Today we received an encouraging note from Dan Ringo in Blantyre, Malawi. He is LifeNets assistant finance manager. He is writing about the seed and fertilizer distribution that we provided in November 2016, the start of planting season. We put out a call for help and you responded generously. The original appeal follows his note to us today:
After church services, one of the beneficiaries of the maize seed & fertilizer relief program came to me to give her gratitudes. In her own words Mrs. Mapinda (pictured alongside her husband James) on behalf of her family thanks the LifeNets team and everyone who took an initiative to assist them with the farm inputs starter pack.
Before she knew LifeNets had arranged to give a hand she was helpless as her family had no enough funds to purchase the seed let alone fertilizer. When she heard she was relieved of her worries all she hoped for were good rains
Thanks to you and Almighty God she and family had a bountiful harvest, their maize reserves have been filled and some maize has no space in their reserves.
Your assistance is greatly appreciated
Warm regards
Daniel R Ringo
Below is what we wrote in the November 10, 2016 Ministerial and Member Services eNews:
Serious Food Shortage in Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe
Pastor Talama (from Zambia) has brought to our attention a serious concern about food security for our brethren. This year, our members in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi are facing serious food shortages. For the past three years they have suffered from a lack of rain during the rainy season. The rains are crucial to their survival and they are dependent upon their crops for food. Very few make enough money to go to the stores to purchase anything more than the basics such as soap and oil for cooking.
Their seasons are the opposite of the northern hemisphere, where most of us live. At the end of a failed crop in April, we helped to purchase grain for food needs before the prices begin to skyrocket. This grain has been distributed to the members for food.
Now, November is the beginning of another planting season, but having suffered through three years of little rain there are few resources to purchase seed and fertilizer to put into the ground.
Farming has always been a gamble and always will be. If nothing is planted, then nothing will be produced. It is essential that once the rains start that the soil is prepared to begin planting. This must be done without any assurance that rains will continue as needed. Irrigation is not available. Hauling water from the nearest borehole (well) may be several miles away and would amount to a drop in the bucket.
We could use help for the purchase of seed and fertilizer, but most of all prayers for rain in due season.
A generous donation has come in for Zimbabwe, but we could still use some help for Malawi and Zambia. We have identified approximately 75 families with varying needs coming to about $100 per family, for planting seed and two applications of fertilizer.
Perhaps your congregation would consider helping our brothers and sisters in this very needed way and make this a project.
