Perhaps the biggest challenge in raising the fifty-eight orphans in the Congo for Christ orphanage is providing enough daily food for them. Every month we send $1,800, and more when funds are available, just for food. This money only provides rice and beans, cooking oil and salt, for the two meals a day the children normally receive. It has been an ongoing concern for Pastor Jeremiah and Global Outreach as to how we could improve the quantity and quality of food for the children.
Several months ago we were able to provide enough funds to begin the “shamba” which is Swahili for garden. The largest expense was to fence in an approximately 4,000 square meter area to protect it from the goats and other animals that roam freely. After much hard work, they were able to plant several varieties of vegetables. Daniel, Pastor Jeremiah’s son who works at CCC, has recently sent pictures and a report of the progress of the garden. He writes:
Cassava: This plant has grown and the children are now taking the vegetables.
Maize corn: Grew but much of it got destroyed due to pests. The kids are enjoying eating the boiled and roasted corn so much.
Groundnuts: (peanuts) The harvesting season for this is not yet...we shall be able to use it for feeding for two months till we grow more.
Potatoes: Is a very good meal for the kids, then the potato leaves are used as a vegetable and the kids like this vegetable so much.
Cabbage: It didn’t succeed due to much weeds and pests. This is because we didn’t have enough money to buy the pesticides. This also happened to kale, spinach and the carrots.
Daniel is very encouraged with the success of the shamba and now desires to cultivate a much larger area and work to grow enough food that some can be sold and used to help sustain the expenses of the garden. Daniel has outlined expenses that would allow this expansion:
Fencing compound: $2,385
Pipes for water: $150
Garden tools and equipment: $120
Insecticide for four months: $240
Seed: $185
Daniel concluded his very thorough report and request for more funds with this plea:
The agricultural project that we have at the moment is small; if we can expand on the project it can be fine. Mama Renee, our prayer is to get such amount of money that we shall have a maintained garden and shall have crops instead of weeds.
Despite the setbacks with some of the crops, we are excited and thankful to hear of the progress that has been made. This is the type of project we really need to support and encourage. In addition to benefiting nutrition for the children, the garden encourages everyone involved with Congo for Christ to see what can be accomplished when they work together and invest their own time and energy. Please pray with us that God will provide the resources to expand the “shamba” and produce a bountiful harvest to feed our hungry and rapidly growing children.
To see more pictures of the growing garden at Congo For Christ please download our April 2013 newsletter:
To learn more about Global Outreach ministries in the Congo please visit:
To learn more about sponsoring an orphan at the Congo For Christ Orphanage please visit:
To make a donation to Congo For Christ as they continue to support and raise orphans please visit our donation page:
