Scripture tells of “…a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted…”. In the rural village of Akpim in Nigeria, the BOMCA students and Messengers of Justice have begun clearing away brush for the planting of various crops including pumpkin, cassava, maize, and cocoyam.
This agricultural work fosters the mission of HEAL as part of the children’s formation into entrepreneurs. “Ridge making, tilling for cassava and pumpkin, and garden and crop rotations are indispensable skills a child must have if he wants to start a farm of his own one day,” says Rev. Leo Okonkwo, HEAL founder.
In addition to the children’s agricultural learning, their labor in the fields will help supplement their diet and nutrition as the crops are harvested as produce throughout the year. But, with 400 poor rural children dependent upon HEAL for education AND food, our present farming capacity falls short of our need.
A recent Brookings Institution study (see Page 13) shows over 50% of rural Nigerian communities lack sufficient money to purchase food. The same rural communities suffer from troubling levels of malnutrition (Page 14), which cause high levels of anemia, stunted growth, and wasting syndrome!
In other words, if it weren’t for BOMCA and MENPS, many of our children would be subject to the ravages of malnutrition! Ensuring their good nutrition is central to their becoming the future Servant Leaders of Nigeria and beyond!
We must buy perishable and non-perishable food items we can not grow from local markets! So, I’m appealing to you to join our mission today. Commit to HEAL at any of these giving levels and HEAL will commit to YOU!