The Volunteer Spring 2016

TH

E

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : K E N YA P 4 D O M I N I C A N R E P U B L I C P 1 2 L I M O N C I TO , PA N A M A P 1 4

A Publication of Maranatha Volunteers International

S P R I N G 2 0 1 6

Answering the Call to KenyaA New Mission Field for Maranatha

Photo by Debbie Thompson Kippel

Basbari, India

Brenda Walsh, general manager of the new 3ABN Kids Network, participating in village visitation outreach in northeastern India. In February, Walsh spent time with Maranatha on the India Open Team project at the Irvine Seventh-day Adventist School, where volunteers constructed One-Day School classrooms and completed other forms of outreach. The new classrooms will allow the school to accommodate more students.

w w w . m a r a n a t h a . o r g T H E V O L U N T E E R S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 | 3

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Potential!

A s the bell rang, more than 800 students poured out of the old classrooms in Bhalki, India, for a

brief lunch break. While I watched the vibrant river of youthful energy emerge from their quiet rooms of learning, I could only think of one word--POTENTIAL! We had just toured the classrooms; they were dark, the walls were cracked, and the rusted roof was held in place by various rocks and pieces of metal. The youthful potential of the students was evident but is was also very obvious that they desperately needed new classrooms.

Every time I visit a school like this, I want, more than anything else, to be able to help them. I have learned over the years that Christian education has a powerful impact on these young lives and the lives of their families. In reality, it is a very effective form of evangelism. The good news for the Bhalki school is that a generous donor has agreed to sponsor the needed classrooms. There will be a Maranatha volunteer project at that location in November 2016, so you can experience the great joy of service while helping these children in India.

Another area of the world that is currently getting the attention of Maranatha is Kenya. It is always exciting to begin working in a country that is new for Maranatha. In this issue of The Volunteer, you will find pictures and stories from Kenya as we launch our work in the East Central Africa region of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. You may be surprised to hear that approximately 1,000,000 people attend Sabbath services each week in Kenya. Many of these groups meet under trees or in other very humble circumstances. Maranatha will be starting volunteer projects in Kenya by this summer, and you can see first hand the way God is working in this part of Africa.

Working with schools, congregations, and church leaders has heightened my awareness that we have a great work to do around the world. Relatively simple buildings are received with great joy and are very effective in both growing the church and retaining members.

I wish you could be with us as we see these great opportunities to advance God’s work. If you were at these places, your heart would certainly be touched, and you would see the potential like we do. In fact, you can volunteer on a Maranatha project in many different countries, such as India and Kenya. Even if you cannot go personally, your gifts of support are always received with gratitude and joy. The potential for expanding God’s kingdom is truly exciting to see. Thank you for considering how you can be part of impacting lives for eternity through Maranatha.N

Don Noble, president

Just then, Arthur received a call. The Seventh-day Adventist Church wanted to open a mission station in Kenya.

Would he go? Would he be willing to leave all that was familiar to take the Gospel to Kenya?

Carscallen said yes. Together, with an African classmate at Duncombe, Carscallen took a three-week journey to a foreign place, ultimately landing among the Luo people in western Kenya.

For the next 13 years, Carscallen and his colleagues established multiple mission stations along the eastern shore of Lake Victoria. As a linguist, Carscallen quickly learned the Luo language and created a written language and dictionary to promote literacy among the tribe. Later he translated portions of the New Testament into Luo for the people to read.

Today, the work that Carscallen started more than a century ago is

continuing to grow. Kenya is home to more than 800,000 Seventh-day Adventists. There are dozens of schools, including Maxwell Adventist Academy and the Adventist University of Africa.

But the mission work is not done. Congregations need churches. People are meeting under trees or flimsy grass structures—just as they might have 100 years ago. Children need classrooms and dormitories. They deserve to receive an education without battling crowded quarters and rainwater dripping onto their beds. Communities need water wells. They need a way to not only survive but thrive with access to clean water.

Over the next several pages, we invite you to take a look at the requests from the Adventist Church in Kenya. They are calling for your help and awaiting your answer.

n 1906, a 27-year old man named Arthur Carscallen

had just finished his ministerial training in England at

Duncombe Hall Training College, now called Newbold

College. He was about to be ordained. He was also in

love, and he and his fiancé were to be married soon.

A NSW ERI N G TH E C A LL TO

Why Maranatha is taking the mission to Kenya, and how you can helpBy Julie Z. LeePhotographs by Tom Lloyd

Justina, one of the leaders

of the Lolparuai Adventist

Church in Kenya.

6 | TH E VO LU NTE E R S P R I N G 20 1 6 w w w . m a r a n a t h a . o r g

There are more than 8,900 Seventh-day Adventist congregations in Kenya. Not all of these groups have a place of worship. The Adventist Church in Kenya has asked Maranatha to help, and in 2016, we have committed to building 70 churches.

1

2


1 MISSIONARY: Pastor Peter prays with one of his church members during a home visit. Peter was once a pastor in a different denomination until one day he came across an Adventist evangelistic meeting. Intrigued, he took notes and verif ied everything he heard by fact-checking with his Bible. After intense study, Peter converted to Adventism and helped to establish many of the congregations in the Lodwar desert.

2 PATCHING THE CHURCH: Church members work together to patch the mud walls of their church. This is a task that must be done once or twice a year, depending on the weather and its impact on the building. When it’s time to patch, the entire congregation comes together to grab handfuls of mud and flick the sticky substance on the walls.

3 WORSHIP TIME: A Samburu tribe, near Isiolo, worshipping under a tree on Sabbath. The perimeter of the space is lined with thorn tree branches. For many tribes, this type of circular meeting space is used as a place to exchange news and hold village meetings. An actual church would help to create a more sacred space.

4 SABBATH WELCOME: The Larisoro church women greet Maranatha with a tribal song and dance that welcomes everyone to Sabbath. In semi-nomadic tribes like this Samburu group, it is common for churches to be occupied mostly by women, children, and older men.

5 SABBATH KEEPERS: The Mala congregation used to belong to another denomination that offered them a bricked church building, solar power, and other resources. When they all converted to Adventism, they lost their privileges and started meeting under this tree. But not one of the 80-plus members regrets their decision to follow the Sabbath.

4

3

5


1

32


Education has always been a big part of mission work in Kenya, and it has proven to be an important tool for ministry. Unfortunately, many schools are overcrowded and the existing space is in poor condition. Maranatha has received a request for help on Kenya’s school campuses, and in 2016, we are planning to construct 15 school buildings.

1 DUSTY CLASS: Children in class at the Riverside Adventist Church in Lodwar. These rooms were built as temporary classrooms, years ago, but lack of resources has made them a permanent part of campus. The floors are sand and the walls aren’t complete. Wind whips through the classroom, blinding the children and teachers with dirt. Many experience ongoing respiratory problems due to constant dust in the air.

2 DUAL FUNCTIONS: Students in class at the David Lee Adventist Secondary School, in Lodwar. The mattresses stacked behind the students show how the room is used as a class during the day and as a girls’ dormitory at night. Students have to clear the room of desks, sweep, and move their mattresses every night, only to move everything back in the morning.

3 RESCUED BY EDUCATION: Elijah Esinyen, age 10, in his classroom at Riverside Adventist Primary School in Lodwar. A year ago, Elijah was an orphan living on the streets when government workers brought him to live and study at Riverside. Today he is one of the top students in his class and a Christian.

4 CROWDED: One of two rooms that serve as a boys’ dormitory at Reach Upper Hill Adventist School in Isiolo. Approximately 125 boys and girls, out of 353 students, are boarders. Many of them are orphans or destitute, and there simply isn’t enough space. Classrooms have been converted to dorms, and many students have to share a bed.

5 COLD NIGHTS: Students in the girls’ dormitory at Reach Upper Hill Adventist School in Isiolo. The room is crowded and dark, and the 63 female boarders that share this space have to share beds. There are cracks in the walls and roof, allowing drafts of cold air, water, and rodents into the dim enclosure.

4

5

1 0 | TH E VO LU NTE E R S P R I N G 20 1 6 w w w . m a r a n a t h a . o r g

In rural parts of Kenya, access to clean water creates a domino effect of change that has the potential to transform communities. When a village has a well, families don’t have to move each time their water supply runs out. They can settle in one place. Tribes spend less time fighting over access to water. Children can go to school. A pastor no longer has to chase down a family each time they move. A permanent church is established. Community is created and life changes dramatically. Maranatha is exploring the option of providing water wells in Kenya.

1

2

w w w . m a r a n a t h a . o r g T H E V O L U N T E E R S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 | 1 1

1 THIRSTY: Villagers in the Lodwar desert dig for water. Women dig 10-15 feet until they hit a water table. When the source dries out, they dig another.

How YOU Can Help in KenyaEach of the stories mentioned today

are places where Maranatha is

committed to helping through the

construction of a church, school

building, or water well. Some will

be locations for our first volunteer

projects in Kenya, starting this

summer.

All of these projects need funding.

You can:

• Sponsor a One-Day Church.

$1,500 for a share; $4,500 for

full sponsorship.

• Sponsor a One-Day School.

$5,000 for a share; $15,000 for

full sponsorship.

• Sponsor a well.

• Make a general donation

toward all Kenya projects.

If you are able to help, please send a gift using the envelope insert in this magazine. Or donate on our secure website at www.maranatha.org, or call our office at (916) 774-7700.

2 LIFECHANGER: People in the Lolparuai village, near Isiolo, collect clean water from their well, provided by a humanitarian agency. Without the constant search for water, tribes are choosing to settle down in Lolparuai rather than moving every few weeks. As a result, they have established a school, a church, and even a garden.

3 DAILY WORK: Women in the Lodwar desert carry water back to their families. In many parts of Kenya, where access to clean water is limited, women and children spend much of their day searching for water.

3


I f you are in need of renewed conviction in the presence of

God’s power today, we recommend getting to know some of the residents of this neighborhood in the Dominican Republic. Barrio Nuevo Mendoza is densely populated with powerful prayer warriors.

PLANTING IN THE WILDERNESS

Lucia Hemeterio, known to her friends as Maesa, was the first person to move here in 1993. The whole place was just a wild sort of hill, overgrown with thick underbrush. None of the current

roads, homes, or shops existed here. But Maesa wasn’t looking for solitude. She began praying fervently for neighbors. “We began to pray that God would populate the neighborhood, so people would come so I would have someone to preach to!”

As families moved in, one by one, Maesa visited, helped, and befriended each one. She built rich friendships and invited many to visit her church, a short trip away. Eventually the mother church decided to support Maesa in planting a church group in her own home. Thus began the Canastica II congregation.

OUTGROWING THEIR SPACE

Founded on genuine caring, the group rapidly outgrew Maesa’s living room. “I can’t tell you how many people have been baptized because of me,” she says. “I’m not keeping count, but the Lord knows!”

Today the congregation has 115 members and meets in a rented home that is woefully inadequate for their congregation. Sabbath school groups meet in every corner and outside, under trees.

It’s hard to capture just how awkwardly people are arranged here

Powerful PrayerThe Growth and Miracles of a Prayer-Centered Congregation in Need of a Church. By Carrie Purkeypile

STANDING ROOM ONLY: The congregation currently meets in a rented house that is far too small for their needs. People sit and stand in every room of the house and outside listening, but many are not able to see the platform at all.

Photos by Carrie Purkeypile


on Sabbath morning. When the group convenes for divine services, at least half of the congregants sit outside or in adjoining rooms and can’t see what is happening on the platform. Plastic chairs extend out the doors clear up to the street, only separated from passing traffic by a thin barbed wire. It is dangerous and uncomfortable. But for now it’s all they have.

Still, the church keeps growing.

PRAYER POWER

The flagship ministry of this church is something Maesa has long-proclaimed the answer to everything: prayer. “God is the boss. We are just His children, and we use the method that He gave us. Because a padlock does not open without a key. The key to open the lock is prayer.”

Prayer is the most-prized ministry of the Canastica II Adventist Church. The congregation elects a small group of prayer warriors each year, and they take their job very seriously. The group prays

three times daily, for specific needs, and they frequently visit homes to pray with their neighbors. The church fields requests from people requesting that the prayer team visit loved ones who have fallen ill. They have a reputation for communicating with God.

The prayer team call themselves, “Women of Power,” referring to the many miracles they have witnessed when God’s Hand heals, restores, and provides. Sick people have been healed, families have averted crisis, and now, their greatest answer to prayer has almost materialized.

“The power of prayer has helped us so much,” says Catalina Bautista, one of the Canastica II prayer warriors. “We were fervently praying to the Lord for a church. And we give thanks to God because the Lord has answered our prayer.”

GOD ANSWERS PRAYER

Maranatha is building a new church for the Canastica II congregation in 2016. In fact, the first team of volunteers already went in February to pour the

church foundation! “My greatest dream has almost come

true,” says Manuel Cabrera, the head elder of the Canastica II Church. “It was that our church would be built so that we could have a more appropriate place to worship God.”

The Canastica II congregation will soon have a church of their own. Maranatha supporters, like you, are a true answer to prayer. •

DISCOVER MORE

Go beyond the story at www.maranatha.org

• Volunteer in the Dominican Republic by taking a team from your church or school. Learn more at www.maranatha.org/ volunteer-opportunities

• Watch a Maranatha Mission Stories segment about the Canastica II church at www.maranatha.org/canastica

PRAYER WARRIORS: The Canastica II prayer team takes their job seriously. Each member intercedes for specific requests three times daily, as well as visiting community members in need. Their greatest answered prayer is the soon-coming construction of their new church.

BUILDING A CHURCH: Maesa founded this church by visiting and praying with everyone who moved into her neighborhood. Prayer continues to be the core of the Canastica II Church here in the Dominican Republic.

“My greatest dream has almost come true.”

Photos by Carrie Purkeypile


C hurch was closed. again.It didn’t happen every

week. But it happened enough times that Regiane Droppa Ferronato was discouraged. On Sabbath morning, Regiane would feed her family, get dressed, and walk to church in time for Sabbath School—only to find the door bolted shut.

Closed on Sabbath.Other times, she would arrive to

find people cooking or cleaning inside the building, making it impossible to worship.

The problem was Regiane was worshipping in people’s homes. She and the other members of the Limoncito congregation in Panama had no church, so they relied on the hospitality of others who were willing to share their space—or not, depending on the host’s schedule.

“It was sad. We wanted the brethren to gather there,” says Regiane. “At least two Saturdays a month they would have their doors closed, as if saying, ‘We don’t want services here today.’”

Regiane used to worship in a church building. She and her husband were part of the Veinte Adventist Church for 17 years. But when that congregation grew too large, the membership decided to split and expand their ministry. They selected a contingent of members to plant a new church in a new community, and Regiane and her husband were recruited to lead the way.

Regiane knew it would be tough. But she and her husband were happy to serve the Lord. Now, after so many awkward situations and lost Sabbaths, Regiane and her fellow church members were weary of the nomadic life.

“Finally, my sister-in-law said, ‘No, no. We can’t continue like this,’” remembers Regiane. In an act of incredible generosity, her sister-in-law decided to donate a piece of property that she owned.

Bolstered by the donation, the church members started investing in their church. First they raised enough funds to buy the entire property. Then, they built an open-air structure with a floor and a roof. In time, they saved up enough to build one wall. It was an improvement but still not a solution. A single wall wasn’t enough to protect the congregation from Panama’s torrential

rains. During rainy season, the wind whipped through the property and sheeted the whole area with water, soaking the members. There was also no place for children’s classes. Plus, the congregation was growing—good news for a church plant, but challenging without adequate space to worship.

“The truth is we were very uncomfortable here with everything open like this,” says Regiane. “Everything was too small. When we had visitors, the brethren had to stand and give up their seats to the visitors.”

So as one problem was solved, another was created.

Then, Limoncito received word that Maranatha was coming to help. Already, Maranatha had been constructing numerous churches and Sabbath school classrooms in Panama for congregations in need. Now, Limoncito was on the list

Closed on SabbathThe trials of a congregation in search of a church home By Carrie Purkeypile

A SPACE ALL THEIR OWN: This Maranatha church is an answer to prayer that means the Limoncito congregation never has to miss a worship service again.

Photo by Abisai Morales

w w w . m a r a n a t h a . o r g

to receive a church. But first, there was work to be done.

They needed to prepare the property for construction. The work would be expensive. But the congregation was willing to sacrifice in preparation for the gift of a sanctuary. For every member who had a job, they committed to giving $90 every 15 days. For those without regular work, they gave $25-30.

For a family in rural Panama, $180 a month is a significant offering. It was a big step of faith.

But bit by bit, with every single person committed to giving, they raised the money needed to prepare the property. And in 2015, Maranatha volunteers began arriving in Limoncito to build them a new church.

“This is a great joy for me and for everybody,” says Mariano Quiel, a member of the church. “Because if we had to build this with our own money, it would have taken us 50 years.”

In February 2016, Maranatha completed construction on the new Limoncito Church. It is a beautiful structure—a new design that can seat 200 people. Already, the congregation has had several evangelism meetings—meetings that took place during and after construction—resulting in a dozen baptisms so far.

Best of all, each Sabbath, more

than a hundred people—members, visitors, and children—walk to the new sanctuary, ready to worship.

And not once have the doors been closed. •

DISCOVER MOREGo beyond the story at www.maranatha.org

• Watch a Maranatha Mission Stories

episode about the Summer Family Project volunteers and their work in Limoncito. www.maranatha.org/sfp

NO MORE RAIN-SOAKED SABBATHS: When the Limoncito congregation finally purchased a property, they built this open-air shelter to use as a church. Weather and space were still an issue for the growing congregation. They can now use this shelter as a supplementary building for church activities and classes in addition to their large new church building.

Designing a New Church

Limoncito is the first church

constructed using a new design.

This plan, which will be utilized

in Panama and the Dominican

Republic for now, offers a larger

floor plan, Sabbath school

classrooms, and a porch. There are

three sizes—small, medium, and

large—offered in this plan; Limoncito

represents the large church.

VOLUNTEER CONNECTION: Members from the Limoncito Church were delighted to work with the Maranatha volunteers who arrived to build their sanctuary.

How YOU Can Help

The Limoncito Adventist

Church has not yet been

sponsored. Please help by

making a contribution. If you

can help, please contact

Maranatha at (916) 774-7700

to make a donation.

Photos by Abisai Morales

Photo by Darrell Hardy

Photo by Yuma Molina

Oakland, California, USA

Ruben O’Conner, teen volunteer, helps to clear trees from the campus of Golden Gate Academy during the Fusion/Jumpstart program in January. More than 300 volunteers participated in the weekend event, which included a missions-themed youth rally on Sabbath morning and outreach activities on Sabbath afternoon and Sunday. Fusion/Jumpstart was a collaboration between the Adventist Church in Northern California and Maranatha.

Photo by Leonel Macias

w w w . m a r a n a t h a . o r g T H E V O L U N T E E R S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 | 1 7w w w . m a r a n a t h a . o r g

Earthquake Strikes Near Manipur School in India

Northeastern India was struck with a 6.7 magnitude earthquake, early Monday morning, January 4, 2016. There are reports of nearly a dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries.

The epicenter was located near the city of Imphal and just 45 miles south of Moirang, where Maranatha completed a project at Manipur Boarding School. Last year, volunteers built new dormitories at Manipur to replace structures that were dangerously deteriorated and crumbling. Maranatha also constructed an Education and Evangelism Center on campus, prior to the dormitory project. The new buildings suffered no structural damage during the earthquake, and no one on campus was injured.“If the quake had taken place a

year ago and the students had been living in the old dormitories, there may have been a tragedy at Manipur,” says Kyle Fiess, vice president of marketing and projects. “So we’re especially

grateful for everyone who supported the completion of this project.”

Manipur Boarding School is a Seventh-day Adventist academic institution. It was established in 1968 and serves more than 800 students in kindergarten through tenth grades.

Maranatha School Opens in Namibia

On January 13, 2016, school commenced at the Mavuluma Seventh-day Adventist Primary School in Namibia with 37 students enrolled. One week later, the number has already jumped to 56 children in pre-kindergarten through third grade. The school

will continue to provide more grade levels as enrollment increases.

The school was constructed by Maranatha volunteers during a mission trip in March 2015. During the project, volunteers assembled 12 One-Day School classrooms, while also organizing health seminars in various parts of the community.

The campus is located on the property of the Mavuluma Adventist Church in Katima Mulilo.

It is the first and only Adventist school in operation in Namibia since the 1940s. Decades ago, the Adventist Church in Namibia operated 13 schools, the first being established in 1920. But by 1943, the schools were taken over by the government, due to mismanagement and insufficient funds.

In 2013, leaders of the Adventist Church in Namibia made a formal request for Maranatha’s assistance on the project. Two years later, a group of volunteers arrived in Katima Mulilo to build the campus.

Namibia has an estimated 18,000 Adventists. The majority—about 80 percent—reside in the Caprivi Strip or Zambezi Region, where Katima Mulilo is located.

NEWS

Photo by Leonel Macias


You can serve on a mission trip with Maranatha! From construction to cooking to outreach, there are many ways to help, and no experience is necessary. Simply look through the opportunities listed below or visit our Volunteer Opportunities page at www.maranatha.org. For more information, email us at [email protected] or call (916) 774-7700.

Thanks for Serving!

The following Group Project Teams are serving during the months of April/May/June:

BRAZILBrazilian Team DOMINICAN REPUBLICWestern Washington Adventist Church TeamWashington INDIATaipei Adventist American School TeamTaiwan PANAMAConcord/Salisbury Adventist Church TeamNorth Carolina Dallas Oregon Mission TeamOregon Cedar Creek Family and FriendsWashington

Create a Project!

If you are interested in taking a team on a mission trip, let Maranatha guide you through the process! We’ll help you set a budge, find a site and accomodations, organize your team and provide in-country support from our staff. For groups ranging from 5-105, call for a consult and we’ll help every step of the way. For more information, call (916) 774-7700 or email [email protected]

The Dalles Church Open TeamOREGON, USALeadership: Leroy KelmMay 8 - 25, 2016

Spokane North View Church Open TeamWASHINGTON, USALeadership: Genevive Tininenko, Leroy KelmJune 7 - 23, 2016

Ultimate Workout 26 USACALIFORNIA, USALeadership: David Lopez, Rebekah ShephardJune 16 - 26, 2016

Summer Family Project 2016SAN CRISTOBAL, DOMINICAN REPUBLICLeadership: Steve Case, Danny PoljakJune 16 - 26, 2016

Randolph Church Open TeamNEW YORK, USALeadership: Susan & David WoodsJuly 11 - 20, 2016

Ultimate Workout 26 DRSAN CRISTOBAL, DOMINICAN REPUBLICLeadership: Rebekah Shephard, David LopezJuly 13 - 24, 2016

Milo Adventist Academy Open TeamOREGON, USALeadership: Genevive Tininenko, Leroy KelmJuly 24 - August 7, 2016

Kenya Open TeamISIOLO, KENYALeadership: Karen Godfrey, Peter ThomasJuly 27 - August 10, 2016

Young Adult ProjectSAINAGUA, DOMINICAN REPUBLICLeadership: Angela BoothbyJuly 27 - August 7, 2016

Kenya Open Team 2MERU, KENYALeadership: Terry Schwartz, Bruce SchwartzAugust 30 - September 14, 2016

Big Lake Youth Camp Open Team 2OREGON, USALeadership: Leroy KelmSeptember 1 - 15, 2016

Angola Open TeamLUBANGO, ANGOLALeadership: To Be DeterminedOctober - December, 2016

India Open TeamBHALKI, INDIALeadership: George Carpenter, Lorin RubbertNovember 2 - 13, 2016

Brazil Open TeamSALVADOR, BRAZILLeadership: Sadie Torrez, Duncan TerryNovember 3 - 13, 2016

Christmas Family ProjectSANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLICLeadership: To Be DeterminedDecember 18 - 28, 2016

Brazil Open Team SALVADOR, BRAZILLeadership: Merrill Zachary, George Alder January 18 - February 2, 2017

Kenya Open Team KENYALeadership: Loretta SpiveyMarch 1 - 14, 2017

Multiple Group Project 2017LOCATION TO BE DETERMINEDLeadership: Steve CaseMarch 16 - 26, 2017

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES


SOMALI

A

UGANDA

ETH IOP IA

TANZANIA

THE MISSION SCENE

Get acquainted with Kenya, where Maranatha will be responding to the need for churches, schools, and wells.

CAPITAL: NairobiPOPULATION: 45,925,301OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: English, SwahiliTRIBES: More than 40

KE NYA

Nairobi

India

n Ocean

ALL ABOUT KENYA

2016 Maranatha Project Scope

The first Seventh-day

Adventist missionary

to Kenya was Arthur

Carscallen, from Canada.

He arrived in eastern Africa

in 1906 and set up several

mission stations in Kenya.

824,185 members

5,045 churches

3,864 companies

● Kenya is almost the size of

the state of TEXAS

● Kenya only has two

seasons: ONE RAINY AND ONE DRY

● Kenya has more than 50 NATIONAL PARKS and

reserves

● An estimated 17.3 MILLION PEOPLE lack access to clean

WATER in Kenya

15 School Classrooms

70 Churches

Water Wells

ADVENTISTS IN KENYA

Did you know?

47.4% Protestant

23.3% Catholic

11.8% Other Christian

11.1% Muslim

5.7% Other

Religion

ON THE COVER: One of the leaders of the Larisoro Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kenya. Photo by Tom Lloyd.

About Maranatha

Maranatha spreads the Gospel

throughout the world as it builds

people through the construction of

urgently needed buildings.

All notices of change of address

should be sent to the Maranatha

Volunteers International United States

address.

United States Headquarters:

Maranatha Volunteers International

990 Reserve Drive

Suite 100

Roseville, CA 95678

Phone: (916) 774-7700

Fax: (916) 774-7701

Website: www.maranatha.org

Email: [email protected]

In Canada:

Maranatha Volunteers

International Association

c/o V06494C

PO Box 6494, Station Terminal

Vancouver, BC V6B 6R3

CANADA

Julie Z. Lee, Editor

Carrie Purkeypile, Managing Editor

Heather Bergren, Designer

990 Reserve Drive, Suite 100Roseville, CA 95678

Non-ProfitU.S. Postage

PAIDRoseville, CA

Permit No. 111

Save the date for Maranatha’s annual convention, September 23-24. We’ll celebrate the joy of service with a weekend of inspiring storytelling in the Sacramento, California, region.

We’ll share:

• Heartfelt volunteer testimonies

• Fascinating stories of transformation from the mission field

• Simple and effective ways you can help

Look for more details, coming soon!

2016 Maranatha Convention

Documents

The Volunteer Spring 2016