Living in Hope
In the southern
Mexican state of Chiapas, indigenous Ch’ol farmers have grown corn according to
the practices they’ve followed for generations, carving fields out of the rain
forest and burning the stubble before planting each new crop. As time went on
and the soil was depleted, the farmers were less and less able to harvest
enough corn from their fields to make a living. Never wealthy to begin with,
the farmers and their families began to struggle.
Then our local
partner, with the support of ELCA World Hunger, began working with the
community. One young farmer, Cristobal, took up his training and tools
enthusiastically. Through composting and other ecologically wise techniques, he
multiplied his harvest- and he eagerly helped other Ch’ol farmers throughout
the region improve their yields, too. In the meantime, our partner helped
neighbors learn together about better nutrition and income generation through
vegetable gardening and livestock projects.
Before long,
Cristobal’s community was back on its feet and getting stronger all the time.
More than 1,500 families have achieved food security, and that’s not all.
Microloans are helping neighbors build up small businesses. Health and
education programs nurture families throughout the region. Children are
healthier. Young adults no longer have to leave for the cities because now they
can make a living at home.
And Cristobal?
The eager young farmer is now an acknowledged leader, still working to help his
community change for the better, still helping neighbors lift themselves out of
poverty and into self-sufficiency. He recently helped open a
vocational-education center for his community.
We are a church
that believes God is calling us into the world- together. Together, we can
achieve things on a scale and scope that we could never do otherwise.
ELCA World
Hunger has seen this over and over again, all around the world. When the people
of this church join together with our Lutheran and ecumenical partners and
companions, locally and globally, we can move mountains!
Your support is
important! Thank you for helping this life-giving, life-changing work continue
in more than 50 countries around the world.
We cannot be
quiet about what we have seen and heard!
Acts 4:20
Christine
Donahue
TLGCS Mission Interpreter Coordinator
cedonahue@gmail.com
TLGCS Mission Interpreter Coordinator
cedonahue@gmail.com
