I have a few numbers to share with you this week. But first, a number for you to calculate: how many eggs in the carton in today's pic? We are so excited about those eggs!! With 100 layers in our new facility, we believe we will eventually get 70-80 eggs every day to share around the neighborhood.
I noticed as I was starting this post that last week's post was number 100 since we changed to the current format. That makes this post number 101. As I see it, the past is about events and perspectives. We may experience the very same event but walk away with two remarkably different accounts of what happened. But the future... the future is unknown. We may all have different perspectives as we look ahead as well. How much control does God have? How much do our choices matter? Scriptures sometimes speak of a "sovereign" God. And then speak of human choices. Or of a God changing His mind. How are we supposed to understand that? Is it possible we are not supposed to "understand" it in the way we want to? With some sort of certainty? Maybe we are supposed to keep questioning. To keep learning. To keep following. However we see it, the future is coming fast. How many more of these posts will we do before something changes and the process is again new? For now, I intend to continue to provide an update right here on a weekly basis. So here is update number 101...
Most of the August feeding has been completed, so we are getting ready to send funds for the September feeding. Likely later in the week, since I didn't send enough funds with the first wire to accomplish what was needed last week at the farm AND acquire the desired chemical protection for the maize storage locations AND provide for the September feeding program. There is that unpredictable future again.
Our expectation for September feeding is that we will impact more than 2,600 families through 133 local church communities. If you are remembering back to recent months, you may notice two things about those two numbers. First of all, we finished last year shoulder to shoulder with 119 church communities. We added for a number of reasons. Several of the new communities were added because we got to know them in the maize grower training program. Some of those were added specifically because a leader from that communityi was one of our trainers. In Lusaka we added communities because a few of our own team grew so much maize that we felt better to add and focus on the most destitute at more churches than simply pile it on at the few communities where we were already present. The second fact you may notice is that we are impacting less families monthly than the over 3,000 we were able to impact with last year's harvest. We did spend around $10,000 less on the harvest this year, but the biggest issue was an exchange rate that started working against us in January and continued to fight us all the way through the harvest. So we acquired less maize than we did from the previous harvest.
The combination of those two factors fed into a renewed commitment to search out and impact those most in need in our communities. For 5 years we had used the word "vulnerable" when referring to those that were targeted by our sharing. Ultimately, we concluded that nearly everyone in our Zambian communities is "vulnerable" in one way or another. Even we in America are "vulnerable" in many ways. We have now left that term behind and are focused on the "destitute". This is a word with a specific meaning. Someone lacking in the "basic necessities required for survival." Way back in October of 2020, when Ahmed first went to Zambia to spy out the land, he met many of the people still involved with the work there, and he spoke of families enjoying three or four meals a week. Those families are beyond vulnerable. They are destitute. And that has always been our target. Now we are even more focused on those families.
During the trip, I believe Roger clarified our intent in that regard as well. And the eventual goal for the Zambians with surplus in each community to grasp the connection between Jesus and Love and Sharing that will allow them to begin to care for their own destitute as they become better stewards of the land and whatever they grow on it. With the maize training partnership with ZIAP and the newly completed animal training facility, we are trying to develop and feed...develop and feed...develop and feed. Develop better maize growers while continuing to share food with the destitute. Develop better animal farmers while continuing to share food with those in need. And develop better SHARERS while continuing to become better SHARERS ourselves.
A connection between Jesus and love and sharing? Is that something with which you are unfamiliar? From my perspective, it is THE preeminent concept cover to cover in both the ancient scriptures. But it is maybe most concisely communicated in the following section:
I John 3:16-18 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and truth.
Jesus and LOVE and SHARING.
