Participants:
Series Code: MMS
Program Code: MMS011052S
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00:01 Hi, I'm Dustin Comm with the Maranatha Minute.
00:03 Maranatha's local team in Kenya 00:04 has had a busy start to 2021. 00:08 Final landscaping is complete 00:09 at the Kiutine Adventist school, 00:11 including a new entrance and a paved circular driveway. 00:15 Government officials recently toured 00:16 the transformed campus 00:18 commenting that 00:19 it was the nicest looking school 00:21 in the County. 00:22 We also drilled a new water well 00:23 for the Kautine church. 00:25 Many of Maranatha's wells in Kenya, 00:26 use a simple hand pump, 00:28 but this location requires an electric pump 00:30 with the help of solar panels. 00:33 And finally, a groundbreaking ceremony was recently held 00:36 for the Advent Hope Church 00:37 near the capital city of Nairobi. 00:39 For the past year, 00:41 the 450 members had been meeting under tents. 00:44 This new building will provide a permanent home 00:46 for this large congregation. 00:49 Watch videos about Maranatha's work in Kenya 00:51 and around the globe 00:52 by downloading our app available for iPhone, Android, 00:56 Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV 01:21 Maranatha's standard mission story 01:23 focuses on the plight of a group of people 01:26 in need of a church, school, or community center. 01:31 These crises typically take place 01:33 in developing countries 01:35 where resources can be scarce. 01:39 This story of need for a space to gather 01:42 is a common one, 01:43 and this need is a story without borders. 01:56 Ooltewah, Tennessee, 01:58 this Chattanooga suburb has recently seen major growth 02:01 due to manufacturing expansion in the region. 02:04 Situated in the Bible Belt, 02:06 it's also a community full of churches. 02:09 The story of the Ooltewah 02:10 Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist church 02:12 begins 10 years ago. 02:14 The group grew from the Collegedale 02:16 Hispanic Adventist church, 02:18 a congregation that split 02:19 when they outgrew their meeting space. 02:22 For the next decade, 02:23 the new group continued growing 02:25 and move to various rented meeting spaces, 02:28 a situation that was less than ideal. 02:31 Our congregation was formerly meeting 02:33 in the Ooltewah Methodist church. 02:35 We met there for about seven to eight years, 02:37 and that was a great experience. 02:39 It was also a great stepping stone 02:42 in the sense that we came to the conviction 02:45 that we couldn't be renting forever, 02:48 we needed our own building 02:49 if we wanted to host evangelistic meetings 02:54 and BBs and socials 02:57 and all these community outreach programs. 03:00 And that really helped us realize 03:03 that we need our own building 03:06 to really live up to what God is calling us to do 03:10 to the community 03:11 and for the salvation of many other people. 03:15 When Juan one became the pastor of the congregation in 2018, 03:19 the group expressed their urgency 03:21 in building a church. 03:24 One of the first things I was asked 03:26 when I was interviewed 03:27 by the Ooltewah Hispanic SDA church 03:30 from the church board, 03:31 when they were considering me as their pastor 03:34 was the confidence 03:38 and the qualifications if you will, 03:42 to build a church 03:44 because this is a heavily saturated church area, 03:49 not only Adventist but Bible Belt. 03:52 So we have so many Christian denominations 03:55 and finding a church in this area 03:57 a physical church. 03:59 It's not easy 04:01 and so that was top priority 04:04 in their pastoral job position filling. 04:09 And so I really had no experience 04:14 building a church 04:17 what they expected of me, 04:20 but I told them I was willing to learn, 04:22 I was willing to try 04:24 and do everything with God's help 04:26 to make it a reality. 04:28 Juan began researching construction options. 04:31 The group had purchased a three-acre plot of land 04:33 with a house on the property. 04:35 Their initial plan 04:36 was to renovate the house into a church, 04:38 but remodeling the existing building 04:40 proved to be costly. 04:42 Eventually, they demolished the building 04:44 and looked into options for new construction. 04:48 Everything seemed just out of reach. 04:51 Then they learned 04:52 Maranatha would be holding a mission event 04:54 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 04:57 One of the church members elbowed me 05:00 and was like, 05:02 "Pastor, what if we go ask Maranatha 05:03 if they could build a church?" 05:05 My first reaction was like, 05:07 that's only overseas in third-world countries. 05:09 That's not a viable option, but I said, 05:13 "Okay, let's go, and maybe it'll be fun." 05:16 So we went to the Maranatha event here 05:19 in Chattanooga 05:21 and to my surprise and to my delight, 05:23 I did find out that 05:25 Maranatha does build here in the United States churches. 05:30 For decades, 05:31 Maranatha has constructed churches 05:33 all over North America. 05:35 Volunteers travel to sites, 05:37 lending their labor 05:38 to quickly raise structures out of the ground. 05:41 But over the years, an additional need emerged. 05:44 There were many congregations just like Juan's 05:47 that needed a proper place to worship 05:50 but didn't know where to start 05:51 when it came to construction 05:53 and didn't have the funds to hire a team of experts. 05:56 Unfortunately, we've seen over and over again, 05:58 examples where congregations decide 06:01 that they want to build a church, 06:02 but they don't really have the experience 06:05 with development and construction 06:07 that will enable them to have a successful project. 06:11 And so they quickly get mired into the details 06:13 and often get derailed from the project. 06:17 So that's the reality that motivated Maranatha's idea 06:21 of a standardized church approach 06:23 here in North America. 06:25 In 2012, 06:26 Maranatha developed a simple affordable church plan 06:30 designed specifically for small congregations. 06:33 The plans allow congregations to save money. 06:35 They would've spent in architect fees. 06:38 Maranatha also offers construction consultation 06:41 and coordination of volunteer projects 06:43 to eliminate some of the cost of labor. 06:46 After meeting with Maranatha staff 06:48 and learning more about what Maranatha could offer, 06:51 Juan visited Maranatha's website 06:53 and filled out a project application. 06:55 He soon found himself 06:57 connected with a network of resources 06:59 to help guide him through the building process. 07:01 I had no experience in building a church. 07:05 I didn't know the process from beginning to end, 07:08 and Maranatha was able to explain that 07:13 not only on the structural construction aspect of it 07:20 but in the spiritual aspect of it, 07:23 I better understood 07:24 their whole purpose of a ministry 07:27 and made the connection. 07:28 And I felt as though 07:32 I had been adopted into a family 07:35 is what I've come to the conclusion that 07:39 the whole process has been. 07:45 Maranatha board member Roger Hatch 07:47 is a general contractor 07:48 and has overseen scores 07:50 of Maranatha projects in North America 07:52 and around the world. 07:53 He's developed an affinity for congregations 07:56 like this one in Ooltewah 07:57 and signed on as the construction foreman 08:00 to oversee the project from start to finish. 08:03 His goal is to lend his expertise 08:06 and help them accomplish their goal 08:07 in the most cost-effective manner. 08:10 Certainly, there's a financial side of it 08:12 that it helps tremendously with their budget, 08:19 depending on how much we do 08:21 it can be anywhere from $50,000, $60,000 08:24 up to over $100,000. 08:27 For the next two years, 08:28 the church worked to get the project off the ground. 08:31 Complications in funding and design 08:33 created several delays, 08:35 but in August of 2020, 08:37 they broke ground on the church. 08:40 Two months later, 08:41 the site was abuzz with volunteers 08:43 eager to help the Ooltewah congregation's dream come true. 08:47 I feel so blessed 08:49 to have volunteers from all over the country. 08:52 You know, when the first few volunteers 08:56 from Maranatha arrived, 08:59 it started to actually hit me. 09:01 I started to actually process it 09:03 and I felt so touched where they asked me, 09:08 "How do you feel, Pastor?" 09:10 And I said, 09:11 "I feel like we're a family." 09:13 And their response was, 09:15 "That's right, Pastor, 09:16 we are a family in Christ and we're here to help you." 09:19 That melted my heart, 09:21 and I realized that 09:23 all the conversations we had had prior, 09:26 were now gonna become a reality. 09:31 This mission trip may not have required passports 09:33 or long hours on an airplane, 09:35 but the volunteers recognized the great need that exists 09:39 even closer to home. 09:41 Believing in the Bible Belt 09:44 where there's a lot of churches, 09:46 there's still a lot of people that don't go to church. 09:49 And I think it's awesome 09:51 that we can be a part 09:52 of building a sanctuary for God. 09:55 And I really enjoy it. 09:58 To me. It's not a matter of what country you're in 10:01 or how many miles you are traveling. 10:03 It's just whether or not you're serving 10:05 and serving for the right reasons. 10:06 And that's really our focus is try to serve in humility 10:11 and just do the work of Jesus while we're here. 10:14 I love doing because, 10:17 A, I enjoy building things, 10:19 B, our work is greatly appreciated. 10:22 This last Sabbath, I was here 10:23 and met with some of the church members, 10:25 and to see their excitement, 10:27 to hear their gratitude 10:28 was just really heartwarming 10:31 and makes our aches and pains and our tiredness worthwhile. 10:36 Melinda Durller is a relatively new volunteer 10:39 with this being her second project. 10:41 She was praying for opportunities to serve God 10:44 in a hands-on way 10:45 when a friend introduced her to Maranatha. 10:48 I heard that 10:49 it was a Christian organization, 10:51 which is right up my alley, 10:53 and that it had to do with construction. 10:55 And I really want to learn. 10:57 I'd like to learn plumbing. 10:58 I'd like to learn a little bit of electrical. 11:00 I'd like to make new friends. 11:03 I'd like to be a part of putting forth the gospel 11:07 and it does all of that. 11:10 For Melinda, Maranatha projects, 11:12 not only expanded her construction skills 11:14 but also her world. 11:16 Working on Maranatha 11:18 has just broadened my horizons immensely. 11:23 I feel like I'm a part of a family. 11:26 I love my community. I love my church. 11:30 Those are both small. 11:32 And now my world is expanding. 11:35 I've made many new friends 11:37 and I just, I love how we have worship in the morning 11:42 and worship in the evening. 11:44 And people speak of Christ all day long, 11:47 and I need that in my life. 11:49 And it's a blessing to me, but also, 11:52 I try to be a blessing to others 11:54 and just being able to help 11:56 and being able to have some real meaning to life 11:59 that's important to me. 12:02 The relationships formed on Maranatha projects 12:05 are what draw volunteers back trip after trip. 12:10 I feel very connected to coming on Maranatha trips 12:13 because I feel like 12:15 this is part of my family for one. 12:17 The Maranatha people that I work with, 12:21 I look forward to seeing them again 12:23 and working with them, 12:24 worshiping with them, praising them, 12:28 praying with them altogether as we serve God together. 12:33 So I am probably receiving more spiritually 12:38 than I'm actually giving out here physically. 12:41 So just being the connected 12:43 and seeing progress of God's work here. 12:48 And the family, these volunteers have created 12:50 is one they want to grow. 12:52 Come, join the effort. 12:56 This is a family effort. 12:58 You become very close with the people you work with. 13:01 It's immensely rewarding. 13:02 Go to the Maranatha website, find a project, sign up for it. 13:05 You don't have to be a skilled builder. 13:08 We have people here 13:09 who know virtually nothing about building, 13:12 Hey, we show you what to do. 13:14 We have the tools. You don't have to have tools. 13:16 Come, bring your heart, bring your energy. 13:19 Just come. 13:21 Over the course of two weeks, 13:23 volunteers worked hard 13:24 to bring the building plans to life. 13:27 To them, their effort is about more than swinging hammers 13:30 or manning saws. 13:31 And the result 13:33 is more than an ordinary structure. 13:34 It's a sacred space 13:36 where more people can learn about God. 13:39 This church that you see behind us, 13:42 I don't think that's possible. 13:44 I've just been overwhelmed watching this church go up. 13:46 I don't think this is possible 13:47 for 40 humans to do in a week and a half, 13:50 but the Holy Spirit can do it. 13:51 And He's working through a lot of people 13:53 and I'm happy to be a part of that experience. 13:56 I have to say that 13:57 just walking into our project here, 13:59 as the trusses went up and the roof went up, 14:03 that it was just an awe-inspiring experience, 14:07 even though the inside is not done yet. 14:11 But so I anticipate that 14:13 they will have that same awe and reverence 14:16 and just feeling of coming home 14:19 when they come to their church. 14:22 It'll be exciting to come visit this area again 14:24 and drive by this church 14:26 and see parishioners coming in and out. 14:28 And, you know, being able to know that, 14:29 "Hey, I was part of that." 14:31 So it's exciting. 14:32 And I wanna do it again. 14:34 I will sign up for more projects. 14:36 The process of building a church 14:37 has been educational for Pastor Juan 14:39 but aside from learning about church construction, 14:42 he's learned more about trusting God. 14:46 This process has taught me a lot about faith 14:50 in the sense that 14:52 there was many days 14:56 where I was lacking faith, 15:00 questioning whether this project 15:02 was ever going to become a reality. 15:04 It has taught me to trust God in the process 15:08 but also to trust other people, 15:10 to trust ministries that have experienced 15:14 specifically in this example, Maranatha, 15:18 that is so rich in experience of building 15:22 and helping people around the world. 15:25 And I had never imagined 15:26 that I would become as a church, 15:28 a recipient of their help. 15:38 There are more than 60 Seventh-day Adventist camps 15:41 in North America 15:42 and several have been the focus 15:44 of a Maranatha mission trip. 15:45 While at first glance, 15:47 a camp may not seem an obvious place 15:49 for a Maranatha project. 15:51 These retreat centers 15:52 are an important part of the Adventist mission 15:54 to share Jesus with the world. 16:00 Every year a big part 16:02 of Maranatha's mission trip lineup 16:04 involves projects in North America. 16:08 And these local projects 16:11 end up drawing hundreds of people 16:12 to serve right in their own backyards. 16:17 Among the projects Maranatha frequently accepts 16:20 are church renovation or new construction. 16:26 School renovations from elementary to colleges. 16:30 And another frequent locale, camps. 16:34 The Seventh-day Adventist church 16:36 has more than 60 camps in North America. 16:39 And Maranatha has worked at several of them. 16:43 Initially, camps don't seem like a place 16:45 you would immediately associate with Maranatha's mission 16:49 but while these camps are full of the fun 16:52 bustling activity, you'd expect, 16:54 they also offer something more. 16:56 Camp Kulaqua is a youth camp 17:00 that services different ages and youth 17:04 year-round here in North Florida. 17:06 And so we have a multitude of different people 17:08 that come here and enjoy camp, 17:10 whether it be youth, young adults, 17:13 we have adults 17:14 and women's retreats, all sorts of things. 17:16 In essence, it's just a place for people 17:19 in whatever their need. 17:21 They have to get away from the city 17:22 and just come enjoy nature and connect with God. 17:25 When Florida Conference decided that 17:28 we needed to find our own place 17:30 for youth ministry to take place 17:31 and youth camp to happen. 17:33 And so we moved from state parks 17:36 to finding our own place. 17:37 And we bought 250 acres in 1953. 17:42 And the executive committee sat on the banks of the spring, 17:46 the Hornsby Spring, which is on the property, 17:48 and they prayed, 17:49 "God, should we buy this place 17:51 for the future of the youth of this church?" 17:53 I think God impressed upon them 17:55 and today Camp Kulaqua exists 17:58 and it can accommodate 1,000 people here in beds. 18:03 And it also is 800 acres of property. 18:07 I would say in Camp Kulaqua 18:08 our mission is to share God's love in it. 18:13 I mean, that's a very basic answer, 18:15 but in essence, we are here to share God's love 18:18 in whatever capacity to meet people where they're at 18:21 and be here for them. 18:23 We have things 18:24 that meet the needs of people in society today. 18:28 But while at the same time, 18:29 we still carry the core values of the gospel. 18:32 And we're still sharing that in a special way. 18:35 We have multiple baptisms in the summer. 18:39 A lot of children, it was interesting, 18:41 Christian Camping International did a survey 18:45 and they asked people, asked a thousand people, 18:47 "Where were you at 18:49 when you first met Christ as your savior?" 18:51 And 68% of them were in a camp setting. 18:54 There's something special about camps 18:57 that touches the lives of people. 18:58 When God calls them. 19:00 These camps continue to be an effective outreach 19:04 of the Seventh-day Adventist church. 19:06 But after so many years, 19:07 many of the camps have acquired 19:09 a long list of needed repairs and renovations. 19:12 And the cost of maintenance is expensive 19:15 for a ministry to maintain. 19:17 Michael Hopkins 19:18 is the building maintenance manager 19:20 at Camp Kulaqua 19:21 He understands the huge task 19:23 of keeping a large campus updated. 19:25 Camp Kulaqua is a large facility. 19:29 I believe there's 750 to 800 acres of land at this point. 19:34 And my responsibility is 19:36 I believe I have to take care of 19:38 about a hundred different structures. 19:41 And those range from small cabins 19:43 to gymnasium-sized structures. 19:45 On the grounds here, we have a wildlife sanctuary, 19:49 we have a horse programs, 19:51 we have a natural spring that's behind us here. 19:54 That's a first-magnitude spring, 19:56 and we're blessed 19:58 with a lot of neat natural features 20:00 in that way. 20:05 I think in any camp, 20:06 there's always more work 20:08 that can be done or needs to be done. 20:10 And there's a struggle between feeling excited 20:16 about what you see happening 20:17 and then realizing how much more needs to be done. 20:20 Then Michael came upon an idea. 20:23 In 2018, 20:24 while at an Adventist Camps Association meeting, 20:27 he heard a presentation from Maranatha 20:29 and the work the volunteers have done at camps. 20:32 The concept clicked 20:34 and he asked Maranatha to come to Kulaqua. 20:38 Just a few months later, in February 2019, 20:41 78, volunteers landed in High Springs, Florida, 20:44 ready to work. 20:47 The first year that we did this, 20:49 it was a learning process for me. 20:50 I wasn't sure who would come, what the experience would be. 20:54 And I was just blown away by that first year, 20:57 the work ethic that people come with, 20:59 you know, if you're not keeping them busy, 21:02 they start to get frustrated with you 21:04 and that's a really good problem to have. 21:07 It was such a successful project 21:09 that Camp Kulaqua asked Maranatha 21:11 to return a year later. 21:14 Then, again, a year after that In January, 2021. 21:20 For the most recent project, 21:22 volunteers helped to build a 40/60 foot pole barn, 21:28 laid 1,500 feet of waterline, 21:32 cut down trees, 21:34 painted 21:37 and worked on landscaping. 21:42 It's all tasks 21:43 that would have been difficult to complete 21:45 without the help of volunteers. 21:50 But the giving doesn't go just one way. 21:55 These projects provide Maranatha volunteers 21:58 with opportunities to not only serve 22:00 but to connect with people, 22:02 a blessing that has become even greater 22:04 during these times. 22:07 For longtime volunteer and project leader, 22:09 Betty Chrispell, 22:11 the projects are a way of life. 22:13 This is my family 22:16 and your family keeps getting bigger and bigger 22:18 'cause you keep meeting new people 22:22 and then you get to see the old ones 22:24 and you get such a bond between you. 22:26 It's just... 22:28 I can't express how I feel when I get to go on a project. 22:32 It's awesome. 22:34 Whereas Camp Kulaqua was Betty's 43rd project, 22:37 it was Patricia Hodge's very first one 22:42 while she had done outreach 22:43 with her church in her hometown, 22:44 she wanted to try serving outside of her city's borders. 22:50 I had wanted to do a missionary trip 22:54 and I didn't know where to start 22:56 but, you know, faithful, Google. 22:59 I started there. 23:01 And when I did Google, 23:04 Maranatha was the first one that popped up, 23:07 and I explored it, looked, 23:09 and saw that there were so many projects 23:13 since trips going on 23:14 in the country and out of the country. 23:16 And so this I found 23:18 was an hour and a half from where I live 23:20 and I thought 23:21 this would be a nice initiation. 23:23 And so I took, I signed up for it, registered, 23:27 and along the way I kept saying, 23:29 "Am I really, really, really gonna do this?" 23:32 And it got down to the wire 23:33 where I was a week away from it, 23:35 and I'm saying, 23:36 "Okay, it's just too late to cancel." 23:38 And so I came through with it. I went through with it. 23:41 Patricia's first mission trip has been an adventure, 23:44 a tough one full of painting and cutting 23:47 and hauling off trees and other physical labor. 23:50 The first day I couldn't move. 23:52 All I wanted to do is just go home 23:54 and just take a bath, 23:56 really with some Epsom salt, but I had no Epsom salt. 24:02 But even with the exhausting first day, 24:04 Patricia had a good time serving and making new friends. 24:08 I just find that 24:09 the people have been very caring, 24:12 just concerned, 24:13 want to make sure that 24:17 I feel... 24:19 It just with people saying, 24:20 "Hey, come and sit with us and eat," 24:23 you know, because sometimes 24:25 simple things like that 24:27 and all those people want to reach out 24:30 and they wanna do it 24:32 but actually saying it 24:33 and doing it makes the difference. 24:35 Just a gesture like that 24:37 makes a big difference to someone 24:39 who's a stranger and don't know anyone. 24:42 I would encourage anyone 24:45 if they want to have an experience 24:48 of just being out in nature, the fresh air, 24:54 meeting new people, enjoying. 24:57 If you enjoy meeting new people and good people, 25:00 I believe it's a growing experience. 25:02 And I believe anyone, 25:04 everyone should take advantage of it 25:06 and try it at least once. 25:08 I've enjoyed it, 25:09 it's really, really, it's been amazing. 25:11 And I'm glad I did. 25:12 It's been a good experience. 25:14 But the relationships aren't limited 25:16 to only the volunteers. 25:19 After multiple years of working together, 25:21 Camp Kulaqua staff have found new friendships too. 25:25 Now we're three years into this and it's... 25:29 It feels like 25:30 friends are coming back each time. 25:32 You know, I know this event, 25:33 I think about half of the volunteers 25:35 who are returning and then half are new 25:38 and it feels a lot more comfortable. 25:39 It's just like they're coming 25:41 and they're part of the family at this point. 25:43 So that's a really neat relationship 25:44 to have there 25:46 and to have the support of an organization 25:48 that wants to come and invest in us 25:51 is just a huge benefit, 25:53 especially to my responsibilities. 25:56 You know, in Camp Ministry, we love people. 25:58 And so when Maranatha comes 26:00 and we get to connect with different people, 26:02 with different walks of life, 26:04 and get to hear their stories and hear where they're from, 26:08 it just boosts us. 26:09 And so our interactions have been so positive 26:12 and so encouraging 26:14 and you just never know who you're gonna meet 26:17 and how they're going to touch you. 26:20 And they bring a joy to us and they just revive us 26:24 and encourage us and remind us that 26:26 ministry is bigger than just me or you. 26:30 There's a whole team of people out there 26:32 we're connected to. 26:36 Over the past year, 26:37 we've been blown away 26:39 by the generosity of our Maranatha family. 26:41 Even during uncertain times, 26:43 you gave to support the mission around the world. 26:46 As a thank you, 26:47 we'd like to offer you the gift of a free will. 26:50 We've partnered with a company called FreeWill 26:52 to help guide you 26:53 through the process of creating your own legal will. 26:57 To complete this will online, 26:58 go to Maranatha.org/plannedgiving 27:02 and scroll down to free online will. 27:05 You can also call the number on your screen, 27:07 and one of our plan-giving experts 27:08 will walk you through the process, 27:10 which only takes about 20 minutes. 27:12 This Valentine's day, 27:14 protect the people you love 27:15 with one of the kindest gifts you can give. 27:18 Use our free tool to write your legal will, 27:21 protect what you love 27:22 and support Maranatha for generations to come 27:25 all without spending anything today. 27:28 Again, visit Maranatha.org/plannedgiving 27:32 or call the number on your screen. 27:37 The volunteer projects 27:39 in Tennessee and Florida took place 27:41 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 27:45 The success of both experiences are evidence 27:48 of how a mission trip is not defined 27:50 by where you go 27:51 but what you do and why. 27:55 Travel is challenging in these times, 27:58 but the opportunity for service is always open, 28:02 and the mission is present wherever you go. |
Revised 2021-03-04