 Without Love and long term consistency we will fail
The deep rooted problem s of starvation and poverty in Africa will not be solved with just NGO (Non-Government Organization) relief. Yes, it will solve starvation for a season, but it will not resolve the real issues of poverty, tribal war, disease and starvation. These issues run deep in a people whose culture and way of life has been lost through colonization, revolution, AIDs and war. Let’s be honest, relief alone, enterprise alone, education alone and Christianity alone will not solve the problem.
A One Legged Table Falls
In some ways, we have been asking Africa to eat off of a one legged table that keeps falling over. To solve the poverty issue, the table of prosperity must have four strong legs: enterprise, food, land and strong core values (Christianity). If any one of the legs is missing, the table falls, and we keep repeating the same problems over and over. There are thousands of strong, well meaning missions, NGOs and social services in Africa, but we all need to work together. We need to be tightly integrated for lasting social change to take place. Food must come with work, responsibility and core value change.
I recall seeing Zambians with bags of maize on their bikes that they would steal from those working in the field as they peddle by through private farms. Food without values builds a welfare state.
Perhaps we can look at early America’s small starving farming communities and to find the answer of land, education, community and God.
A Farm Community That Works
 The Sons of Thunder Mission Farm of ten years maturity has been guided through prayer and hard work into a formula that encompasses every leg of the table of prosperity without sacrificing the Zambian culture. This almost self sufficient 10,000 acre farm maintains 37 small traditional Zambian farms, 360 children in school, orphanage for 60 babies along with schools for ministry and farming. The farm is so successful that it supports community feeding programs in the bush and nearby Livingston. Its new clinic sees over 1,100 a month. This is a truly healthy, successful, self-sufficient and scalable Zambian community.
Africa Has What it Takes to Succeed
Africa has all the resources, wonderful people, land, food and spirit to make this work. However, core Christian work ethics need to replace the welfare, corruption and criminal mentality. Sexual and family values need also to change. We are in fact feeding dying people if we do not address the morality issues behind the HIV/AIDs.
The Sons of Thunder Farm works because it is firmly rooted in a four leg prosperity programs. Core Christian values replicate the success of early American agriculture. They do it without tampering with Zambia diet, environment or culture. However ethics on hard work, honoring the family structure, sexual morals and giving back are cultural changes. A blending is in the celebration of Zambian song and traditional Zambian homes on the farm. We can do radical positive transformation that keeps the personal spirit intimate with the beauty of land. We can curb starvation with crops native to the culture.
This is key. Americanizing the Zambia society would be a tragedy to such a beautiful people. Even the farm’s orphanage is Zambian native food raising exceptionally health babies. They must define their new destiny and not American media or enterprise.
Sorry There are No Short Term Fixes
Like Moses and the Israelites this will take a generation to fix. Old traits of waiting for relief to solve problems being transformed into hard work in order to save crops and become the providers of their community will take time. Today on a farm in Zambia from infant to adult, education integrated with hard work and Christian values such as in early America are taking place. It must be up to the new generation what their new Zambian culture, rich in loving values and an exquisite eco system will be like. All of this done by natives. The Sons of Thunder Feed Africa Farm prophecy is exceeding all expectations in ethics, profitability, health and morals. Time has come to speak out and replicate this gift from God.
The acid test for the farm is a story of a young man asked to leave the farm. He goes to his tribe sets up a farm and life style based on hard work he learned at Sons of Thunder. Not only does he feed his tribe during drought, but sells maize back to our farm during the drought for feedings in the remote bush.
The magic formula of Zambia prosperity table is four legs with a small community:
1. Christian Ethics
2. Enterprise of farming
3. Health
4. Education |
