And another inspiration:

Our team had the joy of spending three days with 17 Hope Companions at the Bio-Intensive Agricultural Training Center.  The information they leaned about food crop production is invaluable, as they all must grow their own food. When they return to their homes, not only do they start to utilize new knowledge and skills, they also teach many other orphans what they have learned.  These young people lift us up and inspire us all.  At first glance one would never know that these young people are orphaned and left with the responsibility of caring for their younger siblings.  They are in an orphan empowerment program that, through basic instruction and assistance in health and hygiene, housing security, food security, business development, and faith, makes their families self-sustaining in 2-3 years.  Families of orphans work together in groups of about 15 families to cooperatively support one another.  Currently there are about 96 working groups in the Maua area.  Twenty-two of those will be graduating from the program this year.  What we do in taking a few selected leaders for training is just a very small part of a very huge and impactful program.  The social workers of ZOE and the orphans they work with inspire us. (picture of orphans receiving their certificate for the training they completed at the Bio-Intensive Farm)