First of Four 2022 Agriculture Conferences Successfully Completed in Uganda and Kenya
Last weekend, our cooperatives in East Africa hosted and facilitated an agriculture conference for 40 local farmers in Uganda and 30 local farmers in Kenya. This initial conference this year, the first of four, was on creating healthy soil. Any good student (of agriculture and the Bible!) knows that regardless of how good the seed is, it can’t take root and flourish without good soil . In both countries, our cooperatives have been implementing bio-intensive farming methods with success for years. They are well-equipped to offer this education to their neighboring farmers, and are excited to do so increasingly more in the upcoming months.
G.O.D.’s Stateside Agriculture Manager Evaluates Conference with Ugandan Cooperatives
Just days after the conference concluded, Canaan Kagay (G.O.D.’s stateside agriculture manager) discussed Uganda’s conference highlights and challenges with its facilitators, which included Francis and Annette Lubega, Lawrence and Josephine Ssemakula, Peter Kimbugwe, and Peter Musaazi.
While this was the first conference of 2022, agriculture seminars have been held in previous years. About 20 percent of this weekend’s conference attendees were returning, while 80 percent were new to our conferences. Some had been invited by Francis, others by word of mouth.
In addition to reviewing soil health (which had been discussed at length last year), Francis and Musaazi focused on plant health. This included how the health of plants affects the people who consume them. They introduced natural pest controls, such as biological and botanical pest controls. They showed how effective organic spray is on our own plots. Most farmers use synthetic chemicals, but they were enlightened as to the harms of these, as well as how inexpensive and harmless to people and the environment organic pest controls are. Josephine again facilitated a nutrition seminar, discussing the nutritional value of various fruits and vegetables. It was eye-opening for the farmers, who are used to growing the same 2-4 plants year after year. They want to get their hands on new, diverse seeds.
At the conclusion, the farmers testified how privileged they were to attend such a seminar, where they have learned about natural pest control methods and the dangers associated with using poisonous chemicals that spoil the soil, poison the crops, and affect human life and the ecosystem.
Cooperatives Highlight How God’s Word Informs Even How Agriculture Conferences are Conducted
During their discussion, Canaan asked how their education in God’s Word affects how they carry out these conferences. They were all quick to answer:
God’s Word has given us confidence, even the confidence to incorporate it into a seminar on farming. We could think, ‘this is not a Bible conference,’ but when you know God’s Word, it’s inevitable to go to the Scriptures. We feel confident incorporating the Word because it’s impacted our lives. We can show that to people because it’s where our confidence comes from. We can’t stop ourselves from testifying because it’s the reality. The Word has emboldened us to share what God is doing in our lives even though it’s not necessarily that kind of conference. - Lawrence Ssemakula
God’s Word gives us drive. We have attained this knowledge, and we are students of these treasures to help improve people’s lives. We have a spirit of servanthood, and it’s in all our work and our life’s commitments. We’re serving wholeheartedly and inspired by the Word. - Peter Kimbugwe
The seminars are so unique because these things aren’t happening in churches. Christians have learned to consider the Bible abstractly and it doesn’t apply to what they’re doing. When I come in with nutrition, it sets people free because people have been enslaved to certain ways of sowing. When I use God’s Word, there’s life in abundance. - Josephine Nakimuli
Biblical education is the motivating force. In thinking about the education and technology we have, I start feeling responsible for other people. What about the land of my neighbors? I have to look at them; they need the same experience. Biblical education gives the energy to move ahead. I can give answers because I know I need to take care of my brother. We could be mistaken for good people, but we are more than just good citizens. We’re identified by where our authority comes from. It comes from Jesus. - Francis Lubega
We look forward with energy as we make preparations for effective education during future interactions and conferences.
In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. (Col 1:3-6)
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