along with the various
projects at the school campuses.
00:07:54.27\00:07:58.14
Each project,
00:07:58.17\00:07:59.51
whether it's a new
church, or classroom,
00:07:59.54\00:08:01.24
or water well
provides a great deal of hope,
00:08:01.28\00:08:03.75
especially during
such uncertain times.
00:08:03.78\00:08:07.02
And this has
provided Ron and his team
00:08:07.05\00:08:09.35
plenty of motivation
00:08:09.38\00:08:10.72
to keep pushing
forward to get the work done.
00:08:10.75\00:08:14.66
When you see firsthand impact,
00:08:14.69\00:08:18.33
because I see it firsthand.
00:08:18.36\00:08:19.69
And when you see that,
it gives you more strength.
00:08:19.73\00:08:21.86
It gives you more courage.
It sort of motivates you.
00:08:21.90\00:08:24.30
It tells you that, you
know, you're on the right track.
00:08:24.33\00:08:26.60
And that you're part
of a greater ministry
00:08:26.63\00:08:29.37
that the Lord has chosen.
00:08:29.40\00:08:30.74
And that is what
Maranatha does, you know.
00:08:30.77\00:08:32.11
That is what Maranatha believes
00:08:32.14\00:08:34.01
that we are here to build people
00:08:34.04\00:08:35.64
as we build buildings.
00:08:35.68\00:08:37.01
Northwest of Kenya,
00:08:40.78\00:08:42.12
another team is working
hard on a number of projects.
00:08:42.15\00:08:45.09
Cote d'Ivoire,
00:08:45.12\00:08:46.45
also known as the Ivory Coast
00:08:46.49\00:08:47.99
has been a busy
place for Maranatha
00:08:48.02\00:08:49.82
throughout the pandemic,
00:08:49.86\00:08:51.53
as it hadn't yet
been impacted by COVID-19
00:08:51.56\00:08:54.46
other than the airport
closing and the curfew.
00:08:54.50\00:08:57.23
Most life remained the
same in this African country.
00:08:57.27\00:09:02.74
Cote d'Ivoire is a
nation of 25 million people
00:09:02.77\00:09:05.67
with a relatively
stable agricultural industry.
00:09:05.71\00:09:09.48
From coconut to
cassava, and chocolate.
00:09:09.51\00:09:14.35
A large portion of the country
00:09:17.59\00:09:18.99
is blanketed with
farms and plantations.
00:09:19.02\00:09:22.52
The farming industry has
attracted many immigrants
00:09:22.56\00:09:24.83
from its neighboring countries.
00:09:24.86\00:09:26.90
And today, about
24% of the population
00:09:26.93\00:09:29.76
is a mix of
cultures and nationalities.
00:09:29.80\00:09:32.20
When it comes to religion,
00:09:35.24\00:09:36.57
the majority of the
population is Muslim
00:09:36.60\00:09:39.21
with 33%
professing Christianity.
00:09:39.24\00:09:43.65
There are about 10,000
Seventh-day Adventists,
00:09:43.68\00:09:46.82
but that's about to change.
00:09:46.85\00:09:48.52
The Adventist
Church in Cote d'Ivoire
00:09:48.55\00:09:50.12
is slowly growing,
00:09:50.15\00:09:51.52
and they think they can
strengthen their community
00:09:51.55\00:09:53.62
by building
churches and schools.
00:09:53.66\00:09:55.89
So they've asked
Maranatha to help,
00:09:55.92\00:09:58.36
but just three
volunteer projects in,
00:09:58.39\00:10:00.93
the pandemic struck putting
all mission trips on hold,
00:10:00.96\00:10:04.17
even in Cote d'Ivoire.
00:10:04.20\00:10:07.60
Then we start thinking,
00:10:07.64\00:10:08.97
how could we solve the
situation, the challenge.
00:10:09.00\00:10:11.71
So we had the idea.
00:10:11.74\00:10:13.07
First, we will reduce our team
00:10:13.11\00:10:14.81
so that will give
enough space distance for,
00:10:14.84\00:10:17.55
you know, social distancing.
00:10:17.58\00:10:19.45
Then we gave them meals here,
00:10:19.48\00:10:22.52
we provide them
with some mattresses
00:10:22.55\00:10:24.52
where they could sleep here,
00:10:24.55\00:10:26.35
and we gave them
gloves, they use mask,
00:10:26.39\00:10:29.12
they also use gel
to clean their hands.
00:10:29.16\00:10:32.53
And this was how
00:10:32.56\00:10:33.90
we were able to for four months
without the lockdown work here.
00:10:33.93\00:10:39.97
In time, workers
completed the Abbebroukoi
00:10:40.00\00:10:42.70
and Anan
Seventh-day Adventist churches,
00:10:42.74\00:10:45.61
two projects that
volunteers had started,
00:10:45.64\00:10:48.58
plus a classroom building.
00:10:48.61\00:10:50.71
In September, with restrictions
lifted in the country,
00:10:50.75\00:10:53.45
both churches had
dedication ceremonies
00:10:53.48\00:10:55.78
that welcomed
the church leadership
00:10:55.82\00:10:57.52
and the local media.
00:10:57.55\00:11:00.66
In Abbebroukoi, the dedication
was an exuberant kickoff
00:11:00.69\00:11:04.03
to an upcoming time
of big positive change
00:11:04.06\00:11:07.00
in the neighborhood.
00:11:07.03\00:11:08.36
In Abbebroukoi,
00:11:13.03\00:11:14.37
we are
enrolling now the children
00:11:14.40\00:11:16.44
and about two months ago,
nine of our lay evangelists,
00:11:16.47\00:11:19.81
they start visiting the area,
00:11:19.84\00:11:22.11
visiting the homes
00:11:22.14\00:11:23.58
and they enrolled 100
people with Bible studies.
00:11:23.61\00:11:26.61
And we were so glad that
00:11:26.65\00:11:28.58
about two weeks ago, 25
people, they were baptized.
00:11:28.62\00:11:32.49
When we started the church here,
00:11:32.52\00:11:35.19
barely the church could
grow in this Muslim area.
00:11:35.22\00:11:38.03
But Adventist education
will be a blessing for us.
00:11:38.06\00:11:41.40
And we hope by
the end of this year
00:11:41.43\00:11:43.23
to have about 60 new members
enrolled here in this church.
00:11:43.26\00:11:49.14
Next, the local
crew is starting work
00:11:49.17\00:11:51.51
on another school.
00:11:51.54\00:11:53.78
There is an
existing church in Niangon.
00:11:53.81\00:11:56.34
But for many years,
they have been praying,
00:11:56.38\00:11:57.95
asking God to
give them a school,
00:11:57.98\00:12:00.32
and the secondary school
00:12:00.35\00:12:01.68
because this is
the greatest need
00:12:01.72\00:12:03.05
in the community.
00:12:03.08\00:12:04.49
And Maranatha is
responding to their request,
00:12:04.52\00:12:07.32
given them seven classrooms,
00:12:07.36\00:12:11.03
two labs, science and computing,
00:12:11.06\00:12:14.36
five traditional classrooms.
00:12:14.40\00:12:17.57
Office to the principal
00:12:17.60\00:12:19.20
as well, a lunch
room for the teachers.
00:12:19.23\00:12:22.34
And we hope that by December,
00:12:22.37\00:12:24.84
we will have a
group of volunteers
00:12:24.87\00:12:26.34
coming here to help
us to build that school.
00:12:26.37\00:12:31.31
When we come back,
we'll head south to Zambia,
00:12:31.35\00:12:34.45
where crews are busier than ever
00:12:34.48\00:12:36.08
continuing the mission.
00:12:36.12\00:12:37.45
There are less
than two weeks left
00:12:49.20\00:12:50.60
in what has been
a remarkable year.
00:12:50.63\00:12:52.97
For Maranatha
00:12:53.00\00:12:54.34
2020 temporarily shut
down travel and projects.
00:12:54.37\00:12:57.77
But 2020 also brought
many miracles to the mission.
00:12:57.81\00:13:01.54
Despite COVID-19,
00:13:01.58\00:13:02.94
our international crews
00:13:02.98\00:13:04.31
have been able to continue
building churches, schools
00:13:04.35\00:13:06.88
and water wells.
00:13:06.92\00:13:08.58
In the US, our volunteers
have begun serving once more.
00:13:08.62\00:13:12.85
And this month we kicked off
00:13:12.89\00:13:14.22
our first international
mission trip since March
00:13:14.26\00:13:16.96
in the African
nation of Cote d'Ivoire.
00:13:16.99\00:13:19.66
All of this has been
possible because of you.
00:13:19.69\00:13:22.40
Maranatha's miracle of 2020
00:13:22.43\00:13:24.47
has been your
overwhelming generosity.
00:13:24.50\00:13:27.27
Your gifts have
allowed us to keep working.
00:13:27.30\00:13:29.84
Thank you.
00:13:29.87\00:13:31.41
Now we're asking you to
make one more gift in 2020
00:13:31.44\00:13:34.78
for our year
end giving campaign.
00:13:34.81\00:13:37.25
If you haven't already,
00:13:37.28\00:13:38.61
make a donation of any
amount to support the mission.
00:13:38.65\00:13:41.48
We need your help
00:13:41.52\00:13:42.85
to move this
mission forward in faith.
00:13:42.88\00:13:44.99
Go to maranatha.org to give.
00:13:45.02\00:13:46.92
Zambia is a
Sub-Saharan African country
00:13:57.77\00:14:00.60
most famous for Victoria Falls,
00:14:00.64\00:14:03.30
a breathtaking
waterfall spanning a mile wide
00:14:03.34\00:14:06.17
and a depth of 304 feet.
00:14:06.21\00:14:10.15
But by Maranatha standards,
00:14:10.18\00:14:11.88
Zambia is famous as a country
00:14:11.91\00:14:13.85
with one of the largest
00:14:13.88\00:14:15.22
Seventh-day Adventist
memberships in the world.
00:14:15.25\00:14:18.75
More than 1.36 million people
00:14:18.79\00:14:21.32
are part of the
Adventist faith in Zambia,
00:14:21.36\00:14:23.76
and many of them
need a place of worship.
00:14:23.79\00:14:27.96
After working in
Zambia from 2009-2015
00:14:28.00\00:14:31.80
to build hundreds of structures,
00:14:31.83\00:14:33.74
Maranatha returned in
2018 to build more churches,
00:14:33.77\00:14:37.94
schools, and also water wells.
00:14:37.97\00:14:41.81
When news of the
pandemic hit the world,
00:14:41.84\00:14:43.95
work in Zambia shut
down for a couple of weeks
00:14:43.98\00:14:46.58
as the crew assessed
the country restrictions
00:14:46.61\00:14:48.82
and the potential risks.
00:14:48.85\00:14:50.79
Then in mid-April
00:14:50.82\00:14:52.15
Maranatha decided
to shelter in place
00:14:52.19\00:14:54.09
and work at the Immanuel
Adventist Secondary School,
00:14:54.12\00:14:57.16
a campus in need
of more classrooms.
00:14:57.19\00:15:01.03
When COVID came on the scene,
00:15:01.06\00:15:03.83
we needed a place
to be able to work
00:15:03.87\00:15:06.03
that was a safe place
00:15:06.07\00:15:08.07
where we could
bring our workers in,
00:15:08.10\00:15:10.34
and they weren't having
to come on and off the job.
00:15:10.37\00:15:13.51
So the Immanuel School
00:15:13.54\00:15:15.54
emerged as a good
place for us to do that.
00:15:15.58\00:15:17.41
There was a big need,
00:15:17.45\00:15:18.78
and so we talked
to the leadership
00:15:18.81\00:15:20.22
and agreed on a couple of things
00:15:20.25\00:15:21.65
and we got started.
00:15:21.68\00:15:23.12
Since then the team
has remained at Immanuel,
00:15:23.15\00:15:25.65
building several classrooms
and a girls' dormitory.
00:15:25.69\00:15:29.96
And when the country
began opening up some more,
00:15:29.99\00:15:32.73
Maranatha started venturing
out to build One-Day Churches.
00:15:32.76\00:15:36.60
You can't go
anywhere in the country
00:15:36.63\00:15:38.23
without finding
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:15:38.27\00:15:39.60
Every village along the
road, every shop, there's just,
00:15:39.63\00:15:42.47
there's Seventh-day
Adventist all over the country.
00:15:42.50\00:15:44.34
So the need for structures
and buildings is huge.
00:15:44.37\00:15:50.18
They were meeting under trees.
00:15:50.21\00:15:52.31
If they have a
structure, in general,
00:15:52.35\00:15:53.68
they have some kind of
shade structure built up,
00:15:53.72\00:15:55.48
but it's made out of, you know,
00:15:55.52\00:15:56.99
sticks or thatch went around us,
00:15:57.02\00:15:58.55
it just pulls grass
over top, no metal roof.
00:15:58.59\00:16:02.52
So it's a
termite buffet, you know,
00:16:02.56\00:16:04.76
and the buildings
don't last very long.
00:16:04.79\00:16:06.76
And so that's what
we find in most villages
00:16:06.80\00:16:08.63
where we go and
been asked to build.
00:16:08.66\00:16:12.73
The team has also
been drilling water wells
00:16:12.77\00:16:14.60
at places where we
have constructed churches.
00:16:14.64\00:16:17.04
And the impact has been massive.
00:16:17.07\00:16:21.24
There are some
denominations in eastern Zambia
00:16:21.28\00:16:23.88
where we were building
back in February, March
00:16:23.91\00:16:25.91
that actually were restricting
access to only members.
00:16:25.95\00:16:29.05
And they actually charge
them a certain amount of money,
00:16:29.08\00:16:31.65
and even if you
were not a member,
00:16:31.69\00:16:33.79
you couldn't, even with money
you couldn't access the well.
00:16:33.82\00:16:36.26
Just you had to be like
a real member, you know,
00:16:36.29\00:16:38.99
this club kind of
thing, or this church.
00:16:39.03\00:16:41.70
Our situation is
completely different.
00:16:41.73\00:16:43.16
We put it in,
everybody's so grateful,
00:16:43.20\00:16:44.83
because they can't afford it.
00:16:44.87\00:16:46.20
I mean, a subsistence farmer,
00:16:46.23\00:16:48.27
you know, scratching a
living out of the ground,
00:16:48.30\00:16:50.37
they don't have money for water.
00:16:50.41\00:16:51.74
I mean, they go get
it from the core source,
00:16:51.77\00:16:53.91
because they can't
afford to pay for it
00:16:53.94\00:16:55.31
from some other better source.
00:16:55.34\00:16:57.15
So we're just super stoked
00:16:57.18\00:16:59.01
to be able to be
providing free water
00:16:59.05\00:17:01.92
to every thirsty person.
00:17:01.95\00:17:03.59
And we're blessed
with generous donors
00:17:03.62\00:17:05.49
and so we move as
the Lord allows us
00:17:05.52\00:17:08.36
and as provides resources,
00:17:08.39\00:17:09.72
you know, but,
but the impact is big.
00:17:09.76\00:17:12.19
And, of course, we're
going to see a lot more of that
00:17:12.23\00:17:14.86
as we continue
to build for them,
00:17:14.90\00:17:17.07
that impact will
continue to grow.
00:17:17.10\00:17:19.03
As of September 2020,
00:17:19.07\00:17:20.80
Maranatha had
already constructed
00:17:20.84\00:17:22.54
more than 50 One-Day Churches
00:17:22.57\00:17:24.64
and drilled more
than 100 wells in Zambia
00:17:24.67\00:17:27.31
just this year.
00:17:27.34\00:17:29.94
The fact that most
of Maranatha's projects
00:17:29.98\00:17:32.51
take place in rural areas
00:17:32.55\00:17:34.52
has been the
saving grace for our work,
00:17:34.55\00:17:37.09
not just in Africa,
00:17:37.12\00:17:38.45
but also in other
parts of the world.
00:17:38.49\00:17:40.22
As the COVID-19 virus
spread around the world,
00:17:49.16\00:17:51.93
India quickly locked
down the entire country.
00:17:51.97\00:17:56.37
The
restrictions were most severe
00:17:56.40\00:17:57.87
in the urban areas
00:17:57.91\00:17:59.24
where people were not
allowed to leave their homes.
00:17:59.27\00:18:01.18
On March 24, 2020,
00:18:04.35\00:18:07.38
our Prime
Minister announced that
00:18:07.42\00:18:08.75
India is going in
a complete lockdown.
00:18:08.78\00:18:11.25
And the
guidelines for lockdown was
00:18:11.29\00:18:14.19
no flights,
00:18:14.22\00:18:16.62
no ground
transportation, no trains.
00:18:16.66\00:18:21.66
Everybody was
supposed to stay indoor.
00:18:21.70\00:18:25.13
And everything
came to standstill,
00:18:25.17\00:18:27.34
complete halt, nothing moved.
00:18:27.37\00:18:30.07
And for that matter of fact,
00:18:30.11\00:18:32.07
some of our team
members actually stayed away
00:18:32.11\00:18:33.88
from their families for
almost six to seven months.
00:18:33.91\00:18:36.88
They could not go
back to their families
00:18:36.91\00:18:38.41
because the states
were all, also locked on,
00:18:38.45\00:18:41.08
the state borders were sealed,
00:18:41.12\00:18:43.35
we could not move.
00:18:43.39\00:18:45.79
But a couple weeks later,
00:18:45.82\00:18:47.16
the India team
found a way to work again.
00:18:47.19\00:18:49.76
Unable to go home,
00:18:49.79\00:18:51.13
crews asked
permission from local officials
00:18:51.16\00:18:53.09
to shelter in place at
their construction sites
00:18:53.13\00:18:55.70
and keep working.
00:18:55.73\00:18:58.50
School and church
construction projects
00:18:58.53\00:19:00.70
slowly started up again
00:19:00.74\00:19:02.44
with limited
materials and even tools.
00:19:02.47\00:19:06.21
For example, like
there was one instance
00:19:06.24\00:19:08.04
when we were trying to
finish the church in Kerala.
00:19:08.08\00:19:12.55
We could not move our equipment
from one site to the other.
00:19:12.58\00:19:15.88
So we had only one drill.
00:19:15.92\00:19:18.85
Only one drill to erect
the entire church structure.
00:19:18.89\00:19:22.06
Plus also that same drill
was used to place the roof.
00:19:22.09\00:19:26.13
And my team is very
proud of that drill impact
00:19:29.33\00:19:31.23
because that was the
only one equipment we had
00:19:31.27\00:19:34.34
to finish that church.
00:19:34.37\00:19:35.90
And sometimes
we even had to wait
00:19:35.94\00:19:37.67
for three weeks for
just to get few screws
00:19:37.71\00:19:40.78
so that we could
put it on the roof.
00:19:40.81\00:19:43.18
It was difficult,
00:19:43.21\00:19:44.61
but team was able to move along.
00:19:44.65\00:19:48.68
India has also been
drilling wells during COVID
00:19:48.72\00:19:51.15
at locations where Maranatha
has constructed churches.
00:19:51.19\00:19:55.49
Water is a dire
need for any mankind.
00:19:55.52\00:19:58.89
You cannot
survive without water.
00:19:58.93\00:20:01.16
And that goes
for my country too.
00:20:01.20\00:20:03.50
In India,
00:20:03.53\00:20:05.17
majority of our
population does not have access
00:20:05.20\00:20:07.44
to clean drinking water.
00:20:07.47\00:20:09.04
And from past couple of years
00:20:09.07\00:20:10.44
we have been able
to go and drill wells
00:20:10.47\00:20:12.77
for many
communities in our country.
00:20:12.81\00:20:14.91
And that has helped
our church tremendously
00:20:14.94\00:20:18.11
in making sure that,
00:20:18.15\00:20:19.48
you know,
communities are reached
00:20:19.51\00:20:21.22
which do not have
access to clean water.
00:20:21.25\00:20:23.12
Now some of
those community people
00:20:23.15\00:20:24.52
are able to come to our churches
00:20:24.55\00:20:26.72
and attend churches.
00:20:26.76\00:20:29.62
Despite and during one
of the strictest lockdowns,
00:20:29.66\00:20:32.43
the team in India
is continuing to work
00:20:32.46\00:20:34.66
to share God's message of
hope through construction.
00:20:34.70\00:20:37.50
From India, we head to Brazil,
00:20:49.28\00:20:51.51
a country that is famous
for its expansive rainforest
00:20:51.55\00:20:54.78
and the Amazon River.
00:20:54.82\00:20:57.85
But it is less
known for its deserts,
00:20:57.89\00:21:00.62
areas that have a scarcity
of flora, fauna and water.
00:21:00.66\00:21:03.83
Northeastern
Brazil is one such place,
00:21:07.76\00:21:12.10
and it's where Maranatha
has been focusing its efforts
00:21:12.13\00:21:14.80
since late 2019.
00:21:14.84\00:21:18.21
Here, rain is scarce
and vegetation is sparse.
00:21:18.24\00:21:23.24
Water is a
luxury to be purchased
00:21:23.28\00:21:27.98
or collected carefully
when it rains, which is rare.
00:21:28.02\00:21:32.59
For years, Maranatha
has been working in Brazil
00:21:32.62\00:21:35.16
to build nearly
1,000 One-Day Churches
00:21:35.19\00:21:37.73
for congregations in need.
00:21:37.76\00:21:40.76
Many of those structures
were in this dry region.
00:21:40.80\00:21:44.00
And now Maranatha has returned
to visit the congregations
00:21:44.03\00:21:47.14
and provide them a
well even during the crisis.
00:21:47.17\00:21:51.41
Brazil has been hit very
hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,
00:21:51.44\00:21:54.94
and it has impacted
people throughout the country.
00:21:54.98\00:21:57.65
Some of the cities have
been hit extremely hard.
00:21:57.68\00:22:00.98
Yet out in the rural areas,
we've been able to move around,
00:22:01.02\00:22:04.65
we've been able to drill wells
00:22:04.69\00:22:06.89
in some of these
villages in areas
00:22:06.92\00:22:08.69
where the need
is extremely high.
00:22:08.72\00:22:12.49
While some wells tend
to be private or reserved
00:22:12.53\00:22:15.26
for certain denominations,
00:22:15.30\00:22:16.90
all Maranatha water
wells are free to the public
00:22:16.93\00:22:19.73
with no strings attached.
00:22:19.77\00:22:22.60
As we've drilled
water wells in Brazil,
00:22:22.64\00:22:24.57
we've seen those
wells be an opportunity
00:22:24.61\00:22:27.98
for a Seventh-day
Adventist congregation
00:22:28.01\00:22:29.71
to get to know their community
00:22:29.74\00:22:31.25
in a way that
they didn't before.
00:22:31.28\00:22:32.61
They're meeting their neighbors,
00:22:36.35\00:22:39.09
they're showing their
care for people around them.
00:22:39.12\00:22:43.56
And it's actually
completely changing the view
00:22:43.59\00:22:46.70
that the neighbors have
about them as congregation
00:22:46.73\00:22:49.13
and about them as Christians.
00:22:49.16\00:22:50.83
While Maranatha has been
able to continue the mission
00:23:04.95\00:23:07.42
in most countries,
00:23:07.45\00:23:08.78
there is one place
where work has been halted
00:23:08.82\00:23:10.89
for several months, Peru.
00:23:10.92\00:23:13.05
Maranatha worked in
this South American country
00:23:17.06\00:23:19.33
about 15 years ago,
00:23:19.36\00:23:20.80
providing churches and schools
to dozens of communities.
00:23:20.83\00:23:26.63
The beautiful
setting, rich culture,
00:23:26.67\00:23:29.50
and friendly people
00:23:29.54\00:23:31.17
made it a beloved
project for volunteers.
00:23:31.21\00:23:34.58
And in 2020, the return to Peru
was going to be a big focus.
00:23:34.61\00:23:39.91
The goal was to
build churches and a school
00:23:39.95\00:23:42.38
in the suburbs surrounding Lima,
00:23:42.42\00:23:44.19
Peru's capital city.
00:23:44.22\00:23:45.55
Congregations
that had been chosen
00:23:48.72\00:23:50.43
to receive a new church
00:23:50.46\00:23:51.79
prepared for
Maranatha's Volunteers
00:23:51.83\00:23:53.73
by tearing down
their old buildings
00:23:53.76\00:23:55.86
and clearing the
way for the work.
00:23:55.90\00:23:57.93
Then everything came
to a heartbreaking stop.
00:23:57.97\00:24:01.84
So we're really excited
00:24:01.87\00:24:04.04
for the month
of March and April.
00:24:04.07\00:24:06.94
Those are the busiest
months of the year for us.
00:24:06.98\00:24:10.11
We're expecting
about eight groups
00:24:10.15\00:24:12.55
and close to 500 volunteers.
00:24:12.58\00:24:16.15
In early March,
00:24:16.18\00:24:17.52
Elmer and his team welcomed
two of the eight groups to Peru.
00:24:17.55\00:24:21.39
As soon as the groups arrived,
00:24:21.42\00:24:22.76
we start hearing that
00:24:22.79\00:24:24.13
there was one
case and two cases.
00:24:24.16\00:24:25.63
By the end of the week,
00:24:25.66\00:24:27.20
there were six cases
00:24:27.23\00:24:28.56
and that's when
00:24:28.60\00:24:30.07
the World Health
Organization announced that
00:24:30.10\00:24:32.83
this was a pandemic.
00:24:32.87\00:24:34.44
At that moment,
00:24:34.47\00:24:35.80
the president of the country
decided to close the country
00:24:35.84\00:24:38.44
completed with
all the borders close,
00:24:38.47\00:24:41.08
the airport, the
land borders and sea.
00:24:41.11\00:24:47.02
In conjunction
with the Maranatha team
00:24:47.05\00:24:48.85
in the United States,
00:24:48.88\00:24:50.22
Elmer's local
team worked frantically
00:24:50.25\00:24:52.09
to get 100 volunteers
home before Peru's border shut.
00:24:52.12\00:24:56.79
Thirty hours later and
with 10 minutes to spare
00:24:56.83\00:25:00.10
before the border is
closed, everyone got out.
00:25:00.13\00:25:02.60
It was one problem solved.
00:25:06.40\00:25:08.27
But in Peru, Elmer and the team
were basically on house arrest.
00:25:08.30\00:25:13.78
Work has not
restarted in Peru since March.
00:25:13.81\00:25:16.61
But Maranatha is continuing
to pray for projects in Peru.
00:25:16.64\00:25:21.32
I can't predict the future.
00:25:21.35\00:25:22.72
But I can tell you that
00:25:22.75\00:25:24.29
we're still
committed to trying to do
00:25:24.32\00:25:26.45
what we had planned to do
and to honor our commitments
00:25:26.49\00:25:29.19
that we made in Peru.
00:25:29.22\00:25:30.73
Right now, it's not
possible to work there.
00:25:30.76\00:25:33.03
But we're waiting
for the door to open
00:25:33.06\00:25:34.63
and when it will open,
00:25:34.66\00:25:36.36
we'll walk through
and do what we can.
00:25:36.40\00:25:38.50
What keeps me
hoping and trusting
00:25:43.51\00:25:46.61
that God's going to take
care of us looking in the past
00:25:46.64\00:25:48.84
and see how He
has led our lives,
00:25:48.88\00:25:51.35
He has led the
work of Maranatha,
00:25:51.38\00:25:53.28
and personally
has been taking care
00:25:53.31\00:25:54.78
of me and my family.
00:25:54.82\00:25:56.18
And I know that
He can do anything,
00:25:56.22\00:25:59.12
and He has all
under His control.
00:25:59.15\00:26:01.52
We may not understand,
but God sees the big picture.
00:26:01.56\00:26:04.56
So it's a exercise
every day to trust Him
00:26:04.59\00:26:09.23
and know that
He's taking care of us.
00:26:09.26\00:26:12.10
Through God's
blessing and guidance,
00:26:12.13\00:26:14.20
we know He will
open doors for us
00:26:14.24\00:26:16.37
to help these
faithful congregations,
00:26:16.40\00:26:18.84
not only in Peru,
but also in Kenya,
00:26:18.87\00:26:22.31
Zambia, Cote d'Ivoire,
00:26:22.34\00:26:26.11
India, and Brazil.
00:26:26.15\00:26:29.25
We also trust that
each of you watching
00:26:29.28\00:26:31.65
will be
inspired to get involved.
00:26:31.69\00:26:33.86
Now more than ever,
00:26:33.89\00:26:35.59
we need your support
00:26:35.62\00:26:37.19
as we navigate this new reality.
00:26:37.23\00:26:41.06
Well, the more I
watch what's transpired
00:26:41.10\00:26:43.47
and continues to transpire
00:26:43.50\00:26:45.43
during this
COVID-19 time period,
00:26:45.47\00:26:48.67
the more I am convinced
00:26:48.70\00:26:51.54
that God wants us here
00:26:51.57\00:26:52.91
that we're supposed to be
00:26:52.94\00:26:54.28
or that we're supposed to
be reaching out to people.
00:26:54.31\00:26:58.05
I think that
00:26:58.08\00:27:00.02
those that watch Maranatha
are involved with Maranatha.
00:27:00.05\00:27:03.59
They're involved because
00:27:03.62\00:27:04.95
they want to see
something happen.
00:27:04.99\00:27:06.52
They don't want to see
people go back in a corner
00:27:06.55\00:27:09.59
and fold their arms and retreat.
00:27:09.62\00:27:13.03
They want to see
do as much as you can.
00:27:13.06\00:27:16.40
Push on all the
doors that you can.
00:27:16.43\00:27:18.63
Don't be stupid about
it, don't be unsafe about it.
00:27:18.67\00:27:21.57
But push on all the doors
00:27:21.60\00:27:22.94
and accomplish
everything you can
00:27:22.97\00:27:24.37
and see if God
doesn't open those doors
00:27:24.41\00:27:25.84
and make something happen.
00:27:25.87\00:27:28.24
As we keep
pushing, God keeps blessing,
00:27:28.28\00:27:30.78
and that's,
what's better than that?
00:27:30.81\00:27:33.38