the VOLUNTEER
CIUDAD DEL CIELO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Three volunteers from the Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church take a break from their work to offer smiles. They were part of a 40-member team that traveled all the way from Silver Spring, Maryland, to do construction work at the Ciudad del Cielo school campus in the Dominican Republic.
Volunteers worked on a large, multi-classroom complex called an
Education and Evangelism Center, which will serve as the heart of the campus. The Spencerville team was the sixth team, out of seven, to serve at Ciudad del Cielo since the project broke ground in 2023.
Spencerville was among 12 teams that served overseas in the months of March and April; Maranatha mobilized nearly 700 volunteers, including in North America, during this time period.
Julie Z. Lee Editor
Bergren Managing Editor/Designer
Comm Writer
Writer
UNITED STATES HEADQUARTERS:
Maranatha Volunteers International 990 Reserve Drive Suite 100
Roseville, CA 95678
Phone: (916) 774 7700
Website: www.maranatha.org
Email: info@maranatha.org
IN CANADA:
Maranatha Volunteers International Association c/o V06494C
PO Box 6494, Station Terminal Vancouver, BC V6B 6R3 CANADA
All notices of change of address should be sent to the Maranatha Volunteers International United States address.
Maranatha spreads the gospel throughout the world as it builds people through the construction of urgently needed buildings.
About the Cover:
A woman in the Rayagada Jammu village, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, hauls a load of freshly cut lumber to her home. She’ll burn the wood to turn it into charcoal, which will be sold to provide a meager income for her family. This is a common industry for people in this area, where the trees are abundant but financial resources are not.
Photo by Jessyka Nogueira
Photo by Julie Lee
THE INVISIBLE MADE VISIBLE
By Julie Z. Lee
Wilma was looking for a church. She had just moved to Ypane, a city in central Paraguay, and she wanted a place to worship. She was Pentecostal, but there was no Pentecost church in Ypane, and she was hungry to find a community where she could grow closer to God.
Only she couldn’t find a church! There was one peculiar place. On the side of the road, there was a sign that read, “Compañia 7 Seventh-day Adventist Church.” But there was no church structure–just a couple acres of grass and some trees. Wilma even saw that sometimes there was a group of people who met under the shade of the tree on the property. It was puzzling, and she was curious as to what those meetings were all about, but she was too nervous to ask.
So Wilma moved on. Ten years passed. Then in the fall of 2023, a neighbor knocked on her door, introducing herself as Felipa. She
SHARING THE Mission
invited Wilma to Bible studies at her home, and for the next three months they dug into the Word. Felipa opened Wilma’s eyes to the gospel in ways she had never understood.
During this time, Felipa invited Wilma to church on Sabbath. To Wilma’s surprise, it was the Compañia 7 Adventist Church. By then, there was a simple brick structure on the property. For years, the congregation had been saving their money for materials, and over the past 12 months, the congregation had been steadily building a church. It wasn’t perfect or complete (it still lacked a roof), but it was a physical space that marked a place of worship.
Soon, Wilma was baptized, ten years after she first walked past the sign on the property and wondered what the Adventists were all about.
It took Wilma a decade to find her church because there was no physical church to speak of.
People are seeking the Lord. They are seeking a place of worship with fellow seekers. Sure, people can accomplish this under a tree. In a garage. In a living room. The Holy Spirit will find us wherever we open our hearts.
But sometimes–most of the time–we need a place, a haven for our faith to grow. A place that our family can call home. And it shouldn’t be too hard to find. In fact, it should be the brightest spot on the map.
This is why we build. For all who want a home, for all who want to go Home, we provide a place to gather in His name.
This is the mission of Maranatha.
Julie Z. Lee is the vice president of Marketing for Maranatha
Wilma (left) and Felipa
AROUND THE World
A snapshot of volunteers and projects in the mission field.
In the remote northern region of Kenya, repairs to the Watalii Seventh-day Adventist Church water well are met with rejoicing.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
their finished church.
they helped to construct.
PERU
The Chehalis Seventh-day Adventist Church mission team poses in front of the Vizallani Adventist Church that
KENYA
The Hacienda Estrella congregation celebrates
ZAMBIA
Maranatha's well maintenance crew in Zambia provided service to the Manwa Central Seventhday Adventist Church well.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
A special ceremony of dedication inaugurates the new Unidos En Cristo Seventh-day Adventist Church sanctuary.
A group of volunteers from Sonora, California, helped to construct a new girls dorm at the Kimogoro Adventist School.
CUBA
A fifth shipment of critical aid, like food and medicine, is unloaded at the union headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church on the island.
Members of the New Champhai Seventh-day Adventist Church are overjoyed with their new place of worship.
PERU
Ozark Academy volunteers helped to construct a new church for the Maravillas congregation.
INDIA
KENYA
News + HIGHLIGHTS
Girls at Liumba Adventist School, in Zambia, rejoice at their new dormitory. The structure was part of a larger campus construction effort that has spanned multiple years.
PROGRESS AT LIUMBA, MWAMI SCHOOLS
Maranatha is helping to meet the need for quality Seventh-day Adventist education in Zambia by constructing schools across the country. Crews recently finished transforming the Liumba Adventist School in the nation’s western province. The campus was old and dilapidated, but now boasts beautiful, strong buildings, thanks to the renovation of existing classrooms and the construction of new classrooms, bathroom blocks, a dormitory, and water well.
After finishing the Liumba campus, the construction crew began work on a secondary school campus in the eastern province town of Mwami. This community has a strong Adventist presence. It includes a hospital, nursing school, churches, and two elementary schools, but lacks an Adventist high school. Because of this, families
have to send their children far away to expensive boarding schools that don’t provide a nurturing spiritual environment.
To meet this need, Maranatha has agreed to construct a large Education and Evangelism Center (EEC), which will have space for up to 14 classrooms that surround a central auditorium. The crew at Mwami recently broke ground on a building that will serve as a fabrication shop for the project’s duration. When complete, the school will repurpose the structure into a classroom, administrative offices, or restrooms.
Zambia has one of the largest membership of Adventists in the world with more than 1.3 million people. While the big numbers are a blessing, it puts a strain on the infrastructure as there are not enough churches and schools to accommodate the growth.
In 2009, Maranatha responded to an effort in Zambia to construct more than 300 churches, along with several schools, all over the country. The initial effort resulted in more church growth, and Maranatha was invited to return in 2018. Since then, Maranatha has maintained a steady presence in Zambia to build churches, schools, and water wells.
In 2024, in addition to the school projects, Maranatha's goal is to build 120 One-Day Churches in Zambia. Crews will also drill 300 new water wells and conduct well maintenance and repair visits at 400-500 sites.
MARANATHA’S NEWEST OFFERING: A PODCAST
In late 2023, Maranatha kicked off its first podcast called “Inside Missions.” The program features interviews with Maranatha staff and volunteers, revealing personal stories of faith and discovery as connected to their own mission experiences. As its name indicates, the podcast will grant its audience an insider’s view of the heartbreaking struggles, transformative triumphs, and oncein-a-lifetime moments experienced by the Maranatha family.
Hosted by Dustin Comm, Maranatha’s communication manager, episodes include conversations with Maranatha’s country directors, who shared how God led them to the mission field and the adventures they have encountered since; discussions with Maranatha staff on the behind-
the-scenes aspects of working for Maranatha; and talks with Maranatha volunteers and leaders.
You can watch the in-studio video footage of “Inside Missions” on
NOBLE RECEIVES HONORARY DOCTORATE
I
n May, Maranatha Volunteers International’s president, Don Noble, was awarded an honorary doctorate degree of Humane Letters from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The presentation took place during the College of Education & International Services & the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary’s spring commencement ceremony. “By conferring this degree, the university gives public recognition to the extraordinary achievements of the candidate,” said Andrews University President John Wesley Taylor V. “We
hold up his life as an example and an inspiration to this year’s graduates. He’s a person who exhibits the ideals of Andrews University in an exemplary way.”
YouTube. Audio versions are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and many more platforms.
Noble, who earned a master's degree in religion from Andrews University, has been president of Maranatha since 1983.
“It is my belief that this award is really in recognition of Maranatha as a whole,” said Noble. “It is with great joy that I
represent this organization, but this honor belongs to the staff, volunteers, and donors who show up and support the mission year after year. It is their passion and hard work that deserves the recognition of an award such as this.”
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
How churches provide dignity and validation in India.
Story
by Julie Z. Lee
Puvula Rao was certain he would die. He was sick, and everyone he had consulted with–from doctors to priests to shamans–had given up on him, including his family.
But would anyone miss him?
As a raging alcoholic, Puvula had alienated everyone around him. He sold alcohol to earn a living and drank away any money he earned, leaving nothing for his family. When he was drunk, he was violent.
“No one liked me, not even my family,” Puvula says. Now, his drinking had done him in, and no amount of herbs, visits to religious centers, or prayers could offer him healing. But there was one final option he wanted to pursue. There was a local Seventh‑day Adventist congregation in Rayagada Jammu, his town. Puvula was a black magic priest, but he asked the Adventist pastor to pray for him. It would be his last chance at life.
“By the time Puvula was fully healed, he had given his life to Jesus.”
“After the pastor prayed for me, I started getting better,” he says. Slowly, Puvula began to recover. In the meantime, the pastor continued to talk and pray with him. The pastor spoke with him about the gospel of love and hope. And by the time Puvula was fully healed, he had given his life to Jesus. He started worshiping with the Adventist congregation. He stopped selling alcohol. He became a gentle father and loving husband. His life was completely transformed.
Eight years later, Puvula is still an active member of the Rayagada Jammu Church. There are more than 82 members–an impressive number, considering the
and photos
Members gather in the Rayagada Jammu Seventh-day Adventist Church in Andhra Pradesh, India, for a midweek prayer meeting. The church, made of pieces of tarp and wood, is sweltering inside, requiring most worship services to be held in the evenings, when the temperature drops.
dominance of other belief systems in the northeast Andhra Pradesh region. But Christianity, and specifically the Adventist faith, is growing.
Maranatha started working in Andhra Pradesh early in Maranatha’s efforts in India, around 2000. Since then, Adventist membership has steadily grown, resulting in churches to sprout up in villages all over the region.
“Christianity, and specifically the Adventist faith, is growing."
Unfortunately, many churches, like Rayagada Jammu, resemble a homeless camp. Seventeen years ago, a local pastor began meeting with a small group in a house in Rayagada Jammu. As the group increased in numbers, someone gave permission for the congregation to build a small structure on their property. But the residents of this village are poor. Some hunt, collect and sell honey, or cut bamboo and make charcoal to sell. According to Samuel, their efforts may bring them less than 25 cents a day. So with little to no funds, all the members could manage was a building made of tarp and wood. The “tent” serves to mark a sacred space–a delineation between outdoors and indoors. But it can hardly be considered a building. Aside from the holes in the plastic, there are no windows or ventilation. The space is not waterproof, and it is oppressively humid inside.
“It is very hot to meet during the daytime. That’s the reason why our congregation meets [in the] early hours of sundown on Sabbath so that the heat will not trouble us or affect us,” says Samuel.
Aside from the discomfort, the structure is unsightly. It in no way is representative of a holy space, and it pales in comparison to the more ornate designs of other places of worship. It’s no wonder that Christianity’s critics ask how such a miserable structure could represent an almighty God?
Pride and Prejudice
Even as Christianity is growing throughout India, its believers only make up 2.3% of its 1.4 billion population. Most belong to other belief systems, some of
which have played a deep role in establishing the country's culture. As a result, faiths that are newer to the country, like Christianity, can be seen as erosion of India's culture and mores. And while Andhra Pradesh has been relatively accepting of Christianity, some Christians in other parts of India have faced harrassment for their beliefs from their communities.
When you’re running against the tide of a deeply rooted tradition, every disadvantage–such as not having a real place of worship–can feel disheartening; a plastic church building is all the more reason for others to discredit the faith. In turn, it discourages the congregation.
“If you don’t have a church for them, there is no sense of ownership,” says Vinish Wilson, director of Maranatha in India. “They feel neglected, they feel downtrodden. They feel, ‘oh well, nobody’s there to take care of us.’”
The Rayagada Jammu Church isn’t an isolated case. All over India, there are thousands of congregations meeting in temporary structures. Over the past 25 years in India, Maranatha has come upon some extraordinary places posing as a church. From buildings made of fabric and plastic to people meeting in cow sheds, congregations are desperate to gather but lack the resources to build a real church.
In the far northeastern corner of India, Maranatha has been steadily building churches in Meghalaya. This is a state where 75% of the population is Christian. However, Seventh day Adventists in this region face a similar prejudice experienced by those in Andhra Pradesh.
“So we have mainly people who belong to the Baptist [church]. The next comes Catholic. So almost all of Garo Hills is dominated by the Baptist Church,” says Prodeep Sangma, president of the Garo Hills Section. “So they don’t want any new religion to come in. So when they see, or when they hear of any new religion; they don’t want to accept it, especially the village elders. That is how they create problems.”
The Kimdegre Seventh-day Adventist Church was the victim of such bias. A little over a year ago, an Adventist Bible worker came to town to give a two week Bible study to a handful of interested people. On the first night of the meetings, as the group met in someone’s home, people from the village ran into the home, destroying property and beating people with sticks. A couple of people, including the Bible worker, were badly injured.
The incident was terrifying, but it only galvanized the group. They continued on with their studies, delving deeper and deeper into the
PLASTIC CHURCH, REAL GOD:
1 The 82 members of the Rayagada Jammu Adventist congregation welcome Maranatha to their humble church.
2 Puvula, whose life has been transformed by Jesus, worships in church with his wife.
3 Puvula digs into the Word of God with the local Bible worker. Since becoming baptized, he has stopped drinking and abusing his family.
4 The Rayagada Jammu church, made of torn plastic, barely registers as a shelter, let alone a place of worship. But this is the best the congregation can afford.
“They underestimate us … we are a small group of people. We don’t even have a place of worship. We need to have a proper place of worship.”
Adventist message, and in 2023, they formed a congregation. They built a small church out of bamboo and betelnut tree wood. It is a nice space, but temporary; bamboo is vulnerable to termites and betelnut wood doesn’t last long. Maintenance on such a structure can be constant. These churches are also dismal compared to the solid structures provided by the other denominations. It is another hurdle and prejudice the Adventists must overcome.
“You know, people around here, they look down [on us], especially those people who belong to other denominations,” says Prodeep. “They underestimate us … we are a small group of people. We don’t even have a place of worship … We need to have a proper place of worship.”
Building a Stronger Future
Last year, India celebrated 25 years of Maranatha’s presence in the country. During that time, local crews and volunteer teams have constructed more than 3,000 structures, a number that includes churches, schools, water wells, and more. “The church leadership told us that when we first started in 1998, India had about 220,000 members and maybe 1,000 churches at that time. In the last 25 years, the church membership has grown to 1.1 million, and they say that this has been directly because of Maranatha’s involvement here,” says Vinish. "We have built about 2,000 churches in India, so far, and according to the Southern Asia Division, 45% of the Adventist churches in India have been provided by Maranatha."
“They believe that we have not even scraped the surface of what needs to be done in this country. And they want to see that we continue to work here, and we continue to build churches, continue to build the schools,” says Vinish.
India is one of the few places where Maranatha has a full office, staff, and board. And unlike other countries, where Maranatha may run a multi year effort and move on to a new location before returning, the organization has run constant
projects in India without breaks. It’s an anomaly in Maranatha’s model, but it’s also a place with a context that is unique from other areas of the world.
“In many of the places we work, the people have been exposed to Christianity. But in India, it’s a different deal,” says Don Noble, president of Maranatha. “Many of the people in India–millions and millions of them–have never ever heard the name of Jesus. When we build churches, it’s a way of telling people that the Creator God is here, and they get exposed to it, and they get to the point where they have a choice to learn about this Creator God. I’m not saying everyone should be a Christian. I’m saying people should have a choice. In India, some people don’t have that option. That's why I think we should be there. I think we’re supposed to be there. I think God wants us there.”
Last year, Maranatha constructed 27 churches, worked on two schools, drilled 300 water wells, and completed maintenance and repairs on 355 wells. In 2024, Maranatha will continue to prioritize work in India with plans to build 30 church structures, along with renovation and new construction at the Binjipali Adventist School, and 100 water wells.
Yet while big numbers create big excitement,
it’s the smallest numbers that reveal the power of the gospel to change lives. Twenty-five years and hundreds of thousands of new members later, it’s stories like Puvula’s–a story of one person’s converted heart–that propels the mission forward and reminds us of why we build.
“Jesus is the true healer, and it is only because of Him that I am alive,” says Puvula.
Due to the urgent need, churches in India are a major focus for Maranatha’s fundraising efforts in 2024. Make a donation to support church construction in India by using the envelope included or go to maranatha.org/donate
CRUMBLING CHURCHES:
1 The Kimdegre congregation, in northeastern India, stands in front of their church. Though relatively new, the church is already suffering damage from termites.
2 The children of Rongsatal church meet for Sabbath School in a crumbling classroom.
3 Many congregations in India, as around the world, start by meeting under trees or in people’s homes.
4 Members of the Rongsatal Seventh-day Adventist church meet in the structure they built for worship. The space uses construction methods that are typical in this part of India, but the materials are not durable.
DREAM WITH FAITH
Building the City of Heaven in the Dominican Republic
By Julie Z. Lee
“When God gives something, He gives well and in abundance. We thought big, even though we didn’t have the money.”
There is a section of the northern part of Dominican Republic’s capital city, Santo Domingo, that is growing and gaining buzz. The area has a modern shopping mall. New housing developments. Nice roads. And 80 Seventh‑day Adventist congregations scattered within a half hour radius.
What they don’t have is a Christian school.
“There is no school where children can learn our values as Christians, and our values as Adventists,” says Gabriel Paulino, president of the Adventist Church in southeast Dominican Republic. “That is why a school is urgent, not only for our members who require it, but also for the general community.”
Years ago, church leadership in the Dominican Republic started dreaming of a way to build a school in this area. In their research, they came upon a large plot of land in a neighborhood called Ciudad del Cielo, which translates to “City of Heaven.” It was a perfect name and a perfect location for serving a diverse socioeconomic group of people, from day laborers to a significant contingent of healthcare professionals.
“We have very, very poor people in the area called Los Casabes and also Los Guaricanos; [they are both] low income, precarious. But we also have, in the same part, another area of middle class people,” says Gabriel. “And precisely, this school is going to be in the center of town … ready to serve both classes.”
The church purchased 13 separate, but contiguous parcels of land with the dream to build a large campus. Then, all that was left was design and construction. For that, Gabriel called on a friend: Maranatha. Already, Maranatha was working in the Dominican Republic on a fifth effort to build churches for the ever-growing Adventist church. Now, he was hoping that the mission organization would agree to help with a school. He invited them to visit Ciudad del Cielo, walk the property, and hear out the vision for a new center of influence in the Dominican Republic.
“My reaction when I heard about the great need for a school was one that we often have—what will God do through that school in that area?” says Kenneth Weiss, chief operating officer of Maranatha. “Time after time, when we build a school and a church, it leads to hundreds of kids having a much improved school to study and learn. Having a school that teaches Christian values will completely change that part of Santo Domingo.”
In 2023, Maranatha broke ground on the new campus, starting with teams of volunteers arriving in the city to build a perimeter fence for the property. Since then, groups have steadily been coming through, working on a large Education and Evangelism Center (EEC) to serve primary level students. In the coming months, Maranatha will also be providing an additional classroom block, landscaping, an entrance gate, and a large church to serve the students and community. The entire project is being dedicated in memory of Darrell Hardy, Maranatha's vice president of
construction, who died unexpectedly in 2022.
Currently there is a congregation meeting in Ciudad del Cielo. The group started by meeting in various houses before settling in a rented space in a commercial center or plaza. The "church" was tiny, with barely enough room for a few rows of pews and a podium. A good portion of the congregation had to sit outside, in the hallways of the plaza. Besides space issues, the congregation competed with loud music and noise from the surrounding businesses.
“At the beginning, the only vision we had was to look for a place in which to worship. We just have to think about a church,” says Felix. “We always, through the church’s group chat, we always pray for the church building project.”
But the prayer discussion expanded to include Adventist education–the members noted that there was no Christian school to serve the area. So someone started praying for a school, too.
“We knew that a church was not the only need this community had. So we told ourselves, ‘When God gives something, He gives well and in abundance. We thought big, even though we didn’t have the money. We would always say that God is the owner of gold and silver,” says Felix, whose own daughters used to beg for the opportunity to attend an Adventist school, but could not because of the distance.
“When we were praying, I remember how my wife would say, ‘We want a donor. But let that donor be sent from heaven,’” says Felix. “I would wake early in the morning and reach for my wife–where is my wife? When I’d look to my side, I’d see her there in the early hours of the morning,
praying for a donor, for God’s will to be done.”
Then, they received word from church leadership that Maranatha was considering the project, and the congregation knelt into deeper prayer, intensifying their efforts and faith. And in time, they learned of Maranatha’s plan to build an entire campus, which would include a new church to seat 500 people.
“It was impressive, and it was precisely more than what we were expecting. It was shocking,” says Felix. “When we got home, it was like when a child receives a present on their birthday or any day that a child is given a new toy. They are overjoyed… So what do you think we did? We began praying to give thanks to God.”
In recent months, the congregation lost their rental space in the commercial complex. They now meet in a small structure located just outside the future school campus property.
Today, there is still a ways to go before the entire campus is complete. Work will steadily continue into the next year, thanks to the help of supporters. Already, seven groups and more than 200 volunteers have helped with the construction, and nearly 1,000 people have generously given to the project so far. These are the very people that this community has been praying for–these “donors from heaven” to build the City of Heaven, ultimately, to build the Kingdom of God.
“To dream with faith is a dare,” says Felix. “But God is great.”
LIMITATIONS:
1 The Ciudad del Cielo group currently meets in this structure, after having moved from houses to rented spaces. They are eagerly awaiting the completion of their new church.
2 Felix Padilla and his family have Bible study together at home. Felix says his daughters longed to attend an Adventist school, but there were no options in the area for a faithbased education.
3 The new campus will include multiple classrooms, an auditorium, and a large church for the community to use.
FROM STRANGERS TO FAMILY
AdventHealth employees experience impactful connection while serving in the Dominican Republic.
By Sidney Needles
In April, a 29-member team from Seventh day Adventist Florida based healthcare system AdventHealth boarded a flight to become the seventh group of volunteers to work on the Ciudad del Cielo Adventist School in the Dominican Republic. Volunteers expected to build a much needed school campus in one of Santo Domingo’s fastest growing neighborhoods and operate medical clinics for communities with limited access to healthcare. What many weren’t expecting was the special gift each of them would receive in return.
“We got on a bus not knowing any of us at all. And now just to come together and work each day ... we’ve kind of grown together as a family.”
As AdventHealth’s Director of Global Missions, Monty Jacobs usually coordinates medical mission trips for healthcare providers. But as a longtime Maranatha board member, he saw an opportunity to accommodate a volunteer group of diverse professions. “AdventHealth has a tremendous number of employees who are not clinically related. And so we wanted to make sure that they also had an opportunity to engage in mission,” says Monty.
“Partnering with Maranatha on a trip like this has been really special because it allows us to bring nonclinical employees on a trip and have them do meaningful work that can really benefit the community.”
Joel Moser oversees the Identity and Access Management Team at AdventHealth’s corporate office. He was eager to help build the walls for Ciudad del Cielo’s large classroom block and auditorium, called an Education and Evangelism Center (EEC). Most of his childhood was spent on a farm, so Joel was prepared for hard manual labor. But he was pleasantly surprised by a different aspect of the project. “We got on a bus not knowing any of us at all. And now just to come together and work each day … we’ve kind of grown together as a family,” says Joel. “Every one of the people I’ve met here are just truly, truly amazing people and caring and loving … and everyone here is concerned for the other and just wants you to do good and wants you to learn.”
While nonclinical volunteers built a school, the group’s healthcare professionals rallied together to meet another great need. They operated medical clinics in four different communities, treating a total of 883 patients. Pediatric physician Vanessa Gutierrez was impressed by how well she could rely on her
fellow volunteers at each clinic. “It’s actually been better than I expected to work with my stranger friends,” she says. “I will confess that I knew some of the doctors coming in because they’re residents that I’ve had some pleasure to work with. But the majority of the other people I don’t know. And it’s been very satisfying. I love how we’ve come together as a team. I love the camaraderie.”
Jasmine Ayala is a multi system intensive care unit (ICU) nurse, studying to become a nurse anesthetist. She jumped at the chance to provide medical care on this trip because both her parents are from the Dominican Republic.
“My father grew up very, very poor,” Jasmine explains. “And [his childhood] looked exactly like the first clinic we went to, in the middle of nowhere with children who didn’t have access to basic healthcare.” When she was old enough, Jasmine lived in the Dominican Republic for three years to embrace her heritage. She’s grateful for the chance to return once more–this time in a service capacity. “It’s been nothing but a full circle moment. I’m more than happy to be able to give back.”
After each day of hard work, the medical and construction volunteer groups reunited to eat dinner and reflect on the day’s experiences. “I like at night too, how we get together,” says Vanessa. “We talk about what we saw during the day, but also what’s going on in our own lives. And it’s been very rewarding.”
Jasmine has felt a certain divide between doctors and nurses in the United States. But she was surprised to notice its absence among volunteers on this trip. “Subconsciously, sometimes that hierarchy is there, where, you know, doctors and nurses don’t eat lunch together,” she says. “And the fact that we’re all here at a table, it reminds you that we’re just people. We’re just bodies of flesh, and it’s really been humbling.”
Christian Taylor is AdventHealth’s Director of Mission and Ministry for the Corporate Services Region. He recalls a meaningful discussion among volunteers about how the trip was impacting them. “That led to a lot of different reflections and even some tears and emotions released, because, not only are we bonding together, we’re trusting each other with some of our own pain and some of our stories,” says Christian.
At the start of this service adventure, AdventHealth employees were prepared to do construction work and treat patients. But most were caught off guard by the connections they made with fellow volunteers while doing so. “Human connection is something so wild,” remarks Jasmine. “You can’t explain it in a book. And what your heart feels. That tug in there. You can’t explain that … I’ve made a family in three days with people I’ve never met … It’s crazy. It’s such a warming experience, and I’m so grateful.”
IMPACTFUL CONNECTION:
1 AdventHealth volunteers bonded while learning how to lay block for Ciudad del Cielo's interior classroom walls.
2 Medical professionals on this project, operated medical clinics in four communities with limited access to healthcare.
3 Despite working for the same company, most volunteers were strangers before this trip. But they quickly bonded, forming lasting friendships.
4 Medical clinics offered clinicians in a variety of fields the chance to learn from each other while treating over 883 patients.
5 As AdventHealth’s Director of Global Missions and a Maranatha board member, Monty Jacobs was excited to plan a service project for a group of diverse professionals.
PARTNERING WITH PARAGUAY
How Maranatha is helping a small Seventh-day Adventist membership poised for growth
By Dustin Comm
“There are many people who say, ‘Ah, they meet under trees, [the church] has no future, it can end any day.’”
Although Paraguay is most famous for the largest waterfall system in the world, Iguazu Falls, it should also be well known for its other nickname, the “Corazón de América.” The joy and happiness exuding this landlocked “heart” of South America is easily felt through its people, seven million in all, that reside in a place the size of California. This includes an earnest Seventh-day Adventist membership of 15,000 that works hard to spread the gospel despite its relatively small size. One of the hindrances of growth for the Adventist Church here is that these groups are meeting in undignified or impractical places due to a lack of resources.
“There are many people who say, ‘Ah, they meet under trees, it has no future, it can end any day,’” says Jaguarate Forest Seventh day Adventist Church elder Justino Nunez. “So when there will be a fixed temple here, we think things are more serious, then we think there will be many more people here.” Justino grew up in the town of Jaguarete Forest, but became an Adventist when he moved away as an adult. He was so inspired to share the gospel with his hometown that he took a year off work to return to Jaguarate Forest, meeting with residents one by one, studying Scripture, and forming a small congregation that met under trees. This group had a passion for Jesus but struggled to grow until land was donated, and they finally constructed a building to meet in.
Today, more than 35 worshippers attend the Jaguarate Forest Church each week, and although meeting in their current structure is better than nothing, it’s not without challenges. Temperatures in Paraguay can be blistering, and the metal roof of the church exacerbates this problem by radiating heat from the sun’s rays onto its inhabitants–in effect, baking them. This often drives the group back outside to worship where they might hope for a breeze.
The wooden walls are visibly water damaged, which could pose a safety risk at any time.
Jaguarete Forest isn’t the only Adventist group meeting in unideal conditions. Américo Piñarez has been a missionary to the town of Quiindy over the past year. He and his family dedicated themselves to reaching people with the Adventist message in this place that was previously unreached. But it has come at an intrusive cost to their own personal space. Without a church building to call home, each week, more than 40 visitors enter their house for worship. The living room serves as a sanctuary, the kitchen becomes the children’s Sabbath
school classroom, adjacent to their son’s open sleeping area. Not only is it a big inconvenience to have so many visitors come into their living space each week, people are often suspicious of attending church in someone’s home. Plus, with so many people in the house at once, it quickly becomes hot and stuffy.
There are many more Paraguayan congregations dealing with similar challenges. The Liberacion Church meets on wooden benches under trees each Sabbath; if it rains, they go to a member’s house. The Tacuaraty congregation met under mango trees for five years, but now gather in a small, cramped space that is roasting hot and doesn’t allow the group to grow. The Pai Nu Church has met in four different spaces since 2017, from under mango trees to a rental building that is cost prohibitive. The Arcoiris congregation rents a compact building that overflows outside on Sabbath— if it’s too warm, they choose to meet outside rather than endure the stuffy heat inside. The San Alfredo Church worships in a house that can’t accommodate everyone—members spill into adjacent rooms. These stories and others prompted the Adventist Church in Paraguay to look for a long term solution.
“We believe that if we have a better place for meetings, the gospel will reach more strongly,” says Benjamin Belmonte, President of the Adventist Church in Paraguay. “If people have a place to say, ‘Look, here is the church or here we can go to worship, or here we are going to be able to listen to the Word of God,’ I believe the
openness for the gospel to reach these people is going to be much stronger. In other words, not only are we going to have a better place to receive people, but we are going to have an environment so that the Word of God can reach those people. I believe that this will be a great strength for Paraguay.”
The Adventist Church in Paraguay asked Maranatha for assistance with new churches; Maranatha is no stranger to Paraguay—in the early 2000s more than 170 volunteers helped to build 14 churches and a large school building. This time around, Maranatha’s initial commitment is to construct churches, with a final number of projects still being determined. Already, preparations have begun to establish a fabrication shop and create an in country team to support construction work and volunteer opportunities.
“When we saw that Maranatha could come, it gave us a very special light of hope,” says Benjamin. “We believe that all these churches that Maranatha will be able to help us build will change the story of the membership in those places. Members who were crowded and couldn’t fit more in, now they’ll have the space to invite people to come. Members who had nowhere to meet, now they will have places worthy of the God we believe in. So, for Paraguay, Maranatha's support is essential. Our gratitude is first to God, and then to the leadership and to those who support us through Maranatha, in evangelism in Paraguay.”
OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW:
1 Most visitors to Paraguay flock to Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfall system in the world.
2 Missionary Américo Piñarez has sacrificed his family's personal space to facilitate worship for more than 40 visitors each week.
3 The Quiindy Church children's Sabbath School takes place in the Piñarez' kitchen.
4 When it's hot, the Arcoiris congregation opts to meet outside, where there might be a slight breeze, instead of baking inside their small rental structure.
PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA LLOYD
HOW YOU’VE Helped
MPHALEPALE, ZAMBIA
A look at how your support is making a real difference for communities around the world.
LEAVING YOUR Legacy
It’s Sabbath morning at the Whitmore Seventh-day Adventist Church outside of Redding, California. A dozen children make their way through the aisles, filling their offering baskets with bills and spare change from audience members. Each individual basket may hold a modest sum. But when added together and saved over the course of a year, these funds are life changing.
In 2023 this small congregation’s children’s offering raised $10,000 to sponsor a Maranatha water well in Eldoret, Kenya. When Whitmore’s youngest members saw pictures of the well they helped fund, they were excited to start collecting money for another. “When they look at these pictures … the kids get a big thrill out of it,” said Church Treasurer Victor McLind. “A lot of the church business goes over the little kids’ heads. But
this shows them what the dollars in those little baskets can do. It makes it personal for the kids.”
About a year after their first sponsorship, the Whitmore Church raised $10,768.45 to sponsor another well. “The money comes from the moms and the dads and the grandparents' wallets,” said Mclind. “A lot of it is just little bills at a time.” And yet these little bills are making a big difference for the communities who now have access to clean water. They’re proving that incredible things are possible with a little teamwork and a lot of love.
BEFORE This tiny brick hut was packed with worshipers every Sabbath.
AFTER The congregation has plenty of space, meeting under the solid One-Day Church frame Maranatha built for them.
PROJECTS THAT NEED YOUR HELP
These are the projects in most urgent need of funding right now. Please consider making a donation!
INDIA CHURCHES
With a goal of 30 fully completed churches in 2024, India is in need of more donations in order to reach this goal. Churches in India include a roof, frame, walls, floor, window, stucco, and paint. Sponsor an entire church in honor of a loved one, starting at $30,000, or make a donation of any amount.
KENYA AND ZAMBIA CHURCHES
In Kenya and Zambia, Maranatha is building One-Day Churches in some of the most remote areas where traditional construction is very challenging. The steel roof and frame is installed directly into the ground, and the congregation uses local materials to build the walls and doors. Sponsor an entire church for $7,500 or a share for $1,500.
WATER WELLS
Water continues to be a central focus for the mission of Maranatha. Support for water has dipped in the past year, and we are asking that you please make a donation to this life-saving program. You can make a one-time donation of any amount or sponsor a well starting at $10,000. You can also make a more sustainable contribution by committing to Wellspring, a water program that asks people to give a monthly gift to water. All proceeds go toward the construction and maintenance of wells.
Countries IN 2024
Here’s where Maranatha is working this year. BRAZIL
PARAGUAY
PERU
UNITED STATES
ZAMBIA
CHURCHES
SCHOOLS
WATER WELLS
CAMPS
PROJECT Calendar
Anyone can join a Maranatha mission trip! Check out our upcoming opportunities here or go to maranatha.org for the most updated list. DATE
Jul. 17 - 30, 2024 Zambia Project ZAMBIA Phil Becker, Wayne Alt Church construction
Aug. 20 - Sep. 3, 2024 Kenya Project KENYA John Thomas, Peter Thomas, Tyler Duffy School construction
Aug. 28 - Sep. 11, 2024 Phenix City Church Project ALABAMA, USA Ernie and Jeanice Riles Renovation
Oct. 2 - 15, 2024 Mobile Junior Academy ALABAMA, USA Ernie and Jeanice Riles School renovation
Oct. 18 - 29, 2024 Brazil Project* BRAZIL Lisandro Staut, Mick Ray Church construction
Nov. 5 - 21, 2024 Uchee Pines Institute ALABAMA, USA Ernie and Jeanice Riles New construction
Nov. 14 - 25, 2024 India Project INDIA Loretta Spivey School construction
Nov. 15 - 24, 2024 Paraguay Project* PARAGUAY Elmer Barbosa Church construction
Dec. 19 - 30, 2024 Family Project TBD
Feb. 6 - 17, 2025 India Project INDIA Vickie and Bernie Wiedmann School construction
Feb. 20 - Mar. 3, 2025 Dominican Republic Project DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Stacy and Laura Peterson Church construction
* Projects where Portuguese, Spanish, and English are spoken.
Go to maranatha.org to see all the volunteer opportunities being offered, including full projects and mission trips being coordinated by church or school groups.
Thank You FOR SERVING
The following Group Project Teams served during the months of April through June.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AdventHealth Global Missions Team | Florida Atlanta Mission Team | Georgia College View Church Youth Team | Nebraska
LA SELVA BEACH, CALIFORNIA
In April, 52 volunteers roamed the campus of Monterey Bay Academy (MBA), in Central California, wielding paintbrushes, chainsaws, and weed whackers. The goal was to beautify the school–a difficult objective considering the already breathtaking location.
MBA sits on the coastline of the Pacific Ocean and even has its own private beach. But the salt air and moisture can wreak havoc on buildings and create expensive maintenance issues. MBA contacted Maranatha for assistance on repainting some of the
buildings. Volunteers also assisted with a major fence renovation project for staff residences. Other tasks included general landscaping around the campus in preparation for the school’s upcoming Homecoming Weekend. While the majority of the volunteers came from California, a contingent came from outside the state, including two young adults from Florida. Tavian Johnson, a college student, has long wanted to go on a Maranatha mission trip after watching Maranatha Mission Stories online.
When she heard about the MBA project during an online Bible study, she recruited a friend to head out to California for their first project. “I’ve gone from fencing to painting and landscaping. I like to dip my hands into a little bit of everything. I’ve never done this much work in my life,” says Tavian laughing. “It’s been rejuvenating and getting to know people while I’m working too, you know, about their testimonies and how they came. So it’s been pretty cool.”
990 Reserve Drive, Suite 100
Roseville, CA 95678
Annual Convention
September 21, 2024
Trinity Life Center 5225 Hillsdale Blvd. Sacramento, California
Celebrate the power of service and how you can get involved in the mission of Maranatha, featuring music by Reggie and Ladye Love.
Free Registration at maranatha.org/convention
Also, watch live online on The Maranatha Channel App and the Hope Channel. Broadcast begins at 10 a.m. Scan for more information.
Travel into the mission field and see how God is leading ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference in communities around the world with our television program, Maranatha Mission Stories.
HOW TO WATCH
BROADCAST CHANNELS (All times PT)
3ABN Friday, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2:00 p.m.
Hope Channel Sunday, 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, 3:30 p.m.
ON DEMAND
The Maranatha Channel App Watch current and archived episodes and other videos on demand. Download for Apple, Android, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku.
watch.maranatha.org
View all episodes online at Maranatha’s video website. Find segments by using our “Search” function.
maranatha.org | 916.774.7700