Friday, June 26, 2009

Doing Good In Africa


If you travel out to the far western part of Rwanda right on the border of the Congo you will find a great FARMS project. It is in its 5th round of loans and projects included banana plantations, corn, spices. Above my son, Nolan, was petting a goat project in a little village just outside the Congo border. Goats are $50 dollars at the market and this family has turned two goats into 14 goats. It has allowed them to purchase a pig and poultry. The testimony of this family is it has changed their financial future dramatically and allowed them to help their church and people in the community through various ideas and projects they are wanting to complete.

We just finished visiting with another FARMS group in the far northern region of Rwanda. It is literally just a few miles from the Congo as well. The project is only in its first round of loans but again has potato and goat projects. The church there faces a real security threat with the a war raging just over the border. They said they often have Congo refugees fleeing through their land and eating their gardens and animals. Yet despite the challenges they have fully repaid their loan and are trying to figure out how they can provide help and a witness to unsaved refugees and members of their surrounding village.

Stay tuned for more video and pictures.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Follow FARMS In Rwanda

Yes!!! I have been tardy in getting new content published on this website. I apologize for the lack of new material, but I thought I should bring everyone up to speed on my plans for June.

FARMS International is a small Christian micro-development organization. We work with large number of churches in remote areas around the world in over a dozen countries. We have a program located in a small African country (Rwanda) that started five years ago.

Needless to say the program is long overdue for a visit. Hence, my 10 year old son, Nolan, and the youth pastor from our church / Red Letter Band member, Josh Anderson, will be traveling on what should be an amazing trip.

I hope to post some material during our trip on the FARMS International Blog and on my own personal blog: America's Small City Mayor. I hope to post video and pictures so stay tuned. A lot will depend on the internet resources where we are staying which are limited.

There is not a lot of detailed information on the areas we will travel too, so this should be a great opportunity to share with everyone one unique content relating too FARMS International.