Interns after a water fight

The Hot Humid Lowlands (a.k.a. my garden)

Pruning Grapes

Germinating seeds in the Seedbank

Last April I moved to North Fort Myers Florida to begin an internship in tropical agriculture at Educational Concern for Hunger Organization (ECHO). During which I was put in charge of a rather large garden plot representing a garden in the Hot Humid Lowlands areas of the world. It was my responsibility to keep things growing and the unwanted growth out (a.k.a. weeds). I had about 9 hours a week slotted for gardening; the rest of my time was spent in nursery sales, as a tour docent, at an assortment of training seminars and accomplishing various seed bank duties. ECHO’s goal in the training of interns is so they will be better equipped to serve as agricultural missionary in a developing country.  My year of intense training has come to an end, rather quickly I might note, and I find myself asking what is next? What does God have in mind for me to do? As I ask these questions God has began to open the doors to several possibilities. Although I don’t have the details worked out I wanted to share with you what doors God is opening for the next step in my life.

One door He is opening is a mission in Uganda that has an agricultural component to it among other things. Another door He is opening is for a place in Sudan that is getting started on working with agriculture. I am praying for God to work out the details of how I would be involved and which ministry He would have me to be involved with. I will keep you all updated as I know more, but I wanted you know how God is working and ask you to join me in seeking Him for His continued guidance in my life. 

Hi, everyone I know I haven't updated for months and you all think I've fallen into one of the ponds and drowned, but despite your wildest imaginations I am still here. I have had a very busy few months. November I turned 30 :0 and yes I'm still in shock, but slowly adjusting to my new decade. My parents came to visit and loved every minute of their time here. I got some good work out of them too. The rest of November was a flurry of activity trying to get the farm in tip top shape for the international agriculture conference we hold annually. Conference rolled around in the first week of December and there were ~270 delegates from ~27 different countries. We managed to have the farm in good working order by then, thanks to some seasonal volunteers who came back early just to help with Conference preparation. 

The week before Conference, my Cousin go hit by a car while walking down the street in Orlando, so I went to Orlando to spend the weekend with her and her family and then came back and attended the conference, then flew home for the weekend to have Christmas with the family. I was back for a week and then went back home and to Iowa with my Sisters, Grandma and the dogs for Christmas and New Years with my Parents. I arrived back in Florida on the 4 of January, and there were two new interns, one of which is my replacement. The last three weeks have brought some very cold temperatures, 26 F one night. With the cold temperatures have come some long nights of watching for frost and checking temperatures around the farm.  We can now easily distinguish between the Trees that are more tropical than sub-tropical. Hopefully most of the damage is just burnt leaves and not completely dead trees. Maybe I will have some pictures soon for you to see the damage. 

I am thinking and praying a lot these days about what my next step should be. I have talked with a couple of places in Eastern Africa, but I don't have any solid leads yet. I appreciate your prayers as I seek God's will for the next year(s) of my life.

Heather

My Garden in December when it was still beautiful

Broccoli

Amaranth (a small grain with a large amount of nutrients)

Amaranth

Eggplant

About 300 Onions for out Market Garden, we sell them to help offset farm cost.

Tropical pumpkins

My gorgeous Tomatoes before they got Late blight:(

Cabbage

Inter-cropping cabbages with onions to help cut down on the bugs.

Green beans

My Birthday

Back row: Stitch, me, Rachael, Heidi, Phoebe, Tim, 

Front row: Marcie, Terri Lynn

Back : Tim, Marcie, Stitch, Trey

Middle: Sara, Me, Heidi, Rachael, Terri Lynn

Front: Phoebe

Me & Phoebe at my Princess Party:)

My Dad and Mom visited in November.

Mom and Cym my volunteer