America to Zambia: Rivendell Farms (Reflection from David)

I took a field trip the past two days to the city of Ndola near the border with Congo. The photo above is what the trip looks like for the first 60 km. I went with Johannes, Ben, Amos, Prince, and Jonathon. We visited John Enright, a retired Methodist pastor who is developing "schemes" that will work in the Zambian culture and increase the income of the farmers in the bush. He has learned from 40 years of experience what to do and what not to do. Don't give a man a fish, or even teach a man to fish, but take a man fishing is a basic principle he lives by.

The scheme we are interested in implementing is a bee hive management scheme. He gives away bee hives that are placed in trees on the farms. A "mentor" is in charge of the hives of 100 farmers and is trained to construct, bait, hang, and harvest the hives twice a year. Rivendell Farms then sends out a truck to collect the honey and pay the farmers. The expected return for 25 hives on a farm is $100 per month which is a typical income for a bush farmer. This would be a large source of income with a minimum investment of time.

Rivendell Farms processes the honey and sells it at a premium because they have EU organic certification. They currently are selling all they can produce to Japan. All of the profits go back into the foundation to fund more bee hives and develop and distribute other schemes.

John Enright lives by and operates his business by seven kingdom of God principles. He is a fascinating, energetic, and one ot the most real persons I have met. Ben told him he should write a book about the seven principles and he produced an outline he has developed, but told us not to count on a book being written.

For those of you who know my good friend Pastor Richard Frazier, John is like Richard, but with many more years of experience. Either get on board or get out of the way because the train is leaving the station with or without you.

For the two young men that went with us from the orphanage this was there first trip to Ndola which is a much richer city then Kabwe which they have visited. We took them to a mall and they had pizza for the first time. They demolished the pizzas and really enjoyed them. We just had a lunch of meat pies, and they arei missing their nshima.

One tired Jonathan.

Amos, Prince and me.

With the help of Amos we were able to find some nail polish so the ladies can do some pedicures for the girls. It should be a fun Friday night when we get back.

Last Friday we hung out with the older boys around the BBQ fire. We exchanged brain teasers and they taught us how to pick up hot coals. Learning that skill was worth the price of admission for me. Once Sue (our nurse and team mother/grandmother) found out she let me know I was on my own if I got burnt. We ended up sharing with them the American delicacy of s'mores made from digestive biscuits, Cadbury chocolate raisin bar, and Peeps. They loved them and ate them as quickly as we could make them.

We are having a great time, making lots of friends, learning there dreams