|
Celebrating the birth of our Savior and welcoming a New Year and a new decade with you. What a year 2019 has been! We have celebrated some amazing victories and experienced some very real pain. Through it all, I am reminded of the many ways God has blessed me and the work of Bread For Life (BFL). I am humbled by the generosity and trust from friends and partners like you and thankful for the goodness that follows me no matter what I face.
|
|
|
Our special needs school recorded 80 students this year and 22 staff. We were blessed with funds that enabled us to purchase a used van! Although a number of our students are on some kind of scholarship, income from the school this year may be able to provide salaries for our staff for close to 10 months! From every indication, tuition from paying students should be able to meet up with staff and rents by 2021. We are thankful for the many visits from friends and supporting churches this year. It made a huge difference at the school.
|
|
Thank you for all your ongoing prayers and inquiries for our son AJ. PTL he is doing better.
|
|
Our special needs school recorded 80 students this year and 22 staff. We were blessed with funds that enabled us to purchase a used van! Although a number of our students are on some kind of scholarship, income from the school this year may be able to provide salaries for our staff for close to 10 months! From every indication, tuition from paying students should be able to meet up with staff and rents by 2021. We are thankful for the many visits from friends and supporting churches this year. It made a huge difference at the school.
A lot of progress was made at our sustainable demonstration farm: 100,000 pineapple suckers were planted by the end of November; a plantation propagation unit was developed, enabling us to develop and plant 4,750 plantains. Goats, cows, pigs, rabbits and assorted birds were introduced to the farm. Several short term crops were experimented with (corn, vegetables, soya beans etc), to use in providing feed for our animals and birds. We sold our first harvest of 10,000 pineapples for about $4,000 and funds were used for salaries of some farm workers.
Our annual Expository Conferences for Pastors and Church Leaders held in Bafoussam, Douala and Yaoundé with over 300 pastors and church leaders. We initiated four sessions and training of “gospel in the City” to encourage church planting in major cities. I spoke at a major stadium event in the city of Buea that brought together over 55 denominational leaders and independent churches.
The work in Cameroon prisons waxed strong under the leadership of Emmanuel Chongwan: ministry was done in nine prisons across Cameroon and more than 15,000 inmates were ministered to with almost 8,000 profession of faith and 109 baptism. 321 former convicts were released to serve in their new found faith outside the prison walls! Two containers of donated items were shipped out of Dallas and Atlanta through our small “social business.” I made two visits to the USA and travels through more than two dozen towns and cities. We can go on and on about all that the Lord did through us all this year. To Him be all the Praise and Glory.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Ernest Ehabe
|
|
 In communities where the average family lives on less than $2 or much less a day, how does an indigenous led organization go about increasing the level of household incomes sufficient to attract legitimate, profit-making businesses!?
Jobs. It’s been said that “the world’s best welfare program is a job.” This has been the rationale behind the founding of Beulahland farms. Finding creative and sustainable ways of raising the income level of unemployed and underemployed communities: displaying the beauty and credibility of the gospel through service and job creation.
In the USA, a lot typically happens when people with disposable income move into under-resourced communities. Schools improve, crime diminishes, markets are developed and yes, much-needed businesses return. What that means, of course, is that those living below poverty level begin to share in the benefits of high-quality amenities – the very same blessing that some of us enjoy and take for granted.
|
|
|
(Above: Dr. Berry, on a vision trip to see if he will serve with us full time in the future, Baka Pygmys gainfully employed and one of our trucks)
|
|
I am convinced that we can replicate similar outcomes in poor communities across Africa and so doing secure a healthy economic mix as well as ensure that otherwise vulnerable communities will share in all the benefits of a flourishing community. It is planned equity, abundance by design. It’s one of the ways Bread For Life intends to generate a vast portion of its income as an organization while simultaneously reducing hunger and improving lives.
But, as with any business venture, it takes some capital to rev up the cycle. And as you know, we’ve had an uphill journey. We are beginning to see some tangible results. In 2019, we have manually developed 20 acres of land, planted corn, soya beans, potatoes, pineapples etc. Our focus has been on pineapples, one of the few crops that can withstand drought. Between now and February, we expect a harvest of over 20,000 pineapples.
Recently, as we embarked on the harvest of 5,000 pineapples, we discovered our two farm trucks are in disrepair. Our yellow truck which can haul 1,300 pineapples needs an engine which will cost $3,000. We recently replaced the engine of the Tacoma only to find out a few months later that it also need its transmission replaced.
Even if both vehicles are fixed, they do not have the load capacity to handle the coming harvests. We will need to raise $12,000 to buy a ten ton flatbed truck for Beulahland Farms. Would you or someone you know prayerfully consider if this is an area you would like to invest in during this season of giving? Your investment will move us towards our goal of equitable development. So far, we have received three large gifts that have totaled $5,500. We are still in need of an additional $6,500 to meet our goal!
|
|
We held several training conferences with churches and para-church leaders from dozens of denomination and independent churches that brought hundreds of pastors and leaders together in five major cities of Cameroon (Douala, Yaoundé, Bafoussam, Buea and Garoua in the predominantly Muslim north of Cameroon) in 2019. These meetings highlighted the trend and challenges of growing cities across Africa and the need to saturate them with gospel-centered churches.
Cities in Africa continue to grow at exponential rates, which expands the need for gospel renewal. Our hope for continued gospel advancement and awareness of the specific needs in each city grow as we continue to partner with what God is doing across our region. Statistics shows that by 2100, African will be mostly urban.
|
|
Most cities would have quadrupled while many villages will become cities. Lagos with a present population of 20 million will be 88 million. Africans will be forty percent of the world’s population or 40 percent of the world will be living in Africa. We need to position the next generation.
Why cities? The world’s great cities are filled with billions of people. Cities are full of ambition, culture, uncertainty, struggle, goodness and opportunity, Cities are complex. Cities are also the places where we find more image of God per square kilometer than anywhere else in the world.
As God moves people to cities, this great global migration provides an unprecedented opportunity for the gospel to renew humanity. We have developed several partnerships that would allow the planting of dozens of churches in Cameroon in 2020. Would you join us in praying to the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers?
|
|
As a life-long Texan, I found myself in Cameroon, Africa sitting under a small grass covered hut wondering why I was there. It was hot and I was tired from the hike I had been on. Then, the kids showed up. Curious as to who I was, one boy came close but held of coming close enough to touch me. I was likely the first white man he had ever seen. I had a piece of candy in my pocket and held it out to him. He put it in his mouth with the plastic wrap still on it. I corrected him as gently as I could and with another piece of candy showed him to unwrap it. His eyes lit up and his smile was awesome. I gave him another piece and he surprised me when he turned and offered the candy to his sister. His clothes were filthy by my standards, his belly extended. He was hungry, and no place to get food.
Beulahland is the name of the farm I had gone to see. I had been on a tour looking at the chickens, goats, pineapples, and corn they planted trying to feed these people who have lost their way of life. Today, this ministry is looking for an investment. This is the “real deal” you have been looking for. As a Christian and a business person, I want to help people, but I really want to see the funds I give multiplied. I want to see people help themselves. This Christian ministry spreads the gospel to an unreached group by teaching and feeding them; body and soul.
With a gift to Bread for Life International, an initial investment of $1,000 provides the workers at Beulahland the ability to develop one acre of virgin forest land and purchase and plant 20,000 pineapple plants. When harvested, this crop will yield $4-7,000 and triple the number of plants able to be planted the following year. That young boy will be fed. His sister will be fed.
I have been there. I’ve seen it. Not only will they be able to produce pineapple to eat and sell. They can raise corn, chickens, rabbits, and many other food sources to feed the people. They are training the people to become farmers, to become self sufficient, to feed themselves.
|
|
My name is Rand Southard. If you want to call to confirm this story as true, my number is 940-366-3979. Match my gift please.
This is truly a gift that keeps on giving.
|
|
Bread for Life International:
4438 Pleasant Dr.
Rodgers, AR 72758
• www.breadforlife.org
|
For recurring monthly support:
Commission To Every Nation
Po Bx 291307
Kerrville TX 78307
• 893-896-8326
• www.cten.org/BreadforLife
|
|
|
|
