Sowing & Growing: Feeding Ukrainian Families & Transforming Lives
April is a month of promise. A promise means something expected, but not fully realized. In April we anticipate longer days, warmer weather, and new plant life even before those have fully arrived. April is also a time of regeneration. Every spring, I eagerly await God’s amazing handiwork and watch as tiny buds burst forth seemingly unbidden. This is a powerful metaphor, a symbolism built into the very fabric of the natural world.
God’s promise of regeneration applies to much more than the flowers in my garden. This promise is for the human heart. I love feeding people in poverty. I cannot imagine turning a blind eye to people who cannot feed themselves or their children. But I find that what excites me the most is not just that I helped someone to eat today. It’s the stories I hear where that food brought hope, where hope introduced Jesus Christ, and where God transformed that life completely.
One of the most exciting initiatives we’ve supported for the last few years is that of community and home gardens. These micro-agriculture projects are incredible opportunities to invest into Ukrainian families. The benefits include sustainable food sources and family income. When these initiatives are spearheaded by churches, they are also a powerful tool for evangelism and life transformation.
Mirco-agriculture projects are always valuable in communities with poverty, but they are vital in war-torn regions like Ukraine. Ukraine’s economy has always relied heavily on agriculture, but the war has changed everything. People living in Ukraine are largely unemployed and quickly running out of resources. The situation is nearing critical!
We have been investing into community micro-agriculture and home gardens for several years. Every year we add more space to existing gardens, increase their efficiency, and add more locations. The lasting product of these gardens is people who open their hearts to the One who created all things. We are not just sowing vegetables, but eternal life.
Will you help us expand these garden projects to reach more people in need? The life-transforming potential of your investment cannot be underestimated. As you sow sustainable healthy food into homes, I know God will grow hope and faith in Ukrainian hearts. I pray that you become as encouraged and excited as I am when you hear how God multiplied your “seeds” into lives transformed.
In Love and Grace,
Here is a short story of someone from the town of Boryspil, one of the locations where we have invested in greenhouses and gardens.
"Thank you so much for helping us expand our gardens last year. We believed that during the fall and winter, the produce from these gardens would be vital for feeding people in the community. Our gardens are a way for us to teach people how to care for themselves and an important part of our outreach.
Last summer, we served hot meals using food from these gardens once a week. Over the winter months, as people's personal resources became more and more scarce, we needed to feed people every single day. Your investment in our gardens made this much easier. It saved lives and will continue to save lives as our gardens produce year after year."
Pastor Alexander, Boryspil