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In June 2008, 15 people from the Northern California Conference tried to follow her advice as they left the security of their regular lives to travel to Mucapane, Mozambique in Africa. Their goal was to build a church in less than a week, as part of the NCC’s campaign, Be Bold For God.

“We chose three projects for the campaign that could help us step out of the box and move in some new directions,” said conference president Jim Pedersen, who was part of the group. “The commitment by Maranatha Volunteers International to build 1001 churches in Mozambique captivated us, and we decided to sponsor 25 of those churches as one of the projects.”

The team of conference workers, pastors, laypeople and students saw the church site for the first time on Sabbath as they worshiped with local villagers under a tree. Many of them felt they had stepped back in time. “If you were to look around, you would see African huts just like you might see on Mission Spotlight from a number of years ago. It’s out in the bush,” said Jim Witcombe, Tracy church pastor.

Work on building the church started on Sunday, with the walls going up quickly. (The cement slab and steel frame were already in place.) Because water is scarce in Mozambique, Maranatha developed a new way to build churches. A local factory produces interlocking bricks from native materials, eliminating the need for mortar or cement. The blocks just need to be dusted off and fitted together (with rebar inside).

Those in the group who had been on previous Maranatha trips were surprised by the simplicity of the work. Similar church building projects in other countries used heavier blocks and required more manpower to sift sand, mix mortar and pour cement.

Redding church pastor Kris Widmer has worked on two other Maranatha projects. “One of the reasons I wanted to come to Mozambique was to build with the newer materials that they are using here in the country, and it’s really a lot of fun.” He hopes to recruit enough people to come back and work on another project. “You only need 12-15 people and you can come and build a church,” he said.

In addition to construction work, some team members held medical clinics to teach health principles and distribute medicine. Others conducted Vacation Bible School for the local children. The team also distributed food and clothes to the adults, and stickers, balloons and toys to the kids.

“I think the kids here have really, really enjoyed having us. They are so, so sweet,” said Redding Adventist Academy student Hannah Johnson, who skipped her eighth grade graduation to come on the trip. “We give them a balloon and they are happy . . . like we’ve been their friends for ten years.”

During the week, the group visited other Maranatha projects. They toured a newly completed school and participated in the dedication of a well drilling truck, recently released by the country’s customs department. Mozambique women spend much of their time walking long distances to wells, so at each church site Maranatha plans to drill a well. “People can go to these churches and receive their water, as well as the living water that only Jesus can provide,” said Pedersen.

Although the Californians didn’t speak the country’s languages, the local people were still able to express their appreciation. “They don’t speak English, so it’s kind of hard to meet them and actually talk to them. But they’re absolutely wonderful. They smile. They constantly say thank you,” said Rebekah Widmer, Redding Adventist Academy senior.

“I’ve seen a lot of excitement in the eyes of the children that are here and the adults as they are watching what’s happening. There’s a welcoming and grateful spirit which I can see in the faces of the people that we are serving,” said Marc Woodson, NCC executive secretary.

One week later, local people packed the newly built church to participate in a dedicatory worship service, with Woodson preaching. The Americans and Mozambiquans celebrated the finished building together. “The people here are such good people, and when they worship God, they really worship Him. They really sing their hearts out and . . . they are so happy,” said Johnson.

In addition to Sabbath worship services, the new building may also be used at other times for a school, literary classes and a medical clinic. To Gordon Botting, NCC health/community services/stewardship director, the church is more than a building; it’s a symbol. “I believe these people need this church because it will represent something solid in their community. Everything else is in flux here—their crops, their buildings—but here is a solid structure that represents the mission as well as the picture of God, that He is always there.”

Team members hope their example will inspire others from the Northern California Conference to be bold for God and sign up for one of the other 24 church building projects.

“Every one of these churches that’s built doubles in membership right away,” said Sylvia Ahn, NCC executive committee member. “Anything we can do to help other people that are really excited about spreading the gospel, we ought to be doing.”

Mission trips are addictive, according to Whitmore church member Richard Dederer. “Going on one of these trips will make you so much more excited about missions work and about the soon coming of our Lord. If you try it once, it will be unlikely that you will be able to hold back from going a second, or a third time,” he said. “It’s just so exciting to be involved.”

Like everyone on the trip, Ed Fargusson, NCC assistant to the president, believes he benefited from the experience, too. “Being bold for God is all about stretching yourself. It’s all about focusing on what God wants for you and realizing that what God wants for us is beyond our imaginings. Coming here is an opportunity to see that in a personal way.”