Growing Together

Ken Winebark, the Manager of Agricultural Programmes for Mercy Ships, had high praise for the Community Development Services agricultural work in Liberia. Ken came in late August in an advisory role to see, to learn, and to encourage. During his three-week stay on the Africa Mercy, he visited the projects at Tenegar and Royesville and has seen much that has impressed him.

Ken said that both projects are succeeding “extremely well.” At Tenegar, the community manager showed Ken the fields of plantains, but also where they will plant rice soon and build a chicken coop, demonstrating vision and a plan for the future. The agriculturalists at Royesville are preparing to teach four other communities the skills they’ve acquired - skills like making compost and returning nutrients to the soil. But Ken believes the most important growth is much more human.

“The real success stories are of the people coming together,” Ken said. “It’s not the 8,750 pineapples they have planted or the 5,000 plantains. The agriculture is just a tool for us to get to the people, to help them work together under situations where they really don’t want to. Because of the war they’ve been on different sides. They may be working with someone who killed their father. The agriculture is an instrument of forgiveness in a culture where forgiveness isn’t really given. Now they are sharing their food, they are singing together.”

Ken is “very encouraged by the change in long-term focus that is really taking root.” The longer and more intense focus on fewer areas is proving sustainable and spreadable. Mercy Ships workers Jean-Claude Mouditou of Congo and Marcel Eveleens of the Netherlands oversee the projects at Royesville and Tenegar, respectively.