Maranatha's latest
water wells in Brazil
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are altering daily life
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in the dry northeastern
part of the country.
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In the state of Pernambuco,
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most people rely on
the inconsistent delivery
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of water from the government.
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Deliveries are
sometimes delayed for weeks,
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forcing residents here
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to collect water
from dirty sources.
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Maranatha recently drilled
four new wells in Pernambuco
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at the Campo do
Mage, Citro Rodriguez,
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Citro Sako
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and Amaro
Seventh-day Adventist Churches.
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These new water sources
will consistently provide
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this basic need every day
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right at the
local Adventist Church.
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Now families won't have to worry
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whether the next
delivery is going to make it
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before their supply runs out.
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And they won't have to settle
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for potentially
contaminated water.
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To see daily photos,
videos and reports from Brazil
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and the rest of
the mission field,
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follow Maranatha on social media
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via Facebook and Instagram.
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Abidjan
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located on the
coast of Western Africa,
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it is the largest city
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and the economic
capital of Cote d'Ivoire.
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Modern, busy.
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going places and growing.
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Cote d'Ivoire is one
of the fastest growing
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economies in the world.
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This success is what
draws people to the city.
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People from
various villages and towns
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and even people
from outside the country,
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all come in
search of opportunity,
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an eclectic mix of people.
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Many who can afford little,
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often striving
for that elusive prize
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called success.
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The roads are
filled beyond capacity.
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Color coded taxis and
few enforced traffic laws
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creating massive jams
of every vehicle imaginable
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and a need for patience.
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If people aren't
stuck in traffic,
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they are likely selling
something on the street.
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In the suburbs,
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there was a street
market in every neighborhood.
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In addition to commerce,
religion permeates city life.
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The call to
prayer sounds regularly
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as those who practice Islam
turn their thoughts heavenward.
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Four out of 10 people in
Cote d'Ivoire are Muslim.
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Three out of 10 are
Christian and worth noting,
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there is no divisiveness
in this religious mix.
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Christians are mostly Catholic.
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Their large sanctuaries
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open for mass many
times over the weekend.
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And among the
Christians in Cote d'Ivoire,
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there is a small number
of Seventh-day Adventists
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about 10,000 members.
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And even though some
worship in modern sanctuaries,
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most worship in a place
like this one in Abbebroukoi,
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a suburb north of Abidjan.
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It is no wonder
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that Seventh-day
Adventists find it difficult
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to grow their faith community.
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Daniel Ange and his wife
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had been attending the
Dokwee Adventist Church
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one of only a couple
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more established
congregations in Abidjan.
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When he moved to
the area of Abbebroukoi,
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he and his wife were surprised
at what they found for church.
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Daniel determined
they would not return
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to the Abbebroukoi Church,
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but in a dream he was
impressed not to go back
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to his former church.
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Instead, Daniel
joined Abbebroukoi
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and prayed for God's provision.
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This is where the
story of Cote d'Ivoire
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merges with Maranatha.
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In 2018,
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the Adventist
Church in Cote d'Ivoire
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asked for Maranatha's help
in building places of worship.
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In early 2020,
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Maranatha volunteers
arrived in Cote d'Ivoire
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to start building
the Abbebroukoi Church
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and a primary school,
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the only one in
the neighborhood.
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There was much
excitement generated
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by the visiting teams.
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However, the
volunteers were forced home
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when the COVID-19 pandemic
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began shutting down
international travel.
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Cote d'Ivoire like every
other country in the world
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locked down,
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but Maranatha working
with the local government
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found a way to keep
our local workers on task.
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By September,
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the Abbebroukoi Church
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and school
campus were completed.
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There was a dedication
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and a great
celebration in the community.
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Already just
months after completion,
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the church is making an
impact and drawing people in.
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As they come to our
church or to our school,
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they discover that
there is far more things
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that God is concerned
and wants to help you.
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And so, here we
have this advantage.
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People comes in
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when they attend
our church or school
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they discover that
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we have something to say
about health, about education,
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and then they start wondering
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what a nice
people, what a nice church.
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They are not only concerned
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with spiritual religious things,
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but also they want to
teach me how to live better.
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The school is also
opened with 37 students
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from church and
neighborhood families.
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While it's only
been a few months,
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the parents are
seeing remarkable progress.
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Sidonie's daughter
has a learning disability.
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She was pleased
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when she learned her daughter
would be welcome at the school.
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So once the
children come to learn here,
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they not only
learn math, science,
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but they learn about God
and also about how to serve God
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and how to serve others,
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and once they go
home this is the beauty,
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they start teaching the parents,
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they become teachers,
they become missionaries there.
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Maranatha's church
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and school
classroom construction
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is so important
00:10:01.23\00:10:02.56
to the growth
of the church here,
00:10:02.60\00:10:04.17
that leadership is
already defining the church
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as pre-Maranatha
and post-Maranatha.
00:10:06.70\00:10:10.84
With only 10,000 members
in a country of 25 million,
00:10:10.87\00:10:14.64
education and
improved infrastructure
00:10:14.68\00:10:16.88
will be key to reaching Ivorians
00:10:16.91\00:10:18.98
with the message
of Jesus' soon return.
00:10:19.01\00:10:22.82
Your support of Maranatha
makes it possible for us
00:10:22.85\00:10:25.55
to transform entire communities.
00:10:25.59\00:10:27.89
The flourishing
00:10:31.59\00:10:32.93
of Abbebroukoi's
church and school
00:10:32.96\00:10:34.43
presents a
picture of easy success.
00:10:34.46\00:10:36.93
But the road to
completing the project
00:10:36.97\00:10:38.77
was anything but simple.
00:10:38.80\00:10:41.87
In 2020,
00:10:41.90\00:10:43.24
Cote d'Ivoire was slated
to be an important destination
00:10:43.27\00:10:45.74
for Maranatha volunteers
00:10:45.77\00:10:47.14
as there were
several congregations
00:10:47.18\00:10:48.71
waiting for a new
church or a new school.
00:10:48.74\00:10:53.15
In early March, 2020,
00:10:53.18\00:10:54.78
the entire world
went into lockdown
00:10:54.82\00:10:57.09
as we learned about
the dangers of COVID-19.
00:10:57.12\00:11:00.59
Volunteers could not
travel internationally,
00:11:00.62\00:11:03.12
Maranatha
cruise around the world
00:11:03.16\00:11:05.03
temporarily closed shop.
00:11:05.06\00:11:07.70
In the beginning, it
was kind of questionable
00:11:07.73\00:11:09.86
what is going to happen.
00:11:09.90\00:11:11.23
But when we realize that
00:11:11.27\00:11:14.07
some countries
are open for work,
00:11:14.10\00:11:17.34
especially construction,
00:11:17.37\00:11:19.07
we continue doing construction
00:11:19.11\00:11:21.04
in most of the
countries where we work.
00:11:21.08\00:11:23.21
We made tremendous progress
00:11:23.24\00:11:25.75
with our local workers
that we have on ground.
00:11:25.78\00:11:28.82
In every country
where Maranatha is building,
00:11:31.95\00:11:34.12
there was a local
crew that works diligently
00:11:34.16\00:11:36.62
behind the scenes.
00:11:36.66\00:11:38.76
They prepare job sites
for the arrival of volunteers,
00:11:38.79\00:11:41.86
assist volunteers
during construction,
00:11:41.90\00:11:44.07
and finish the projects
00:11:44.10\00:11:45.43
after volunteers have gone home.
00:11:45.47\00:11:47.54
Some of these crew members
are from other countries,
00:11:47.57\00:11:49.94
but they were unable to get home
00:11:49.97\00:11:51.67
because of the pandemic.
00:11:51.71\00:11:53.14
When COVID hit, some
of them were locked down,
00:11:53.17\00:11:57.78
being able to work
but not be able to go home
00:11:57.81\00:12:00.88
because of restrictions.
00:12:00.92\00:12:02.52
So that was very hard on them,
00:12:02.55\00:12:05.22
because usually they go
home every three, four months.
00:12:05.25\00:12:08.69
But I know some guys
00:12:08.72\00:12:10.33
they couldn't go back
for six, seven, eight months,
00:12:10.36\00:12:13.46
which is very hard.
00:12:13.50\00:12:16.13
So they stayed put.
00:12:16.16\00:12:17.77
And in 2020,
00:12:17.80\00:12:19.13
these crews became the
hands and feet of Maranatha.
00:12:19.17\00:12:22.70
After an initial shutdown,
00:12:22.74\00:12:24.11
most of the countries
allowed for some work,
00:12:24.14\00:12:26.47
especially in rural areas
00:12:26.51\00:12:28.18
where Maranatha
had ongoing projects.
00:12:28.21\00:12:30.71
The crews got back to work
including in Cote d'Ivoire.
00:12:30.75\00:12:34.05
It was a sacrifice
to be away from family,
00:12:34.08\00:12:36.38
but for many on the crew,
the work is more than a job.
00:12:36.42\00:12:39.95
It is a mission.
00:12:39.99\00:12:42.82
Carlos Morales is from Mexico.
00:12:42.86\00:12:44.99
He has been
working for Maranatha
00:12:45.03\00:12:46.43
as part of the construction crew
00:12:46.46\00:12:48.00
since 2017.
00:12:48.03\00:12:49.70
He does it for three reasons
for the income, to travel,
00:12:49.73\00:12:53.80
and to serve God.
00:12:53.84\00:12:56.24
I know that the mission
00:12:56.27\00:12:59.47
also means to share the gospel
00:12:59.51\00:13:04.65
in other areas,
00:13:04.68\00:13:08.98
I cannot...
00:13:09.02\00:13:10.59
For example I cannot preach.
00:13:10.62\00:13:12.75
And so,
00:13:12.79\00:13:17.69
when I build churches,
00:13:17.73\00:13:20.56
I tried to do my best.
00:13:20.60\00:13:22.46
I tried to construct
00:13:22.50\00:13:27.10
a very well, a very nice church,
00:13:27.14\00:13:29.94
because I know that in
this place or in that place,
00:13:29.97\00:13:33.54
we're going to worship God.
00:13:33.58\00:13:34.94
Thanks to the work
of Jean-Marc, Carlos
00:14:06.57\00:14:09.34
and crew members
around the world,
00:14:09.38\00:14:11.08
in 2020, Maranatha
completed 207 churches,
00:14:11.11\00:14:15.05
multiple classrooms
00:14:15.08\00:14:16.45
and finished 424 water wells
00:14:16.48\00:14:19.12
in India,
Brazil, Kenya and Zambia.
00:14:19.15\00:14:22.49
And in Cote d'Ivoire,
00:14:22.52\00:14:23.86
they finished up two
churches and five classrooms
00:14:23.89\00:14:26.63
including Abbebroukoi.
00:14:26.66\00:14:28.56
In spite of everything,
the year was a success.
00:14:28.60\00:14:32.00
God inspired
people to keep going
00:14:32.03\00:14:34.67
and giving to the mission.
00:14:34.70\00:14:36.44
When the COVID-19 thing
hit back early this year,
00:14:36.47\00:14:41.14
we had no idea as a country,
as an organization Maranatha
00:14:41.18\00:14:45.88
or as individuals on the board
00:14:45.91\00:14:47.42
how it would
affect our operations.
00:14:47.45\00:14:51.39
And I think our
initial reaction was,
00:14:51.42\00:14:55.66
it was going to
shut everything down.
00:14:55.69\00:14:57.33
Our donations
were going to go down
00:14:57.36\00:14:58.79
and we were just
going to kinda hold up
00:14:58.83\00:15:01.26
and see what happened.
00:15:01.30\00:15:02.63
But as the months
went by it became obvious
00:15:02.66\00:15:07.14
that was not
going to be the case.
00:15:07.17\00:15:09.60
Yes, we can no longer
travel internationally,
00:15:09.64\00:15:11.77
but the giving
continued to come.
00:15:11.81\00:15:14.11
And, in fact, it increased.
00:15:14.14\00:15:16.11
There was feelings on the board
00:15:16.14\00:15:17.55
that maybe we're being
prepared for something great.
00:15:17.58\00:15:21.05
As 2020 began to wind down
and countries opened back up,
00:15:21.08\00:15:24.65
Maranatha started
to hear from volunteers
00:15:24.69\00:15:26.79
who wanted to serve overseas.
00:15:26.82\00:15:29.32
I felt all along that
00:15:29.36\00:15:30.69
that's the
lifeblood of Maranatha.
00:15:30.73\00:15:32.96
We are people
00:15:32.99\00:15:34.33
that spread the gospel to
all countries of the world.
00:15:34.36\00:15:37.83
So as time went by,
00:15:37.87\00:15:39.60
I thought I felt
it was very important
00:15:39.63\00:15:42.34
that a trip be put
together somewhere.
00:15:42.37\00:15:45.44
The question was where?
00:15:45.47\00:15:47.74
While the intensity
of infections and deaths
00:15:47.78\00:15:50.15
from the COVID-19 pandemic
00:15:50.18\00:15:51.81
was dramatically
increasing in the United States
00:15:51.85\00:15:54.45
and other western countries,
00:15:54.48\00:15:56.92
Cote d'Ivoire had
reported an infection rate
00:15:56.95\00:15:59.09
of less than 1/10 of 1%.
00:15:59.12\00:16:04.09
For Maranatha, Cote d'Ivoire,
00:16:04.13\00:16:05.93
with an appropriate
measure of safety precautions
00:16:05.96\00:16:08.70
became the single
opportunity for volunteers
00:16:08.73\00:16:11.30
to begin serving
again internationally.
00:16:11.33\00:16:15.80
The volunteer
projects department
00:16:15.84\00:16:17.44
put together a mission trip,
00:16:17.47\00:16:18.91
and in December, 2020,
00:16:18.94\00:16:20.84
a small team
headed to Cote d'Ivoire
00:16:20.88\00:16:22.84
to build a school in
a place called Niangon.
00:16:22.88\00:16:26.98
When we come back,
00:16:27.02\00:16:28.35
meet the people who
stepped out in faith
00:16:28.38\00:16:30.35
to serve under the
most unusual conditions
00:16:30.39\00:16:33.25
and what they
learned while on the trip.
00:16:33.29\00:16:35.42
If you're ready
00:16:46.90\00:16:48.24
for an
international mission trip,
00:16:48.27\00:16:49.60
join us in Kenya this
summer starting June 16.
00:16:49.64\00:16:52.97
We'll be serving
00:16:53.01\00:16:54.34
at the Kajiado Adventist
School and Rescue Center,
00:16:54.38\00:16:56.68
which primarily
serves Maasai girls
00:16:56.71\00:16:58.65
who have escaped child marriage
00:16:58.68\00:17:00.18
and a dangerous
ritual circumcision
00:17:00.22\00:17:02.35
known as female
genital mutilation.
00:17:02.38\00:17:05.45
For the past couple of years,
00:17:05.49\00:17:06.82
Maranatha has been working here
00:17:06.86\00:17:08.29
to improve the infrastructure
for these elementary students,
00:17:08.32\00:17:11.53
adding new dorms,
classrooms, restrooms,
00:17:11.56\00:17:14.83
offices, and a water well.
00:17:14.86\00:17:17.57
Because the school only
offered up to eighth grade,
00:17:17.60\00:17:20.00
previously students
would have to leave Kajiado
00:17:20.04\00:17:22.70
to attend high school
00:17:22.74\00:17:24.07
and other places
across the region.
00:17:24.11\00:17:26.47
Now, Maranatha is
adding a high school
00:17:26.51\00:17:28.74
so these girls can stay
at home until graduation.
00:17:28.78\00:17:32.71
Volunteers on this project
00:17:32.75\00:17:34.25
will help construct
00:17:34.28\00:17:35.62
one of the new
high school buildings
00:17:35.65\00:17:37.55
and have the opportunity
00:17:37.59\00:17:38.99
to conduct community
outreach in the area.
00:17:39.02\00:17:42.42
To learn more about
this project and others,
00:17:42.46\00:17:44.59
visit our website.
00:17:44.63\00:17:48.53
After nine months on hiatus,
00:17:48.56\00:17:50.27
Maranatha launched
00:17:50.30\00:17:51.63
the first
international mission trip
00:17:51.67\00:17:53.10
since the pandemic.
00:17:53.13\00:17:54.84
In December, 2020,
00:17:54.87\00:17:56.30
volunteers
arrived in Cote d'Ivoire,
00:17:56.34\00:17:58.61
their mission, to build
an administration building
00:17:58.64\00:18:00.84
and classrooms
00:18:00.88\00:18:02.21
on the property
00:18:02.24\00:18:03.58
of the Niangon Adventist Church.
00:18:03.61\00:18:06.58
Niangon is a
vibrant congregation
00:18:06.61\00:18:08.88
with a drive to share the gospel
00:18:08.92\00:18:10.75
with their community.
00:18:10.79\00:18:12.12
And the plan is to do this
through Christian education.
00:18:12.15\00:18:16.29
This is one of the
most inhabited places
00:18:16.32\00:18:19.73
in this country.
00:18:19.76\00:18:21.16
And they have been
requesting for many years
00:18:21.20\00:18:23.33
to build a secondary school here
00:18:23.37\00:18:25.00
because they have
around some primary school
00:18:25.03\00:18:27.04
but the need is
a secondary school.
00:18:27.07\00:18:29.17
And as you can see, we have
the church building behind me
00:18:29.20\00:18:32.64
and next to it,
00:18:32.67\00:18:34.01
we are building now the
office as well a classroom.
00:18:34.04\00:18:37.01
Surely enough, we are trying
to save these nice mango trees
00:18:37.05\00:18:39.65
because mangoes are
so sweet here in Abidjan.
00:18:39.68\00:18:42.72
And then as you
see farther there,
00:18:42.75\00:18:45.65
there is the toilet
as well a classroom.
00:18:45.69\00:18:48.52
And in this plot here
that you can see empty,
00:18:48.56\00:18:51.36
we are planning to
build five buildings
00:18:51.39\00:18:53.23
with classrooms as well.
00:18:53.26\00:18:54.73
And then we might have
00:18:54.76\00:18:56.10
around 250, 300
children in this area.
00:18:56.13\00:18:59.63
And that will be a
blessing for the community
00:18:59.67\00:19:01.97
as well for the
church here in this area.
00:19:02.00\00:19:05.74
When we arrived,
00:19:05.77\00:19:07.11
there was one layer
of block on the slab
00:19:07.14\00:19:09.24
and we started
building up the walls
00:19:09.28\00:19:12.05
which we had a pretty good crew
00:19:12.08\00:19:14.08
and just does a
sense of accomplishment
00:19:14.12\00:19:18.25
and also a vision for the future
00:19:18.29\00:19:21.86
of seeing these
kids having a place
00:19:21.89\00:19:24.36
to get an education to
further their place in life.
00:19:24.39\00:19:29.53
I was very
impressed with our workers,
00:19:36.47\00:19:39.34
particularly those that are here
00:19:39.37\00:19:41.11
from Central America.
00:19:41.14\00:19:42.68
These are men that
have left their families
00:19:42.71\00:19:46.25
for many, many months at a time.
00:19:46.28\00:19:48.28
They're in a foreign country.
00:19:48.32\00:19:51.45
And their
attitude is so wonderful
00:19:51.49\00:19:55.09
and, of course, when they see us
00:19:55.12\00:19:57.16
they get very
excited to see somebody
00:19:57.19\00:19:59.09
traveling to visit with them.
00:19:59.13\00:20:01.33
But I say this time
and time again to the board
00:20:01.36\00:20:03.80
that the quality of construction
00:20:03.83\00:20:06.40
and craftsmanship
00:20:06.43\00:20:07.94
and the
appearance of our job sites
00:20:07.97\00:20:10.44
and our finished product are,
00:20:10.47\00:20:12.24
I would put them
up against anything
00:20:12.27\00:20:13.88
that we build even in the US.
00:20:13.91\00:20:17.05
In addition to Niangon,
00:20:17.08\00:20:18.41
the volunteers
visited multiple communities
00:20:18.45\00:20:20.95
to see the need for
churches in Cote d'Ivoire.
00:20:20.98\00:20:23.52
One area where the
Adventist Church is growing
00:20:31.09\00:20:33.29
is in the coastal
village towns east of Abidjan.
00:20:33.33\00:20:38.43
An abundance of seafood
supports the local economy.
00:20:38.47\00:20:41.20
The people who live here
have constructed small churches
00:20:48.34\00:20:51.25
from bamboo and
other local materials.
00:20:51.28\00:20:53.68
The volunteers felt privileged
00:20:58.19\00:20:59.69
to build the first
of 20 one-day churches
00:20:59.72\00:21:02.16
that will dock
this coastal region.
00:21:02.19\00:21:06.19
What a thrill to see our
church building structure
00:21:06.23\00:21:09.20
go up in one day.
00:21:09.23\00:21:12.03
It's amazing to the people
00:21:12.07\00:21:13.40
because around
here the specialty is
00:21:13.44\00:21:15.10
partially completed buildings,
00:21:15.14\00:21:16.47
you see them everywhere.
00:21:16.50\00:21:17.87
So to go there and do a building
00:21:17.91\00:21:19.81
that can now be
functional in one day
00:21:19.84\00:21:23.18
is a thrilling site
00:21:23.21\00:21:24.55
and to the local
people it's like wow.
00:21:24.58\00:21:27.92
This beach is
where church members
00:21:27.95\00:21:29.72
who will receive
the one-day church
00:21:29.75\00:21:31.45
had been worshipping in
a simple bamboo structure
00:21:31.49\00:21:34.42
and addition to
the elder's house.
00:21:34.46\00:21:37.33
They will move the
structure to the new church
00:21:37.36\00:21:39.36
and use it for
Sabbath school classes.
00:21:39.39\00:21:42.36
Eric, the elder
at the Avagou Church
00:21:42.40\00:21:44.77
says that people are attracted
to their church at first
00:21:44.80\00:21:47.70
because as he puts it,
00:21:47.74\00:21:50.17
we are teaching
things from the Bible
00:21:50.21\00:21:52.17
truths that they
have never heard.
00:21:52.21\00:21:55.01
And we are
attentive to their needs.
00:21:55.04\00:21:56.95
But even with biblical truths
and a Christ-like presence,
00:22:16.40\00:22:19.70
the shack of a
church keeps people away.
00:22:19.73\00:22:22.70
Another first in Cote
d'Ivoire, water wells.
00:23:53.53\00:23:56.60
Recently, Maranatha
launched a water program
00:23:56.63\00:23:58.83
in Cote d'Ivoire.
00:23:58.87\00:24:01.14
Most of the communities
00:24:01.17\00:24:02.50
on the outskirts of
Abidjan have water systems.
00:24:02.54\00:24:05.37
However, the
water is only available
00:24:05.41\00:24:07.24
intermittently.
00:24:07.28\00:24:08.61
So wherever
Maranatha built a new church,
00:24:08.64\00:24:11.31
if a well is feasible, we
will provide a water source,
00:24:11.35\00:24:14.48
sometimes with a pump and tank,
00:24:14.52\00:24:16.42
and sometimes with a hand pump.
00:24:16.45\00:24:18.09
Church members are
going to be provide
00:24:23.16\00:24:25.36
free water, drinking water
00:24:25.39\00:24:27.96
to that community
right on the coast
00:24:28.00\00:24:29.76
where, you know,
getting fresh water
00:24:29.80\00:24:31.37
is a bit of a challenge
00:24:31.40\00:24:32.73
and they can come
especially on Sabbath,
00:24:32.77\00:24:34.24
they can hear a Sabbath service
while they get their water
00:24:34.27\00:24:36.94
and it's bound to attract them.
00:24:36.97\00:24:38.97
The first hand pump water
well was dedicated in December
00:24:39.01\00:24:42.54
at the Anan Adventist Church
00:24:42.58\00:24:44.35
which was constructed
by volunteers in 2019.
00:24:44.38\00:24:47.62
One thing I like about the well
00:24:47.65\00:24:49.68
is that it's
exactly what people need.
00:24:49.72\00:24:51.85
And when you give
them what they need,
00:24:51.89\00:24:53.79
you see them smile.
00:24:53.82\00:24:55.49
And when you give
them what they need,
00:24:55.52\00:24:57.36
you can ask them
to follow the Christ
00:24:57.39\00:24:59.49
who provided for
this need they had.
00:24:59.53\00:25:02.93
So may the Lord bless Maranatha.
00:25:02.96\00:25:04.93
And I know a lot of
souls would be won for Christ.
00:25:04.97\00:25:09.24
After 10 busy days,
00:25:09.27\00:25:11.04
the group wrapped
up their experience
00:25:11.07\00:25:12.74
in Cote d'Ivoire.
00:25:12.77\00:25:14.64
For these veteran volunteers,
00:25:14.68\00:25:16.24
the return to the mission
field was like going home,
00:25:16.28\00:25:19.08
and it filled them
with a spiritual energy
00:25:19.11\00:25:21.28
that is difficult to quantify.
00:25:21.32\00:25:23.92
There is little more satisfying
00:25:23.95\00:25:25.72
than to join
church members in song
00:25:25.75\00:25:27.69
in their new church home or
witnessed the children's joy
00:25:27.72\00:25:30.79
as they learn
from Christian teachers
00:25:30.83\00:25:32.99
in their new school classrooms.
00:25:33.03\00:25:35.13
When you see the real thing,
00:25:35.16\00:25:37.50
and you see the real impact
these projects have on people,
00:25:37.53\00:25:41.37
we have a bigger love
for those that we see.
00:25:41.40\00:25:45.24
Going to
Abbebroukoi the other day,
00:25:45.27\00:25:47.64
we see members in the church
00:25:47.68\00:25:49.41
and it's like I've
known them all my life.
00:25:49.44\00:25:51.68
I've never seen them before.
00:25:51.71\00:25:53.62
But it's like you've
known them all your life
00:25:53.65\00:25:56.02
and they're
brothers and sisters.
00:25:56.05\00:25:59.65
In my heart,
00:25:59.69\00:26:01.09
having grown up
in this continent,
00:26:01.12\00:26:03.09
and seeing the tremendous need,
00:26:03.12\00:26:05.03
and knowing that
00:26:05.06\00:26:06.39
there are some things you can do
00:26:06.43\00:26:07.76
that have a long
impact on many people
00:26:07.80\00:26:10.90
is very
attractive and meaningful.
00:26:10.93\00:26:13.03
A school where hundreds of kids
go through Adventist education,
00:26:13.07\00:26:18.21
they probably come
from non-Adventist homes
00:26:18.24\00:26:20.18
because usually 90%
of Adventist students
00:26:20.21\00:26:23.55
in our schools in
Africa are non-Adventist.
00:26:23.58\00:26:26.78
And so this is a way to
effectively take Adventism
00:26:26.82\00:26:29.92
back to the community.
00:26:29.95\00:26:31.29
When kids go home
singing Adventist songs,
00:26:31.32\00:26:33.32
when kids go home
00:26:33.36\00:26:34.69
having being able
to repeat Bible text,
00:26:34.72\00:26:37.06
you know, you
have done a project
00:26:37.09\00:26:38.43
that has evangelistic
and life changing impacts.
00:26:38.46\00:26:41.60
And the need in
the continent is huge.
00:26:41.63\00:26:45.43
And coming to help
as we little as we can
00:26:45.47\00:26:49.44
is a huge impact.
00:26:49.47\00:26:51.91
As a Maranatha volunteer,
00:26:51.94\00:26:53.51
what becomes clear
00:26:53.54\00:26:54.88
is that Seventh-day
Adventist communities
00:26:54.91\00:26:56.61
are places of refuge,
refreshment and revival
00:26:56.64\00:26:59.85
in the urban tangle of Abidjan.
00:26:59.88\00:27:02.92
People who spend
every waking hour
00:27:02.95\00:27:05.09
of every day
00:27:05.12\00:27:06.45
trying to survive
and find a place to rest
00:27:06.49\00:27:09.22
and co-mingle with
people of like mind,
00:27:09.26\00:27:11.69
people of faith,
00:27:11.73\00:27:13.73
people for whom love and concern
00:27:13.76\00:27:16.26
is their motivation.
00:27:16.30\00:27:19.20
As we look forward
to the coming year,
00:27:19.23\00:27:21.40
I want to
encourage all of those of you
00:27:21.44\00:27:24.01
who have been on trips
00:27:24.04\00:27:26.07
before who are
thinking about going on trips,
00:27:26.11\00:27:28.58
there's a larger
bigger opportunity now
00:27:28.61\00:27:30.85
than there ever has been
00:27:30.88\00:27:32.38
to make an impact on
the world around you.
00:27:32.41\00:27:35.92
Not just the world at home,
00:27:35.95\00:27:37.29
but the world of our countries
00:27:37.32\00:27:40.76
where people are
desperate for the Word of God.
00:27:40.79\00:27:43.86
They know nothing of a Savior
00:27:43.89\00:27:45.99
and with us having the ability
00:27:46.03\00:27:49.56
and the opportunity
to spread that Word.
00:27:49.60\00:27:52.03
I want to encourage
you to take that chance.
00:27:52.07\00:27:55.17
Go somewhere and
make a difference.
00:27:55.20\00:27:56.54