Churchmen Growing Project A Success!

A Farmer/Community Growing Project

James 2:15-17 "If a brother or sister lacks food and one of you say, 'Go in peace,' and yet do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? Faith if it has no works is dead."

Few topics are addressed more often in scripture than the poor and the way God's people are to minister to them. Hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food. God's Word is clear that we are to minister to the poor and needy as part of our Christian lifestyle.

Recent studies indicate that there currently are 1.02 billion people across the world who are hungry. Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds.

The Scandian Grove Churchmen's Growing Project with the Foods Resource Bank seeks to participate in helping to alleviate hunger throughout the world by working to establish food security through sustainable development activities. Food security is achieved "when all persons at all times have the physical and economic access to enough food to provide the nutrients they need for productive, active and healthy lives." http://wwwfoodsresourcebank.org/.

Report for 2011

The Scandian Grove Churchmen have now worked on a Food Resource Project for 5 years.  This year the project was 14 acres of spring wheat planted by Terry Pankratz on his own land.  It was one of the first wheat fields planted this spring.  In fact, one wet spot was planted by hand by his children.  The field looked good all during the growing season.  The field was swathed and combined by Bruce Norell.  Marty Schott delivered the wheat to the Traverse Elevator with his semi truck.  We sold 523 bushels at $7.37 a bushel for a total of $3763.00.  The hot weather at the end of growing season lowered the yield quite a bit.  We could use some cash donations to cover some of the expenses so we can use more of the proceeds towards the Food Resource Bank projects.  Thanks to the Terry Pankratz family along with the many in-kind donations for items such as the use of equipment, seed, fertilizer, etc. We also thank all the individuals who made cash donations for the project.

"Nourishing Body and Soul" In Chota, Peru

This is the fifth year the Scandian Grove Churchmen have chosen to conduct a Foods Resource Bank Growing Project and again, the project was a huge success. This year the funds raised will be supporting a project in the province of Chota in Peru, South America. (see map below.)

Life in Chota, Perus is very different than life in the United States. Many of the things we take for granted are very scarce. One difference is the abundance and variety of food we enjoy. In countries like Peru, the quantity and/or variety of food is lacking. As a result, the rate of childhood malnutrition is 29%. The two districts in Chota in which the project is conducted have a population that is 90% rural and many of the basic human services are unmet.

The project focuses on improving nutrition for the under five population by diversifying the agricultural food sources along with reducing the common parasitic infections and diseases associated with foods consumed. Lutheran World Relief is the lead organization for the project.

The Scandian Grove Church Growing Project consisted of 14 acres of wheat. The wheat sales totaled $3763.23 along with cash donations of $5062 equaling a total revenue of $8825.23. After paying for the cash expenses, the churchmen were pleased to be able to contribute $6593.23 to the program in Chota, Peru.

A huge thank you to all who made contributions to the 2009 Scandian Grove Churchmen’s growing project.

Rev Ardean Brock from Michigan receiving a tour of a field that is a part of the growing project.

“When a person is hungry, tomorrow is a long way away,”   African Proverb

There is also a link to an excellent video of a 2008 trip to Burkina Faso by Rev Ardean Brock of Byron Center Michigan. The video talks about and shows many of the food security projects that are being conducted in the region.  Click on the following link to view the video: http://www.revver.com/video/1340408/steve-steiner-of-kidron-oh-growing-project-visits-west-africa/. 

Dick Hagen in his latest column in the January issue of the Land
Magazine mentions the good work dollars from the growing project at
Scandian Grove has done in South Africa. You can find the story at the
following link:
http://www.the-land.com/l_opinion/local_story_016115809.html?keyword=topstory