I Have Bad Land. This Won’t Work!

You helped a farmer turn a house into a home

Dear Family,

The rain pounding against the roof was but a whisper, compared to the deafening silence Christophe and his disappointed wife shared as they moved the bed, again. They prayed God would renew their home and fix their roof. But because of Christophe’s failed farming attempts he had no money so the roof repair remained out of reach. Every April when the rainy season would come, the rain would find its way through the tattered clay roof and into his home. They had to constantly move the mattress to avoid the leaks from above and the mud puddles created on the dirt floor below. To make matters worse, Christophe had to look into the accusing eyes of his wife and three kids as they ate their one, unsatisfying, nightly meal. When you are wet and hungry, hope is like sleep, fleeting.

Christophe felt powerless to change his families situation. Under performing crops, unsatisfied hunger, and unrealized dreams is the unrelenting reality of many poor, subsistence farmers in Rwanda. But thanks to you, the crushing shame Christophe felt because He couldn’t provide for his family was about to be lifted.

As our FGW trainer Peter set out to establish his training center in Bugesera (East Rwanda), the village headman was very suspicious of him. Peter told the villiage leader, “Give me someone to train and you will see what my intentions are.” The headman sent Christophe so Peter began to train him. Christophe couldn’t argue with the results he saw on Peters farm, but he believed FGW only worked because Peter had good land. Christophe thought, “I have bad land on a steep slope with large rocks in it. This won’t work.” But he decided to give a go.

Christophe noticed early on that his maize plants looked very healthy. He said, “When I saw that God was blessing my field, I felt joy and humbled myself.” His first season practicing Farming God’s Way on his “bad land”, he harvested 8 bags of corn weighing in at 1,760 lbs. He used to get nothing. Zero! But the following season God answered his families prayer when he sold 9 bags of fresh maize for 100,000 francs. He was finally able to buy metal sheets and put a brand new roof on his home.

Because of the training you provided, Christophe’s family now welcomes the rainy season as they stay dry and eat 3 meals a day. His family has been radically transformed. Christophe said he wants to change his life to be in line with what God wants. For the first time in a long time feels like he can change his life and his wife joyfully supports him now that he is producing. The silence that used to permeate their home has been pushed out by positive family conversation and the laughter of children with full bellies playing together.

Thank you for lifting one more family out of poverty.

Christophe and his family looking up at their new roof that keeps the rain out.