Pilot Project Part 12: Planting

Hey folks, sorry it has been a while. If you've been watching the World Cup you may have seen our blogs on ESPN, aka us painted from head to foot on the front row at the USA games. We had a blast and our time with long time close friends Abby Wismer, Jonathan Wilson, and Mike Shaw was incredibly refreshing and encouraging on all levels.

The Pilot Group farmers have begun planting! Against all of our fears about what would happen during our two week absence (full proof that we haven't fully embraced our best principles yet!) about 1/3 of our farmers got together to buy inputs according to the plans we made together, and then planted those seeds in the nursery about a week and a half ago. If you look at the picture, that's a week old rice nursery for a two acre farm. I'm hoping to get out there and help plant when they transfer from the nursery to the farm.

I really got excited hearing the groups' feedback about buying the farm inputs together. When we first started discussing the idea of sending a representative to buy all of the grousp inputs for them it seemed pretty overly complicated, and a number of farmers sort of said "ah well, let's just do it every man for himself." Afterword however, they were all very encouraged and excited because buying in bulk allowed them to save significant amounts of money and time. This gave me a chance to draw out the lesson with them that working together is almost always better than working separately, yet another example of how the Bible's version of what we're designed for in terms of community actually works.

Our work now is watching, helping the farmers troubleshoot issues, and preparing for selling. There have been some revelations with the micro-credit situation as well, but I'll save that for later.

In other news, please pray for my father, Mike, as he is having serious open heart surgery tomorrow. This is as unexpected as it is unpleasant: Dad is a pretty fit guy who still can fit in the pants he got married in. Please pray for my mom as well as she nurses him back to health. Also, sister Katie is here for her last hurrah before dental hygiene school, so we're climbing Mt Kenya together this week! It'll be a four day hike up to the second highest summit (17,000 feet) on the second highest mountain in Africa. Pray we make it, don't freeze, and get good weather for the summit . . . sometimes you can see Kilimanjaro!

Peace,

rhodes