Hi, I'm Dustin Comm
with the Maranatha Minute.
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.53
Maranatha has
been busy in Brazil
00:00:03.57\00:00:05.50
drilling water wells
00:00:05.53\00:00:06.87
in the dry north
eastern part of the country.
00:00:06.90\00:00:09.47
We recently hit water
for the Pitimbu congregation
00:00:09.50\00:00:12.64
where the output of the well
00:00:12.67\00:00:14.01
is more than
1000 gallons per hour.
00:00:14.04\00:00:16.64
This community will now benefit
00:00:16.68\00:00:18.01
from abundant clean
water close at hand.
00:00:18.05\00:00:20.98
And the congregation
00:00:21.02\00:00:22.35
recently held a
dedication service
00:00:22.38\00:00:24.12
inviting their community
to use this free resource.
00:00:24.15\00:00:27.72
We also completed a well
00:00:27.76\00:00:29.09
for the Sítio
Cabaceiras congregation.
00:00:29.12\00:00:31.76
Maranatha previously constructed
00:00:31.79\00:00:33.36
a one day church here
00:00:33.40\00:00:34.73
and members had been working
to finish the walls themselves.
00:00:34.76\00:00:37.80
But with no nearby
water to make stucco,
00:00:37.83\00:00:40.24
the work stalled out.
00:00:40.27\00:00:42.00
Now members have
easily accessible water
00:00:42.04\00:00:44.41
to finish the job
right at the church site.
00:00:44.44\00:00:47.88
To see more project updates
00:00:47.91\00:00:49.28
from Brazil and
around the world,
00:00:49.31\00:00:51.25
follow us on social media.
00:00:51.28\00:00:53.58
Find us on
Facebook and Instagram
00:00:53.62\00:00:55.78
to see photos and videos
00:00:55.82\00:00:57.42
from the
mission field every day.
00:00:57.45\00:00:59.22
This is the
campfire shed project
00:01:27.98\00:01:30.29
in Paradise California.
00:01:30.32\00:01:31.85
For Maranatha,
00:01:35.42\00:01:36.76
Paradise has
become a familiar place
00:01:36.79\00:01:38.86
and this
worksite a familiar scene
00:01:38.89\00:01:40.90
as it is the third
installment of a project
00:01:40.93\00:01:43.20
to provide storage sheds
00:01:43.23\00:01:44.63
for survivors of a
devastating wildfire.
00:01:44.67\00:01:49.14
In November 2018,
00:01:49.17\00:01:51.14
the campfire raged
00:01:51.17\00:01:52.54
through Northern
California's Butte County,
00:01:52.57\00:01:54.81
burning through
95% of the structures
00:01:54.84\00:01:57.85
in the city of Paradise.
00:01:57.88\00:01:59.21
Most of the 26,000
residents lost their homes.
00:02:04.29\00:02:09.36
Eighty five
people lost their lives.
00:02:09.39\00:02:12.03
Among the structures lost
00:02:17.33\00:02:18.70
was the Paradise
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:02:18.73\00:02:21.87
The fire left the
congregation homeless,
00:02:21.90\00:02:25.01
yet the church's first response
was to serve their community
00:02:25.04\00:02:28.28
with food,
clothing, furniture, water,
00:02:28.31\00:02:32.55
and storage sheds,
00:02:35.58\00:02:37.39
a place for
survivors to store their things
00:02:37.42\00:02:39.92
as they rebuilt their lives.
00:02:39.95\00:02:42.59
Paradise Church asked Maranatha
to partner in building sheds.
00:02:42.62\00:02:46.73
The church
would find the funding
00:02:46.76\00:02:48.23
and Maranatha the volunteers.
00:02:48.26\00:02:51.13
So in November 2019,
00:02:51.17\00:02:53.64
the campfire
shed project launched
00:02:53.67\00:02:55.94
welcoming nearly 400 volunteers,
00:02:55.97\00:02:59.87
202 sheds, media attention,
00:02:59.91\00:03:04.51
immense accolades.
00:03:04.55\00:03:07.08
The project was a total success,
00:03:07.12\00:03:09.72
a success that
called for an encore.
00:03:09.75\00:03:13.82
So after the first project
that we completed in November,
00:03:13.86\00:03:16.89
we've received
00:03:16.93\00:03:18.26
over 900
applications of requests
00:03:18.29\00:03:20.16
for sheds.
00:03:20.20\00:03:21.53
We only had 200 to give out.
00:03:21.56\00:03:23.93
So we obviously saw
00:03:23.97\00:03:25.30
that there was still a
huge need in the community.
00:03:25.33\00:03:28.24
And during the first project
it had been suggested to us
00:03:28.27\00:03:32.17
of maybe you
should try for more.
00:03:32.21\00:03:35.14
Joelle overseas
outreach programs
00:03:35.18\00:03:37.25
for the Paradise
Adventist Church.
00:03:37.28\00:03:39.15
She worked
closely with Maranatha
00:03:39.18\00:03:40.82
to organize the shed project.
00:03:40.85\00:03:43.55
You know, we were really blessed
00:03:43.59\00:03:44.92
the second time
00:03:44.95\00:03:46.29
because we had experience.
00:03:46.32\00:03:47.66
So it was good and bad.
00:03:47.69\00:03:50.86
We knew more what to expect.
00:03:50.89\00:03:54.46
But at the same
time, we weren't as naive.
00:03:54.50\00:03:57.20
And so we worked really hard.
00:03:57.23\00:03:58.83
We were able to get
a lot of other people
00:03:58.87\00:04:01.14
helping in the process.
00:04:01.17\00:04:02.80
And so going
through the second round,
00:04:02.84\00:04:05.57
we were
obviously better prepared,
00:04:05.61\00:04:07.51
had everything gone normally,
00:04:07.54\00:04:09.68
had everything
gone according to plan.
00:04:09.71\00:04:13.48
My fellow Americans,
00:04:13.52\00:04:15.38
tonight I want to speak with you
00:04:15.42\00:04:17.29
about our nation's
unprecedented response
00:04:17.32\00:04:19.99
to the Coronavirus
outbreak that started in China
00:04:20.02\00:04:23.93
and is now spreading
throughout the world.
00:04:23.96\00:04:26.93
Today the World
Health Organization
00:04:26.96\00:04:29.56
officially announced that
this is a global pandemic.
00:04:29.60\00:04:34.37
With the
President's announcement
00:04:34.40\00:04:35.74
came travel bans
and restrictions.
00:04:35.77\00:04:37.74
One by one
Maranatha volunteer projects
00:04:37.77\00:04:40.54
were canceled or postponed
00:04:40.58\00:04:42.34
including the
Paradise shed project
00:04:42.38\00:04:44.45
scheduled for the spring.
00:04:44.48\00:04:46.01
We are planning
to be here in April
00:04:46.05\00:04:47.55
but instead because
of COVID and the virus
00:04:47.58\00:04:50.99
we, anyway we
postponed the project
00:04:51.02\00:04:53.96
and now we're here
in what was it, August.
00:04:53.99\00:04:56.56
So shed project
number two now set in summer
00:04:56.59\00:04:59.86
started with fewer volunteers,
00:04:59.89\00:05:01.70
which meant less production.
00:05:01.73\00:05:03.77
The original
scope to build 400 sheds
00:05:03.80\00:05:06.40
dropped to 150.
00:05:06.43\00:05:07.90
But even that goal
was being threatened.
00:05:07.94\00:05:10.61
So the first challenge
00:05:10.64\00:05:11.97
that we have here
on the project was work
00:05:12.01\00:05:13.88
dealing with the Coronavirus
00:05:13.91\00:05:15.24
and the regulations that
there are about distancing
00:05:15.28\00:05:17.75
and wearing masks
and things like that.
00:05:17.78\00:05:20.22
Because we have volunteers
00:05:20.25\00:05:21.58
coming from many
different locations
00:05:21.62\00:05:23.32
and we let them know
what the regulations,
00:05:23.35\00:05:25.65
you know, what the
requirements are in California
00:05:25.69\00:05:28.16
and working with those.
00:05:28.19\00:05:29.96
We're eating outdoors,
00:05:29.99\00:05:31.33
we're having our
worships outdoors
00:05:31.36\00:05:32.96
and, you know, the
places where we're staying
00:05:32.99\00:05:35.53
we're trying to
keep everybody separated,
00:05:35.56\00:05:38.23
so that we all stay healthy.
00:05:38.27\00:05:41.27
The second
challenge that we face
00:05:41.30\00:05:42.97
that was a large challenge
00:05:43.00\00:05:44.34
was the fire nearby in Oroville.
00:05:44.37\00:05:48.08
There was a
large fire in the area
00:05:48.11\00:05:50.25
and we got to work
here on Wednesday morning,
00:05:50.28\00:05:53.31
getting ready to set
up and the sky was dark.
00:05:53.35\00:05:56.32
We were using flashlights
and headlamps to see.
00:05:56.35\00:06:00.49
With the smoke
and potential danger,
00:06:00.52\00:06:02.52
Maranatha decided to
cancel work for the day
00:06:02.56\00:06:05.19
and asked volunteers
to temporarily leave town
00:06:05.23\00:06:08.13
as a precaution.
00:06:08.16\00:06:09.66
The power also went out
00:06:09.70\00:06:11.30
and the team
scrambled to find generators.
00:06:11.33\00:06:13.54
All the hurdles
00:06:13.57\00:06:14.90
hindered progress on the project
00:06:14.94\00:06:16.54
and left Joelle
feeling defeated.
00:06:16.57\00:06:20.81
I think I always
had a sense from this,
00:06:20.84\00:06:23.88
from the first project
00:06:23.91\00:06:25.25
that I knew the next
project wasn't going to go
00:06:25.28\00:06:27.08
as smoothly as
the first one had.
00:06:27.12\00:06:30.05
I had no idea that's gonna have
00:06:30.09\00:06:32.15
this many
challenges in it though.
00:06:32.19\00:06:35.72
But God had in my
prayer from the very start,
00:06:35.76\00:06:40.26
like Lord, I know
there's gonna be challenges.
00:06:40.30\00:06:43.43
And I know that You
are bigger than those,
00:06:43.47\00:06:47.27
just help me to have
the faith to hold on.
00:06:47.30\00:06:51.97
And God sent her faith in
the form of 185 volunteers
00:06:52.01\00:06:57.05
who pushed through
and completed 118 sheds.
00:06:57.08\00:07:01.78
Then Maranatha quickly organized
00:07:01.82\00:07:03.75
a third project in November.
00:07:03.79\00:07:05.95
This time 216 volunteers
00:07:05.99\00:07:08.59
arrived to build 132 more sheds.
00:07:08.62\00:07:13.19
In total, over
the course of one year
00:07:13.23\00:07:15.66
780 volunteers
constructed 452 sheds
00:07:15.70\00:07:20.24
for the survivors of
the campfire in Paradise.
00:07:20.27\00:07:23.91
The experience
has been a triumph
00:07:23.94\00:07:25.84
of the human spirit and
evidence of God's leading.
00:07:25.87\00:07:30.15
For Joelle, the experience
has always been personal.
00:07:30.18\00:07:34.78
While her home survived,
00:07:34.82\00:07:36.22
she lived through
the horror of the fire.
00:07:36.25\00:07:38.99
The sheds had been a way for her
00:07:39.02\00:07:40.49
to build hope for a
community she loves.
00:07:40.52\00:07:44.03
But this time around,
00:07:44.06\00:07:45.39
it was about more
than helping others.
00:07:45.43\00:07:47.30
It was about growing
her own trust in God.
00:07:47.33\00:07:50.60
I learned that my faith
00:07:50.63\00:07:51.97
wasn't as big as
I thought it was.
00:07:52.00\00:07:55.97
I regret to say
00:07:56.00\00:07:57.34
that there were
times in my faith,
00:07:57.37\00:07:58.71
I questioned.
00:07:58.74\00:08:00.08
I questioned if God,
00:08:00.11\00:08:01.44
how God was
going to pull this off.
00:08:01.48\00:08:04.18
I couldn't see how
He was going to do it.
00:08:04.21\00:08:07.55
And yet He has,
00:08:07.58\00:08:10.35
and He's
provided more abundantly
00:08:10.39\00:08:11.75
than I ever
thought He could again.
00:08:11.79\00:08:15.96
When we come back,
00:08:15.99\00:08:17.33
we meet some of
the shed recipients
00:08:17.36\00:08:18.89
and how this project
has impacted their lives.
00:08:18.93\00:08:22.03
If you know
someone in high school,
00:08:34.71\00:08:36.04
tell them about
00:08:36.08\00:08:37.41
Maranatha's annual
teens only mission trip,
00:08:37.45\00:08:39.51
The Ultimate Workout.
00:08:39.55\00:08:41.32
For the past three decades
00:08:41.35\00:08:42.68
high schoolers
from around the world
00:08:42.72\00:08:44.15
have joined The Ultimate Workout
00:08:44.19\00:08:45.62
to volunteer.
00:08:45.65\00:08:47.26
On this special project,
00:08:47.29\00:08:48.62
teens get out of
their comfort zone,
00:08:48.66\00:08:50.43
serve others
and grow physically,
00:08:50.46\00:08:52.76
socially and spiritually.
00:08:52.79\00:08:55.10
This July, The Ultimate
Workout is headed to Peru
00:08:55.13\00:08:58.00
to serve near the
capital city of Lima.
00:08:58.03\00:09:00.94
Teen volunteers
will help construct
00:09:00.97\00:09:02.57
two new churches
00:09:02.60\00:09:03.94
as well as paint and renovate
another building in the area.
00:09:03.97\00:09:07.71
In addition to construction,
00:09:07.74\00:09:09.08
teens will reach out
into the local community
00:09:09.11\00:09:11.45
through
children's ministry programs
00:09:11.48\00:09:13.25
and creative outreach projects.
00:09:13.28\00:09:15.82
And while in Peru,
00:09:15.85\00:09:17.19
volunteers will also
get to see the sights
00:09:17.22\00:09:19.05
and sounds of the city of Lima
00:09:19.09\00:09:21.12
and experience
warm Peruvian culture.
00:09:21.16\00:09:24.56
To learn more about
The Ultimate Workout
00:09:24.59\00:09:26.43
and all of Maranatha's
upcoming mission trips,
00:09:26.46\00:09:29.00
visit maranatha.org/volunteer.
00:09:29.03\00:09:32.40
Some companies
spend millions of dollars
00:09:36.94\00:09:39.07
to bring you
these sounds and images.
00:09:39.11\00:09:42.81
I made it.
00:09:42.84\00:09:45.11
These sounds and images
00:09:45.15\00:09:46.55
are created from the
dollars you give to Maranatha.
00:09:46.58\00:09:50.82
Your support of our
well drilling efforts
00:09:50.85\00:09:52.92
is bringing
clean accessible water
00:09:52.95\00:09:54.82
to communities in
Africa, India and Brazil,
00:09:54.86\00:09:58.76
because while this sell soda,
00:09:58.79\00:10:01.60
this saves lives.
00:10:01.63\00:10:04.33
Campfire shed project volunteers
00:10:08.00\00:10:10.21
can attest that
there is great joy
00:10:10.24\00:10:12.27
in building sheds.
00:10:12.31\00:10:14.54
But there is even greater
joy in seeing them delivered.
00:10:14.58\00:10:17.38
More than a year
after the fire ravaged
00:10:38.67\00:10:41.14
Jamie Johnston
and Rick Clark's home,
00:10:41.17\00:10:43.20
they have a new
house in Paradise.
00:10:43.24\00:10:45.51
The only problem, no garage.
00:10:45.54\00:10:48.54
Well, there were a lot,
there has been a lot of theft.
00:10:48.58\00:10:53.21
And, you know,
and when you don't,
00:10:53.25\00:10:55.08
you know, when if you've
got your little plot of land,
00:10:55.12\00:10:57.75
you know, or your place
where you want to be at.
00:10:57.79\00:11:01.02
And it's just land,
00:11:01.06\00:11:04.06
and your house won't
be delivered for a year,
00:11:04.09\00:11:08.33
or, you know, nine months.
00:11:08.36\00:11:11.23
In our case, I guess it
was, you know, about a year,
00:11:11.27\00:11:14.80
you have, you know, the shed
00:11:14.84\00:11:16.17
is the most
important thing, really.
00:11:16.20\00:11:18.44
I knew that we
would be able to afford,
00:11:18.47\00:11:20.58
after all of
this, after having to,
00:11:20.61\00:11:23.95
you know, put out so
much money to come home.
00:11:23.98\00:11:28.48
We wouldn't be
able to afford a shed.
00:11:28.52\00:11:30.65
So, and you know, you
just can't keep shovels
00:11:30.69\00:11:34.19
and things in your bedroom.
00:11:34.22\00:11:36.99
It's just not,
it's not very comely.
00:11:37.03\00:11:42.33
You do the honors.
00:11:42.36\00:11:43.70
Wow!
00:11:43.73\00:11:45.07
Oh, man! I'm moving in.
00:11:45.10\00:11:46.74
Oh, wow!
00:11:46.77\00:11:48.17
You could live in this!
00:11:48.20\00:11:50.44
Wow!
00:11:50.47\00:11:51.94
Wow!
00:11:51.97\00:11:53.31
We build all kinds
of shelves and stuff.
00:11:53.34\00:11:55.41
Okay. Let's go in.
00:11:55.44\00:11:58.45
I'm really
honored and blown away
00:11:58.48\00:12:00.98
by the
generosity and the thought,
00:12:01.02\00:12:04.62
you know, that went into this
00:12:04.65\00:12:06.45
because you knew that people
00:12:06.49\00:12:09.42
would have nowhere
to put things like that.
00:12:09.46\00:12:12.09
And a lot of people
00:12:12.13\00:12:13.46
actually had sheds on their land
00:12:13.50\00:12:14.83
before they had anything else.
00:12:14.86\00:12:16.87
So it tells you
how important it is.
00:12:16.90\00:12:19.63
And I appreciate it so much.
00:12:19.67\00:12:21.14
Thank you.
00:12:21.17\00:12:24.11
For some of the shed recipients
00:12:24.14\00:12:25.77
Maranatha's
project inspired them
00:12:25.81\00:12:27.81
to do more than receive,
00:12:27.84\00:12:29.48
some were inspired to give back.
00:12:29.51\00:12:32.61
This is Karen Smith.
00:12:32.65\00:12:33.98
She's been working
on the third installment
00:12:34.02\00:12:35.88
of the shed project.
00:12:35.92\00:12:37.85
I heard about this
project through social media.
00:12:37.89\00:12:42.39
I'm here because just recently,
00:12:45.49\00:12:50.40
about a month ago,
I received my shed,
00:12:50.43\00:12:53.90
and I was overwhelmed with...
00:12:53.94\00:12:56.54
Sorry, happiness.
00:13:01.84\00:13:04.35
Hmm, I wasn't expecting that.
00:13:04.38\00:13:08.62
Which was my same reaction
by the way when the shed came.
00:13:08.65\00:13:15.16
So for all, I'm so
thankful, just so thankful.
00:13:19.33\00:13:24.97
I just really felt
the need to help out.
00:13:25.00\00:13:27.64
And so that's why I'm here.
00:13:27.67\00:13:31.54
Karen, who lost her home
in the fire says her shed
00:13:31.57\00:13:34.68
has already been a big blessing.
00:13:34.71\00:13:37.81
Now the Maranatha
project is offering her
00:13:37.85\00:13:40.15
a different kind of blessing
through her fellow volunteers.
00:13:40.18\00:13:44.65
It's been wonderful,
really, really wonderful.
00:13:44.69\00:13:47.62
And just I had no idea
how many helpful people
00:13:47.66\00:13:51.69
in the
organizations that there are.
00:13:51.73\00:13:55.66
It's been overwhelming
00:13:55.70\00:13:58.53
with kindness from people.
00:13:58.57\00:14:03.24
Extremely good for my health.
00:14:03.27\00:14:06.61
And I just wouldn't feel right
00:14:06.64\00:14:09.71
without giving of myself
00:14:09.74\00:14:14.88
to help others in need.
00:14:14.92\00:14:17.45
Retired veteran Curtis Smith
is another Paradise resident
00:14:17.49\00:14:20.76
who received a shed.
00:14:20.79\00:14:22.12
He's now also a
Maranatha volunteer.
00:14:22.16\00:14:25.26
Well, I'm
choosing to do something
00:14:25.29\00:14:28.30
and something good.
00:14:28.33\00:14:31.77
Being alone with all
that COVID and so on around,
00:14:31.80\00:14:34.90
I'm locked in my house
and depression was setting in,
00:14:34.94\00:14:39.91
so I knew that I had to get out.
00:14:39.94\00:14:42.74
And when this came along,
00:14:42.78\00:14:44.25
I came down here
00:14:44.28\00:14:45.61
and I just felt
everything was good.
00:14:45.65\00:14:48.25
I like the people here.
00:14:48.28\00:14:50.09
I mean, it's almost
like going to church.
00:14:50.12\00:14:53.66
Good people, good religion.
00:14:53.69\00:14:56.93
Just a great place to work.
00:14:56.96\00:14:58.83
Great people to work with.
00:14:58.86\00:15:01.43
Carrie Max is also a
survivor of the campfire.
00:15:01.46\00:15:06.03
So I heard about
getting a shed last year 2019.
00:15:06.07\00:15:09.77
And I think I saw it on Facebook
00:15:09.80\00:15:11.87
or something like that.
00:15:11.91\00:15:13.24
And it also asked
if we wanted to help.
00:15:13.27\00:15:17.18
Well, I used to be
a flooring contractor.
00:15:17.21\00:15:20.02
And so, also this whole fire
00:15:20.05\00:15:25.15
has created a lot of
depression and sadness.
00:15:25.19\00:15:31.99
And a lot of us
that have decided to stay
00:15:32.03\00:15:34.83
are in our places all alone,
00:15:34.86\00:15:36.63
and we're not even in a
place like I'm in a trailer.
00:15:36.67\00:15:40.74
And it just helps to
be around other people
00:15:40.77\00:15:44.57
and to be of service.
00:15:44.61\00:15:48.84
So Carrie started
coming to the job site to help.
00:15:48.88\00:15:53.45
Then she
eventually received the shed.
00:15:53.48\00:15:57.02
It's a space that
she's put to great use.
00:15:57.05\00:15:59.15
What's more?
00:15:59.19\00:16:00.52
It's a space to remind
her of the good in people.
00:16:00.56\00:16:04.19
And there's a sign on it
00:16:04.23\00:16:06.66
to saying all the
people that were involved.
00:16:06.70\00:16:09.06
So that's even like,
when I'm having a bad day,
00:16:09.10\00:16:11.73
it's like all
those people love me.
00:16:11.77\00:16:13.87
From building
sheds to receiving them,
00:16:16.91\00:16:19.31
Carrie has loved being part
of the Maranatha experience.
00:16:19.34\00:16:25.11
Act of service
has been mandatory
00:16:25.15\00:16:28.98
to help us heal.
00:16:29.02\00:16:30.89
If we stay in our little story,
00:16:30.92\00:16:35.49
we go tumbling down
00:16:35.52\00:16:36.86
this little hole of
sadness and depression.
00:16:36.89\00:16:42.13
And so, it's just very important
00:16:42.16\00:16:43.63
to be of service
and to see things
00:16:43.67\00:16:45.73
lifting and
coming up and coming out.
00:16:45.77\00:16:49.80
I'm still moved to any trailer,
00:16:49.84\00:16:51.87
and don't know
where that's gonna go.
00:16:51.91\00:16:56.54
But it's given
us the opportunity
00:16:56.58\00:17:00.82
to just be still
00:17:00.85\00:17:03.28
and just see
everyone and be seen.
00:17:03.32\00:17:09.22
It's just been a gift
them showing me what love is,
00:17:09.26\00:17:13.09
what love looks like.
00:17:13.13\00:17:14.56
When we come back,
00:17:17.90\00:17:19.23
we meet a volunteer who
fell away from his church,
00:17:19.27\00:17:22.20
but found his way
back to God in Paradise.
00:17:22.24\00:17:25.31
For more than a decade,
00:17:40.62\00:17:42.12
Maranatha mission stories
has taken you around the world,
00:17:42.16\00:17:45.63
showing you the need
00:17:45.66\00:17:47.00
and challenging
you to get involved.
00:17:47.03\00:17:50.43
Now, we're introducing new ways
00:17:50.47\00:17:52.47
for you to stay informed
and inspired about the mission.
00:17:52.50\00:17:56.84
Watch your favorite episode
of Maranatha mission stories,
00:17:56.87\00:17:59.97
as well as
other Maranatha videos
00:18:00.01\00:18:01.88
on your Apple TV.
00:18:01.91\00:18:04.51
Visit the App Store,
00:18:04.55\00:18:05.88
search for the Maranatha channel
00:18:05.91\00:18:07.85
and hit install.
00:18:07.88\00:18:11.32
You'll have access
00:18:11.35\00:18:12.69
to all of our
latest video content,
00:18:12.72\00:18:14.56
and you can watch anytime.
00:18:14.59\00:18:16.59
Our videos are available
on demand 24 hours a day.
00:18:16.62\00:18:21.06
Our content can also be viewed
on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
00:18:21.10\00:18:26.10
The Maranatha channel,
00:18:26.13\00:18:27.67
bringing mission
adventures to your living room.
00:18:27.70\00:18:30.41
People are drawn to
Maranatha mission trips
00:18:38.95\00:18:41.22
for all sorts of reasons.
00:18:41.25\00:18:43.18
Volunteers love
the act of service
00:18:43.22\00:18:45.35
and making new friends.
00:18:45.39\00:18:47.42
Many times people also go
00:18:47.46\00:18:49.59
in search of a deeper connection
00:18:49.62\00:18:51.43
with God.
00:18:51.46\00:18:54.43
But volunteer Randy Purviance
wanted none of those things.
00:18:54.46\00:18:58.03
He wasn't even
looking to volunteer.
00:18:58.07\00:19:00.64
Randy spent years
doing humanitarian work
00:19:00.67\00:19:03.41
for the church in
the mission field.
00:19:03.44\00:19:05.31
Then an event
pushed Randy out of his job
00:19:05.34\00:19:08.14
and into trauma and separation
00:19:08.18\00:19:10.45
from his church and God.
00:19:10.48\00:19:13.15
But all that
changed in Paradise.
00:19:13.18\00:19:16.95
Doing humanitarian
work, especially field based,
00:19:16.99\00:19:21.39
there's a constant
exposure to trauma,
00:19:21.42\00:19:26.80
other people's trauma
and it can be traumatic,
00:19:26.83\00:19:31.43
you can experience
traumatic things yourself.
00:19:31.47\00:19:34.90
We felt abandoned,
00:19:34.94\00:19:36.27
we felt completely isolated
from any sort of support.
00:19:36.30\00:19:42.94
And so when I came home in 2006,
00:19:42.98\00:19:47.25
I thought well, you know
things will get back to normal.
00:19:47.28\00:19:50.52
We're living here in Idaho,
00:19:50.55\00:19:51.95
will enjoy the life here
00:19:51.99\00:19:55.59
and those things
will just disappear.
00:19:55.62\00:19:57.83
Well they didn't
disappear those things
00:19:57.86\00:19:59.76
don't just leave your mind.
00:19:59.79\00:20:02.26
And I began having
increasing difficulties
00:20:02.30\00:20:08.10
with, I mean,
00:20:08.14\00:20:09.47
even going to
church was a trigger.
00:20:09.50\00:20:12.64
It would leave me
with intense anxiety.
00:20:12.67\00:20:17.55
So I found it was
easier just to stop going,
00:20:17.58\00:20:21.18
my faith did collapse.
00:20:21.22\00:20:23.65
I felt isolated,
I was traumatized.
00:20:23.69\00:20:30.43
I was eventually diagnosed
00:20:30.46\00:20:34.26
with PTSD, debilitating PTSD.
00:20:34.30\00:20:38.37
I would say that God and I
00:20:38.40\00:20:40.44
were not on close speaking terms
00:20:40.47\00:20:43.30
for quite a while.
00:20:43.34\00:20:45.54
He may have been talking to
me, but I couldn't hear him.
00:20:45.57\00:20:48.48
My wife decided it
was time to do something.
00:20:48.51\00:20:51.95
And that
something was to convince me
00:20:51.98\00:20:55.35
to go to the Weimar Institute
00:20:55.38\00:20:58.42
in Northern
California, near Auburn,
00:20:58.45\00:21:01.99
where they have
an 18-day program
00:21:02.02\00:21:04.59
called NEWSTART.
00:21:04.63\00:21:05.96
And I was very
quickly overwhelmed
00:21:05.99\00:21:08.93
by the empathy and the love,
00:21:08.96\00:21:13.64
and the care that
I experienced there.
00:21:13.67\00:21:16.64
So when I came home
00:21:16.67\00:21:18.54
after the first
Weimar experience,
00:21:18.57\00:21:23.21
I vigorously pursued
those things that I learned.
00:21:23.24\00:21:27.88
And then, after
about six months,
00:21:27.92\00:21:32.02
I suffered a head injury
that left me in the hospital.
00:21:32.05\00:21:35.92
And after that,
00:21:35.96\00:21:41.73
my wife thought it was,
00:21:41.76\00:21:44.33
you know, the one cure
was to go back to Weimar.
00:21:44.37\00:21:47.47
I went back in
September of last year.
00:21:47.50\00:21:52.81
And during the last
weekend, I was there,
00:21:52.84\00:21:55.18
my friends from of many years,
David and Susan Woods from...
00:21:55.21\00:22:01.78
We first met in
Malawi, in Central Africa,
00:22:01.82\00:22:06.45
came to visit me.
00:22:06.49\00:22:08.19
They've told me,
00:22:08.22\00:22:09.56
while I was at
Weimar about the project,
00:22:09.59\00:22:12.36
he just very briefly said
we're building storage sheds
00:22:12.39\00:22:16.63
to distribute to the people
00:22:16.67\00:22:19.30
who are returning to their homes
00:22:19.33\00:22:21.24
after the fire
that destroyed Paradise.
00:22:21.27\00:22:26.04
And that in three weeks,
00:22:26.07\00:22:27.98
they had built nearly
200 sheds at that point.
00:22:28.01\00:22:32.01
So I thought,
00:22:32.05\00:22:33.42
well, this is
something I maybe should see.
00:22:33.45\00:22:36.18
I said, "Dave, you
know, I'll drive through,
00:22:36.22\00:22:38.49
I'll spend 15 minutes
00:22:38.52\00:22:40.36
and, you know, see
what you're doing."
00:22:40.39\00:22:42.52
I wasn't prepared at all
00:22:42.56\00:22:45.06
for what I saw when I got there.
00:22:45.09\00:22:46.73
When I drove into Paradise,
I got directions to the church,
00:22:46.76\00:22:51.50
where the church
had been, and it was...
00:22:51.53\00:22:55.80
It's hard to put it to words,
00:23:00.78\00:23:02.51
but maybe the most amazing act
00:23:02.54\00:23:08.52
of worship
00:23:08.55\00:23:10.19
I've ever seen
00:23:10.22\00:23:11.55
in that burned
down church parking lot.
00:23:14.59\00:23:17.83
Those Seventh-day
Adventists were...
00:23:22.70\00:23:28.60
despite their own losses
00:23:32.97\00:23:37.71
were helping their neighbors.
00:23:37.75\00:23:40.85
It's hard to just say
00:23:45.92\00:23:49.36
how powerful that impacted me.
00:23:49.39\00:23:52.73
And I was so moved by what I saw
00:23:52.76\00:23:57.90
that even before I
saw David and Susan,
00:23:57.93\00:24:00.67
I decided I needed to stay,
I needed to be part of that.
00:24:00.70\00:24:04.01
There was something
there that I wanted.
00:24:04.04\00:24:06.14
And I ended up
staying three days
00:24:06.17\00:24:09.31
to help deliver
sheds in Paradise
00:24:09.34\00:24:11.58
and that was
quite an experience.
00:24:11.61\00:24:14.42
I got to hear people's stories
00:24:14.45\00:24:16.75
and soaked it in.
00:24:20.46\00:24:24.13
I decided
00:24:24.16\00:24:25.99
that Paradise was a place
00:24:26.03\00:24:30.57
where I could put my feet
00:24:30.60\00:24:33.17
back into the water so to speak,
00:24:33.20\00:24:35.44
where I could go to church.
00:24:35.47\00:24:37.77
I mean what better place
00:24:37.81\00:24:39.27
for a troubled person to go
00:24:39.31\00:24:43.31
than to a church
00:24:43.35\00:24:46.48
where everybody
had experienced loss.
00:24:46.51\00:24:51.35
And I felt at home there.
00:24:51.39\00:24:52.99
How does Maranatha build people?
00:24:53.02\00:24:55.42
How does
Maranatha change people?
00:24:55.46\00:24:57.69
Each of us come with
different backgrounds,
00:24:57.73\00:25:00.53
each of us have
different experiences.
00:25:00.56\00:25:03.23
But there's
something in the act of service
00:25:03.26\00:25:07.80
that it makes us vulnerable.
00:25:07.84\00:25:10.27
It draws us together.
00:25:10.31\00:25:12.31
And it changes
00:25:12.34\00:25:17.08
deep within us
00:25:17.11\00:25:19.28
how we look at the
world, how we look at God,
00:25:19.31\00:25:21.78
how we look at
our faith community.
00:25:21.82\00:25:24.79
We aren't bystanders,
00:25:24.82\00:25:26.32
we are
participants, fully immersed.
00:25:26.35\00:25:31.13
In February when I
returned to Paradise
00:25:31.16\00:25:33.53
for the second
time to help prepare
00:25:33.56\00:25:37.43
for the next shed build,
00:25:37.47\00:25:42.10
I arrived early,
earlier than I had anticipated.
00:25:42.14\00:25:46.94
So I once again drove
directly to the church.
00:25:46.98\00:25:50.85
And it was in the evening
00:25:50.88\00:25:53.05
and so I got out
00:25:53.08\00:25:56.55
and walked up
those stairs again.
00:25:56.58\00:25:59.39
And I stood there thinking
00:25:59.42\00:26:01.69
about how I had found a place
00:26:01.72\00:26:07.50
back in the church,
00:26:07.53\00:26:11.27
at a burned out church.
00:26:11.30\00:26:14.60
The church that no
longer stood there.
00:26:14.64\00:26:17.67
And I felt like I found a place
00:26:17.71\00:26:22.44
for my own burned out heart
00:26:22.48\00:26:25.38
that I could call home.
00:26:25.41\00:26:30.85
And so, you know,
00:26:30.89\00:26:33.76
that was really a
profound experience,
00:26:33.79\00:26:39.76
profound,
00:26:39.79\00:26:41.56
sort of cementing the direction
00:26:41.60\00:26:43.93
I had been going
00:26:43.97\00:26:45.30
for the last several years.
00:26:48.07\00:26:51.24
Just piece by piece,
00:26:51.27\00:26:55.51
argument by argument,
00:26:55.54\00:26:57.15
but my
resistance was melted down.
00:26:57.18\00:27:02.05
And so I knew standing
there that I was coming home.
00:27:02.08\00:27:08.32
Randy's story
00:27:11.59\00:27:12.93
along with
everyone else's testimonies
00:27:12.96\00:27:14.60
heard on today's program
00:27:14.63\00:27:15.96
offer evidence
00:27:16.00\00:27:17.33
of how the simple act of service
00:27:17.37\00:27:19.30
can change your
life on multiple levels.
00:27:19.33\00:27:21.97
It can provide
security and shelter.
00:27:25.61\00:27:29.64
It can give new purpose.
00:27:29.68\00:27:33.11
It can reveal our vulnerability
while boosting our faith.
00:27:33.15\00:27:38.55
It can reconnect us
to the things we've lost
00:27:38.59\00:27:41.32
and remind us of the
mission that belongs to us all.
00:27:41.36\00:27:45.99
Service is God's love in action,
00:27:46.03\00:27:49.06
changing lives, even yours.
00:27:49.10\00:27:52.03