A Harvest of Blessings

An agriculture program in Mozambique lifts widows and their families out of poverty

Christians around the world have taken great comfort from Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

In the verses preceding this familiar passage, the prophet gives some specifics on the plans that God had to prosper the exiled Israelites.

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce” (Jeremiah 29:4-5, NASB).

A Samaritan’s Purse program in Mozambique is putting those words into practice—literally. The project is prospering widows and their vulnerable children through improved farming techniques, irrigation, and training in business practices.

“This training will help them build sustainable lives via agronomy and agro-business,” said Craig Whitlock, director of the Samaritan’s Purse office in Mozambique.

Isaura Ndangane, a 61-year-old widow, is one of the women benefitting from the program.

Isaura heads a household of nine that includes five of her own children and four grandsons. It was an ongoing struggle just to provide food for her family. She had no money for other necessities such as school supplies.

“I did not know what to do to support my family,” she said.

She was invited to join a group comprised of widows and female heads of households. She received training, farm tools and seeds, and a plot of land.

“I was given a small individual portion of land and I started plowing,” she said. “I produced maize, cassava, pumpkin, and beans.”

The crops grew, and soon were ready. Isaura’s life was transformed as she reaped a harvest of blessings.

“I now can feed my family, and the remaining I sell in order to buy school materials and clothes for my children and grandchildren,” she said. “I can see the fruits I am getting. My children are no longer running away from school because of hunger. Now, I can say that I am able to have a control on my family in terms of food, clothes, and school materials.”

Isaura, along with the other families in the program, now has hope and a future.

“First my many thanks to the Lord and secondly to Samaritan’s Purse that has shown me the way of getting out from the poverty I was immersed in,” she said. “Even so, I cannot stop asking God to keep on protecting me and giving me more power to continue working hard to sustain my family. May God bless Samaritan’s Purse to keep on helping the vulnerable members of communities.”