Participants:
Series Code: MMS
Program Code: MMS009124S
|
00:01 Hi, I'm Dustin Comm with the Maranatha Minute.
00:02 Fifty six Maranatha volunteers recently served in California 00:06 at Pacific Union College. 00:07 This is the second project here in the last two years 00:10 and volunteers picked right up where they left off. 00:13 They continued renovations on a men's dorm 00:16 where the rooms were given a thorough cleaning 00:18 and new flooring was set. 00:19 In the woodshop workers constructed new cabinets 00:22 that were installed, 00:23 rounding out the transformation of 15 dorm rooms. 00:27 As always during COVID-19 safety rules were in place 00:30 including wearing face masks, social distancing, 00:33 and twice daily temperature checks. 00:35 The successful project 00:36 came to somewhat of a dramatic ending 00:38 as the nearby Hennessy wildfire 00:40 forced an evacuation of the area. 00:42 Thankfully, all volunteers got home safely. 00:46 Learn more about the work 00:47 Maranatha is doing in the United States 00:49 and around the world 00:50 at this year's virtual convention, 00:52 Mission Maranatha. 00:53 Watch our two-hour television broadcast event 00:56 on September 19 at 2 pm. 00:58 Visit our website to learn more. 01:31 At first glance, 01:33 this small campus 01:34 looks like a typical boarding school in Kenya. 01:37 There are kids in uniform attending assembly, 01:40 class, 01:42 and eating in the dining commons. 01:44 There are kids living in dormitories, 01:47 doing their laundry and chores and playing outdoors. 01:51 But the Kajiado Adventist School 01:53 and Rescue Center is no ordinary campus. 01:57 Kajiado is home to 150 girls 01:59 who have endured or escaped 02:01 female genital mutilation or FGM. 02:05 This is an illegal ritual done to girls 02:08 as young as six years old 02:09 in preparation for their arranged marriage 02:12 at the age of nine. 02:15 Kajiado was established nearly 20 years ago 02:17 as a ministry 02:18 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 02:23 It is a haven for Maasai girls 02:25 who have run away from their families 02:27 in search of safety and education. 02:30 Sarah Daniel is the school director. 02:33 She has been working at Kajiado for the past 10 years, 02:36 and she has personally helped to rescue many girls 02:38 from abusive situations 02:40 and watch them grow into strong, healthy, 02:43 educated women of faith. 02:47 More than 2,000 girls 02:49 are being assisted through this center. 02:52 And we thank God for their beautiful future. 02:55 We have 20 who are in colleges and universities, 02:59 and one of them graduated last year, 03:01 and we are happy for that. 03:03 When I walk around 03:04 and I look at the within the community, 03:07 I have teachers, 03:08 I have people who are working in the offices 03:11 and they are testimony of these because they went through this 03:15 and now they are living as a better life 03:20 after being assisted. 03:22 So we are really happy for that. 03:24 And we are not ready to stop this 03:26 until we see that 03:28 every girl will be safe 03:30 and every girl will be given an opportunity. 03:35 It is a worthy goal, 03:37 yet at Kajiado 03:38 the momentum is being thwarted by a simple problem, space. 03:43 Because of the growing number, the dormitory that we have, 03:48 is only supposed to handle 03:49 a capacity of not more than 80 girls. 03:55 But currently as we speak, 03:57 the population in our dormitory is 150 girls. 04:03 Girls have to sleep two or three to a mattress. 04:06 Sometimes they push two bunks together 04:08 to create a larger space, 04:10 but not necessarily more comfort. 04:13 The cramped quarters means that Sarah is unable to accept 04:16 more girls in need of help. 04:19 Beyond the sleeping situation, 04:20 the school is in need of upgrades. 04:23 These are the only toilets available 04:25 for the 150 girls at Kajiado. 04:28 As for showers, 04:30 most of the students bathe outside 04:31 using buckets of water and darkness for privacy. 04:36 In addition to the girls, 04:37 there are about two dozen boys who board at the school. 04:41 The co-ed atmosphere helps the girls to develop 04:43 a healthy relationship with males. 04:46 The boys stay in the old school library, 04:48 which means that books 04:50 had to be shoved into a small nook. 04:53 The dedicated staff also need better housing. 04:56 It's so small in term of space 05:00 and it cannot accommodate more than one person, 05:02 Andigo Nehive who is sleeping there, 05:04 it is not spacious for me. 05:07 So we need a spacious room 05:10 for us to live in comfortably. 05:15 And finally, the school needs a new well. 05:18 The current well is not producing enough 05:20 and the school is having to spend precious resources 05:23 on buying water. 05:26 Since learning of Kajiado' s needs, 05:28 Maranatha has agreed to help 05:30 with a number of projects on campus, 05:32 including the construction of new dormitories, 05:35 bathrooms and showers, 05:37 administrative offices, and the drilling of a new well. 05:43 The work is being completed in part by volunteers. 05:46 Two previous groups completed one dormitory 05:49 and bathroom block. 05:50 And in March Maranatha organized a mission trip 05:53 to Kajiado for a team to build a second girls' dormitory. 05:58 The opportunity drew a small 05:59 but motivated group of 26 volunteers, 06:02 each with a different reason for joining the project. 06:06 Kristi Richardson 06:07 was in the category of first time volunteers. 06:10 It was a strange label 06:11 to have considering her background. 06:14 Her parents Cal and Sue Krueger 06:16 have been part of the organization 06:17 for more than 40 years as board members, 06:20 donors and volunteers. 06:22 I was an educator, I was a teacher. 06:25 And because I was on an academic calendar, 06:27 and I was given these are the times 06:29 when you have vacation, 06:30 it never quite lined up, I mean I would have loved to. 06:33 It would take Kristi's retirement from teaching 06:35 to open the door to volunteering with Maranatha. 06:38 The Kruger family organized a mission trip 06:40 to work at the Gucha School in Kenya. 06:44 Sadly neither Kristi or Sue ever made it to Kenya. 06:48 Kristi's husband had a major health issue, 06:50 forcing her to cancel her trip, 06:52 and her mother Sue had cancer 06:54 which kept her from the project. 06:56 Sue passed away shortly after. 06:59 Less than a year later, 07:00 Kristi heard about the Kajiado mission trip. 07:03 I still had tickets 07:04 from the project I was unable to go on. 07:07 And when my mother passed away 07:10 as a memorial, we specified this project. 07:13 So I thought that would be really good to come 07:15 to honor her memory. 07:18 Well, Kristi's reasons for going 07:20 were specifically rooted in personal history. 07:23 Eddie and Dwanna Falconer were drawn by a more vague 07:26 calling to the mission field. 07:28 When my wife and I, 07:29 we have one thing in common and that is travel. 07:33 Several things in common, 07:34 but travel is one of those things 07:35 that we have in common. 07:37 And so we took a trip last year, 07:40 as part of our vacation and we traveled to Europe. 07:44 But it was mostly leisure. 07:46 We felt somewhat guilty 07:47 when we got back even though it was, 07:50 we enjoyed it, but something was missing. 07:52 The last time we went away, we just felt like it was great. 07:56 But something was missing and we felt that 07:58 that was because it was just all about us. 08:00 We needed to do something 08:02 when we combine service and travel. 08:05 And we thought of Maranatha. 08:07 This is my first mission trip 08:09 and my first time laboring with brick and mortar. 08:15 I chose the Kenya mission trip 08:18 because the rescue center and the Kajiado School 08:21 just really struck me 08:23 in a really deep and personal place. 08:24 And I just want to serve and do whatever was needed 08:28 for the young ladies that go to the school. 08:32 But while Dwanna was certain of her choice, 08:34 Eddie was apprehensive. 08:37 As a self-employed businessman, Eddie was worried. 08:41 There's always that fear of finance 08:43 come into the question, 08:45 where you figure okay, three weeks off the job. 08:47 I'm self-employed, 08:49 how much money am I gonna lose? 08:51 And then you realize, well, God can take care of us. 08:56 And that's where we made a decision 08:58 and she began to make the plans 08:59 and everything just kind of fell in place from there. 09:02 Kristi, Dwanna and Eddie 09:04 were joined by 23 other volunteers 09:06 with a diversity of backgrounds. 09:09 Volunteers who grew up in the mission field 09:12 and consider it home, 09:13 volunteers who have found purpose in service 09:16 and now make Maranatha a regular part of their lives, 09:19 volunteers who came seeking a new experience, 09:22 adventure and purpose in their lives. 09:25 Regardless of their background in missions, 09:28 no one could anticipate 09:29 the highly emotional experience of serving 09:31 such a special group of students 09:33 at such a special place. 09:37 When we come back, 09:39 watch a very special mission trip unfold 09:41 through the eyes of the volunteers. 10:04 Anyone can build a church. 10:06 Simply give just $10 each month 10:08 and your donation along with thousands of others 10:11 will fund a new place of worship every month. 10:16 The potential for change is all around you. 10:19 All you have to do is look. 10:28 On the first day 10:30 of the Maranatha Kenya project in Kajiado, 10:32 the campus was buzzing 10:33 in preparation for the volunteers' arrival 10:35 as welcomes are a big deal in Kenya. 10:38 The first morning we arrived on our buses, 10:42 the students were lined up, 10:44 the gates open and here's hundreds of girls 10:47 and a few boys in their matching outfits. 10:50 And they were marching in time 10:52 up to make two lines to welcome us in. 10:55 Their hearts just filled with joy 10:57 and singing and so happy to see us. 11:29 When we first got here that first day, 11:32 and I saw all of those children lined up, 11:36 and they seem so excited. 11:38 I felt we're in for a real treat 11:40 at this place. 11:43 I wanted to cry 11:45 but there was so much mixed emotion 11:46 when I saw the kids singing 11:48 and then I saw everybody just kind of lined up. 11:51 I felt very small, 11:53 because this was way bigger than I am, you know, 11:56 so I was just grateful when I got here, 11:58 you know, all the emotions were there. 12:08 And that was just the first few minutes. 12:10 Little did Eddie know, 12:12 it was only the beginning 12:13 of what would be a transformational week 12:15 in many ways. 12:18 First, there was the work. 12:20 While many of the volunteers were veterans at laying block, 12:23 for others, 12:24 the construction site was a brand-new experience. 12:27 So laying brick, 12:29 it's actually my first time doing this. 12:33 It's not going very well so far, 12:35 having a hard time getting the hang of it. 12:38 But I'll get it. 12:50 And so the trick is to get just the right amount of mortar, 12:54 without it all falling off the side like that. 13:04 If we just lay very still, very quietly. 13:12 For those who would prefer work other than masonry, 13:14 there were plenty of other tasks. 13:17 Like teaching a health class. 13:19 I really like you, you're such a nice one. 13:22 Now look at you. You got germs all over you. 13:27 Painting, 13:30 organizing, 13:34 cleaning. 13:39 Even shopping. 13:43 Renee Harry 13:44 is a first time volunteer from New York. 13:47 On the day she wasn't on the construction site, 13:49 she helped with one of the outreach activities 13:51 on campus. 13:53 Maranatha, and I think just on the strength 13:56 of people wanting to help everyone 13:59 sort of collected items and clothing, shoes, 14:04 anything they think that would be beneficial. 14:07 So the girls and the boys here, 14:09 they collected all those items before they came. 14:12 And we sort of set up 14:13 a little shopping area for them, 14:16 where the girls could come in and choose items 14:19 that they liked, 14:21 and then you know 14:22 they would be able to walk away with an item. 14:23 Thank you. 14:25 Thank you for bringing for us these gifts 14:27 and come back again. 14:29 May God bless you. 14:31 The clothing outreach 14:33 was just one of the ways the volunteers got to interact 14:35 with the girls and hear their stories. 14:37 Over the week, 14:39 what they found 14:40 were young women seeking mentorship and friendship. 14:43 Once the girls leave home 14:45 and the tradition of childhood marriage, 14:47 they're rejected by their parents. 14:49 Often they can never go back to their villages. 14:52 So what the girls want, 14:54 what they crave is genuine connection. 15:00 Jane Sines is a longtime volunteer 15:02 who recently returned to Maranatha mission trips 15:04 after a bit of a break. 15:07 In the last couple projects, 15:08 she'd been a little worried 15:09 about how she'd fit into the bigger picture 15:11 as an older participant. 15:14 But with each experience, 15:15 she's found a way to belong and fulfill a need 15:18 that she would have never imagined. 15:21 When I first started interacting 15:22 with the girls here, 15:24 they were really kind of hesitant. 15:26 But the more I put my arms around them 15:28 and just hugged them, 15:30 and just stood by them and held their hands, 15:33 they just seem to start glowing. 15:36 And just more and more, 15:37 and now when I would come 15:39 more recently to the campus, 15:41 they would just come running and wanting to hug me 15:45 and, you know, I just, 15:47 and they started calling me grandma, grandma, 15:50 grandma come out. 15:52 Grandma, grandma, and it was just a thrill. 15:57 On the first Saturday night, 15:58 the school organized a social for everyone. 16:00 The event immediately broke down 16:02 any walls that existed 16:04 between the girls and the volunteers. 16:07 We, you know, celebrated the end of Sabbath, 16:09 sang some songs 16:10 and then we got into the activity songs, 16:13 action songs, 16:15 and they were singing a song in which they came 16:16 and got us again out, 16:18 and were teaching us to do their Maasai thing, 16:21 I can't do it too well yet. 16:25 And so they had a fabulous time, 16:26 we had a fabulous time. 16:30 And that's why things like Saturday night, 16:32 to model the behavior, 16:33 and to show them 16:35 that we and Christian love can have a really great time 16:37 and laugh and sing and jump around, 16:41 was really a wonderful thing to do. 17:21 When I got here, 17:23 I was not quite sure what the real story was. 17:26 But after about the second day, 17:29 especially the night 17:31 when they had that get together. 17:32 I had a chance to really speak with some of the girls 17:35 one on one, 17:37 and they were sharing 17:38 a little bit of their experience. 17:40 But one of the most profound thing 17:41 that happened to me, 17:44 me and my wife, 17:45 two girls was just walking past hand in hand, 17:49 and I wave to them and they smile back at me. 17:51 When they smiled, 17:52 the other one tucked and then the other one shared and say, 17:54 "Come on, let's go over there." 17:55 They came over and we want to take pictures of them. 17:59 Within about 15 minutes, 18:01 they were calling us mom and dad. 18:05 And 18:11 that took my heart. 18:13 I really did because 18:16 here is they've never seen me before. 18:20 And I don't know 18:22 what all the experiences in their young life 18:25 that they have been through, 18:27 but there was already to identify with us 18:29 as part of their own family and to accommodate us 18:33 and calling us mom and dad. 18:35 It really melted my heart, it really did. 18:41 When we come back, 18:42 volunteers witness a miracle for Kajiado and more. 18:56 During these uncertain times, 18:58 it can seem like there's no good left in the world, 19:00 yet we've seen God's hand in Maranatha's work 19:03 throughout this pandemic 19:04 and invite you to watch a special television event 19:06 to see how God is blessed. 19:09 On September 19 at 2 pm Pacific, 19:11 watch our two-hour virtual convention broadcast 19:14 Mission Maranatha. 19:16 This special will feature 19:17 inspiring volunteer testimonies, 19:19 reports from the mission field 19:21 and ways that you can stay involved 19:22 even from home. 19:24 This program will air on a variety of networks 19:26 as well as on demand on our app, 19:28 the Maranatha Channel. 19:30 We also invite you to participate 19:32 in two virtual meetings on Zoom 19:34 as a part of our convention weekend. 19:36 On September 18, 19:38 learn how to plan for your financial future 19:40 and support Maranatha at the same time. 19:43 On September 19, after our two-hour broadcast, 19:46 come to our virtual lobby 19:47 for a meet and greet 19:48 with fellow volunteers and Maranatha staff. 19:51 Go to maranatha.org/missionmaranatha 19:54 to register. 19:59 Maranatha is committed 20:01 to helping the Kajiado Adventist School 20:03 and Rescue Center by providing new dormitories, 20:06 staff housing and more. 20:08 But a crucial element of campus success 20:11 is dependent on water. 20:13 New bathrooms, showers and thriving gardens 20:16 require a strong water source. 20:19 Something that the campus currently does not have. 20:22 The existing well is failing. 20:24 And the school has had to purchase water 20:26 for basic needs. 20:28 Unfortunately, 20:30 hydrogeology reports reveal 20:31 that the chances of finding a good water source 20:34 on campus is dismal. 20:36 The decision was made to drill a well 20:39 over by the church 20:40 where they're based on geographic studies, 20:45 it was determined to be the best location 20:47 even though there was an awful lot of reason to be skeptical, 20:53 it was determined that 20:55 if there was gonna be water on this property, 20:58 that's the location where we would find it. 21:04 The day actually of the drilling, 21:08 all of the children came out, 21:10 as well as the volunteers 21:12 and all staff came out to the drilling site. 21:15 And we had sort of a worship experience 21:19 and a lot of prayer 21:20 before we actually kind of started everything on. 21:34 The crew anticipated they would be drilling for days 21:37 as any water would be deep in the ground 21:39 if there was water at all. 21:42 But the next day, 21:43 the entire campus was met with a miracle. 21:47 Just around 11 am there came the operator, 21:52 Gerald came running over to where we were working. 21:55 You could tell he was beside himself. 21:58 He was, he couldn't believe it. 22:00 He was just like, I can't believe it. 22:03 I just had to come tell you people, we got water. 22:07 When I first heard that there was water. 22:12 And we were all running to the well. 22:15 My heart was just beating. 22:18 And my whole soul was just rejoicing 22:21 that we had water at this school, 22:24 they needed it so badly. 22:27 And it was just an overwhelming experience 22:30 to know that God hears you. 22:33 He hears these kids and knows what their needs are, 22:39 and has just provided it so abundantly. 22:44 I've never seen this done. 22:46 I've read about this, 22:48 but to be an eyewitness 22:51 to see this happening before your eyes, 22:53 to be able to experience the emotions 22:58 and to experience a miracle. 23:00 It took my breath away. It was profoundly amazing. 23:20 The miracle of water 23:21 felt like the pinnacle of the mission trip. 23:24 Yet just a couple days later, 23:26 the volunteers had another climactic event, the dormitory. 23:32 After six days of construction 23:34 with a relatively small team of volunteers, 23:36 the Kajiado Adventist School and Rescue Center 23:39 celebrated the opening of a new dormitory. 23:45 Probably the highlight is the girls coming 23:48 to get us out of our chairs 23:50 and bring us up to the dorm and going in with us. 23:55 When we walked into the dorm, 23:58 I had two girls with me 23:59 and they said, "This is my bunk. 24:01 This is my bunk." 24:03 That was kind of special. 24:06 Oh, they were so excited 24:09 that they were going to have a bed of their own. 24:13 I had to jump up and down with my girls 24:16 during the dedication of our second dormitory, 24:22 having in mind now 24:23 that all my girls will be occupied 24:26 in the new dormitory. 24:27 They will have the new beddings, 24:29 the new mattresses, 24:31 their dress and some of them were telling me, 24:33 you know in my life 24:34 I've never covered myself with this. 24:36 I'm just using to, used to a blanket. 24:39 My heart is so filled and I just thought, wow, 24:41 I wish I could be here the first night 24:43 that they are able to lay in their beds 24:44 and just be here as you might have like 24:46 a girl slumber party 24:48 in the dorms because it's so amazing, 24:50 it's so amazing. 24:52 When the dorm was finished, 24:53 the objective of the mission trip 24:54 was completed too. 24:56 New building, new dorm, new beds. 25:00 The physical goals have been met. 25:03 As for the spiritual goals, 25:05 the transformational experience with the volunteers, 25:08 the blessings were as ample as the water 25:11 that rushed from the new well. 25:15 For Jane, 25:17 her time at Kajiado has been surprising 25:19 given her long history in the mission field. 25:21 For years, 25:22 she and her husband 25:23 were long and short-term missionaries 25:25 that served in 40 different countries. 25:28 After her husband died, 25:29 Jane never thought she'd return to the field. 25:32 But now she's been on two Maranatha mission trips 25:35 and she says they have changed her life. 25:38 I don't know if it's because I know the story of why, 25:43 why this school was started, 25:45 and how it's saving these young girls lives 25:49 and just giving them life. 25:52 But this has been absolutely 25:55 the most incredible mission experience 25:58 of my entire 80 plus years. 26:01 Kristi's first mission trip has been a wonderful way 26:04 to connect with a cause 26:05 that was close to her mother's heart, 26:07 and understand why her parents 26:08 not only supported Maranatha financially, 26:11 but also served on mission trips. 26:15 What we get back 26:17 from giving on the ground is huge. 26:19 And I think that enables us 26:21 then as people to go back into our community 26:24 and share with them 26:25 the needs and what goes on here. 26:27 This is a form of worship. 26:29 It's not enough to just, I can write a check any time, 26:32 that would be fine 26:33 and that would help other people. 26:34 But for me to come 26:36 and really give an experience that 26:37 is that true Christian in action. 26:40 Dwanna and Eddie came in search of vacations with a purpose, 26:44 a way to see and serve the world. 26:47 What they found was transformative. 26:50 It was a transformation 26:51 that started on the very first day. 26:53 Eddie recalls the first night. 26:55 And my wife kind of heard me sobbing that night, which is, 27:00 you know, it just got me, you got me right here, 27:02 really did, and to see what Maranatha is doing. 27:08 It changed my perspective as a Christian, it really did. 27:12 But I remember something very profound. 27:14 And as I'm contemplating it, 27:17 Jesus had said at one point 27:19 thy can now come on earth as it is in heaven. 27:23 So now, I'm like, 27:24 I'm understanding that to me 27:26 what we can do now for His kingdom 27:29 is far more important 27:31 than just watching for Him to come. 27:35 Thank you Maranatha for the new dorm. 27:43 May God bless you. |
Revised 2020-10-28