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A wonderful package arrived this week!
Our friends from First Baptist Church in New Hampton, Iowa (we lived there 25 years ago) wanted to help out the farmers in Macha. Many of the people in New Hampton are farmers themselves, so they wanted to help in a way that was very personal. They sent a large box of seeds. There are all different types of vegetable seeds. We were not sure which ones would grow best here in Africa, so they sent many different varieties as a test to see which ones would do well.
We have been talking to people here, and the maze ( corn) crop will not be good this upcoming year. Although the most recent harvest is ok, it has become of evident that there will be a shortage of maize with the next (current) growing season. The rains came late, altering the growing season, so most of the people will not have a sufficient harvest. They eat maize 2 times a day, once as porridge and then as nshima (it looks like grits or mashed potatos) for the main meal with a soup of some sort. We have enlisted the help of our friend Mrs. Esther who is a local resident of Macha. She said the seeds will really help, as it will give the people an alternative to maze, to plant and then eat. She and Mrs. Grace will go to the surrounding local villages and pass them out to the poor and non working people. She will show them how to plant them and then go back for check ups to see how they are doing and even help them save the seeds to replant. Mrs. Esther will also go to the churches and ask the pastors for names of people that are not working and need help.
It never ceases to amaze us how God works through such a wide range of people. Who would have thought that people that we haven't seen for more than 20 years would be so generous and helpful toward the people of Macha. We are blessed to have such wonderful faithful friends. Thank you very much!...from us and the people of Macha!