Empowered World View
Theme V. Faith in action
This is the practical demonstration of transformation where one takes a risk and engage into a life changing journey. For example, starting a business, reconciliation between individuals or communities or mobilizing community for development and advocating for change
Let’s also begin this part by doing yet another funny activity for about 5 minutes and do debrief-Crossing the river
- Prepare the visual on the floor as shown and described below.
- Ask three participants to study the activity, practice the mime and present the mime to the rest of the group.
- Use the following discussion questions after the mime is over to debrief the group.
- What did you see in the exercise?
- Whom do the three persons represent in our communities? Briefly discuss each character.
- Think about one of our community challenges. What does each side of the river represent?
- What different approaches were used to help the two people across? How do these relate to our community challenges
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Crossing the River (mime) |
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Draw two lines in chalk, fairly wide apart, on the floor to represent the banks of the river. String can also be used if you do not want to draw on the floor. Place pieces of paper to represent stepping stones and another large piece of paper in the middle of the ‘river’ to represent an island. |
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Two people come to the river and look for a place to cross. The current is very strong and they are both afraid to cross |
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A third person comes along and sees their difficulty. He leads them up the river and shows them some stepping stones. He encourages them to use the stones but they are both afraid, so he agrees to carry one on his back |
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By the time he gets to the middle of the river, the weight on his back seems very heavy, and he has become tired, so he puts the person down on the island |
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The man goes back to get the other person on the bank who also wants to climb on his back. But the man refuses. Instead he takes her by the hand and encourages her to step on the stones herself. |
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Halfway across the river, she starts to manage alone. They both cross the river. |
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When they get to the other side, they are very happy. The person who has learned how to cross the river returns to the island to help his/her friend across. |
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How can we work together help build community independence and resilience as we address the challenges. Leadership is key in promoting self reliance and discouraging dependance
Investment Costing and Negotiation Skills – Luke 14:28-30
- How does the practical advice in this passage relate to our own planning?
- Jesus was a carpenter and understood the importance of costing a project. How can this inspire us to plan carefully before we start a project?
- How does careful planning protect us from ridicule as we move out in faith?
Risk taking Options – Mathew 14:22-23, Mathew 13:44-46
- What do these passages tell us about discerning what risks we should take?
- What is of great value to you? What do you need to do to acquire it and protect it?
- How can the community work together to discern what is of great value communally?
LET’S DO THE BREAK EVEN AND GROSS MARGIN ANALYSIS FOR ALL OUR VALUE CHAINS BELOW AS PART OF FAITH ACTION
Garlic farming
- One acre of Garlic = 7tonnes (7,000kg)
- 1kg is sold at MK5, 000
- Therefore, 30,000kgs = MK35, 000,000.00
- This takes 5months only to harvest
- (MK10,000/kg = MK70,000,000.00)
- (MK20,000/kg USA Market = MK140,000,000.00)
Tomato farming
- One acre of Tomato=10,000 plants (though it can take even 30,000plants)
- 1 plant = 40 fruits
- 1fruit sold at MK50
- Therefore 1acre =MK20, 000,000.00
- This takes 3-5months only to harvest
Onions farming
- One acre of Onions = 120,000 plants
- 1 plant = 1 onion
- One onion sold at MK50
- Therefore 1 acre=MK6,000,000.00
Points worth taking note of
- Do our farmers realise the potential yield or potential turn overs as stated above?
- If not, why?
- The plant population per acre is lower than the recommended one due to poor agronomic practices.
- The yield per acre is lower than the potential one due to poor agronomic practices.
- Usually sale at lower prices due to over supply on the markets since they all produce at the same time.
3. What can the farmers do to improve the situation?
-Following good agricultural practices
-Practicing irrigated farming so that they have produce when other ordinally farmers don’t have
-Selling heir produce together in groups
-Crop diversification
- Livestock production
-Staggered planting
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
- God created man to live a good, healthy, full of plenty and peacefull life (Gen 2)
- God created man to work and take care of nature (Gen 2 vs 15). To say that man was assignesd work after he had sinned is not true at all (Gen 3)
- God’s desire is that families are happy and peaceful.
- The death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ saved us from sin and destruction