A Time for Growing

Even amidst all the danger, difficulty, and new challenges that the rainy season brings, it is still our favorite time of the year because it is a time of new growth, new green, and making all things new.  It is amazing to see the brown, barren, dusty land start to sprout tiny shoots of vibrant green – first just a sprinkle that your eye barely catches then can’t get enough of, then gradually taking over until you feel like you surrounded by a lush tropical paradise.  As the old gives way to new life, all of nature seems to breathe the promise (and hope) of what is to come.  These last few months we have had the privilege of witnessing this miracle many times in many different forms

Orphanage Garden  

One of Travis’ main jobs these past few months has been to  supervise and work alongside two local men to create above ground contained garden beds for the orphanage.  Since the childen’s home is supposed to be 100% self sustainable in terms of all the vegetables that they eat, the garden is essential in caring for the needs and nutrition of our 18 children here.  Even though the mothers and children were diligently watering and tending to the garden, the soil was very sandy and no matter how much manure was added it was taking a tremendous amount of water.  In response, we decided to a system of making cement walled beds, with a cement bottom (slanted down in the middle to allow excess water to run off) lining the bottom with corn cobs, and then a mixture of soil and manure.  In theory the benefit is minimal water run off and even reusing the excess water.  While it has been a long, tedious job under the hot African skies, the results are looking promising.  Currently half of the garden is complete and we will tackle the other half once we are confident that it is going to yield the results we are hoping for.

Plowing the Big Field

One of our other big projects to promote self sustainability out here is the farming of maize (and eventually other crops) on a 32 hectare piece of land about 10km away from the children’s home.  Since this land is virgin (meaning it has never been planted before) it is a huge undertaking to clear the land of trees, remove the stumps and underground roots, till the land with the plow, and then plant.  The children’s home boys, Jako, and Travis and some of the locals have spent many a day trying to get the 1 and 1/2 hectares of the field that is already cleared ready. (We hope to clear and expand on this each year).  They have recently finished plowing and planting so that now we are just praying for plenty of rain and a fruitful harvest in a couple of months.

Future Farmers of Zambia  

Our kids have also been busy during the school holiday break planting many little fields of their own here near the house.  Each are deciding for themselves what they want to plant – from sweet potatoes, to sweet yellow corn, to the traditional white maize, and local vegetables and it is great to see them taking the initiative on their own.  If they can learn the value (and rewards) of hard work from a young age, they can be great difference makers in their community and even farther.   We are very proud of them and are excited to see what the future holds for these special children.