POSTCARD FROM AFRICA-- March 2025

MAKING THE CONNECTION

Marriam Mhlakaza carefully sorts through a bag of red beans that she is about to add to today’s meal. She looks for any beans that are not suitable for the pot. Mirriam slides these to the side of her table and starts preparing the meal for the 180+ children who will arrive at the Fishers of Men Church feeding project.

Not long after, Lebogang Dhlamini, their church agriculture program champion arrives at the kitchen to collect the red beans that Mirriam had set aside. He takes these to plant in the church garden among the butternut, green beans, tomato, onion, beets, spinach and potato beds. He knows it will not be long before these beans produce seedlings that he can transfer to the red bean beds. These seedlings will grow tall and eventually provide a bountiful harvest that can be returned to the kitchen for the feeding project. Seeds that come full circle.

In this small way, Fishers of Men Church have found a means to sustainably supplement their feeding program enabling them to continually add healthy food to their menu. They have mastered the connection between their church feeding and agriculture program.

You, our Orchard Community, help provide training for church agriculture champions like Lebogang, enabling them to be innovative  and skilled in growing food. For this, we are thankful.