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On December 4, Western Yearly Meeting is sending Bob and Hope Carter (medical missionaries serving in Africa for over thirty years), Shawn and Katrina McConaughey (Western Yearly Meeting General Superintendent, and former Friends United Meeting Field Staff), along with Michael Sherman (FUM Coordinator of North American and Caribbean Ministries) to Belize for the explicit purpose of seeing and being seen. This fall, FUM’s North American Ministries has offered a book study of David Brooks’ book, How to Know a Person; The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. Brooks writes in the opening chapter of his book, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen—to accurately know another person and to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.” Oscar and Miriam Mmbali, FUM Field Staff, are working and living in Belize with their daughter, Noa. It can be lovely living and working in a country which is not your own. It can also be lonely living and working in a country which is not your own.
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We have all experienced those sleepless nights. We lay quietly while others sleep. We twist around with one foot tangled in the covers. We hear our heartbeat as we lay face up and then face down on the wadded pillow. We worry about our health, our children and grandchildren, our finances, our jobs, and our careers, what will we have for breakfast, and what kind of rush will tomorrow bring? Anxiety abounds in our lives. Don’t get me wrong. For many, there will be a true need for professional help or medication. I strongly advocate for seeking professional help if it's needed. For many of us, the anxious nerves can be calmed by just “counting our blessings.” That’s right! Our peace can be increased and decreased through our gratitude or lack thereof.
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Once again we thank God for Ambwere Sustainability Farm’s second season, which began with planting in March, 2024, and finalized with harvesting in November. This was another season where we again focused on planting commercial maize on the 800 acres of arable land. For this season, we started harvesting on 7 October 2024, which allowed us to carry out harvesting while the maize had a low moisture percentage—unlike last season where we started harvesting a month early, when the moisture content was quite high. We used one combine harvester for this harvesting season and took six weeks to complete harvesting. With less machinery, we were able to do good monitoring and reduce the wastage that we experienced in season one. As part of the harvesting phase, we also utilized human labor to aid in collection of the leftover maize on the farm. This was really ideal so as to maximize our output for season two.The biggest challenge we had was inadequate security, since we did not employ the services of the Kenya Police Reservists like we did last season. This was because of their disarmament by the government following cases of gun violence within the region. However, we were fortunate to utilize the services of the Kenya Administration Police, who were provided to us by the police service. This 2024 season we realized an output of 12,600 bags of wet maize, out of which forty bags were left at the farm to help with food for the next season, and the rest transported to the silos for drying and storage. Last season, we realized 15,000 bags post-harvest, but lost a good number of bags as a result of moisture loss and broken maize. This season we have reduced the moisture loss by more than 30% and controlled the harvesting, which saved us having broken maize. We realized that machinery had contributed to a good amount of the broken maize percentage last season.
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A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, “Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will say to the mountains,’Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!'”
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When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. – John 13:12-17
Read MoreLeonita Mugofwa will be presenting the evening service, entitled “Joyfully Believing,” at the USFWI/QMI 45th Triennial Conference this July. In anticipation, Minga Claggett-Borne sent us this story about Leonita’s work that she wrote several years ago. She interviewed Leonita in 2012.—ed.
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Throughout our history, the people known as Friends (or Quakers) keep rediscovering an essential and enduring truth: There is one who speaks to our most basic needs and most significant hopes—Christ Jesus the Lord. Both individually and communally, we are learning to know and follow the Voice that guides us in the way we should go. Together, we seek to understand and obey that truth which sets us free. As a people, we share in the experience of that powerful life which makes all things new. Maybe you are searching for an authentic and transforming faith and community to call home—if so, come in and join us as we seek to know and follow Christ.
Friends United Meeting commits itself to energize and equip Friends through the power of the Holy Spirit to gather people into fellowships where Jesus Christ is known, loved, and obeyed as Teacher and Lord.
