Our First Commitments

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1st group of producers! 

We held our first introduction seminar for bean producers at the end of March! While we invited many farmers, about 25 attended the seminar, and 15 ended up finishing all three days! Most of these 15 were from a community to the north-west of the city of Jinotega, called San Marcos. A few others from the northern areas, El Carril and El Mojon. 

During these three days we introduce who and what we do as in the La Semilla, Jinotega team. We introduce Christian concepts of work, agriculture and creation management. I presented our introduction, Darwin the Biblical foundations. The second and third days were handled by Marcelo and Eduardo, agronomists from the Jinotepe team. 

Darwin is enjoying his teaching moment!

All of the participants were excited and had some many technical questions about planting beans, and how to treat the plagues they encounter in their bean crops. These questions were answered well by the more experience men from Jinotepe. 

When we talked about the Bible studies we offer in field, this became a subject of concern for the producers, as they stated they were from catholic traditions. We reassured them we are not trying to take them away from their churches, but go deeper into the Bible about the Christian faith in work, and its application in daily life. They thought the Bible studies were going to be a requirement for working with us, which it is not. This news allowed them to relax, and enjoy the rest of the seminar. 

To finish the seminar, we held a celebration and every farmer who had perfect attendance received a 5lb bag of seed and a ID code. This code allows the farmer to receive certain benefits, like free technical assistance from our agronomist Darwin. We scheduled an visit to see their land and complete a small survey of their household.

The very next week we visited the farmers for the survey. During our one on one time the producers, they shared with us that while they are catholic, they did not attend church. Some haven't been to the local chapel since childhood! 

In their fields, working with them on their crops and improving their planting is where we have the oppertunity to share the love of the Lord Jesus Christ with them. I am confident that once our first planting season is completed, the Holy Spirit will open their heart to Bible studies, because He wants to tell His story of love! 

The training team with Pedro, oldest in our group

Location: Jinotega, Nicaragua

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