Before I get into some numbers related to the training efforts (as usual) I want to acknowledge the success of our ELEVENTH clean water project of the year. This time at Abraham Baptist Church in Chipata. I just love the picture I received this week as people from the local community stood and watched the drilling in anticipation of a life changing source of clean water. Thanks again to brother Carl and his community out in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for spearheading most of the clean water projects in 2025. (Thanks to the two other American families who had a hand also!) We had done 17 of these projects in the 48 months of our existence before this group decided to make it a priority. Now we have done 11 in 11 months. Hopefully many more to come!!
Now to the training...
With FOURTEEN different trainers training growers on at least TWO sites each, it seems like we are getting pictures and videos daily!! So far, these eager growers have learned a great deal about FIELD PREPARATION. Weeding (I won't over-emphasize it this time), spacing, fertilizer application, and other important parts of the process have been retaught in ways that we believe will increase the ability of our brothers and sisters to care for themselves in the future by increasing their yields.
On our training logs, we have now documented more than 6,700 participants. It seems unlikely we will hit our 10,000-grower target, but that is a LOT of families that stand to benefit from this training in only year two of the program - up from 21 who were trained last year. Makes you wonder about next year... Thanks Tracy and ZIAP for the knowledge and effort behind this training program!
Of those participants, we believe a little more than HALF are actually on the vulnerable rolls at one of the 124 churches with whom we partner in our feeding program. That means we believe more than 3,000 vulnerable growers are being trained.
We really have no way of knowing how many of those families will be able to put what they are learning into practice this growing season. I can't imagine the pressure of trying to figure out how to feed my family daily and somehow save enough funds or quickly earn enough funds to buy seed and fertilizer. But I would guess that pressure is staggering to mothers and/or fathers living daily in that state of deficit.
As of this week, we have raised just over $45,000 to put towards purchasing inputs for SOME of those vulnerable growers. That amount will purchase around 330 sets of seed and fertilizer. So around 10% of those that wish we were helping them more - keep in mind, these same brothers and sisters are more able to pay attention and learn the new ways because we are increasing their food intake via our feeding program - will actually be helped, unless we are surprised by some more donors jumping into this project. Two years ago, when we were raising funds for a similar project, each seed and fertilizer cost right at $100 each. Between cost increases in country and the dollar being beat up lately against their local currency, this year it is expected to cost us around $135 per small field. Tracy believes these growers could DOUBLE or even TRIPLE what they would otherwise grow by using the new techniques, so it is well worth the additional cost. We just wish we could do more.
As it is, I have instructed our leaders to work hard to pick growers who would not otherwise be able to purchase inputs, AND who seem like they have paid close attention and have a very high likelihood of success. And I have suggested maybe they invite those that do NOT receive inputs to participate along with those that do, so that they can put what they are learning into practice and share in some way in the fruits of that labor.
This is a HUGE undertaking. While I will likely be disappointed that some of those vulnerable brothers and sisters will be disappointed, we can only apply the resources that we are able to either earn or raise from our American brothers and sisters who see the difference this effort will make and become willing to share a little of their surplus along with us.
In my yoga this morning, as in many mornings, I was asked to come up with a one word "mantra" for the day. Almost always that word is LOVE. I don't always do a wonderful job putting that word into action. Sometimes it would seem I am better putting it into action in Zambia than I am here at home. But this morning as I considered this concept, I concluded that I AM putting it into practice here at home when I encourage my American brothers and sisters to SHARE. Here is the way THE MESSAGE translation of the Bible reads in 1 Timothy 6 (my emphasis added with CAPS):
I Timothy 6:17-21 Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage - to do good, to be RICH IN HELPING OTHERS, to be EXTRAVAGANTLY GENEROUS. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining LIFE THAT IS TRULY LIFE.
If you know my family at all, you know the circumstances around me have been less than ideal for a while. I don't want to downplay the difficulty working through the emotions within me and doing the best I can to comfort those near me who are hurting. It has not been easy. All that said, I believe the work we are doing in Zambia is giving me a taste of this "life that is truly life."
There is nothing more exciting to me than to see lives changed, as demonstrated by today's cover photo. An entire community changed. There is nothing more exciting to me than to see pictures again this morning of families receiving November maize allocations in a small community in rural Chipata. And there is nothing more exciting to me than to go to the mailbox and pull out an envelope that tells me someone else sees it also. Or open my US Bank app and see that someone has gone to the website and joined us, either becoming a monthly donor or given to the INPUTS project described above.
We believe we are trading FOOD (which we have in SURPLUS here) for FAITH (which we believe is in DEFICIT here because our money removes our need for faith).
I do love these Zambian brothers and sisters for whom we are working daily. And I do love my American brothers and sisters who might wonder if my constant solicitation is really love... Try this trade, and then you may understand and know... "life that is truly life."
