August Update from Mozambique
We greet you this month from Zimbabwe!
Kim and I are currently visiting Zimbabwe and staying with some gracious friends as we continue to prepare for the start of the agriculture training project in Goi-Goi. We left Beira on the 20th of August to travel to Goi-Goi to participate in the church’s national youth conference being held there. There were about 300 youth present plus many adult counselors and pastors. Kim and I had a great time visiting with all the young people and seeing our friends from Goi-Goi again. It was nice to be able to tell them more about the upcoming commencement of the farming project. We were also able to meet with the builder and decide on a final location for the new house, which will be near the training garden and in a central location.
After the youth conference we travelled to the capital city of Zimbabwe, Harare. It was a long day of travel, especially in our poor car. It is not doing so well. The mechanics here in Zimbabwe have simply said, “The motor is finished.” At least it is still 
running for now. On a brighter note, the time we spent at the Foundations for Farming (FfF) training center was a real blessing. We spent three and a half days being flooded with information and wisdom about conservation agriculture. The people there are so passionate about helping farmers learn these skills and be successful you can’t spend three days with them without becoming excited about it yourself. Kim and I are coming from this experience with a renewed sense of hope and excitement for the project ahead.
During our time at the FfF training, Kim and I were also able to begin building relationships with the people involved in the training and organization. Kim was even able to sit with the founder, Brian, 
and share some of our vision with him. He was incredibly supportive and encouraging and even asked Kim to offer the devotion on Friday morning for his staff. The organization is built around Christian values and stewardship of God’s creation, with the aim of helping people feed themselves and have an abundant life. We are very pleased to have begun this relationship with them. They are also excited to know us and to have a connection to Mozambique. We look forward to having them visit the farm at Goi-Goi and connecting them with our church partners in Mozambique in the future.
The rest of our time in Zimbabwe has been spent procuring those supplies and implements that are difficult or just impossible to find in Mozambique. Our new friend, Edmore, from FfF accompanied us on Friday afternoon to shop for seeds, tools, etc. We are hoping to plant an herb garden alongside the teaching plot to showcase the raised bed planting method we learned last week as well.
So . . . lots of things happening, lots of traveling being done, and lots of work to do. May God continue to bless the church in Mozambique and our partnership here. Keep the United Church of Christ and the Goi-Goi farming project in your prayers as we move forward to planting.
God Bless,
Kim and Erik Free
Kim and Erik Free serve with the United Church of Christ in Mozambique. Their appointment is made possible by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund, Our Churches Wider Mission, and your special gifts.