Hi, I am Dustin Comm
with the Maranatha Minute.
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Maranatha is wrapping up work
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at the Emanuel Adventist
Secondary School in Zambia.
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This boarding
academy serves 320 students
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and was a major
focal point for Maranatha
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throughout the
COVID-19 pandemic.
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Our local crews
sheltered in place
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to construct a
three classroom building,
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a girls' dormitory and bathrooms
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and are now completing a
second three classroom block.
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The team also made improvements
to the school's water source
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and supplied it to
the boys' side of campus.
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These additions
will allow the school
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to accept more students.
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Previously, school
leadership had to turn away
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40 kids each year
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due to lack of space
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even with some students
already sleeping in a garage.
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Now, as they
returned to campus this week,
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all of these students
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will be properly
housed in a dorm.
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Project like Emanuel
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aren't possible
without your generosity.
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To support Maranatha's
work around the world,
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go to our website.
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Maranatha's
standard mission story
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focuses on the
plight of a group of people
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in need of a church,
school, or community center.
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This crisis typically take place
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in developing countries
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where resources can be scarce.
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This story of need
for space to gather
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is a common one
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and this need is a
story without borders.
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Ooltewah, Tennessee,
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this Chattanooga suburb
has recently seen major growth
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due to manufacturing
expansion in the region.
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Situated in the Bible Belt,
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it's also a
community full of churches.
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The history of
the Ooltewah Hispanic
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Seventh-day Adventist
Church begins ten years ago.
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The group grew
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from the Collegedale
Hispanic Adventist Church,
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a congregation that splits
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when they outgrew
their meeting space.
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For the next decade,
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the new group continued growing
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and moved to various
rented meeting spaces,
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a situation that
was less than ideal.
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Our congregation
was formally meeting
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in the Ooltewah
Methodist Church.
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We met there for
about seven and eight years
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and that was great experience.
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It was also a
great stepping stone
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in the sense that we
came to the conviction
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that we couldn't
be renting forever,
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we needed our own building
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if we wanted to hold
evangelistic meetings
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and VBS and socials
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and all this
community outreach programs
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and that really
helped us realize
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that we need our own building
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to really live up to
what God is calling us to do
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to the community
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and for the
salvation of many other people.
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When Juan became the pastor
of the congregation in 2018,
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the group
expressed their urgency
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in building a church.
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One of the first
things I was asked
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when I was interviewed
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by the Ooltewah
Hispanic SDA Church,
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from the church board
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when they were
considering me as their pastor
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was the confidence
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and the
qualifications if you will,
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to build a church
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because this is a
heavily saturated church area
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not only
Adventist but Bible Belt.
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So we have so many
Christian denominations
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and finding a
church in this area,
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a physical
church, it's not easy.
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And so that was top priority
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in the pastoral job,
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position filling
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and so, I really
had no experience
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building a church
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what they expected of me,
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but I told them I
was willing to learn,
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I was willing to try
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and do
everything with God's help
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to make it a reality.
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Juan began researching
construction options.
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The group had purchase
a three acre plot of land
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with a house on the property.
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Their initial
plan was to renovate
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the house into a church,
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but remodeling
the existing building
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proved to be costly.
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Eventually they
demolished the building
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and look into
options for new construction.
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Everything just
seemed just out of reached.
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Then they learned
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Maranatha would be
holding a mission event
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in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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One of the church
members elbowed me and was like,
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"Pastor what if
we go ask Maranatha?
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They could build the church."
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My first reaction was like,
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that's only overseas
and third world countries,
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that's not a
viable option but I said,
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"Okay, let's go and
may be it will be fun."
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So we went to
the Maranatha event
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here in Chattanooga,
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and to my
surprise and to my delight
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I did find out that
Maranatha does build
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here in the
United States churches.
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For decades,
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Maranatha has
constructed churches
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all over North America.
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Volunteers travel to sites,
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lending their labor
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to quickly raise
structures out of the ground.
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But over the years, an
additional need emerged.
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There were many
congregations just like Juan's
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that needed a
proper place to worship,
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but didn't know where to start
when it came to construction,
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and didn't have the funds
to hire a team of experts.
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Unfortunately we have seen
over and over again examples
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where congregations decided
they want to build a church,
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but they don't
really have the experience
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with development
and construction,
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that will enable them to
have a successful project.
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And so they quickly
get mired into the details
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and often get
derailed from the project.
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So that's the reality
that motivated Maranatha's idea
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of a
standardized church approach
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here in North America.
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In 2012,
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Maranatha developed a
simple affordable church plan
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designed specifically
for small congregations.
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The plans allow
congregations to save money
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they would have
spent in architect fees.
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Maranatha also offers
construction consultation
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and coordination
of volunteer project
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to eliminate some
of the cost of labor.
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After meeting
with Maranatha staff
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and learning more about
what Maranatha could offer,
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Juan visited Maranatha's website
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and filled out a
project application.
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He soon found himself connected
with a network of resources
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to help guide him
through the building process.
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I had no experience
in building a church,
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I didn't know the
process from beginning to end,
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and Maranatha was
able to explain that
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not only on the structural
construction aspect of it,
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but in the
spiritual aspect of it.
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I better understood
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their whole
purpose of a ministry
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and made the connection
and I felt as though...
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I would have been
adopted into a family
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is what I have
come to the conclusion
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that the whole process has been.
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You've got a better idea
of what we can do relevant
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to what we can?
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Maranatha board
member Roger Hatch
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is a general contractor
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and has overseen scores
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of Maranatha
project in North America
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and around the world.
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He has developed an affinity
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for congregations
like this one in Ooltewah
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and signed on as
the construction foreman
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to oversee the
project from start to finish.
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His goal is to
lend his expertise
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and help them
accomplished their goal
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in the most cost
effective manner.
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Certainly there is
a financial side of it
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with that it helps
tremendously with their budget,
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depending on how much we do,
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you can be
anywhere from 50,000-60, 000
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up to over $100,000.
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For the next two years
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the church worked to get
the project off the ground.
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Complications and
funding and design
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created several delays,
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but in August of 2020
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they broke ground on the church.
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Two month later
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the site was
abuzz with volunteers
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eager to help the Ooltewah
congregations dream come true.
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I feel so blessed
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to have volunteers
from all over the country.
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You know, when the
first few volunteers
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from Maranatha arrived.
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It started to actually hit me,
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I started to actually process it
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and I felt so
touched where they asked me,
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"How do you feel, Pastor?"
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And I said,
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"I feel like we are a family."
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And their response was,
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"That's right, Pastor,
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we are a family in Christ
and we are here to help you."
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That melted my
heart and I realized that
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all the
conversations we have had prior
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were now gonna become a reality.
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This mission trip may
not have required passports
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or long hours on an airplane,
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but the volunteers recognized
the great need that exist
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even closer to home.
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Living in the Bible Belt
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where there is
a lot of churches,
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there's still a lot of
people that don't go to church,
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and I think it's also that
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we can be a part of
building a sanctuary for God.
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And I really enjoyed it.
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To me it's not a matter
of what country you are in
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or how many miles
you are travelling,
00:10:00.93\00:10:03.10
it's just whether
or not you are serving
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and serving for
the right reasons,
00:10:05.50\00:10:06.87
and that's really our focus
is try to serve in humility
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and just do the work of
Jesus while we are here.
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I loved doing this because
A, I enjoyed building things.
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B, our work is
greatly appreciated.
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This last Sabbath I was here
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and met with some
of the church members
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and to see their excitement,
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to hear their gratitude
was just really heartwarming
00:10:26.96\00:10:30.99
and makes our aches and pains
and our tiredness worthwhile.
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Melinda Durller is a
relatively new volunteer
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with this being
her second project.
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She was praying for
opportunities to serve God
00:10:41.77\00:10:44.41
in a hands-on way
00:10:44.44\00:10:45.81
when a friend
introduced her to Maranatha.
00:10:45.84\00:10:48.51
I heard that it was a
Christian organization
00:10:48.54\00:10:51.38
which is right up my alley
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and that it had to
do with construction
00:10:53.78\00:10:55.85
and I really want to learn.
00:10:55.88\00:10:57.22
I'd like to learn plumbing,
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I'd like to learn
little bit of electrical,
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I'd like to
make new friends, um,
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I'd like to be a part
of putting forth the gospel
00:11:03.59\00:11:07.16
and it does all of that.
00:11:07.20\00:11:09.96
For Melinda, Maranatha projects
00:11:10.00\00:11:12.13
not only expanded
her construction skills
00:11:12.17\00:11:14.64
but also her world.
00:11:14.67\00:11:16.81
Working in Maranatha
00:11:16.84\00:11:18.17
has just broadened
my horizons immensely.
00:11:18.21\00:11:23.14
I feel like I am
a part of a family.
00:11:23.18\00:11:26.61
I love my
community, I love my church.
00:11:26.65\00:11:30.65
Those are both small and
now my world is expanding.
00:11:30.69\00:11:35.76
I have made many new
friends and I just...
00:11:35.79\00:11:39.79
I love how we have
worshipped in the morning
00:11:39.83\00:11:42.86
and worshipped in the evening
00:11:42.90\00:11:44.50
and people speak
of Christ all day long
00:11:44.53\00:11:47.77
and I need that in my life
00:11:47.80\00:11:49.74
and it's a blessing to me
00:11:49.77\00:11:51.67
but I also, I try to
be a blessing to others
00:11:51.71\00:11:54.24
and just being able to help
00:11:54.28\00:11:56.01
and being able to have
some real meaning to life,
00:11:56.04\00:11:59.78
that's important to me.
00:11:59.81\00:12:02.85
The relationships
formed on Maranatha projects
00:12:02.88\00:12:05.79
are what draw
volunteers back trip after trip.
00:12:05.82\00:12:10.13
I feel very connected to
coming on Maranatha trips
00:12:10.16\00:12:13.90
because I feel like
00:12:13.93\00:12:15.26
this is part of
my family for one,
00:12:15.30\00:12:17.47
the Maranatha
people that I worked with.
00:12:17.50\00:12:21.34
I look forward
to seeing them again
00:12:21.37\00:12:23.47
and working with
them, worshipping with them,
00:12:23.51\00:12:27.01
praising them, praying with them
00:12:27.04\00:12:29.08
all together as we
serve God together.
00:12:29.11\00:12:33.42
So I am probably
receiving more spiritually
00:12:33.45\00:12:38.72
than I am actually
giving out here physically.
00:12:38.75\00:12:41.86
So just being the connected
00:12:41.89\00:12:43.83
and seeing
progress of God's work here.
00:12:43.86\00:12:48.23
And the family these
volunteers had created
00:12:48.26\00:12:50.73
is one they want to grow.
00:12:50.77\00:12:52.93
Come, join the effort.
00:12:52.97\00:12:56.20
This is a family effort.
00:12:56.24\00:12:57.71
You become very close
with the people you work with.
00:12:57.74\00:13:00.98
It's immensely rewarding.
00:13:01.01\00:13:02.64
Go to the Maranatha website.
00:13:02.68\00:13:04.11
Find the
project, sign up for it.
00:13:04.15\00:13:05.81
You don't have to
be a skilled builder.
00:13:05.85\00:13:08.12
We have people here
00:13:08.15\00:13:09.48
who know virtually
nothing about building.
00:13:09.52\00:13:12.15
Hey, we show you what
to do, we have the tools.
00:13:12.19\00:13:15.22
You don't have to have tools.
00:13:15.26\00:13:16.59
Come, bring your
heart, bring your energy.
00:13:16.62\00:13:19.59
Just come.
00:13:19.63\00:13:21.43
Over the course of two weeks,
00:13:21.46\00:13:23.13
volunteers worked hard
00:13:23.16\00:13:24.57
to bring the
building plans to life.
00:13:24.60\00:13:27.20
To them their effort is
about more than swinging hammers
00:13:27.24\00:13:30.44
or manning saws
00:13:30.47\00:13:31.81
and the result is more
than an ordinary structure.
00:13:31.84\00:13:34.78
It's a sacred space
00:13:34.81\00:13:36.31
where more people
can learn about God.
00:13:36.34\00:13:39.38
This church that
you see behind us,
00:13:39.41\00:13:42.62
I don't think that's possible.
00:13:42.65\00:13:44.05
I have just been overwhelmed
watching this church grow up.
00:13:44.09\00:13:46.15
I don't think this is possible
00:13:46.19\00:13:47.52
for 40 humans to do
in a week and a half.
00:13:47.56\00:13:50.39
But the Holy Spirit can do it
00:13:50.43\00:13:51.76
and He is working
through a lot of people,
00:13:51.79\00:13:53.19
and I am happy to be
part of that experience.
00:13:53.23\00:13:56.13
I have to say that
00:13:56.16\00:13:57.50
just working
into our project here
00:13:57.53\00:13:59.73
as the trusses went up
and the roof went up that...
00:13:59.77\00:14:04.01
It was just an
awe-inspiring experience
00:14:04.04\00:14:07.28
even though the
inside is not done yet.
00:14:07.31\00:14:11.21
But so, I anticipated
00:14:11.25\00:14:13.45
they will have that
same awe and reverence
00:14:13.48\00:14:16.48
and just feeling of coming home
00:14:16.52\00:14:19.35
when they come to their church.
00:14:19.39\00:14:22.12
They will be exciting to
come visit this area again
00:14:22.16\00:14:24.79
and drive by this church
00:14:24.83\00:14:26.16
and see
preachers coming in and out
00:14:26.19\00:14:28.00
and being able to know that,
00:14:28.03\00:14:29.53
"Hey, I was part of that."
00:14:29.56\00:14:31.23
So it's exciting and
I want to do it again.
00:14:31.27\00:14:33.94
I will sign up for my projects.
00:14:33.97\00:14:36.14
The process of building a church
00:14:36.17\00:14:37.74
has been
educational for Pastor Juan,
00:14:37.77\00:14:39.91
but aside from learning
about church construction,
00:14:39.94\00:14:42.71
he's learned more
about trusting God.
00:14:42.74\00:14:46.21
This process has
taught me a lot about faith
00:14:46.25\00:14:50.79
in the sense that
there was many days
00:14:50.82\00:14:56.09
where I was lacking faith,
00:14:56.12\00:15:00.10
questioning
00:15:00.13\00:15:01.46
whether this project would
ever gonna become a reality.
00:15:01.50\00:15:04.53
It has taught me to
trust God in the process,
00:15:04.57\00:15:08.40
but also to trust other people.
00:15:08.44\00:15:10.21
To trust ministries
that have experience
00:15:10.24\00:15:13.98
specifically in
this example, Maranatha,
00:15:14.01\00:15:18.21
that is so rich in
experience of building
00:15:18.25\00:15:22.48
and helping
people around the world.
00:15:22.52\00:15:25.22
And I'd never imagine
00:15:25.25\00:15:26.86
that I would become as a church,
00:15:26.89\00:15:28.62
a recipient of their hope.
00:15:28.66\00:15:30.26
There are more than 60
Seventh-day Adventist camps
00:15:38.43\00:15:41.30
in North America
00:15:41.34\00:15:42.67
and several have been the focus
of a Maranatha mission trip.
00:15:42.70\00:15:45.67
While at first glance
00:15:45.71\00:15:47.04
a camp may not seem
00:15:47.08\00:15:48.41
an obvious place
for a Maranatha project,
00:15:48.44\00:15:51.18
these retreat centers
00:15:51.21\00:15:52.55
are an important part
of the Adventist mission
00:15:52.58\00:15:54.88
to share Jesus with the world.
00:15:54.92\00:15:56.82
Every year,
00:16:00.86\00:16:02.19
a big part of
Maranatha's mission trip line up
00:16:02.22\00:16:04.53
involves
projects in North America.
00:16:04.56\00:16:08.60
And this local projects
00:16:08.63\00:16:10.90
end up drawing
hundreds of people
00:16:10.93\00:16:12.87
to serve right in
their own backyards.
00:16:12.90\00:16:17.51
Among the projects
Maranatha frequently accept
00:16:17.54\00:16:19.94
are church
renovation or new construction,
00:16:19.97\00:16:22.44
school renovations
00:16:26.25\00:16:27.65
from elementary to colleges
00:16:27.68\00:16:30.39
and another
frequent local, camps.
00:16:30.42\00:16:34.92
The Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:16:34.96\00:16:36.73
has more than 60
camps in North America,
00:16:36.76\00:16:39.79
and Maranatha has
worked at several of them.
00:16:39.83\00:16:43.53
Initially camps
don't look like a place
00:16:43.57\00:16:45.87
you would immediately associates
00:16:45.90\00:16:47.84
with Maranatha's mission,
00:16:47.87\00:16:49.87
but while this
camps are full of the fun
00:16:49.90\00:16:52.14
bustling
activity you would expect,
00:16:52.17\00:16:54.14
they also offer something more.
00:16:54.18\00:16:56.71
Camp Kulaqua is a youth camp
00:16:56.75\00:17:00.75
that services
different ages and youth
00:17:00.78\00:17:04.42
year around here
in North Florida.
00:17:04.45\00:17:06.62
And so, we have a
multitude of different people
00:17:06.65\00:17:08.82
that come here and enjoy camp
00:17:08.86\00:17:10.69
whether it be
youth, young adults.
00:17:10.73\00:17:13.03
We have adults
and women's retreats,
00:17:13.06\00:17:15.86
all sorts of things.
00:17:15.90\00:17:17.23
In essence it's
just a place for people
00:17:17.27\00:17:19.60
in whatever their need
00:17:19.63\00:17:20.97
they have to get
away from the city
00:17:21.00\00:17:22.80
and just come enjoy
nature and connect with God.
00:17:22.84\00:17:25.67
When Florida
Conference decided that
00:17:25.71\00:17:28.41
we needed to find our own place
00:17:28.44\00:17:30.15
for youth ministry to take place
00:17:30.18\00:17:31.85
and youth camp to happen.
00:17:31.88\00:17:33.45
And so we moved from state parks
00:17:33.48\00:17:36.32
to finding our own place
00:17:36.35\00:17:37.79
and we bought 250 acres in 1953
00:17:37.82\00:17:42.62
and the executive committee
sat on the banks of the spring,
00:17:42.66\00:17:46.33
the Hornsby Spring
which is on the property
00:17:46.36\00:17:48.26
and they prayed,
00:17:48.30\00:17:49.63
"God, should we buy this place
00:17:49.66\00:17:51.27
for the future of the
youth of this church?"
00:17:51.30\00:17:53.87
And God impressed upon them
00:17:53.90\00:17:55.67
and today Camp Kulaqua exist
00:17:55.70\00:17:58.97
and it can accommodate
1000 people here in beds,
00:17:59.01\00:18:03.28
and it also is
800 acres of property.
00:18:03.31\00:18:07.05
I would say at Camp Kulaqua,
00:18:07.08\00:18:08.52
our mission is
to share God's love.
00:18:08.55\00:18:13.89
I mean that's a
very basic answer,
00:18:13.92\00:18:16.02
but in essence we are
here to share God's love
00:18:16.06\00:18:18.39
in whatever capacity
00:18:18.43\00:18:19.76
to meet people where they are at
00:18:19.79\00:18:21.56
and be here for them.
00:18:21.60\00:18:23.37
We have things that
meet the needs of people
00:18:23.40\00:18:26.17
in society today,
00:18:26.20\00:18:27.90
but while at the same time
00:18:27.94\00:18:29.27
we still carry the
core values of a gospel
00:18:29.30\00:18:32.77
and we are still
sharing that in a special way.
00:18:32.81\00:18:35.81
We have multiple baptisms
in the summer, lot of children.
00:18:35.84\00:18:40.62
It was interesting
00:18:40.65\00:18:41.98
Christian Camping
International did a survey
00:18:42.02\00:18:45.25
and they asked people,
asked a thousand people,
00:18:45.29\00:18:47.79
"Where were you at
00:18:47.82\00:18:49.16
when you met
Christ as your savior?"
00:18:49.19\00:18:51.19
And 68% of them
were in a camp setting.
00:18:51.23\00:18:54.76
There is something
special about camps
00:18:54.80\00:18:57.00
that touches the lives of people
00:18:57.03\00:18:58.77
when God calls them.
00:18:58.80\00:19:00.87
These camps continued
to be an effective outreach
00:19:00.90\00:19:04.07
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:19:04.11\00:19:06.24
but after so many years,
00:19:06.27\00:19:07.64
many of the camps have acquired
00:19:07.68\00:19:09.24
a long list of needed
repairs and renovations
00:19:09.28\00:19:12.58
and the cost of
maintenance is expensive
00:19:12.61\00:19:15.05
for a ministry to maintain.
00:19:15.08\00:19:17.42
Michael Hopkins
00:19:17.45\00:19:18.79
is the building
maintenance manager
00:19:18.82\00:19:20.16
at Camp Kulaqua.
00:19:20.19\00:19:21.72
He understands the huge task
00:19:21.76\00:19:23.49
of keeping a
large campus updated.
00:19:23.53\00:19:25.86
The Camp Kulaqua is
a large facility there.
00:19:25.89\00:19:28.96
I believe there 750 to 800
acres of land at this point,
00:19:29.00\00:19:34.27
and my
responsibilities I believe,
00:19:34.30\00:19:36.87
I have to take care of
about a 100 different structures
00:19:36.91\00:19:41.08
and those ranged
from small cabins
00:19:41.11\00:19:43.58
to gymnasium size structures.
00:19:43.61\00:19:45.98
On the grounds here, we
have a wild life sanctuary,
00:19:46.01\00:19:49.18
we have a horse program,
00:19:49.22\00:19:51.79
we have a natural
spring that's behind us here,
00:19:51.82\00:19:54.12
that's a first magnitude spring.
00:19:54.16\00:19:56.73
And we are blessed
00:19:56.76\00:19:58.09
with a lot of neat
natural features in that way.
00:19:58.13\00:20:00.76
I think in any camp
00:20:05.03\00:20:06.63
there is always more
work that can be done
00:20:06.67\00:20:08.77
or needs to be done,
00:20:08.80\00:20:10.14
and there is a struggle between
00:20:10.17\00:20:14.71
feeling excited about
what you see happening
00:20:14.74\00:20:17.75
and then realizing how
much more needs to be done.
00:20:17.78\00:20:20.45
Then Michael came upon an idea.
00:20:20.48\00:20:23.35
In 2018
00:20:23.39\00:20:24.75
while at an Adventist
Camp Association meeting,
00:20:24.79\00:20:27.49
he heard a
presentation from Maranatha
00:20:27.52\00:20:29.56
and the work the
volunteers have done at camps.
00:20:29.59\00:20:32.69
The concept clicked
00:20:32.73\00:20:34.06
and he asked
Maranatha to come to Kulaqua.
00:20:34.10\00:20:37.93
Just a few months
later in February, 2019,
00:20:37.97\00:20:41.27
78 volunteers landed
in High Springs, Florida
00:20:41.30\00:20:44.41
ready to work.
00:20:44.44\00:20:47.18
The first year that we did this,
00:20:47.21\00:20:49.38
it was a
learning process for me,
00:20:49.41\00:20:50.95
I wasn't sure who would come,
00:20:50.98\00:20:52.75
what the experience would be
00:20:52.78\00:20:54.82
and I was just blown
away by that first year.
00:20:54.85\00:20:57.79
The work ethic
that people come with,
00:20:57.82\00:20:59.55
you know, if you are
not keeping them busy,
00:20:59.59\00:21:02.62
they started to
get frustrated with you
00:21:02.66\00:21:04.46
and that's a really
good problem to have.
00:21:04.49\00:21:07.43
It was such a successful project
00:21:07.46\00:21:09.40
that Camp
Kulaqua asked Maranatha
00:21:09.43\00:21:11.37
to return a year later,
00:21:11.40\00:21:14.67
then again a year
after that in January 2021.
00:21:14.70\00:21:20.51
For the most recent project,
00:21:20.54\00:21:22.01
volunteers helped to
built a 40 by 60 foot pole barn.
00:21:22.04\00:21:25.21
Laid 1,500 feet of waterline,
00:21:28.92\00:21:31.95
cut down trees,
00:21:31.99\00:21:34.82
painted
00:21:34.86\00:21:37.43
and worked on landscaping.
00:21:37.46\00:21:38.83
It's all tasks that
would have been difficult
00:21:42.40\00:21:44.17
to complete without
the help of volunteers.
00:21:44.20\00:21:46.53
But the giving
doesn't just go one way.
00:21:50.67\00:21:55.64
These projects
provide Maranatha volunteers
00:21:55.68\00:21:58.21
with
opportunities to not only serve
00:21:58.25\00:22:00.42
but to connect with people,
00:22:00.45\00:22:02.45
a blessing that
has become even greater
00:22:02.48\00:22:04.72
during these times.
00:22:04.75\00:22:07.22
For long time
00:22:07.26\00:22:08.59
volunteer and project
leader Betty Chrispell,
00:22:08.62\00:22:10.99
the projects are a way of life.
00:22:11.03\00:22:13.80
This is my family
00:22:13.83\00:22:15.93
and your family keeps
getting bigger and bigger
00:22:15.96\00:22:18.33
because you keep
meeting new people,
00:22:18.37\00:22:20.87
and then you get
to see the old ones
00:22:20.90\00:22:24.41
and you get such a bond
between you, it's just...
00:22:24.44\00:22:28.91
I can't express how I feel
when I get to go on a project.
00:22:28.94\00:22:32.61
It's awesome.
00:22:32.65\00:22:34.75
Whereas Camp Kulaqua
was Betty's 43rd project,
00:22:34.78\00:22:37.99
it was Patricia
Hodge's very first one.
00:22:38.02\00:22:41.92
While she had an outreach
00:22:41.96\00:22:43.29
with her church in her hometown,
00:22:43.32\00:22:44.93
she wanted to try serving
outside of her city's borders.
00:22:44.96\00:22:49.40
I wanted...
00:22:49.43\00:22:50.77
I had wanted to
do a missionary trip
00:22:50.80\00:22:54.44
and I didn't know where to start
00:22:54.47\00:22:56.94
but you know
old faithful Google.
00:22:56.97\00:22:59.87
I started there
and when I did Google,
00:22:59.91\00:23:04.61
Maranatha was the
first one that popped up
00:23:04.65\00:23:07.12
and I explored it,
00:23:07.15\00:23:09.22
looked and saw that
00:23:09.25\00:23:10.69
there were so many
projects and trips going on
00:23:10.72\00:23:14.32
in the country and
out of the country.
00:23:14.36\00:23:16.93
And so, this I
found was an hour and half
00:23:16.96\00:23:19.63
from where I lived,
00:23:19.66\00:23:21.00
and I thought this
would be a nice initiation.
00:23:21.03\00:23:23.43
And so, I took,
I signed up for it,
00:23:23.47\00:23:26.80
registered and along
the way I kept saying,
00:23:26.84\00:23:29.30
"Am I really, really,
really gonna do this?"
00:23:29.34\00:23:31.84
And it got down to the wire
00:23:31.87\00:23:33.78
where I was a week away from it
00:23:33.81\00:23:35.14
and I'm saying, okay,
it's just too late to cancel
00:23:35.18\00:23:38.25
and so I came through with
it, I went through with it.
00:23:38.28\00:23:41.62
Patricia's first mission
trip has been an adventure,
00:23:41.65\00:23:44.52
a tough one,
00:23:44.55\00:23:45.89
full of panting and
cutting and hauling off trees
00:23:45.92\00:23:48.29
and other physical labor.
00:23:48.32\00:23:50.33
The first day I couldn't move,
00:23:50.36\00:23:52.69
all I want to do is just go home
00:23:52.73\00:23:54.56
and just take a bath
really with some absinthe salt,
00:23:54.60\00:23:57.90
but I had no absinthe salt.
00:23:57.93\00:24:02.20
But even with the
exhausting first day,
00:24:02.24\00:24:04.44
Patricia had a good time
serving and making new friends.
00:24:04.47\00:24:08.44
I just find that
00:24:08.48\00:24:09.81
the people have
been very caring,
00:24:09.84\00:24:12.01
just concerned
00:24:12.05\00:24:13.72
and want to make sure
that that I'm, I feel...
00:24:13.75\00:24:18.72
It's just what people saying,
00:24:18.75\00:24:20.96
"Hey, come and
sit with us and eat."
00:24:20.99\00:24:23.36
You know, because sometimes
simple things like that
00:24:23.39\00:24:27.40
and all those
people want to reach out
00:24:27.43\00:24:30.57
and they want to do it
00:24:30.60\00:24:31.97
but actually saying it
00:24:32.00\00:24:33.74
and doing it
makes the difference.
00:24:33.77\00:24:35.87
Just a gesture like that makes
a big difference to someone
00:24:35.90\00:24:39.51
who is a stranger
and don't know anyone.
00:24:39.54\00:24:42.48
I would encourage anyone
00:24:42.51\00:24:45.38
if they want to
have an experience
00:24:45.41\00:24:48.85
of just being out in
nature, the fresh air,
00:24:48.88\00:24:54.72
meeting new people, enjoying.
00:24:54.76\00:24:57.26
If you enjoy meeting
new people and good people,
00:24:57.29\00:25:00.60
I believe it's a
growing experience
00:25:00.63\00:25:02.33
and I believe anyone,
00:25:02.36\00:25:04.50
everyone should
take advantage of it
00:25:04.53\00:25:06.43
and try at least once.
00:25:06.47\00:25:08.17
I've enjoyed it.
00:25:08.20\00:25:09.54
It's really, really...
00:25:09.57\00:25:10.91
It's been amazing
and I am glad I did,
00:25:10.94\00:25:12.87
it's been a good experience.
00:25:12.91\00:25:14.84
But the
relationships aren't limited
00:25:14.88\00:25:16.78
to only the volunteers.
00:25:16.81\00:25:19.28
After multiple
years of working together,
00:25:19.31\00:25:21.68
Camp Kulaqua staffs have
found new friendships too.
00:25:21.72\00:25:25.82
Now, we are three
years into this and it's...
00:25:25.85\00:25:29.52
It feels like
00:25:29.56\00:25:30.89
friends are
coming back each time.
00:25:30.93\00:25:32.36
You know, I know this event
00:25:32.39\00:25:33.73
I think about half of
the volunteers are returning
00:25:33.76\00:25:36.67
and then half are new
00:25:36.70\00:25:38.17
and it feels a
lot more comfortable
00:25:38.20\00:25:39.90
just like they are coming
00:25:39.93\00:25:41.27
and they are part of
the family at this point.
00:25:41.30\00:25:43.30
So that's a really neat
relationship to have there
00:25:43.34\00:25:45.91
and to have the
support of an organization
00:25:45.94\00:25:48.78
that wants to
come and invest in us
00:25:48.81\00:25:51.51
is just a huge benefit
00:25:51.55\00:25:53.45
especially to my
responsibilities.
00:25:53.48\00:25:56.48
You know in camp ministry,
00:25:56.52\00:25:57.85
we love people
00:25:57.89\00:25:59.22
and so when Maranatha comes
00:25:59.25\00:26:00.59
and we get to connect
with different people,
00:26:00.62\00:26:02.82
with different walks of life
and gets to hear their stories
00:26:02.86\00:26:05.23
and hear where they are from,
00:26:05.26\00:26:08.00
it just boost us
00:26:08.03\00:26:09.43
and so our interactions
have been so positive
00:26:09.46\00:26:12.53
and so encouraging
00:26:12.57\00:26:14.47
and you just never
know who you are gonna meet
00:26:14.50\00:26:17.77
and how they are gonna touch you
00:26:17.81\00:26:20.38
and they just,
they bring a joy to us,
00:26:20.41\00:26:22.98
and they just
revive us and encourage us
00:26:23.01\00:26:25.41
and remind us that ministry
is bigger than just me or you.
00:26:25.45\00:26:30.12
There is a whole team of people
out there we are connected to.
00:26:30.15\00:26:33.62
Maranatha is planning
00:26:36.69\00:26:38.03
a number of
volunteer mission trips
00:26:38.06\00:26:39.39
around the globe for 2021,
00:26:39.43\00:26:42.00
but if you prefer to
serve at home this year,
00:26:42.03\00:26:44.17
consider one of our
many North America projects.
00:26:44.20\00:26:47.60
In May, join us in Tennessee
00:26:47.64\00:26:49.67
as we construct a
brand new building
00:26:49.70\00:26:51.31
for the Jamestown
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:26:51.34\00:26:54.24
Volunteers on this project
00:26:54.28\00:26:55.61
will help with
wood framing, siding,
00:26:55.64\00:26:58.01
roofing and window installation.
00:26:58.05\00:27:00.88
Then in June,
00:27:00.92\00:27:02.25
help us in North Carolina
at Mount Pisgah Academy.
00:27:02.28\00:27:05.49
Volunteers on this project
00:27:05.52\00:27:06.86
will help renovate
41 girls' dorm rooms.
00:27:06.89\00:27:09.82
The work will
include electrical, flooring,
00:27:09.86\00:27:12.76
door installation,
00:27:12.79\00:27:14.16
blocked wall removal
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.70
and the
installation of dressers,
00:27:15.73\00:27:17.83
shelving units and bunk beds.
00:27:17.87\00:27:20.67
If neither of this
projects work for you,
00:27:20.70\00:27:22.64
Maranatha has plans
00:27:22.67\00:27:24.01
for around 20
North America projects
00:27:24.04\00:27:26.57
in 2021.
00:27:26.61\00:27:28.34
Please visit
maranatha.org/volunteer
00:27:28.38\00:27:31.61
to browse our
current list of projects.
00:27:31.65\00:27:34.08
We hope to see you there soon.
00:27:34.12\00:27:37.69
The volunteer project
in Tennessee and Florida
00:27:37.72\00:27:40.42
took place during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
00:27:40.46\00:27:44.99
The success of both experiences
00:27:45.03\00:27:47.23
are evidence of how a
mission trip is not defined
00:27:47.26\00:27:50.17
by where you go but
what you do and why.
00:27:50.20\00:27:55.07
Travel is
challenging in these times,
00:27:55.10\00:27:58.21
but the opportunity
for service is always open
00:27:58.24\00:28:02.54
and the mission is
present wherever you go.
00:28:02.58\00:28:05.55