A Desperate Reboot


These Malawian Farming God’s Way farmers lost their maize crops when February flooding washed them away

A Desperate Reboot

What do you do when your family is facing starvation in a few months?

Dear Friends,

Last February many of our friends in Malawi lost their maize (corn) crops and homes when a cyclone caused devastating floods—the worst in the recorded history of this East African nation. Working together with Jeff Trotter, my good friend and coworker who directs the Disaster Relief Fund, Heaven’s Family sent emergency supplies to meet their pressing needs (read his mini-update here). Now that the initial crisis is over, I’m working with these families to replant their Farming God’s Way fields again.

With Farming God’s Way funding, our Malawian friends recently planted maize in their fields during the dry season. This is not the usual time of year to plant, but if they are to survive from now until the next planting and harvest season, they must do the nearly impossible—grow maize in the dry season. It means that they will have to water their maize fields by hand, however, which required the purchase of watering cans.

Carrying water is hard physical work that must be done 3 or 4 times a week for the maize crop to survive. About 6 maize plants can be watered with one full can, so dozens of trips to a well or stream are required to water one farmer’s field. The younger, stronger FGW farmers have agreed to carry water both for their own fields and the fields of the older FGW farmers who aren’t able to carry their own water.

Though the recipients didn’t smile for the above photo—as is the tradition in African culture—they are truly thankful.

Thank you so much for helping us help these farmers farm God’s way!

Dick Samuels
Director, Farming God’s Way Fund

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