Vanessa heads to the bush

Tomorrow Vanessa will be heading to Nimba and Lofa county on a four day journey to the "bush" of Liberia. Along with Shad, Brother Richards, and Mark (our Field Coordinators for Spirit Liberia), Vanessa will be visiting several churches and agricultural sites that we will be working on in the next few weeks.

The agricultural projects have had an absolutely wonderful start over the past few weeks. We were able to get almost 100 shovels, hoes, machettes, wheel barrows, water boots, and other tools for our project sites to share while breaking ground and managing the sites while the produce is growing throughout the season.

Most of the agricultural sites we will be working on this year will be church land that has not been even tilled in many, many years. The pastors are working closely with our Field Coordinators to oversee the project. At the end of the season, they will give back a portion of the monies made at market with the produce. This will allow us to pay for organizational costs, tools, and other costs associated with the projects.

We have also had the blessing of working with some individuals in Lofa County on a 250 acre property that we will begin renting in larger portions over the next few years. This land will be land managed completely by Spirit Liberia - utilizing local help to develop this land. We hope this year to be able to plant about 30 acres if possible. It is not easy as they do not have tractors or any large equipment. Every piece of grass and weed are cut by hand. Every sapling pulled or dug out. Every tree that needs to be moved dug by hand. It is tedious and difficult work. But the beauty is that Spirit Liberia will be able to give many people the opportunity to work and learn and begin down the road to self-sustainability!

Keep Vanessa and the guys in their prayers as she goes out...

Greg