I was in the midst of writing this reflection to share stories of significant changes made in the lives of farmers we support in Kenya, when Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti.

It is really the way our work goes in World Renew. While we are faithfully serving with partners and communities in long-term development programs, disaster happens. While it may feel like an unwelcome interruption at first, we respond to God’s call to respond with eagerness and to share His love– always ready to switch gears any time. The immediate needs are enormous, and we grieve with families who have lost loved ones and too much of their hard-earned assets in Haiti.

As World Renew staff works with partners to respond to needs in Haiti, our values for program effectiveness and people flourishing challenge us to help well. In staff Twitter and Facebook postings the hashtag #FromAidtoTrade encourages donors to support organizations like ours who partner with local Haitian businesses and suppliers. They noted how following the 2010 earthquake, World Renew purchased more than 90% of its relief and reconstruction efforts locally, in partnership with Haitian businesses, resulting in job creation as highlighted in the book, From Aid to Trade. Pray as we try to help well!

Free a Family with Faith-Fueled Farming

How important do you think farmers are for achieving the sustainable development goal #1 to end extreme poverty (for people living on less than $1.25 US per day) and to end hunger for 925 million people by the year 2030? After meeting some inspiring farmers in Kenya a few weeks ago, I would say they are an essential ingredient for making this happen. There are some powerful women farmers who are changing the story not only for their own families but for their communities as a result of working with World Renew staff and partner, Anglican Development Services (ADS) of Mount Kenya. Allow me to share what Jane Wanjiku and Eunice Gitau said helped them to overcome poverty and end hunger with the farming practices they learned.

Jane Wanjiku

“I love farming God’s way! I learned how to do this through training given by ADS Mount Kenya staff and funded by World Renew. I went to a field school demonstration site where we learned how to make compost, whether we had animals or not. Instead of attacking the soil with a panga, I applied the principles of

spacing seeds, covering them with compost soil and a spoonful of ash. The harvest from the first growing season produced such an incredible crop, three times what I normally would harvest, that I took photos because I admired it so much!

In addition to using such techniques like crop rotation and mulching, I also experimented with planting at different times of the year. My neighbors thought I was crazy but I did it anyways. I ended up with such a bounty of food that I gave these people who doubted a lot of the corn I harvested. Now I am also growing melons, tomatoes, lablab bean and corn intercropped with kale. I was able to buy chickens too and now our diet is very healthy.

I want to say ‘Mungu Abariki’ which means ‘God bless’ to all the people who discovered these agriculture techniques and gave money for the training. You have helped me to overcome poverty so now I can sing a new song. I have been able to use the money from my farming to send my seven children to school and even started a small hotel business. I am no longer a beneficiary but now a teacher to three other farmers so they can also succeed.”

Eunice Gitau

“I had a friend who introduced me to conservation agriculture when she had a huge increase in her corn production. Even though I am already 62 years old, I know that my stomach does not stop asking for food. So that motivated me to try some new farming techniques that my friend was learning. I am experimenting on my farm by doing some of my crops the traditional way and some of it the conservation agriculture way. The new methods I am trying include spacing my seeds, using manure and mulch to keep the soil fertile and moist. I am so excited by what I am learning and have faith that I will be able to put away hunger forever now.”

What a wonderful testimony these stories are to the transformation of families and communities we work with! As you go forward fueled by faith, may you be encouraged by these words from Galatians 6:7-9:

“A man/woman reaps what he/she sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”