Harvesting Maize!!

Chuck and I have been praying for years that the orphanages that we work with would be able to plant their own crops and have food to harvest.  Well our prayers were answered last year when we were able to lease 13 Acres of land to divide between Umoja Children's Home, Kenduiwa Children's Home, and Bosto Children's Home. When weighing the cost of continuing to purchase maize for each home and planting our own it was hands down cheaper that we plant our own.  While the drought and the hail storm did not help the crop any we were able to harvest more than 50 bags of maize.
  I, Amy enjoyed the physical work and staying there all day working beside good Kenyan friends and other missionaries who volunteered to help.  

Peter Rono sharing stories with orphans from Umoja.

Throwing the maize into piles to be collected in bags

The women thought it was funny that I wanted to help carry the maize.  They gave me only a small bag!!!  When one from the States thinks of harvesting maize they think....tractors....well here we think hands.  The corn is not in pretty little rows and the ground is not flat.  In fact the hardest part was walking around and trying not to fall into a hole or trip and fall on your face.  We were grateful for the amount of children from Umoja and Kenduiwo Children's Homes who came and helped to harvest.

From the piles to the bags to the backs

RESULTS!!!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!

                  
As I looked over the corn, I could not help but think.  Which one am I like??  The full piece of corn, giving my all to the Lord in every circumstance?  Or am I like the one with very little fruit on it? I pray that in every situation, everyday that I would be giving my all to the Lord, and not like the scrawny little one, not showing the fruit of the Lord.   Please help us to pray for every situation that we are in that we would represent Christ to those around us.  Especially pray for those who are needy that appear at our door daily.  We can often become frustrated with their situations. Pray that we would show them love and compassion.

Pray also for the next crop of BEANS that it would produce an abundance of food for the orphans.