Food Resource Bank
Many have heard of Canadian Food Grains Bank (CFGB)which was started by MCC in an effort to give rural farmers in Canada a way to contribute toward ending world hunger. Groups of farmers work together in "Growing Projects" where they designate a portion of their land to CFGB. When the harvest comes the production from these designated areas is deposited from the local elevator in the account at CFGB and these funds go toward projects around the world that combat hunger such as the Sand Dams and Food Security/Agriculture work that we are doing in Mozambique. People who do not have land can also contribute monetarily toward CFGB. CFGB since has grown and spun off on its own. Development organizations of many church denominations are members and have an account within the Canadian Food Grains Banks. Organizations such as MCC can access money from their account to fund projects to end hunger. When a farmer takes his grain to market he can designate the funds to go toward any of the 15 church/development organization of his choice such as Lutheran World Relief or Nazarene Compassionate Ministries. Check it out at http://www.foodgrainsbank.ca/. For the longest time farmers and others interested in ending world hunger in the USA did not have this option. However, that option now exists in the Food Resource Bank which functions basically the same way. For all of you looking for a way to practically put your Christian faith into action and feeding those who are hungry, check it out at http://www.foodsresourcebank.org/

Sand Dams and Food Security Gaining Momentum
I have not done a good job of updating our blog in recent months. It has been a challenge focusing on our new expanding family and much of our work comprises of working on the computer during the day leaving minimal will and energy to do so in the evening. People ask us why we do not write more often, especially e-mails, but farmers who grow corn all day often do not like to work in the garden at night, accountants probably do not appreciate doing family accounting in the evening and MCC workers who spend time on the computer communicating would rather do something else.

In any case, I have found a little time in my busy schedule to add a little to our blog on the ever exciting Sand Dams and Food Security initiatives that are gaining momentum in Mozambique. Our country representative and engineer keep writing reports of the exciting things happening. It has finally rained significantly in Mozambique in February and many of the dams are filling up with water and sand. Several such that they can be raised to capture more rainwater. It seems that it is catching the attention of the government and visits from the government's public works (those in charge of public infrastructure) in Maputo have come to visit based on the good reports from the provincial offices. MCC also has sent key staff from the Christian Council of Mozambique to a training on conservation agriculture which seems to show potential for improving production and agriculture security alongside the sand dams. CCM staff seems excited and ready to train more of its staff in the technology and to implement it in the projects. What's more is that during the CCM annual meetings, they gave a presentation and many of the other provinces are really interested in what is happening. If you are interested in knowing more of the conservation agriculture see www.farming-gods-way.org.

The provincial government is also very interested and excited about the work. Recently Jon, our engineer, wrote, "CCM received attended meetings with the provincial departments of Public Works, Agriculture, and Emergency Management; the Mozambican Regional Water Administration for the Zambezi River Basin; and the World Food Program. The group in the meeting agreed to first make a visit to project sites, then meet again to figure out how they can work together to expand these kind of efforts, and do feasibility studies. There have been so many complaints from the population about drought and hunger, and the government is really glad to see someone working at it. They’re really wanting to turn around the situation of drought and hunger in these districts, and see this combined water and ag work as the way to go."

What does this mean for me, us, as a family. This means that we are moving to Maputo. MCC and CCM want to create core capacity within CCM National office to work at expanding and developing the vision of sand dams and food security within their network of provincial offices. A team will be formed, which I will be a part of, in order to work at this and connect up with potential donors, some of which are already lining up to support us with this initiative. This is all very exciting and scary at the same time. We will be starting over in a new place but with exciting new work. Jenny will have the opportunity to explore being involved in work with other initiatives within CCM (savings groups, contraband arms for art projects, learning tours and conflict resolution) and we will get to explore and experience the city of Maputo and its environs. Pray for us as we make this exciting yet scary and sometimes lonely change.

Storytelling
The last few weeks have been a crazy time of traveling and giving presentations in schools, churches, organizations and gatherings all across middle America. It has been a wonderful time of connecting with people and they truly are interested in the Sand Dams/Food Security and Savings Group projects that are growing and expanding in Mozambique. Some of our best times are when we have given a presentation on and people have the time to ask questions. It is fun to engage with people.

Yet, sometimes we do not know if we are getting through. Maybe our presentation is full of to much good news and not the realities. Maybe people are not as inspired as we hope. Maybe they are tired. We recently talked at Bethany Middle School in Goshen and I was told not to worry if people looked bored and ready to fall asleep. Actually, it does not really matter to me because there are so many people and I am so focused that I do not notice if people are bored. It is only when I try to engage with a joke or an interesting story that I can really tell if people are with me. Our presentation was ok, nothing stimulating but afterwards teachers told us that it was fascinating and well done. But did it connect with students? Later in the week my brother and sister in law took us to downtown Goshen for First Friday's and two youth came up to us and asked us if we were the ones that had spoken in chapel at Bethany.

"It was really interesting," they said and proceeded to ask questions. Yeah, we impacted someone.

When speaking at AMBS, one of the professors told us that our presentation was interesting, well done, smooth, relevant and connected faith and the church's active work in the world. That, from a professor at a seminary forming Pastor's was like a big high five. That was what we hoped we were getting across, God's living and active work in the world through the faith and action of many of his people.