You know what it’s like to be hit with something unexpected.
This week I was hit with a tax bill for several thousand dollars.
Thankfully, I was able to pay it. But it hurt. It changed some of my plans for that money, and if I’m being honest, I did a little complaining about it.
I’m grateful I had the ability to take care of it. But it was still painful.
Then I got a call from Zimbabwe.
I regularly check in with Reginald Sibanda at The Valley Mission in Bulawayo to see how things are going with the farm and the children.
For context, our youth group is helping support The Valley Mission, an orphanage caring for 99 children. They are in the southern hemisphere, so while our summer is winding down here, their growing season is just getting started.
Reginald gave me a video tour of the farm.
First, he showed me the onion beds.
About 50,000 little onions are beginning to spear their way out of the ground. When harvested, they expect to sell them in bundles of 10 for about $0.90—roughly $4,500 if the crop comes in well. They are only about two months away from harvest.
Then he walked me over to the kale beds. Those will be ready next week and should bring in a few hundred dollars that can go straight toward the needs of the mission.
Then we came to the seed beds.
There were about 4,000 tomato seeds we helped Reginald obtain here in America, selected because they are suited to a climate similar to the arid conditions where the mission is located. So far, the germination rate looks good.
He then showed me another set of beds containing 20,000 tomato seeds specially hybridized for their region.
Those seeds are worth roughly $1,000. The seed company provided them without requiring payment up front, trusting that Reginald will be able to pay them back from the farm’s future profits.
That is the story of The Valley Mission right now.
People are taking risks. People are giving what they can. Seeds are being planted. And everyone is praying for a harvest.
But there is a problem.
All of these little seedlings eventually have to be transplanted into acres of growing beds, and those beds still need to be prepared.
Something remarkable happened this past week.
Six young people from the city heard about the situation at the farm and the orphanage. They offered to come volunteer for an entire week to help prepare the beds and get the seedlings planted.
They aren’t asking to be paid.
They simply said that if the mission could provide a little money for transportation—the farm is about 20 miles from the city—along with breakfast, lunch, and water for the fields, they would come and work.
Six people. One week. Willing to give their time because they saw a need.
I remember thinking, This is amazing. Look at how God is moving.
Then Reginald said something almost as if it were a passing observation. “The only challenge is I have only $5 left.”
He continued:
“All I can do is kneel down and pray that God will provide. We had to use most of the money coming in to buy food for the children and diesel for the water pumps.”
I sat there in my comfortable home thinking about that.
My cupboards are stocked. My children have not had to skip a meal.
When I received my unexpected tax bill this week, I was frustrated because it changed my plans.
Reginald was looking at six people willing to work for a week, acres of land that needed to be planted, thousands of seedlings that needed to get into the ground, and $5 in his account.
Suddenly, my problem seemed very small.
The Valley of Need
The basic cost of feeding and caring for the 99 children at The Valley Mission is approximately $6,000 per month.
They currently receive about $1,000 a month in recurring donation commitments. That leaves a significant gap.
We began sharing their story through our various channels in July, setting some ambitious goals for helping them through this critical growing season.
In July we were able to raise approximately $2,600. I am deeply grateful for every person who gave.
But that was only about 30% of our goal.
And now it is August.
The window for getting these crops planted is closing quickly.
I Understand the Skepticism
I know the world we live in.
There are scams everywhere. There are countless appeals for money.
Many of you reading this already generously support your church, your community, missionaries, charities, and people in need.
I understand why you might scroll past another request for help.
But there is something different about this opportunity that has kept me involved.
The goal isn’t simply to keep sending money indefinitely.
The goal is to help The Valley Mission reach a place where the farm can begin producing enough income to support the children.
The need for resources is largely up front.
Seeds need to be purchased. Beds need to be prepared. Workers need transportation and food. Water pumps need diesel. Crops need to be planted.
And then comes the harvest.
If these crops produce as expected, the farm can begin generating the income necessary to move the mission toward becoming increasingly self-sustaining.
That is why this moment matters so much.
My Loaf
I have watched Reginald and his small team continue forward day after day.
They have very little. But they keep planting. They keep feeding the children. They keep working. And they keep praying.
I have watched little things happen that, at least to me, feel like modern-day reminders of the loaves and fishes.
A seed company provides thousands of dollars worth of seeds on faith. Six young people volunteer their labor. A crop begins growing. Someone gives $20. Someone else gives $100.
And somehow, little by little, the work continues. “Bit by bit” Reginald says.
My faith has been challenged by taking on this project.
Because sometimes faith means doing what you can even when what you have doesn’t seem like enough.
So today, this is my loaf to you.
If you are in a position to help, would you consider making a donation to The Valley Mission?
Right now they need approximately $350 to provide transportation, food, and water for the six volunteers for one week.
They also need approximately $650 to fill the immediate food gap for the children this week.
That’s $1,000.
Not the solution to every problem. Not even enough to meet all of their needs. Just the very basics. Or, frankly, less than the basics.
But $1,000 can mean six people getting into the fields and thousands of seedlings getting planted.
It can mean food on the table for 99 children. And it can help move this farm one step closer to producing the harvest that could change the future of the mission.
If you are able to help, you can click here to make a donation.
Click here to follow fundraising progress updates.
If you can’t give, I completely understand.
But perhaps you could share this story with someone who can.
And please pray for Reginald, the children, the teachers, the volunteers, and the farm.
I am continually amazed by the faith of this small team in their great valley of need.
They have $5. But they are still planting.
And sometimes, I think that’s what faith looks like.
You plant the seed you have. You do the work you can. And you trust God for the harvest.
Thank you for helping us be part of that harvest.
Nick Johnson
Group180 Director