Africa doesn’t need more tractors; it needs better farmers.

A productive crop of Amaranth with some of our young farmers Stephen and Emma.

It is a common misconception that due to Africa’s low agriculture output the way forward is to mechanize and “get serious” with farming by getting bigger and better equipment. This is the common belief held by governments and NGO’s alike on the continent. Even banks push farmers towards getting loans for the big shiny tractors!

This is a horrible idea for many reasons.

Firstly, big Equipment is costly, farmers will be put into long term debt trying to afford expensive equipment. Once in debt the farmer will become like western farmers, putting his attention on gaining credit and not on maintaining soil fertility. He will then need increase his land size in order to have a higher chance of paying off his debt. This leads to the next problem…

Problem number two. Big equipment needs big land to cover the cost of purchasing it, paying the interest to the bank and covering high maintenance costs. Thus farmers (or worse, large corporations) will try to buy up large tracts of land. This is where things get really bad. Africa is farmed by about 750,000 small hold farmers who mostly use a hoe. When you buy out these farmers (after preaching to them the gospel of Big Agriculture) from their land they become dis-enfranchised; people without land. When a small scale farmers sells his land he also sells his grandchildren’s inheritance and he also becomes a manual labourer working on the land he once owned making minimal money with no control over his future. Disenfranchised people become factory workers and employees with very little hope of ever coming out of poverty with life-long minimum wages. 

Thirdly big equipment is often destructive to soil and the environment leading to lower yields and lower income. The plough causes huge amounts of erosion; sub-Saharan erosion rates are 50 -220 MT/Ha. It has been said that Africa’s largest export is soil – and we don’t get a coin from it! Many farmers in Africa don’t realize that when they get new equipment their fertility will go down through intensive soil inversion. Soil inversion causes water loss, carbon loss, fertility loss through oxidation, UV degradation and the loss of volatile nutrients to the atmosphere. With big equipment taking up a large part of their earnings, causing unplanned soil degradation farmers will be left with less to put on their table and in their bank accounts. Unprofitable farming pushes people back towards selling off their land in hopelessness, thus putting them back into the previously discussed position of being dis-enfranchised.

For now we'll just stick to those three reasons (there's more!). Let's get to the answer.

The answer is simple: teach people how to farm better with the equipment they have on the land they have. This won’t line the pockets of politicians, technocrats and big agriculture business so you won’t hear a lot about it but it’s the answer. In most cases God has already place all of the resources needed to farm within the rural areas of Africa. By teaching farmers how to be careful and intentional with their planting and cultivating methods a farmer’s yield can easily increase five times. YES! Five times in one season! How can this happen? By NOT ploughing, planting carefully, putting locally available (read free) organic inputs at the base of the plant, before the (locally sourced) seed is in the ground and by mulching a farmer can have a well fed, stress free plant which will give him high yields at little cost, with NO debt load and with piece of land now increasing in fertility.

How do you know you ask? I know because I used to work on a large bank-bound farm in the west and now I teach small scale farmers who are coming out of poverty and low yields by using Farming God’s Way. It’s amazing to watch the transformation take place on a farm when people put into practice the simple principles of Farming God’s Way. I’ve seen it time and time again where a farmers goes from barely surviving to having productive fields that feed their families and put money in their pocket. Here’s a few pictures that show the great crops that people now experience.

If you’d like to read more about how Africa suffers from dependence on things like equipment and poor agriculture practice and what the answers look like have a look at the Farming God’s Way Trainer’s Reference Guide. It contains lots of stats and references to keep you informed on topic.

If you'd like to be part of the work we do in Uganda we need more supporters to keep us here on the field. www.sperlingsinafrica.com/donate

Helping people the hard way

In the west we are often bombarded with the various needs that we see online or in the news. We often want to do something about the difficulties we see people in;  online giving and credit cards have made it extremely easy to respond quickly to the dire need we see. A hurricane victim needs shelter and a new start, a refugee needs safety and protection, a drought  stricken nation needs food. We are able to meet many of these needs by making a donation. It is amazing how quickly people are able to respond with tangible help with the modern ability to make online donations and send off a cheque. 

As children of God we are called to look after the poor and care for their needs. This may not be new information but I think we have fallen into a large trap if we think we have followed Christ's command by simply writing a cheque or making an online donation. 

Have you every realized how personal and raw it gets when we start reading God's Word and trying to truly implement what it says? 

Our work here in Uganda has to do with helping the poor through training and teaching rural farmers (who make u about 75% of sub Saharan population in Africa). They are the rural poor people of Africa; overlooked, overworked and ironically underfed. When learning how to help these poor people we look to Isaiah 58 and learn what God expects of his people in the "True Fast". This is an amazing chapter where God opens up His heart to His people to show them what He really wants from them. He wants a people who worship him in the reality of how they live out their lives not just in the outward spiritual practices like fasting and public prayer.

As you read it have a look at how personal God wants us to get with the poor.

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

If you think that is just for the Old Testament look at what our practical brother James writes in the New Testament:

 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

I'm preaching at myself here; I don't like my home to be invaded by a stranger and have my time interrupted by someone who is not part of my "to do" list for the day. But God wants to interrupt me -- invade my life-- so that I can share in the bounty that He has given me. When we let poor and needy into our lives not only do they receive the physical help they need, but we are able to enter into a relationship with them and impart life skills and wisdom from God's Word which is needed for them to avoid poverty and dependency in the future. 

On top of getting is involved in people lives we will get to experience the most wonderful thing of all -- God' blessing! Look at how Isaiah 58 continues as God explains what will happen when we open up our homes and share our bread.

Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

                
---------------------

Online donations and cheques are greatly needed for the work of God to continue but let's not let it be a quick fix for avoiding the deep and personal involvement that God calls us to with the poor of this earth. We're priveledged to work with great people from all over Africa who know what it means to get involved with the poor rural farmers by working right alongside of them to see transformation.

A great team of Farming God's Way trainers who help the poor all over Africa.

Adaptation Rates

training people in Farming God's Way

In development work, especially agricultural (like mine), the question often pops up-- "how are your adaptation rates?". People want to know if your work is being taken up and practiced by the various individuals who come for training. They want to know if the "rubber is hitting the road". This is a very good concern but it has one major flaw; it presumes that effective skills and transformational ideas are only successful if taken up by large groups of people. Many people believe that if high adaptation rates are attained then a missionary or aid worker is deemed successful.

I beg to differ. It is the very few that choose to be changed who are the secret to causing bigger change in the future.

In my work with training people in Farming God's Way the adaptation rate is around 5%.About 1 in 20 trained people adapt the life-changing biblical principles and revolutionary techniques taught in the curriculum. Many are surprised by how "low" this is.

Do I want high adaptation rates -- yes! But high adaptation rates are not the goal. The goal is life transformation; for people to hear the Truth and for the Truth to set them free! The thing about life transformation is that people have to change. People have to decide to live differently. Change doesn't merely happen to people; change also involves a choice by people to think and do differently. It involves the bending and submission of the human will.

The secular world dodges this issue and idolizes culture and local ideals as things that should remain in tact (through "cultural tolerance" and "respect"). That means that secular (by that I mean non-Christian) development desires to see people's lives change without asking the people themselves to change (at least not in any drastic form). This is not only a contradiction of logic but an impossibility. Christian development is the only development that can work (pretty arrogant, eh?) because it does two very amazing things: 1) it confronts the individual with the idea that they are not doing things right (not by some human standard but by God's standard) and then it asks them to change (to stop what they were doing and start doing things differently).That, my friend, is the crux of the battle. To get people to change. This is very difficult, in fact, it is impossible. God is the only one who can cause true spiritual transformation; to convict and conform people to live in a better way. God is gracious to confront people with the need to change and He is gracious to give people both the will and the ability to change. When we avoid the need for people to change we will also avoid the possibility of them changing.

It is an amazing thing to think of how many people want to see change occur but they don't ask or require the people that they are working with to change. Until we decide to embark on this difficult task we will see very little true change in the world around us.

What was Jesus "adaptation rate"? Let us say, just for the sake of doing some math, that Jesus shared the Gospel with 10,000 people (this is VERY conservative) and we know there were 120 followers gathered together shortly after his ascension. My math (120/10,000) gives Jesus a 1.2% "adaptation" rate among the people he taught. Was Jesus "successful" in his ministry? Yes, even though few people truly followed Him at the beginning it is those whom He chose and walked with who were transformed. The people most changed were the people (his disciples) who walked closest to Him. Those few men and women turned the world upside down through the way they lived and died. They submitted themselves to be changed in every way.

Don't be fooled into thinking transformation occurs because of high adaptation rates. Transformation occurs because of having the right idea, the right way of living and calling people to change and conform daily to that Way (God's way -- His Word; Himself).

In kindness and graciousness let God's people go out and share the Good News. Let us teach people life changing habits and techniques. Let us not cower to the critics who complain that our adaptation rates are low. Nor let us dilute the message to get higher adaptation rates!

undercurrents

 

 

It's always important to understand that there a undercurrents when entering a stream or river or ocean. To a newcomer these currents that are unseen on the surface may pose as a deadly threat if they are not made aware of them. Children are warned and signs are posted; " strong undertow"; "beware of undercurrent".

We also need to be made aware of the deadly undercurrents all around us within the cultures that we live in. If we think that smooth waters on the surface mean there is no danger below we may be in for a surprise that could be fatal. Or if we think that there are only the  apparent currents on the surface like health problems and unemployment to wade through we may easily be caught up in much deeper problems.

This is especially dangerous for those of us living in western societies. We think that the surface signs of health and prosperity mean that all is well deep down in the soul. Or we are just so preoccupied with surface problems that we don't pay attention to currents that are sweeping us away from God and the purposes that He created us for.

How can we avoid being swept away by the wicked undertow of the love of money or sins like lust or hate? We must be anchored; chained; leashed to the only anchor that can keep us afloat, safe and moving in the right direction in the complicated currents of life. This anchor is the Word of God; links to this anchor are the simple graces like daily reading and meditation on God's Word. The Holy Spirit reminds us of what God has said and guides us in how we should live out in obedience to God's Word.

As we get ready to head back to Uganda we will have to navigate the tricky waters of the false prosperity "gospel" taught nearly everywhere in sub Saharan Africa. Undercurrents of deception and corruption are predominant and can be easy to be caught up in. What is the secret to avoiding these? The answer is the same as  it is for avoiding the powerful undertow of self sufficiency and pride found in Canada; we will need to be holding on to the Anchor; Jesus who is the Word made flesh. Tied to him there is not only safety but the deep joy of successfully following Him through the tides and currents in a life of obedience. " To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." Revelation 3:21 

How has Jesus and His Word helped you to navigate the tricky waters around you?

Share With Others

One of the most difficult things for me to do as we live and work in Uganda is to share my possessions. It seems so difficult, as naturally selfish people, to give up some of our things and a lot of our time and most especially our privacy. As a westerner, I occasionally find it very difficult to share my home. When God blessed us with our wonderful home in Uganda we made a deal with Him; we agreed that we would never send anyone away but would provide a place for all visitors. We usually have a long term guest or two at our home along with the occasional short term visitor and the very occasional drop by visitor. Many times I do not feel so bad about sharing my food or giving the guest a bed to sleep on but I find it very difficult to share my time and privacy. I have been rude and unwelcoming on occasion as God challenges me to keep my end of the deal. I wonder what people thought of my Christianity let alone my work as a missionary when I was rude and unwelcoming.

I realize even more, as we come back to Canada, how many in our culture guard their homes as impenetrable castles where a month-in-advance appointment is needed to be made to get through the front doors. Even more difficult is the aspect of giving up our time. We would rather give the local food bank some money or tinned food than give up some of our valuable time to engage the needy in relationships that might actually transform us and them!

By sharing our possessions and our time we are showing love and faith. Love gives up things for others and faith says even though this act of giving things away decreases my stock of things and eats up my time  I will trust God that in the end it will bless me. Obedience always leads to blessings. My most treasured blessing is the joy and peace I feel when I share my possessions and time.

Hebrews chapter 13 gives us as believers some simple and transformational rules for us as God's children. In verse 16 it says "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." I think this verse gives us the key to giving up things (sacrifices); if we are seeking to please God we will be more willing and likely to give up things. If we are focused on pleasing ourselves we will find sharing very difficult.

Remember the joy you feel when you share something? We were designed to share. Sharing allows us to partake in God's overflowing love -- a love that doesn't run out of things to give away!

Have you forgotten how to share? What do you find most difficult to share? God will be pleased as we learn to share all of what we have been given by Him.

Developed means Developing

One of the first things I noticed about being back in Canada was the good shape of the roads. But I also noticed a lot of recent repairs and current repair projects under way. It occurred to me that having such smooth roads is one of the benefits of being part of what we call a "Developed" country. I could easily see the ongoing work that was being done to keep the roads in such a "smooth" state.

 Unfortunately, many in Uganda (our other home) see development as a stage you reach; paved roads -tick, clean running water - tick, available quality medical care -tick, good telecommunications- tick. These are just a few items that would be on the mental list of a country trying to reach the "Developed" status. Trouble is, development is not a stage but a mentality. To have smooth roads you have to keep filling in the cracks and pot-holes and eventually widening and rebuilding when the need grows. To be developed means to keep developing, to keep making things better. It is not merely about reaching a certain stage.

 To keep things in good condition and in good working order there has to be systems and forethought and a constant will to fight the forces of decay. Most of these qualities lack in the "developing world". This is one of the reasons why there continues to be such a gap between the the so-called "Developed" and "Developing" parts of the globe when it comes to physical infrastructure.

 Let's leave paved roads and running water behind; they can't really change people anyway. However, the principle of developing is important. In our spiritual walk with God through this life we need to keep on developing. God wants to keep changing us -- getting rid of the cracks and damage created by sin and putting in us the strong foundation of His Word. It is one of the joys of life to watch God slowly change us and transform us. If we've been at it long enough, we realize that the spiritual work of development is continuous. Good enough, God has a plan and forethought for developing our lives -- do we have the developing mentality or do we think we have reached the "Developed" stage and the work is done?

This body works!

So many times we hear stories about how the church, Christ's body, is more like a dysfunctional family than the loving and caring group of people it should be. Well, I've got to tell you about our home church and how much they care for us! Not to glorify them or say that our church is better -- no, to show that God's love and Spirit is alive and well in His Body, the Church. We are returning back to our home town of Abbotsford, B.C. for a year long furlough.

We have had a wonderful almost-four-year term here in Uganda and are ready for a rest and a recharge and a revamping. Of course getting our clan across the world is no small feat but how about finding a house, furnishing for the house and a vehicle for such a family of ours is also no small task. Our church body has helped with all of this and more! It all started with a plan though. Recently our leaders felt it necessary for each missionary family to be appointed a "Champion" from the congregation to represent the missionary and their ministry to the church body and to help see that the missionary's needs are met both at home and on the field. We have a wonderful Champion called Mary. She and her family have spent years abroad so they know what the challenges are for a missionary family to re-settle. Mary helped to find us a suitable home and, with a little help from her family, she even helped to pay some rent and the damage deposit. Mary is part of our Life Group (a cell group/Bible study group) with whom she shared our needs and they have come together to help off-set some of our rent costs and to help furnish the home. Our Missions pastor has been in constant contact with us to see how our needs are being taken care of. Another man in our church is busy trying to locate a 8 passenger vehicle for us through his work as a car salesman. A local branch of the MCC thrift shops has agreed to furnish our home freely with whatever they can give us.

We are SO blessed! I mention all these details to show how we have been cared for in the most practical of ways. We will not struggle like many missionaries with "fitting in" in our church or Life Group. I hope sharing this account of our church's love for us will encourage you to see what you can do in your local expression of the Body of Christ. When we serve and love each other the the world will know us by our love for our brethren. How do you show your love for Christ by loving and serving in your church?

High Fives at Ugandan Immigration

"More time wasted, more money wasted.." these were thoughts that loomed in the back of my mind as I drove back to Kampala for the umpteenth time in the last couple months. I have been trying to complete the renewal process of my work permit so that our continued stay and work in Uganda is legal. To counter these negative and faithless thoughts i have been practising my two minute prayers. A few of my missionary buddies and i meet together to encourage each-other to encounter God in our daily lives. I suggested we take the David Allen's Two Minute Rule and apply it to our prayer life. The Two Minute Rule goes something like this: if there is something you can do in two minutes then do it immediately. We thought, well, we can pray about anything in two minutes so we can be filling our day with Two Minute Prayers; thus we would be able to watch and experience God work in our ordinary circumstances. My weekly trips to immigration were perfect chances to practice my two minute prayers. For those of you who have dealt with being a foreigner anywhere or having members of your family who are foreigners to the country where you are living, you will understand the difficulties and frustrations of immigration issues. In Uganda you can then add the high levels of corruption and inefficiency and you have what cooks up to be a pretty stressful situation when you go to the Internal Affairs office in Kampala. As the anxiousness would surround me and possible negative scenarios would run through my mind I would send up my prayers for success at the Immigration Offices. I caught myself getting dragged into the doubting and negative posture that most foreigners put themselves in when at Uganda Immigration. I asked God for forgiveness for my low expectations and continued to pray for good results. Today, the lady who works in the work permit office saw me and recognised me from my numerous other unsuccessful visits. When I showed her my file number on my crinkled sip she quickly had my Work Permit Assessment in hand and passed it to me. I was relieved and overjoyed! I rhetorically asked her "Are high fives allowed at Immigration?" I passed my open hand through the metal bars and she gave me a high five. I was glad that the my permit had been renewed but I was also glad that God had been slowly working in the undercurrents of my heart to actually include the immigration staff in my celebration instead of being antagonistic towards them. Have you seen God change your heart through two minute prayers?

Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom Through Farming

Did you know that there are 1 billion people in Africa? Did you know that out of these 1 billion people 3 billion are Christians? No, that’s not a typo and yes, that doesn't make any sense. Amazingly, although Africa has been saved three times over (when you compile evangelistic statistics from the continent) for all of our salvations we have not seen the effect of the salt of the earth on the societies and cultures of Africa. At our Farming God’s Way trainings we often ask our participants “Why is there both a high level of Christianity and also high levels of disease, corruption and wars in Africa? Could it be that the gospel being preached is not the true gospel; a gospel that produces practical change and spiritual fruit?” In Africa we have a “conversion” gospel where people become Christians for a whole host of reasons. But most do not understand the Gospel of The Kingdom; the gospel that Jesus preached; a gospel that calls people to repentance and obedience. Most Africans know a false, perverted or diluted Gospel which preaches health and wealth to those who follow Christ; not a gospel that requires humility and obedience. The Farming God’s Way curriculum provides an amazing entry point to demonstrate to people that God is not only interested in all areas of life but he rules the world and all that is in it. Many are surprised to know that God has something to say about farming. After a few sessions they catch on. As we wait in line for tea or lunch delegates have asked me “ …what about family God’s way? What about marriage God’s way?” -- I can tell that they have started to get the point. God rules over all the earth and He cares for it as well. He also has never revoked his first commandments to mankind of being fruitful and caring for the earth. Once we discover that we are ultimately stewards of the earth and all that God gives us we have started to understand our role in His Kingdom. It is difficult work fighting false gospels, especially when they are so prevalent, but it is good and rewarding work because we are able to see real and lasting change.

Bumpy Roads

If you've ever been to Africa you will know that we are famous for our bad roads. One such bad road exists like a barrier between me and one of my training groups. It is called Kamuli Road. It is a 67km road that has been under repair for over two years yet has yielded only about 12km of smoothly paved road. The rest is in various states of disrepair with sections of dusty dirt road but mostly just the old paved road eaten away by a minefield of potholes. 

Recently, as I was heading out to train our group of farmers headed up py Pam and Allen McEvoy (https://m.facebook.com/pamela.mcevoy.9?refid=46),( who are doing great work helping the locals to pick up the tool of Farming God's Way) I had to endure the infamous "Kamuli Road".  While I was trying to dodge the countless pot-holes I heard a slight "ping" from the back of my Isuzu. Just a few meters and several loud bangs down the road and I knew what had happened; my rear coil spring had either totally broken or had popped out completely. In disgust I didn't even bother getting out to check. I detoured to a parallel dirt road which I hoped would be better. It wasn't. A couple hours later of nursing my car over the bumpy terrain I arrived in hot dry Kamuli in front of the church where I was to teach at. The car was slumped over the left back tire. Further inspection showed there was no spring to be seen; it had completely" jumped out" (as the locals say). 

Discouraged, I set my attention on the training ahead. Although Allan and Pam had organised the workshop very well, only a fraction of the delegates had arrived and the time for starting had already passed. I felt another wave of discouragement sweep over me. How were we going to work with people so reluctant to keep time and prioritise the days activities? Along with the waves of heat and dry dusty air the waves of discouragement kept sweeping over me -- my enthusiasm levels were pretty low.

I have often felt like this at the beginning of a training but God has always been faithful to raise my energy and hope as I start to deliver the good news that he has put in my heart. Sometimes, this is an answer to a quick prayer other times it is God's faithful love coming through for me when I haven't even thought of asking Him for help. How much more the help is appreciated when I've asked for it!

The bumpy roads and discouragement remind me of the resistance that we often feel and encounter as we do what God wants us to do. I am reminded that we must keep scattering the good seed and let God bless it where He sees fit. If we only scatter seed where there is no resistance  we may stick to putting nice ideas on Facebook and Twitter and never get out to those who don't even know Who and what they need.

I hope you have discovered the role of resistance in your life too. It's like the waves crashing on the bow of a boat -- they only beat against the bough when the boat is moving forward.

NB-- Just make sure the resistance is not from God -- then your efforts will be futile!

If you'd like to read about the role of resistance in your life here is a great post one of my favourite bloggers Michael Hyatt: http://t.co/0OoeE0v5jN

  

Posted via email from The Sperling's blog

January Newsletter

Jan2013 letter.pdf Download this file

Hello Friends,

Here is our latest newsletter.

Enjoy.

Posted via email from The Sperling's blog

Eleven years

Today, as a write, Jane and I celebrate 11 years of marriage! These 11 years have been full of troubles, trials, fun, joy, arguments, agreements and everything in between! Our marriage is a tribute neither to the greatness of Jane’s love for me nor mine for her; God has been the one who has been so faithful, showing us the way to love each other and to glorify Him as we try to give Christ His place as the king of our hearts. We are so blessed, especially by all of our children, the fruits of our marriage. They bless us every day and we pray that they will be arrows in the hands of our Maker; going much further and doing much greater things for The Kingdom than we could ever have dreamed.

Here is a little bit of a song by Malcolm Guite to reflect my feelings for the day:

They Don’t Make Movies (Out of Love Like This)

“You can’t photograph fidelity, or merchandise restraint,

Your inner beauty won’t be selling soap.

And sometimes from the outside it might seem that love grows faint

On the inside it’s renewed each day in hope.

So there’s nothing on the surface to attract a stranger’s gaze

There’s not photo-genic posed romantic bliss,

Just two people staying faithful through the darkest winter days,

But they don’t make movies out of love like this.”

Posted via email from The Sperling's blog