Our mission partner, the School of Hope in Zambia, has embarked upon a new program of agricultural training for youth and young adults. This agricultural training program is approved by the Zambian government and includes the principles of the “Foundations for Farming” initiative. The focus of the program is to provide training for young people by giving them the knowledge and skills to become effective small-scale farmers so that they can feed and support their families. In a country with extreme poverty and hunger, this program will change the lives of children and adults.
As a two-time mission traveler to the Village and School of Hope, I believe this type of training is another agricultural step forward for the mission work being done in Zambia. Let me share a bit of history about the Village of Hope. Zambia is a poor country located in Africa in the southern hemisphere. The Village is located out in the high plains bush country where it typically rains October thru March (their summer months) and does not rain at all from April thru September. The property is about 280 acres, with numerous small living structures making up the Village where the children live. Each living structure is home to 7-10 children and a house mother or father who cares for the children. The homes are separated by age groups and by boys and girls. Each child has their own bed and belongings. They all share in the care and the daily duties of the home.
The Village is truly a village, with various other buildings that support the children and staff, such as a sewing center, a medical support building, and numerous farm buildings and stock pens that support the food that they grow and consume daily. They strive to be self-sufficient by producing most of their food onsite. They have drilled water wells and created a water reservoir on the property that irrigates their crops and waters their livestock, as well as providing water for the children and staff. They grow fruits, vegetables, and their primary type of corn for their daily staple food called shema. Their various grown crops also feed their milk cows, beef cattle, goats, pigs, and chickens. They provide food products for their on-property truck stop as well as at the School of Hope, which is also on the property.
God has truly blessed and guided the mission work at the Village and the School. They have continuously developed methods to help improve the educational level of the children at the Village of Hope as well as the neighboring children and adults from other parts of Zambia that attend the onsite school and college.
This year the Global Mission’s special project is to raise funds to help support the “Foundation for Farming” training program at the School of Hope. Specifically, the program requires that a soil science laboratory be created. There is a cost to create that lab and purchase the needed equipment.
How can you help?
If you are a golfer, come join us at our annual Zion golf outing on Monday, August 28. All the proceeds will be given to this School of Hope project. If you are not a golfer please consider providing support to this Global Mission special project. Gifts can be given online, by check or cash noting that they should be directed to the “Foundations for Farming” project. Thank You for your support.
If you have any questions, please call or chat with Steve Peterson at 612-819-7783.
