Trip to Nigeria Connects with Peacebuilding Efforts, Food Crisis Needs

Jennifer Hosler and I recently traveled to Nigeria to consult, connect with, and support the development and peacebuilding work of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Jennifer traveled to Nigeria in her role as a member of the advisory committee of the Church of the Brethren’s Global Food Initiative. In this role, she met with EYN leaders and members who had traveled to Ghana in September 2016, together with Jeff Boshart (Global Food Initiative director) to learn about soybean projects.

Global Food Initiative Supports Medical Training for Brethren in DR, Cultural/Garden Exchanges

The Global Food Initiative (formerly the Global Food Crisis Fund) issued a grant of $660 for representatives of Iglesia de los Hermanos (the Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic) to travel to Santiago, DR, for a week of training with Medical Ambassadors International. Other recent grants support cultural/garden exchanges partnering indigenous communities in Lybrook, N.M., and Circle, Alaska.

Gardening Project Continues to Enrich Nutrition for Alaskan Communities

This was our tenth summer of traveling to Alaska to encourage, teach, and promote vegetable gardening. Bill went to Circle at the beginning of April, six weeks earlier than the usual mid-May arrival, hoping to make this year the most beneficial and successful yet.

Brethren Sponsor Capacity-Building Conference for Batwa from Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo

Working through a nascent Brethren church in the region, the Church of the Brethren sponsored a capacity-building conference to bring Batwa together from Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The following is excerpted from a report by Dr. David Niyonzima, detailing the conference and some of the learnings gained from the interaction:

Funding is Made Available for Hosting ‘12 Baskets and a Goat,’ Other Grants

New funding has been made available for congregations to host performances of the original play by Ted and Co. Theaterworks that benefits Heifer International, called “12 Baskets and a Goat.” The total allocation of $10,000 comes jointly from the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) and the Office of the General Secretary.

Community Gardeners Converge in Wisconsin to Discuss Their Work

Earlier this month, gardeners converged on Wisconsin from many corners of the country to discuss their work and dream about the next phase of the Going to the Garden initiative. Gardeners hailed from New Mexico, Alaska, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C.

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