01Feb 2017 by Nigel Ring

Pathways Care Farm

Agriculture, Farming, News, Poor
I have not met many alpacas – in fact I had not met any before I met Boris. But he was a good representative of his species and quickly made me feel at home. I was visiting Pathways Care Farm in Lowestoft, UK, founded by Geoff Stevens. I came to know Geoff when he was exploring an initiative within the Relational Mission sphere of Newfrontiers, Pathways from Poverty, now led by Julia Miller. Geoff knew nothing about farming when the opportunity arose to start a care farm but he and his team have achieved an astonishing amount in just two years. Walking around the farm with him I found he is bubbling with ideas – ‘we’re going to put a bird watching hide here’, ‘we will create an arts and crafts room…
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20May 2012 by Nigel Ring

Foundations for Farming in India

Agriculture, Foundations for Farming, India, News, Poor
In March 2010 Mark Devaraj travelled from India to Zimbabwe to be trained in Foundations for Farming. He already had an agricultural qualification and the vision of the leaders in India was to have a ‘champion' who could train others as a means of blessing communities and opening them up for the gospel. Recently Mark had a visit from the originator and visionary of Foundations for Farming, Brian Oldreive. Mark has given me an update. The last 12 months After returning from Zimbabwe a year ago, I immediately planted a series of well-watered gardens to try growing maize using Foundations for Farming methods to see how it worked in our soil and climate. The results were really encouraging, and I went on to plant a larger area of about an…
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29Sep 2010 by Nigel Ring

LoveZim Prayer Day

Agriculture, News, Poor, Zimbabwe
A Global Day of Prayer I believe that September 26th will prove to have been a significant day in the life and rebuilding of Zimbabwe. Thousands gathered in Zimbabwe in many locations across the nation to pray and commit themselves to becoming involved in the church-initiated programme ‘Trumpet Call' to feed the nation through Foundations for Farming over the next year. There was prayer and repentance among the church leaders from across the streams and denominations. In Bulawayo over 400 pastors stood together on the platform to identify with this initiative. Around the world there was an outpouring of prayer as well. Reports have already been received from nations in many time zones - Canada, South Africa, Australia, France, the UK, Mauritius and USA. In our own church, one of…
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26Jun 2010 by Nigel Ring

Country report – Visit to Kenya pt 3. Foundations for Farming

Agriculture, Good Practice, Kenya, News, Poor, To the Nations, Zimbabwe
From Zimbabwe to Kenya In March I attended the 6-monthly Foundations for Farming Champions Conference in Zimbabwe. It was a great pleasure to meet two men from Kenya. One, Ashford, I knew from a previous visit to his country when I accompanied him on a medical visit to an unreached people group in Tharaka. He is an Ophthalmologist (eye specialist) so I was surprised to find him attending a Farming Conference! However, I learnt that he had been brought up in a farming environment and was keen to do well. I had not met his colleague before, Peter. He works for the ministry of Agriculture in Kenya as an agricultural advisor. For various reasons I wondered how they would get on in Zimbabwe at the Conference. Why would an ophthalmologist…
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09Apr 2010 by Nigel Ring

Report on Zimbabwe pt 2 – Rural Poverty

Agriculture, Cross-culture, International, News, Poor, To the Nations, Zimbabwe
Following my time in the Harare area a 4 hour drive to Bulawayo took me to the farm of Peter Cunningham, successful ostrich farmer and visionary, who seeks to help empower the poor by ‘out-sourcing’ the husbandry of young ostriches to village people and then buying them back for processing. I was also amazed to hear of some of the ways in which he and his workers have been literally protected by angels from some opposition in recent years. What a mighty God we serve! Kezi On the Sunday I visited Crossroads church in Kezi, a vibrant energetic church meeting in a tent (recently decimated by storms) and ably led by Stephen Manhanga. Over a hundred people attended (some having been unable to do so as they had to stay…
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30Mar 2010 by Nigel Ring

Report on visit to Zimbabwe pt 1

Agriculture, Ministry Report, News, Poor, Zimbabwe
A week in Harare Everybody says ‘what good can come out of Zimbabwe?’ I say ‘My glory, My glory will come on the dry bones that laid slain. I have breathed My life into a mighty army of God, the bride of Christ. Like a city on a hill, Your light so shines. ‘And My glory shall be seen in the whole earth as the waters cover the sea. And the whole world will look to this nation and they will believe’. These stirring words were sung at an evening of prophetic singing led by Lou Huck at the Champions Conference in Harare in early March. They epitomise the spirit of hope and expectation in the church at this time. All recognise that the church has a significant role to…
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