I know, I know, I have not done a good job with keeping you updated. Hopefully this next month will go better. I am sure you are all wondering how this month went, and what in the world I have been up to in Zimbabwe. Don’t worry I am here to tell you all of these things!
This month we have been staying with a white Zimbabwean named Dave, and his wife Cynthia. They live in a small simple house, because Dave felt convicted about having a nice house when he was ministering to such poor people.
Now due to being sleep deprived after such a long travel day, I think I missed most of what the ministry goals and purposes for Redeem a Nation were, when we were told the next day. Thankfully, I had the whole month with this man, Dave, to learn exactly what the purpose is.
Dave’s heart would be to see poverty end. How he is taking the steps to do this is by teaching locals agriculture. At Dave’s office he has a small plot of land. This is used as an example of what crops should look like. How much space should be between plants, how to weed, and everything else that takes place. (Disclaimer: I am not a farmer so I don’t know everything, I just ride in the tractor. Sadly there are no tractors here.) Dave has started a flower project. He has about 600 people in total that buy marigold flower seed from him. The people then harvest the flower seed bring it back to Dave. He buys the flower seed back, and he then exports it to Holland.
Redeem a Nation ministries is still in a lot of the beginning part. Dave and Cynthia have some great goals they are working for. They are still in the experimenting stages. At this time they have some pigs, sheep and goats. Even though they could, they are choosing to not farm them the way people might normally. They are doing everything the same way a poor village family would have to do. The goal is for them to be able to live off the livestock, that way they can teach others to do the same. Dave would love to start an apprenticeship program.
The program would last for 3 years. During this time the applicants would learn how to properly care for these animals, they would also at the same time be earning some of their own livestock that they would also get to keep after the 3 years.
Redeem a Nation is also aware of how important it is to save souls for eternity. They understand that this is done through building relationships. This is where we were able to help. My team got put in pairs and sent to 3 different families in the villages. While there we helped in the fields, cleaned, cooked, swept the yard (yes this is actually a thing), fetched water, and anything else they needed help with. Because we broke these barriers and worked with them we were able to have Bible study with some members of the village.
It was some of the hardest things I had to do on the World Race thus far, but it was great to see the Kingdom impact we were making.
