(Photo: On the way to breakfast at the Rogers)
We are in the last days of Tanzania’s spring. Some of the flowering trees are still blooming. Soon the spring will end and the summer’s heat begins!
Saturday was a day filled full of activity. We first enjoyed a delicious breakfast with Richard & Carol Rogers then travelled to the Elsa Farm that is located above Chimala in the mountains. As we drove up the mountains there were 57 hairpins curves and it was common to see baboons along the way. The farm complex is over 700 acres and has not been developed to its potential. That is where Cage & Kelly Coldwater factor into this trip. They have assisted Christians throughout the world to develop agriculture and though that the Church has been able to become self-sufficient and sustainably independent from USA funding. Gage is amazed that every factor necessary for the operations is present in the Chimala location. He says he has never seen such a perfect location. He and Kelly are here for 6 months to get operations going.
The exciting things about the work Gage & Kelly provide is that the preacher training students will work in the operations and learn the system then can teach it in the villages where they preach. This will have several positive results: the preacher is able to support himself (no outside funding necessary), the congregation will be able to support itself (no outside funding), the village will benefit as it will be taught basic principles of growing food.
The plans are still evolving but this week Howell and Gage are to meet with the teachers of the preacher school advising them of this change and that the students and teachers will be expected to work (1 hour each day) in the farming operation as a part of the course study and that work will replace the support that has been previously doled out.
I asked Gage to give a brief report on his work. His work is sponsored by the Vidor, TX USA church of Christ, www.mannafarm.org.
“The original goal of the Chimala Mission was to be a self-reliant mission. For nearly sixty years this has been worked towards but not accomplished. With over 800 mouths to feed at the mission, this is a monumental task. That is why the Manna Project and Gage Coldwater’s family was asked to assist the Mission in this goal. The Manna Project has helped numerous other mis-sion works across the world to work toward this goal as well as having several preaching schools of our own that train men to preach the gospel as well as how to be self-supported.
“There is not a mission in our brotherhood that we know of that has as much potential to become self-reliant by growing their own food as does the Chimala Mission. We hope to immediately begin the work of growing much of the food that the mission consumes every day as well as teaching the preaching school students to be able to be self-supported preachers. The mission has all of the components available that make this a great opportunity. There is fresh water that runs year-round through the mission, a large parcel of land, workers, and equipment. There is a great desire here to make this effort a success.
“Our plan at the Manna Project is to grow both livestock and crops. We intend to start immediately by growing pigs, rabbits, chickens, and Tilapia as staple livestock that will feed the students that Chimala Bible Institute here at the Mission. We will grow corn, rice, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables to round out their diets. We then hope to expand the size of each of these projects to eventually feed all the people on the mission.
“Please be praying for our success in this great work. God bless you as you serve the Lord.
In Christ, Gage Coldwater”
Continue to pray for us as we continue in this mission.
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
