Growing Hope

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:40 

Initially, the aim was to bring opportunities to Mozambicans.  This started with the tea tree oil farming social enterprise and has also included training for craft production and later, Farming for Orphans in Mozambique. (Maybe a link here back to the FOM page) Since 2018 we have been linking with rural churches in Sofala and equipping them with Farming God’s Way.  In 2022 we linked with 22 churches and 196 families.  This ministry also supports widows and orphans in the community.  Encouraging and equipping Pastors with the biblical messages within Farming God’s Way has also been key in this mission.  

If you would like to find out about donating to the Growing Hope mission click here.

  1. Bringing Hope to Rural Churches

    Bringing Hope to Rural Churches
    Growing Hope equips church leaders with Farming God’s Way, click here to find out more . GH gifts vegetable seeds and some equipment to rural churches and provides training and encouragement to start and continue vegetable gardens near the church for each church family participating.
  2. Farming God’s Way – FGW

    Farming God's Way - FGW
    Farming God’s Way is not an organisation but a resource to teach improved and sustainable conservation agricultural methods to local farmers, based on Biblical principles. Farming God’s Way helps to address the problems of food poverty that families face, especially in these rural areas. It supports the churches we link with, with spiritual aspects of poverty, supporting them with biblical messages and at the same time providing knowledge and tools for sustainable methods of farming, supporting improved harvests and nutrition for families. Through promoting Farming God’s Way we hope and believe that agriculture will be changed in Mozambique for the benefit of the people who need it most, families living with daily food poverty.
  3. Equipping

    Equipping
    Mozambique has a population of 30.37 million people. The majority still live in extreme poverty due to the inequalities between the south and north regions, poor education in schools and rural vs urban employment opportunities. In rural areas, unemployment is higher. People need to grow their own food to survive and Farming God’s Way explains how to improve quality and yield. We equip churches that then support their church families and some go on to support families in the wider community.

    We begin by supporting each church to grow a vegetable garden near to the church. The Pastor and other leaders are trained and they encourage others in the church to learn and help. The following year we support individual families to establish vegetable gardens next to their homes. Many of the churches take the programme to their wider community who do not attend the church but are interested.

  4. Food Poverty

    Food Poverty
    The majority of Mozambicans can only hope to feed their families through subsistence farming. Staple foods are imported, which makes buying food expensive and much of the time impossible for many families. A good rainy season and abundant sunshine should mean that families have the ability to grow plenty of food to sustain them throughout the year but poor farming practices and lack of knowledge have left fields in poor condition, and families failing to find enough to eat.
    Plus in recent years rains have been erratic, some years very late and others a drought or extreme weather with more flooding than is considered usual.
    Janet’s vision is to equip churches and for them to equip families by introducing Farming God’s Way, working with local, rural churches to bring the hope of the gospel and for improved staple crop production to fight food poverty.
  5. Growing Hope with the Gospel

    Growing Hope with the Gospel
    Rotation – God’s blanket/mulching – Zero Tillage – No Burning

    God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature.
    So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle,
    And, yes, Earth itself….. Genesis 1:26

    Farming God’s Way explains why it is productive to use these farming methods. Pastors and families find it encouraging to understand farming in the context of God’s word. It is a necessity for families to grow their own food and it is hard work, needing much of the family resources. Understanding the biblical messages becomes a gift from God and makes clear His love for all. Preparing compost and improving soil quality is Creation Care. Improving soil quality improves crop harvests, helps to improve the environment and it empowers people in this work.

  6. Vision for Growing Hope

    Vision for Growing Hope
    The Growing Hope vision is to support more successful farming and better nutrition for families by equipping churches and supporting them to equip and encourage others. In 2022 we were working with 22 churches and they in turn with 196 families.

    Teaching the six biblical keys is hugely encouraging for Pastors and they are able to teach these in their churches. One or two leaders are emerging to teach and encourage the others with the biblical messages and we will support them with further training.

    We aim to support churches for three years to
    Start a church garden
    Encourage church families to help with this and start their own
    Reach out to community families to introduce them to Farming God’s Way
    Teach the biblical messages in their churches and reach out to other Pastors and invite them to link with Growing Hope

    Other opportunities are possible for the churches in these areas of food insecurity.
    We aim to support them also to grow seed banks, produce seedlings for sale and have an educational programme for children and adults around nutrition.
    Pastor Pires has received training to lead this and we hold meetings for Pastors and leaders at least twice a year.