Phil's ZMS Newsletter - June 2008

FGW Teacher’s!

With Matthew (left) and Bilison after a teaching session with the students. In all we taught for nine hours during June going through the scriptural and apostolic foundations of 'Farming God's Way'.

We also held a one day session on the basics of FGW with 32 Agricultural Field Officers who cover the whole of the Petauke District. This was organised with the help of the District Agricultural Officer (DACO).

The price of fertiliser has nearly doubled this year so we need to look for ways to reduce the inputs, the cost of which are prohibitive to most rural farmers. This year we need to do trials replacing the base dressing fertiliser with easily obtainable alternatives such as manure, compost, sunflower cake and even soil from termite mounds which is more nutritious than the normal soils.

New Uniforms!

Recently we received the new student uniforms of black trousers and blue shirt with Covenant College embroidered into the top pocket. These have been kindly donated by friends in South Africa and are greatly appreciated by all the students. They look very smart!

Maize

The maize harvest is now shelled and in storage. The silo is full with nearly 9 tons and we have a further 2 tons in bags in the farm store. This is from 2.25 hectares so averaging around 5 tons per hectare. The average yield in Zambia from rural farms is 0.5 tons per ha.

Coffee Tasting

In November 2006 we planted 50 coffee plants on Covenant College Farm. They've grown well having had two rain seasons and been irrigated during the dry season. We've just harvested the first fruits, from which you take out the beans. These are then dried in the sun, the shells then removed to leave the dry coffee bean. I roasted these in an oven for 30 minutes and then pounded them down into a nice powder. The other Saturday afternoon we enjoyed our first coffee tasting session.

Zwemstra Family

Early this year the College was blessed with the arrival of Heinrich and Jacomien Zemstra and their two children Cobus and Nelri. Heinrich is assistant lecturer in Theology and Jacomine now does the College bookkeeping and gives Greek lessons to the senior students. The two children have settled well into life in the bush and are great fun to have around and have made friends quickly with the local children. Their house has been started and hopefully they will be able to move in later this year.

Lake Malawi

Early this month I went over the border into Malawi for the first time. I managed to buy Chichewa Bibles in Lilongwe and have two nights resting by Lake Malawi.

PRAYER POINTS

• Give thanks for the abundant harvest.
• Give thanks for the Zemstra family and pray they will continue to feel at home at CC.
• Pray that the FGW teaching will be accepted and taken up by those that have been taught.

Thank you for your continued support.

Love Phil