Heifer Update for Jan. 4th

This month the GPS Program will feature the Pig. Having been raised on a farm, I am quite familiar with pigs. We raised about 200 a year, and we ate a lot of chops, hams and bacon. Just as the recipients of our donations will. The average sow can provide a family with up to 16 piglets a year.

Sun Sitaol of Cambodia was hesitant when Heifer offered him 3 piglets but also told him he would have to pass three female offspring on. It took a long time to convince him. He was afraid the project would fail and he would have to cover the cost.

But, his wife Rith Chantha, knew she could make a better life for her husband and three sons. Through their hard work they yielded enough money to move from a tiny shack made of reeds to a handsome new home.

Now she happily shares the secrets of their success with other Heifer participants, and also teaches women how to read and write.

Maybe, our first donation of a Pig this Month will create a story like the one above.

Heifer Update for Jan. 11th

What Heifer animal do you think of when I say BACON? It’s the PIG. But pigs are useful for more than just making bacon. Because of their foraging abilities and excellent sense of smell, they are used to find truffles in many European countries. Even their bristly hair is used to make brushes.

Some cultures don’t eat pork, but pigs are still among the world’s most popular animals. They are highly efficient meat producers, have a long lifespan (10-15 years), low maintenance, don’t need much land, and can thrive on crop and garden scraps. Their body-building protein meat is a great supplement to a rice or bean diet, and they supply money for income.

To date, in the “GPS” Program, we have donated two pigs. It is because of you, that those families’ children will no longer have to worry where they will get their next meal. And it is because of you, that we can achieve a future free from hunger and poverty.

Thank you for your support.

Heifer Update for Jan. 18th

This is Jit Kumari Yogi from Nepal. She is a widow and single mother who made it through unthinkable tragedy and poverty to become a thriving entrepreneur and respected community leader. Shunned and burdened by poverty, she knew she must do something to create a better future for her family. With Heifer, she rebuilt her life step by step and emerged as a thriving entrepreneur who generously shares her wealth and is a leader in her cooperative.

Stories like this are common place among Heifer recipients. They are the result of our sharing our gifts with them.  In Proverbs 14:31 we read “whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their maker.  But whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

Heifer Update for Jan. 25th

Today we travel to our southern neighbor, Mexico. That is where Modesta Santiago Hernandez and Martin Bautista Rodriguez and their children live. Their village was facing a terrible drought, the coffee beans they had planted failed. They were desperate, and struggling to feed the family, often it was only beans. Then they received a pregnant sow, and with Heifers training of how to properly feed and care for pigs, they transformed their lives. Their sow delivered eight piglets. After “Passing The Gift” they sold some of the pigs to buy chickens. Next they paid the children’s school fees. Martin and Modesta no longer worry about where the next meal is coming from, and they can hope for the future.

The Gift of a Pig and training in it’s care will help nourish a hungry family and help them enjoy their time together with a new sense of hope – PRAISE GOD!

Heifer Update for Jan 31st

Tomorrow and the rest of February the focus of the “GPS” Program is on Sheep. Did you know that one sheep can produce 30 pounds of wool a year? And, one pound of wool can make 10 miles of yarn. Wool – warm in winter, cool in summer, waterproof and durable – wool is a valuable product the world over. The Gift of Sheep and training in their care is a very thoughtful way to share the warmth and coolness of any season.

Sheep often give birth to twins or triplets, so the Gift of a Sheep will impact many families for years to come.

There are hundreds of breeds of sheep, but not all of them produce wool. Sheep breeds that aren’t shorn but grown for meat and milk are called “Hair Sheep.” (confusing?)

Jesus is pictured many times with sheep. I believe we have His blessing as we give sheep to the poor and hungry.