The Volunteer Issue 1 2026

the VOLUNTEER

Maranatha’s newest school in Zambia floods the fields of Mwami with educational opportunity.

Julie Z. Lee Editor Heather Bergren Managing Editor/Designer Dustin Comm Writer Sidney Needles 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.

CIUDAD DEL CIELO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

In February, just six months after the dedication of the new Ciudad del Cielo Seventh-day Adventist School and Church, seven young students were baptized as a result of an evangelism program held at the school.

Ciudad del Cielo is the first and only Adventist school in its suburb, which is located in northern Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. The area boasts 80 Adventist churches but not a single Adventist school. Maranatha broke ground on the campus in May 2023. Since then, more than 300 volunteers and local crews have helped to build an Education and Evangelism Center with eight

classrooms and an assembly space, an early education building with five classrooms, and a large church to seat 400 people.

The school’s construction garnered so much curiosity that more than 200 students were already enrolled before the school’s official opening. Currently, there are 231 enrolled in kindergarten through sixth grade with plans to expand its offering. The church is also the second largest source of tithes and offerings within the southeastern region of the Adevntist Church in the Dominican Republic. Already, this new campus has seen more than 200 baptisms.

MISSION STATEMENT: Maranatha spreads the gospel throughout the world as it builds people through the construction of urgently needed buildings.

About the Cover: Maureen Phiri prepares her fields for planting in the rural Zambian community of Mwami. She grows things like maize and beans to provide sustenance and income for her family of seven.

Photo by Sidney Needles

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY SHARING THE Mission

It took two full days to hear about the hundreds–maybe thousands of requests from church leaders at a recent meeting held at the Seventh-day Adventist World Church headquarters, near Washington, D.C. Sitting in a nice conference room, we listened and interacted with some of the top Church leaders. They all shared the little-understood challenge they face regarding the need for churches, schools, and other facilities.

The great need presented was both overwhelming and encouraging. While we felt the pain and pressure, we could also see a great opportunity to advance God’s kingdom. The stories were similar in terms of the vast need for buildings that function well and positively represent the Creator God. Yet funding for projects is scarce, and construction knowledge is rare.

This sometimes results in ramshackle buildings that cannot stand up to the elements. Let me share a very recent example. In Zambia, there is the Chilomba Church, located in Muchinga Province. They have 157 members who meet in a poorly constructed space. On December 17, 2025, a storm with

rain and wind took the building down (see photo of how it currently looks in top right).

Now they have nowhere to meet, and they are appealing to Maranatha for help. What should we do? How will we be able to respond in terms of cost and leadership? I’m praying that someone will read this and hear God’s voice to help make it happen.

That is only one example, and there are so many more. At our meeting, some leaders only asked for 50 churches and a few schools. Others requested many hundreds or even thousands. All this is before we discussed the need for water wells. Based on the stories we heard, it was clear that God’s kingdom could grow substantially if we could help all of them. I really wanted to say, “We will do them all.” Don’t you feel that way too? We have seen so many places where new churches and schools bring many people to a new or renewed commitment to Jesus. What a blessing they are when we are able to provide them.

In this issue of The Volunteer, we are sharing some of the goals we have

for 2026. We always hope to be able to do more, but it all depends on the support we receive. We are eager to enter some of the places put before us at our meeting with the church leaders. Volunteers are eager to go, and we want to provide great mission opportunities for all of them.

As we can see, we live in a complicated and changing world. The Bible tells us things will become more challenging and intense. It also tells us to keep doing all we can to advance God’s kingdom. None of us know how long we can continue with these projects that are used by God for His glory, but Zephaniah 1:14 says, “The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly.”

With your help and prayers, we will meet more of the requests for assistance, and the projects accomplished in 2026 will bring glory to God and eternal joy to thousands.

—Don Noble is the president of Maranatha

AROUND THE World

A snapshot of volunteers and projects in the mission field.

Despite increasingly difficult economic conditions in Cuba, our in-country team completed the Nuevitas Church, noting clear signs of God’s leading.

water well at the Thanjavur Seventh-day Adventist Hospital.

ZAMBIA

Although Maranatha didn’t drill this well in the village of Munkonge, our maintenance team recently repaired it so clean water flows again.

The large Elementary Education Center is nearly complete at Pine Hill Adventist Academy.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Community members now have access to free, clean water at the Maranatha water well at the San Ramón Adventist Church.

MOZAMBIQUE

Returning nearly 15 years after completing 700 One-Day Churches in Mozambique, Maranatha found many of these frames with walls added by local congregations.

UNITED STATES

For the eighth time in eight years, Maranatha volunteers showed up at Florida’s Camp Kulaqua, helping to make improvements to this summer camp.

Students and staff at the Graceland Adventist School are grateful for their new Maranatha water well.

Last fall, more than 90 volunteers helped to frame the new Riverview Community Church in Tennessee. The original burned down years before, leaving the congregation without a church home.

VOLUNTEERS RAISE TENNESSEE CHURCH FROM THE ASHES

In September and October 2025, more than 90 volunteers helped to frame the new Riverview Community Seventh-day Adventist Church, in Tennessee. The 10,000-square-foot church building is the long-awaited replacement for the previous structure, which burned down in 2021.

David and Carol Phillips are members of the Riverview Church and also Maranatha volunteers. “When the Maranatha people came, we felt like it was family coming and wanting to help us rebuild,” said Carol, who has served on multiple projects. “I felt very honored that the people who we had worked with were coming and helping us with our build–with our sanctuary. It felt very personal.”

Four years ago, when lightning struck their original sanctuary’s attic during a

thunderstorm, David and Carol were there to witness the fire. “I had just gotten home and had gotten a call from security … so I headed back over to the church, and the fire truck was already there,” recalled David. “They couldn’t go in, so we had to sit there and watch it burn.”

Rebuilding after this tragedy was delayed by a couple of setbacks. Riverview’s original building was underinsured, requiring the congregation to fundraise. Work was also postponed for more than a year by a construction company the church originally contracted for the project. However, examples of kindness shone brighter than this cloud of uncertainty.

“The pastor from the church up the street from us, they had rented from us awhile ago while they were building their

church,” recalled Carol. “Riverview had given all their rent money back to them after they had gotten their church built. So when they invited us to use their church, they would not let us pay anything.”

Riverview’s resilience was also bolstered by volunteers’ work; they completed a large part of the framing.

“It has given a huge boost,” said Carol. “Because we had been waiting for so long, we were getting to the point where we were like, ‘Are we ever going to build this?’”

“It was quite a blessing,” said David. “We could see God’s fingerprints all over this.”

MINNESOTA CHURCH BUILDS CLASSROOMS IN KENYA

In November 2025, 41 members of the Dodge Center Seventh-day Adventist Church in Minnesota volunteered with Maranatha in Kenya. The group was diverse in age–from seven to 78–languages, and faith backgrounds. But they easily came together to build new classrooms for the Kimogoro Adventist Boarding Primary School. Said Dodge Center member and trip coordinator Tyler Coleman, “We were united in purpose to be a blessing in Kenya and to work together.”

Kids and adults alike took advantage of the project as a chance to experience the global nature of the Adventist Church. “To realize that the Church is a whole lot bigger than just

the four walls … allows you to travel and meet really interesting people. [It also let’s you] contribute to places where your skills and your funds are needed sometimes more than back home at the four walls of your church,” remarked Coleman.

The volunteer project was a part of Maranatha’s large-scale renovation of the Kimogoro campus. Kimogoro’s previous buildings were unstable, with dirt floors and hole-ridden walls and roofs. Maranatha volunteer groups and in-country construction crews have already completed nine classrooms, a

kitchen and dining hall, girls and boys dormitories, a large church building, and three bathrooms at Kimogoro, and have yet to finish three more classrooms, an administrative block, and landscaping.

PARAGUAY PROJECT VOLUNTEERS TAKE ON CONSTRUCTION AND CHILDREN’S OUTREACH

From February 19 to March 3, 19 volunteers served on Maranatha’s open-team project in Paraguay. Their primary task was laying the block walls of a new church building for the Nueva Italia Seventh-day Adventist Church. This congregation has twelve members and not nearly enough funds to construct their own building. They endured temporary meeting places

for years–gathering in a small garage most recently. But with the help of this volunteer team, worshippers now have a spacious church building of their own.

Beyond construction work, volunteers conducted a Vacation Bible School program for 20 local kids. This initiative involved crafts, games, and singing. Leaders planned activities like playing with balloons, listening to stories, and coloring, for children to have fun. But each part of the program also pointed kids’ attention to Jesus and highlighted His amazing love for them.

On the last Sabbath of the project, volunteers worshipped within the walls they helped build, alongside Nueva Italia members. The service allowed both groups to celebrate the new building together, and even included the baptisms of two local children.

GOD’S LEADING IN 2026

Every year, Maranatha prayerfully considers the many requests for assistance that come from all over the world. This is a complicated process that can take more than a year, as we look at the specific needs and whether our ministry can provide the best solution.

This year, we will continue work in many of the same countries where we worked in 2025, while we finish our commitment in others. We also hope to start partnerships in new areas that have appealed for our help. We are praying for God to open doors in the right places–countries that immediately need our support and can be a safe and transformative environment for our volunteers. We will continue seeking God’s guidance in this important process, and we hope you will join us in prayer, service, and financial support of this year’s project scope.

United States

20 projects

(churches, schools, camps, & retreat centers)

Dominican Republic

churches 3 sabbath school buildings

school campus

wells

Kenya

50 One-Day Churches

2 schools

40 wells

Well maintenance & repairs

India

15 structures

1 school

135 wells

Well maintenance & repairs

Zambia

50 One-Day Churches 2 schools

110 wells

Well maintenance & repairs

Mozambique

Well maintenance & repairs

Uplifted

No one understands the heart and soul of the Mwami Adventist Secondary School like those who showed up to celebrate it.

By Sidney Needles

One by one, babies popped up into the air and dangled there for a few seconds. The young ones explored their surroundings with big brown eyes that shone curiously and fat little legs that kicked the space around them. The older ones weren’t quite so amused. They clutched at the hands that held them upraised, eyes wide and small frames rigid with surprise. They weren’t the only ones surprised. Chief Operating Officer of Maranatha Volunteers International Kenneth Weiss had just asked prospective students of the Mwami Adventist Secondary School to stand. The elevation of infants, in addition to school-aged children, wasn’t exactly what he had in mind.

“Education–it is important in a child’s life because it is an equalizer.”

This scene unfolded on October 25, 2025, at the dedication of the Education and Evangelism Center (EEC) that Maranatha completed in Mwami, Zambia. Building a new secondary school, from the ground up, called for the largest structure in Maranatha’s repertoire. This particular EEC has 14 classrooms, to accommodate more than 500 students, and a central assembly space to house larger groups, like the 1,200 people who gathered on dedication day. The energy of the crowd was electric. Children, teachers, parents, donors, Church presidents–all roused by the dawn of a new era of education and opportunity.

One such attendee was head teacher of the

Adventist Primary School Joyce Tembo. She sat in the center of the auditorium, just two rows back from the stage. Joyce had waited years for this day and didn’t want to miss a thing. Her primary school, a Seventh-day Adventist hospital, nursing school, and several churches all serve the large population of Adventists in this area. Joyce has handed off diplomas for years, knowing that many of her primary students would not be able to pursue further studies. This sad reality wasn’t caused by students’ lack of interest or aptitude. Instead, the issue at play was simply geography.

“In this area, the secondary schools are very far,” explains Joyce. “It’s difficult because [students] have no means of transportation to go there. They move on foot. They move on foot on a daily basis … They will wake up around four or five to go there and come back late again in the evenings.”

Oftentimes the road was too long, day too short, obstacles too insurmountable for students seeking a secondary education. The primary diplomas that Joyce handed out marked conclusions. But now, thanks to Maranatha’s EEC in Mwami, they are tickets to the next step. “Education–it is important in a child’s life because it is an equalizer,” says Joyce. “When this child learns, it means from there he will go further. He’ll be trained, he’ll start a job,

and then help himself and help the parents back home.”

Maureen Phiri sat next to Joyce until she spotted her cue and rose from her chair. One step. Then another. One more. Maureen carefully ascended the platform. At the top, she clutched her microphone with both hands. The packed auditorium sprawled before her. Maureen wasn’t an orator by any means. But she was a mother, and she had something to say.

“I am very happy to stand here on behalf of all the parents at this school,” she began. “I am very thankful for this wonderful gift that you have given unto us–that you have given us this wonderful school. Thank you very much,

Maranatha, for this wonderful gesture.”

Maureen has five children, and her three oldest are school age. Prior to five years ago, it was doubtful that the Phiri household budget could cover one child’s tuition, much less five. Like most Mwami residents, Maureen and her husband are farmers without modern equipment. They plow their fields with cattle and tend them by hand, working incredibly hard for enough money to get by.

Then in 2021, the Zambian government enacted legislation that removed the cost of primary and secondary school nationwide. As a teenager, Maureen wasn’t able to pursue post primary studies. Today, Zambia’s free education policy has put it within budget for

OVERJOYED:

1 The EEC was named in honor of the memory of Lisa Mack, a woman who wanted everyone to know Jesus.

2 Maureen Phiri expresses gratitude for the school that her children will soon attend.

3 Parents raise their children above the dedication-day crowd.

her children, and Maranatha’s EEC has put it within walking distance. This is a transformation of circumstances for the Phiri children and their whole household. “If a child is educated, the entire family will get support from them in many ways,” explains Maureen.

“Wherever I am going, whoever I am touching, it is because of my teachers ... they created a world that was not there before.”

David Mack sat beside his son, Johnathan, one row ahead of Maureen and Joyce, on the far left of the auditorium. Like those around him, David was excited to see the finished school. But unlike most others in the room, he would not reap its benefits. David is a longtime Maranatha supporter who funded this project’s construction. “It just made perfect sense,” he recalls of his choice to give. “You know, [some] say you never hear God’s voice in your head. Sometimes you don’t need His voice–you can just feel it.”

He traveled all the way from California for the dedication, but David’s demeanor showed no signs of fatigue. A small smile frequented his face and warmth shone in his eyes. His contented calm seemed to transcend the excitement around him as if lost in a beloved memory–or perhaps the memory of someone beloved.

The EEC at Mwami is called the “Lisa Mack Education Center” in honor of David’s late wife, who passed away from cancer on May 6, 2021. “You know, I just would’ve loved to have been able to see Lisa see this. So it’s both happy and it’s sad,” says David. “Lisa, she loved Jesus. She knew Him. She was totally confident in her lord, friend, and savior. She wanted all of us to know Him too. That is who Lisa was, and that is why she’s worthy to have her name on this building.”

A few places to David’s right, in front of Joyce and Maureen, sat Pastor Harrington Akombwa, president of the Adventist Church in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean region. He journeyed to Mwami and sat front and center at the

dedication because education is a concept close to his heart. “Education is a very cardinal pillar of our evangelistic thrust … the learning that is impacted in schools, I think, is superior to what we do in church,” he says. “Studies have shown, researchers established, that those who accept Adventism through schools stay the longest in [the] Church.”

His visit to Mwami reminded Pastor Akombwa of a time in his life when he wasn’t “President Akombwa” but simply, “Harrington,” the little boy scampering through his village. “I am the son of two people, a man and a woman, who never went to school. And they died like that,” he reveals. “But today, because of school, I have moved up. I’ve gone all over the world. They even call me the president of the division. If it wasn’t for school, I would’ve wound up like my parents who never went to school. So what you have done here, you’ll never be able to see how far it’ll go. And wherever I am going, whoever I am touching, it is because of my teachers who taught me, who raised me up. They created a

world that was not there before.”

Children, teachers, parents, donors, presidents. There are few who understand the importance of Mwami’s EEC like those who showed up to celebrate its dedication–even the elevated infants. It will be several more years until they experience their first math lesson or English project. But when their time comes for secondary school, the Lisa Mack Education Center will be ready for them. Because after Joyce retires, Maureen’s children have graduated, and all who knew Lisa rest with her, the school will remain. Growing leaders like Pastor Akombwa, hearts for Christ, and children uplifted without a hand in sight.

NEW BEGINNINGS:

1 This child is among the first to test out a brand new desk.

2 Pastor Harrington Akombwa observes the dedication program in appreciation for educational opportunity.

3 The EEC is located in the rural Mwami community.

4 Twelve hundred people showed up to celebrate this impactful building.

5 The crowd was full of future students like this one.

6 David Mack funded this pivotal project, and it was named after his late wife.

RAISING SERVICEORIENTED KIDS:

One family’s tradition of missions in the United States

By Julie Lee and Sidney Needles

“This is valuable to us and how we want to live. It opens their world to tangible acts of kindness.”

Celina and Ben Dawson have quite a few Maranatha projects under their belts–thirty to be exact, so far. Celina’s first Maranatha project was in 1995 in the Dominican Republic, where she built a church with a group from Blue Mountain Academy. Ben got his start with Maranatha in Juliaca, Peru, in 2005. Both kept going until the couple reached a reason to take a pause: Celina was pregnant with quadruplets. Two years later, the Dawsons welcomed another child to the family. With five toddlers added to the household, Ben and Celina had to take a hiatus from missions.

Several years passed by and then in 2018, a friend invited the Dawsons to go on a Family Project to Bolivia. “We looked into it and it was going to be $12,000 by the time we had tickets and passports,” remembers Celina.

The calculation was a bit of a blow and a reality check. But missions was important to Celina and Ben, and it was a value they wanted to pass on to their children; they weren’t ready to give up on service projects just yet. “We looked around and wow–Maranatha had just started a mission trip at Kulaqua.”

Kulaqua, located in northern Florida, is one of the largest Seventh-day Adventist camps in the world, hosting approximately 50,000 visitors each year. Such high traffic means a great deal of wear and tear, and the camp was in need of renovations. After learning about Maranatha’s North America assistance program at an Association of Adventist Camp Professionals convention, the Kulaqua director turned in an application. Soon, a project was scheduled at the camp for 2019.

Kulaqua was across the country from the Dawson’s home in Washington, but it was a lot closer than Bolivia. Plus, all of Maranatha’s North America projects offer free lodging and food; all volunteers have to do is cover their travel. Suddenly, the door to missions swung back open. Celina and Ben registered their family and headed to Kulaqua.

The experience was hugely positive. At the time, the kids

were only five and four years old. But as with every Maranatha project, the young volunteers were provided ways to contribute and belong.

Beyond the physical labor and service, the family gained a deep appreciation for the daily worship that took place on the mission trip. “We hadn’t done too much personal worship with the kids,” says Celina. “Well, we came back from that first year, and the kids were like, ‘We want to have worship, please. Let’s have worship like we did at Camp Kulaqua.’”

The next year, Maranatha offered a second project at Kulaqua, and the Dawsons went back. In fact, they have been back to Kulaqua every year since. “Now here’s the amazing thing: each year as we get older and more capable, we can do more things,” says Celina. “You can see how much everyone has grown since being there. They’ve become confident. They’ve learned skills and learned to follow directions … It’s so rewarding, just to see them stretch and grow and take on something.”

This year, the Dawsons returned for their eighth consecutive Maranatha project at the camp, joining more than 50 volunteers in renovating cabins, painting 30 picnic tables, fencing a horse arena, and building an announcer’s booth for the rodeo area. One of their sons helped with electrical work, and Celina even learned how to lay carpet.

“Everybody has this buzz and energy going on because they’re making this camp beautiful,” she says. “It’s really neat that you can have people who are into service … it provides a platform to connect with all these people.”

Towards the end of this year’s project, all the volunteers gathered to say their goodbyes. “My husband said, ‘Man, I feel like our kids got a whole bunch of new grandmas and grandpas in their lives,’” remembers Celina. “And someone shouted out, ‘We feel like we got new grandkids!’”

“This is valuable to us and how we want to live. It opens their world to tangible acts of kindness and service and giving of ourselves.”

Each year, Maranatha works with organizations in the United States and Canada to provide volunteer labor for various construction or renovation projects at summer camps and retreat centers, schools, and churches. Work ranges from renovations of existing buildings to new construction, and saves thousands of dollars in labor costs.

FAMILY FUN:

1 Celina and Ben Dawson have served on 30 mission trips over the years.

2 They’ve brought their five children to work at Camp Kulaqua in Florida for the past eight years.

3 This year’s project included the construction of a rodeo announcer’s booth.

4 Every year teaches the kids new skills and the value of service.

A SECOND ROUND OF MISSIONS

After a decade of international mission trips, one volunteer gets back into projects closer to home.

By Dustin Comm

“I get the benefit of seeing new places, new cultures, and at the same time feel like I’m accomplishing [something].”

Wayne Nazarenus is the definition of a servant leader. As a lifelong Seventh-day Adventist pastor, he served hundreds of church members throughout his career. Over that time he also volunteered as a hospital chaplain, firefighter, and first-responder. From 1997 to 2008, Wayne traveled the world, serving with Maranatha–from El Salvador and the Dominican Republic to Peru and the Solomon Islands. “I get the benefit of seeing new places, new cultures, and at the same time feel like I’m accomplishing [something]. You know, I’m a preacher—I’m not a professional builder or whatever. I’m more of a helper. But I can carry cement blocks.”

However, a preacher’s salary doesn’t necessarily lend itself to yearly mission trips. The regional Adventist Church leadership he worked for supported his service through time off, but Wayne still had to fundraise for airfare and participation fees. His solution? Donate what he already had: blood. For a decade, Wayne would visit his local plasma center twice a week. He calls the 90-minute appointments his “reading time,” but those quiet donation sessions brought in about $2,000 for mission trips each year, usually plenty to cover his expenses.

Most of Wayne’s projects were Maranatha’s “Multiple Group Projects,” which allow a handful of people from a school or church to combine with other small groups and have a large team experience. For Wayne, the dedication it took to realize these mission trips wasn’t just about the travel, adventure, and serving brothers and sisters around the world–it was also crucial for his mental health. As a minister who often worked 50-70 hours a week, getting to step into a new environment with a different role was therapeutic. “When I went on a Maranatha trip, it was a whole shift of responsibilities. I wasn’t so much dealing with people’s minds now. I was using my physical energies to do things, and I liked having that break.”

After more than a decade of serving globally, international mission trips became unrealistic for Wayne, due to some health and retirement challenges. More than 15 years passed in which he finished a 40-year career of ministry in Colorado, prompting a move to Georgia to be closer to his grandchildren. And in retirement, Wayne felt that urge to serve coming back—he was itching to volunteer with Maranatha again. “It’d sure be nice to do a Maranatha project,” he’d say to himself. But mission trips abroad were not possible.

In 2022, he found out there would be a Maranatha project at the Uchee Pines Institute in Alabama, about 70 miles from his house. It would be different from the international Maranatha mission trips he was used to, but he decided to give it a shot. Uchee Pines is a health and wellness center in rural Alabama. Guests receive natural treatments for illnesses and learn how to make lifestyle adjustments for healthier living. During the project, Wayne and fellow volunteers helped to frame single family homes on the property for missionaries serving there. “I met all these people and said, ‘This was really enjoyable. I love to do this.’”

A North America project seemed to check all the boxes for Wayne. Easier travel—many sites are within driving distance. Less expensive— volunteers aren’t required to pay a participation fee like international projects. Upon arrival at the project site, housing and meals are provided in exchange for labor. Stateside projects seemed like a perfect fit, and after the Uchee Pines project, Wayne wanted more.

He served at Camp Kulaqua in Florida, Mount Pisgah Academy in North Carolina, the Summerville Adventist Church in Georgia, Nosoca Pines Ranch in South Carolina, and Camp Lawroweld in Maine, with a few repeat locations mixed in. With each passing trip, he

felt more and more like a member of a special community, bonded over service. “It’s fun to meet these new people. And there were a sprinkling of people that had been on other trips with me, so it was kind of like a reunion. You become almost like family.”

Fall 2025 saw Wayne back at Uchee Pines for the fourth time. This project involved laying flooring in the institute’s lifestyle center. Not exactly glamorous mission work. In fact, volunteers were asked if installing flooring could even be considered mission work. “Yes, it is,” Wayne responded. “You know, that sounds funny, doesn’t it? … But Maranatha’s projects are to help build people by building churches, schools, camps, and health institutes, and doing things so that other professionals can serve people’s physical and spiritual needs.”

Ten trips later, here closer to home, and Wayne has no plans to stop serving on these North America Maranatha projects. And that he’d like to see more people join the team. “I’d like to encourage people that have ever thought about it—do it. Don’t think you’re too old or you have too little ability … If you’re able to get up and move around, there should be a project, [and] something that you can do.”

ON THE ROAD AGAIN:

1 From to 1997-2008, Wayne Nazarenus traveled the world with Maranatha, often serving on Multiple Group Projects.

2 As a minister who often worked 50-70 hours a week, getting to step into a new environment with a different role was therapeutic.

3 In retirement, Wayne felt the urge to serve coming back—he was itching to volunteer with Maranatha again.

4 Wayne installs new flooring at the Uchee Pines Institute in Alabama.

OD C s:

Since building 700 One-Day Churches in Mozambique 18 years ago, most of them have been walled up by the local congregations. The congregations our team visited grew significantly.

SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE A Look at the One-Day Church in Mozambique

By Julie Z. Lee

Is a church that can be built in one day a worthy investment?

Ask the 600 people worshiping in the Macatange Seventh-day Adventist Church, located in Zambezia Province of Mozambique.

In 2010, Macatange was the recipient of a One-Day Church (ODC), a structure consisting of a steel frame and roof. These simple kits are erected in remote areas, where traditional construction is difficult due to access. Steel roofs and frames are cost-prohibitive for most rural congregations. By building these elements, Maranatha provides a strong skeleton for congregations to add walls and other finishes to with local materials.

Macatange was part of Maranatha’s major ODC construction effort in Mozambique in 2009. Maranatha constructed 700 churches in Mozambique and also drilled water wells at many of the ODC sites. Today, most of the ODC recipients have finished their churches. The Macatange church members have not only finished building the walls, they have extended the building in both length and width to accommodate their large congregation.

Stories like these are common. A recent visit to 71 ODC sites found congregations of 300-600 members to be the norm. The largest had more than 700 people, including 400 children. One church boasted the establishment of eight daughter congregations, all born from the original ODC. Prior to Maranatha’s involvement, there were approximately 40 permanent churches in Mozambique and no schools. Today, Mozambique has more than 382,000 members, 1,179 churches, and nine denominational schools, of which Maranatha built five.

The ODC program, created in partnership with Maranatha and Adventist businessman Garwin McNeilus, launched in 2008 with the very first ODC being constructed in Ecuador. Today, Maranatha has built more than 6,245 ODCs in 29 countries around the world. The program is still ongoing with donors currently helping to fund ODCs in Kenya and Zambia.

ABOUT THE ONE-DAY CHURCH:

What is it?

The kit includes a steel roof and frame–materials that are virtually unattainable from a financial and logistical perspective for many of these remote congregations. The framework provides a solid base on which to build a strong church.

Why do we need it?

Thousands of Adventists worship in very remote locations where it is difficult to transport the quantities of cement, blocks, and other materials needed to build a Maranatha church. Yet they need places of worship. Without the ODC program, many of these needs would be unmet. Churches in some areas are also built using wood, which is vulnerable to rot and termites, and thatched roofs, which have to be replaced often. Not only are these materials not ideal for sustainability, they have the potential to collapse and cause harm to the members.

How much does it cost?

Sponsorship starts at $7,500, depending on location. You can also sponsor a share of an ODC for $1,500.

Scan to donate to the One-Day Church program. Or call (916) 774-7700.

HOW YOU’VE Helped

MACHAKOS, KENYA

BEFORE The Mamba Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kenya used to worship in this structure, made of sticks and what metal sheets they could find.

A look at how your support is making a real difference for communities around the world.

LEAVING YOUR Legacy

The Faith of a Child

Kids from the South Carroll Church met a daunting goal with unwavering enthusiasm.

What six children at the South Carroll Seventh-day Adventist Church in Maryland lacked in cash, they made up for with enthusiasm. They had decided to fundraise for Maranatha’s church construction in India, and nothing could stop them. “The kids really liked that idea, especially because of the very low percentage of Christians with access to churches there,” explained South Carroll Church treasurer Richard Jacobson.

The youngsters’ energy compelled adults to give to the cause during children’s offering each Sabbath. Their goal was to raise a daunting $7,500. Progress was slow, but morale never faded–even after 14 months of saving! “It took … longer than

AFTER Now the congregation enjoys this OneDay Church frame that’s built to last. It has a strong foundation and frame that they can build walls around with local materials.

they expected, but they were all so excited,” recalled Richard. “They demonstrated amazing confidence and excitement that is hard to find outside of the faith of a child.”

PROJECTS IN NEED OF HELP

Here are some specific projects that need funding! Please make a donation to any one of these construction projects.

Scan to donate to Golden Hope.

GOLDEN HOPE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

ZAMBIA

For years, the Golden Hope Seventh-day Adventist congregation met in a humble structure made from whatever materials they could find or afford–branches, grass, and tarp. Before that they met in a member’s home, rented a classroom, or simply gathered outdoors. When the group went from 10 to 60, the need for a permanent structure became more urgent. Last fall, a group of Maranatha volunteers arrived to start construction on the block walls of the Golden Hope Church. It was an answer to prayer!

But there is another prayer left to be answered. The construction of the Golden Hope Church is in process, yet the funding is not complete. Please make a donation of any amount to help with this project–100% of your specific gift will go to Golden Hope!

Scan to make your first $10 donation.

URGENT: The $10 Church

This simple program asks you to give just $10 a month to help with the construction of churches. For more than 30 years, The $10 Church has funded nearly 500 places of worship, thanks to the generosity of thousands of people giving a little to build a lot!

However, participation in this program is declining. We have been unable to help as many congregations as in the past. If you are not currently a donor to this important program, please consider joining today. These small dollars add up to a huge part of the budget to build churches. You can commit to automatically giving $10 a month or send a check for $120 to cover the year. You are also welcome to give more.

Countries IN 2026

Here’s where Maranatha is working this year.

BRAZIL

CUBA

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

INDIA

KENYA

MOZAMBIQUE

PARAGUAY

PERU

UNITED STATES

ZAMBIA

CHURCHES

Go to maranatha.org/donate or call (916) 774-7700 to speak to a representative.

PROJECT Calendar

DATE

May 26 - Jun. 10, 2026

Jun. 7 - 19, 2026

Jun. 17 - 30, 2026

Jun. 18 - 28, 2026

Jun. 21 - Jul. 3, 2026

Jun. 21 - 28, 2026

Jun. 22 - Jul. 17, 2026

Jun. 29 - Jul. 5, 2026

Jul. 3 - 13, 2026

Jul. 9 - 19, 2026

Anyone can join a Maranatha mission trip! Check out our upcoming opportunities here or go to maranatha.org for the most updated list.

Oakwood University Project ALABAMA, USA

Milo Adventist Academy Project OREGON, USA

Southern Adventist University Alumni Project KENYA

Family Project PERU

Upper Columbia Academy Project WASHINGTON, USA

Redwood Area Camp Project CALIFORNIA, USA

Georgia-Cumberland Academy Project GEORGIA, USA

Lorretta Spivey, David Gott Dorm renovations

Ed Jensen, Don Kirk Painting, maintenance

Karen Godfrey Construction

Steve Case School construction

Cathie Clark, Jon Yarlott Painting, maintenance

Ron and Nancy Davis, Luther Findley Renovations

Pam and Dave Wilbur Dorm renovations

Union Springs Academy Project NEW YORK, USA Raquel Manso, Bill Boyd School renovations

Catalyst Project For collegiate young adults PERU

Corbin and Ashton Weiss Church construction

Ultimate Workout Project For teenagers DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Elmer Barbosa Church construction

Jul. 10 - 20, 2026 Peru Project PERU

Jul. 16 - 27, 2026

Aug. 6 - 16, 2026

Family Project ZAMBIA

Newbury Park Academy Project CALIFORNIA, USA

Tyler and Jackie Duffy, Peter Thomas Church construction

Steve Case School construction

Ron and Nancy Davis, Luther Findley Roofing

Aug. 10 - 20, 2026 Pacific Union College Project CALIFORNIA, USA Ed Jensen, David Gott Dorm renovations

Oct. 29 - Nov. 10, 2026 Brazil Project BRAZIL Lisandro Staut Church construction

Nov. 12 - 22, 2026 Peru Project PERU

Dec. 21 - 31, 2026

Elmer Barbosa Church construction

Family Project DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Susan and David Woods Church construction

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

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Grand Rapids SDA Church and Academy Team | Michigan

Rogue Valley Adventist Academy Team | Oregon

INDIA

Mission IS Possible Team | Texas

Sonora Youth Mission Team | California

The following Group Project teams served during the months of January through March.

PARAGUAY

Washington Conference SAGE Team | Washington SOW Safari - Andrews Academy Team | Michigan

Amazing Grace Academy Team | Alaska

Chehalis & Friends Team | Washingtonn

PERU

Piedmont Park SDA Church Team | Nebraska

Greeneville Adventist Academy Team | Tennessee

BASBARI, INDIA

While assembling goodie bags for students at the Irvine Adventist English School, Ann Engevik, Naima Mitchell-Turner, Imani Turner, and Marylois Gibson (from right to left) discover that bringing joy to the world is most fun when hand delivered. They served on Maranatha’s Christmas Family Project in December 2025, in a group of 53 volunteers and seven family groups. Handing out tasty treats was one small part of the project. The team also distributed food to 50 families in need; helped treat 369 patients at medical and

dental clinics; repainted 12 Irvine classrooms, which Maranatha built in 2016; and constructed a new dormitory for the school. It’s the only source of Seventh-day Adventist education in its region, and this structure will help house students from greater distances.

While layering brick and mortar on the new dorm, volunteers embodied a theme that’s common among Maranatha’s family projects: service has no age restrictions. This team had an age range of 11-90, and in some cases, three generations worked side-by-side. “They

seemed to catch on to brick laying pretty quickly,” said the project’s coordinator and Maranatha’s vice president of advancement, Karen Godfrey. “They finished nearly all of the walls assigned to them, and then our in-country construction crew helped us add the remaining brick and worked with volunteers to install the roof.”

“I think it was a great way to celebrate the holiday,” remarked Godfrey. “The act of giving brought this sense of joy to the group that was really special.”

by

990 Reserve Drive, Suite 100

Roseville, CA 95678

The $10 Church

Easy. Effective. Eternal.

$10 has built more than 500 churches and seats for 75,000 people! Here’s how it works:

• You commit to giving $10 a month to Maranatha.

• We combine everyone’s monthly donations.

• This amount is put toward building urgentlyneeded churches!

The more people who give, the more churches we can build.

Join this community of donors, today!

tendollarchurch.org

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, 8:00 p.m. Saturday, 2:00 p.m.

Hope Channel Saturday, 3:00 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.