What's the plan? March 20, 2023

It is one month out from my trip to visit Mama's Farm in Kenya, Africa. As I mentioned in previous posts, this is a family that I have been close to for many years. They have loved me through some very difficult times in my work overseas. And they have stood by me in support as I built my trainings and development business. At the end of my work last summer, I traveled from the city of Mombasa to the far boundaries of Migori to visit Mama and the family. The last time I visited, the farm was flourishing and the family was pouring out to their community. They had acres of farm land, many farm animals, and they even had a newborn calf that they named after me and my friend. (This is considered an honor. ;)  So, you can imagine my surprise when I came around the corner and instead of a prospering farm, I saw empty grassland and two tied up goats.

As I spoke with Mama, and she shared of the hardships that hit their family. Each animal was sold one by one to help meet immediate needs until all that was left was the scroungy guard pup and the two goats. It broke my heart that they had suffered so much and that I never knew. This is a prideful family. They are strong, willful, and never ask for handouts. They just kept trying to make it work. So, before I left, I sat with the head son, Brandi, and we talked. 

I asked him to dream. I asked him what he would do to support his family if he was given the opportunity. He talked about building the family buisiness to help, not only his family, but his village. He talked about the hopes he had in the next generation and how he wanted to create something different for his daughter. Most importantly, he talked about chickens. I have never heard a man talk so passionately about two legged feather balls. This man knew his chickens. Brandi explained that the chicken business was the most sustainable and secure source of income that a Kenyan farm could have. He talked numbers and long term plans. At the end of our talk I thanked him for sharing his heart and I asked him to pray. I requested that we keep our talks between the two of us so as to not create false hope or expectations. 

Fast forward to my return to the states. I launched right into a new career as a Kindergarten teacher at an amazing school here in my home city of Pensacola, FL. I am a firm believer in living in the present and giving your all to what is right in front of you. So, I continued in prayer over the dreams shared by this family, but it wasn't until the fall that I started digging and brainstorming options. What if I we really could make a turnaround. 

I reached out the Brandi and asked him to give me a budget for what would be needed to start a small chicken farm. The numbers were quite higher than I expected. However, his breakdown showed detail and deep thought. He considered everything from the cost of the chicks and incubators to the cheetah proof coop. He calculated labor, travel, 6 month growth, and emergencies. I got off the phone and started to consider the cost. I was on the same page with him. If we were going to do this, it has to be failproof and stand the surest chance of success. It had to be a long term plan that generations could benefit from. 

So, this is plan. This summer, I will be working with Mama Brandy’s Farm in Kenya, Africa. This farm has fallen on hard times, yet they still continue to give. The community knows that “Mama’s” door is always open whether it is for medicine and first aid, help with school fees, or a hot meal on an empty stomach. The family has requested assistance in creating a more profitable business model so that they can do even more for their community. The first step is to generate sustainable revenue. So, we will build a coup. This coup will be extremely secure and will host at east 200 chickens. The goal is to start by filling it with at least 100 chicks. This coup will be the turning point for Mama's Farm. 

After the coup has been built, I will get the awesome opportunity to walk alongside this family as their farm grows. We will work together to build something that will last for many generations to come. This is about much more than a profitable farm. This is about investing in the heart of a community. This is about accessible medicine, paid school fees, and warm meals that give hope. We are going to give a little to support to a family who is giving their all.