Greetings dear friends!
We’ve been on quite a journey these past few months digging deep (literally and figuratively), planting seeds of both crops and faith, and watching transformation take root. From the hills of Burundi to the hands-on training sessions in the USA, we’ve seen God at work in powerful ways. Here’s a glimpse into what’s been happening.
Faith & Farming for community engagement workers Training in Florida
In February, farmers, pastors and community leaders gathered in Florida for a Faith & Farming Training. Over five days, we explored how biblical principles shape the way we work the land, care for creation, and steward resources.
One of the most powerful moments came when Jennifer, a Scripture Engagement leader from Colombia, shared how the training changed her perspective. She once believed farming was mostly for farmers, but now she walked away seeing it as a way to help connect with people, and show them how they can apply biblical principles through their daily work. Throughout the training, the facilitators referenced a lot of bible verses, and helped participants to reflect on how a lot of biblical stories were immersed in agriculture. Did you know that 70% of Jesus' parables had agricultural influences? Jennifer expressed that some Bible translators would dedicate a big portion of their life and time translating the Bible into other languages, only for them not to be used in their fullest capacity. The training revealed to her a way she can connect with farming communities through relating what they do today with what biblical figures did in their time.
The training was more than just theory; it was hands in the soil, hearts in the Word. Participants learned practical techniques like mulching, composting, creating fodder in your own back garden. We were also taught by Dr Grace Miller, the Director of ECHO North America, that you can clean and purify water by crushing moringa seeds and leaving them in the sun for 8 hours. It was a wonderful and evident way for showing people that God has already given us everything we need to flourish.
The impact of this training continues to grow as participants return home and implement what they’ve learned. They will be reporting back on how they used the information they got from the training, and we can’t wait to hear their testimonies in the coming months!
You can read a daily narrative that was written by Matt Wisbey on what participants did each day here.
Participants at the end of a busy week!
Faith & Farming at ECHO East Africa Symposium
If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that when God opens a door, walk through it! That’s exactly what happened at the 8th ECHO East Africa Biennial Symposium in Bujumbura, Burundi.
Johnny Walker and myself found out about the opportunity quite close to its date, but by the Grace of God, we managed to attend. Originally, we weren’t scheduled to present, but due to last-minute changes, we were given the floor to share about Faith & Farming, and it sparked interest.
One of the most exciting encounters was with Michael Martin, a past trainee from Haiti. He was so inspired by the training in Chiang Mai that he’s now translating some of the content from the Faith & Farming workbook into Creole for use in his community! It’s really wonderful to see the multiplying impact!
Aside from our presentation, the symposium was filled with discussions on sustainable agriculture, village savings groups, and agroecology. We also visited farms. Johnny went to a farm called Mother Nature, which focuses on growing and marketing medicinal plants and herbs. The farm emphasises production that excludes the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and Johnny really loved the rich diversity of the farm. The beauty of its complexity really shined through because it contrasted the massive commercial oil palm mono-culture of the farm next door. Tino visited a private mango and banana farm where he developed his farming operations with the help of community members. It was a beautiful symbiotic relationship, because as the community members assisted the farmer, they learned from him and replicated what they saw on their plots. You can read our report here.
Johnny and Michael at the sea!
Participants visiting a farm.
What’s Next? How You Can Get Involved
We are excited about what’s ahead, and we want you to be part of it! Here’s how you can join:
Pray: For the farmers, trainers, and communities embracing this vision
Partner: If you know of communities that could benefit from training, please let us know
Participate: Want to host a training or join an upcoming one? Let us connect.