Heart for Africa

Video about Heart for Africa...

In spring of 2005, a gentleman/pastor/man of God named Bruce Wilkinson originally came, explained the situation, and asked those interested in making a difference to volunteer for the 10 day trip. So we volunteered to go there to help make a difference .

After getting some folks to help cover expenses, we (Valerie and I- Michael) left and helped villagers and orphans, teaching them how to feed themselves by planting small, manageable gardens. We showed them how to water it, then moved to the next 'home' (hut), and so on, and so on. For whatever reasons they have never learned about growing their own food.

Over 2 million Africans die each year from starvation;
imagine how many suffer from it that don't die.

Here is our November 2005 report.

Note: We missed the deadlines to raise the funds to travel on the July trip with our church
(North Coast Calvary Chapel, Carlsbad, California) so we went on Sept. 21st with a group from Fresno, People's Church.

The trip to Swaziland to help feed starving Africans was awesome and the highlight of our year. Most of the 160 people we went with were from ‘Peoples Church', in Fresno. There was one couple that had their honeymoon with us there too, can you imagine? That is love for people at its finest.

We took an afternoon flight from San Diego to Washington D.C. then stayed overnight, catching an 18 hour flight from Washington Dulles to Johannesburg, S. Africa early the next morning. After about a three hour in Jo'burg wait we caught our three buses for another seven hours leg to get to Swaziland. We found ourselves in a very different land, in place that is a separate small country almost entirely surrounded by S. Africa, with its own king and all. (We met the kings father out in the area we worked.)

Valerie reaches out, literally, to hundreds of orphans, a scene repeated daily on our excursions into the country.

There were 20 different teams, with each team consisting of 8 people, plus a local pastor or assistant and driver in each van. On Saturday, the day after our arrival, our team went to Piggs Peak that was 2 hours away from our hotel. Our purpose of the day was to make contacts with chiefs and top government officials and to get permission to plant gardens and work with the local orphanages. This was also to make sure folks had prepared their areas for the gardens, with a fences around the plot and it was dug up, etc..

...half way through our ministry we were told that the locals had been told ...
we were bringing plants infected with Aids to kill them!!

We went to an orphanage to plant a community garden. The kids in the orphanage were excited to see Polaroid’s instantly taking their photos. We gave them beads if they helped us plant plants, (spinach, cabbage, green peppers and onions), which then gave us more than enough labor for sure; they loved interacting with we strangers. We each ‘inherited’ a little friend or two during out visits there.

Eric Yee, one of our major sponsors from New York (thanks Eric, you made such a
difference in so many lives buddy), was
taken with us via his photo, presented to these hundreds of kids.

On Sunday all the teams went to the pastors church and had service and then we were invited to have lunch with one of the more well-to-do congregants. The church was small and very hot. All of the pastors in that country were tired each Sunday because they had presided over an all night burial service, their custom, for those that had died from HIV-aids that week. Someone had always died. Most of the people didn’t have electricity or even running water. Our meal consisted of chicken, corn that was processed to look like mashed potatoes, beets, and other vegetables. It was quite tasty.

Monday we did a little bit of planting but not as much as we would have hoped. Most of the families did not have a fence around their plot yet, and the chickens would have eaten the newly planted seedlings so we told them to get going and get them ready. Most did not believe we were really there to help and it took a while to understand this was going to be a reality for them, real gardens at their homes.

The houses were spread out, not like we were expecting, as other groups had hit homesteads where the house were packed together. That’s why we came up with the ‘show and tell’ system where we showed them how to plant a garden and then had them show up to pick up their plants for pre-determined spots.

Our group counts out hundreds of seedling for distribution.

Our days consisted of counting out thousands of seedling every day. Approximately 600 gardens per day were established with this system. We prayed with each group, for their health and the ending of the Aids pandemic, and for rain to come and bless their gardens too. Many times we would go and pray for folks very ill in their homes, some just prior to death, including quite a few kids. About 50% of the kids have aids from child abuse from adults in the community. The witch doctors there have told them that if they have sex with virgins they will be healed- you can see what a spiritual war is going on. This kind of seditious propaganda will entirely wipe out the poor souls altogether.

The entire group ended up planting,
or help plant, over 10,000 gardens...

Not only that, but half way through our ministry we were told that the locals had been told that the ‘Americans’ (there were a few folks from other nations there helping too though) that we were bringing plants infected with Aids to kill them!!? This blew our minds and further showed how the spiritual darkness was operating to thwart our help. UNBELIEVABLE! We had to constantly assure the folks we picked up the seedling daily from their own Swaziland nurseries daily. Most believed us we could tell. Our love for them, and a touch from God, helped waylay their fears. They found out heartfelt prayers for them and theirs were all too real for them, thank-U-Lord.

We loved the kids, and they loved us. These two were found dancing for tourists
on our way out to the country, a daily two hour drive to and from our hotel.

One of the days we had off to a game park- elephants, rhinos, lions, and a host of other exciting animals thrilled each and every one of us. The group went back to America after a hard week of work, but knowing we had made a difference, a real difference in those poor folk’s lives. The totals came in.

Valerie working in one of the gardens.

The entire group ended up planting, or help plant, over 10,000 gardens, which will fed over 80,000! And the DFA folks there said that was a record for any group that had come in the past year and half, and that with a day less to plant than any other group- WOW. So less days worked, but more plants planted, proving this was all really a ‘God thing’, don’t you think?

Jeanette Parson, a regular sponsor of Michael's art, also help sponsor our trip.

Of course, Michael stayed for an extra two weeks after everyone else departed back to America so he could create a new series of art. He focused on the Cape Town area, including the beautiful wine valley of Stellenbosch.

Love to all of you that helped us get there, you really touched these folk’s lives through your generosity in supporting us to go there in your stead. Many blessings to you and yours for that.

Michael and Valerie

Thanks so much to these wonderful
people for partnering with us.

Dave and Stella Manning
Eric Yee
Terry Franklin
David & Krista Lynch
Estil & Margaret Hoverstein
David & Carol Goodell
Joe and Leslie Irwin
David & Martha Dill
Earl and Maude Gervais/ of American Eagle Real Estate Inc
Steven & Gloria Carlin
Raymond & Lois Seewald
MP Orlando Family Trust
David Robinson

Patricia Roth
Fran & Mary Margaret Stetina
Konocti Financial And Commercial
Richard & Mary Taylor
John & Joanne Olichney
Janine Riggle
Tom & Virginia Spinelli
Jeanette Parson
DorothyGantenbein
Dave Grell
Tim & Diana Moynahan
Rob & Kari Greenwell
Mr and Mrs Frank Ganaden

Sponsor a child, save his or her life for about $1.00 per day. The Lord will bless you above and beyond your giving, YOU CAN NOT OUT GIVE GOD!!!
PERIOD!

Dream for Africa website

Heart for Africa,
1-800-901-7585