Harvest in Malawi

Southern England has experienced a drought in the last few months, so for some farmers the harvest celebrations may be a little muted this year, with lower crop yields and less profit. However, in our dynamic 21st century economy no one is going hungry as a result - food prices are the same and the only difficulties we experience are a dried-up lawn and having to wash the car with a bucket instead of a hosepipe. Our experience in Malawi over the last three and a half years has been very different - the rain, which only falls for roughly four months in a good year, has a critical effect on the main maize harvest, on staple food prices, and on the ability of rural households to feed themselves through to the next harvest. After a disastrously poor harvest the previous year, Malawi had a good harvest in 2006, with consistent rain throughout the growing season. Our organisation had been part of a country-wide relief operation, which at its peak was supplying emergency food aid to almost 5 million people, but with the good harvest we were able to stop food distributions and re-focus on our development projects, in particular helping the poorest people to adopt strategies that will lift them out of poverty and avoid them needing hand-outs in the future.

Working together with the church gives another perspective on development - we are able to tell people that poverty is not their fate, or punishment from some unseen deity. We want people to know that God loves them, and we try to bring that good news in the most practical ways we can - clean water, sanitation, seeds, tools and training, as well as the most precious gift - hope.

Amazon Hope 2 across the Atlantic.
God is there, even through the unexpected

Only a few weeks before Easter Monday, James was unexpectedly asked to be the Master (or Captain) of Amazon Hope 2, a 22 metre ex-diving vessel.

In February this year he was approached by Vinetrust to join the voluntary crew of Amazon Hope 2 to sail over 11,000 miles via the United States and West Indies, to Iquitos, Peru to relieve Amazon Hope (a similar ship) for a 5 year overhaul and medical facility upgrade.

Both ships will work three weeks per month delivering a quarterly health service for up to 100,000 people on the Peruvian Amazon and its tributaries - all villages that have little or no road access.

Having had a few manic weeks preparing the ship, crew and navigational plans whilst still working full-time, we took our son, James at the Easter weekend, to Barrow-in-Furness so he could join Amazon Hope 2.

When as parents, we stepped on the ship; we soon got the picture that this voyage was risky. This vessel was small compared to the Atlantic! And with the door to the living quarters and bridge only a couple of feet above the waterline we were pleased that all doors had watertight seals.

Seven days after leaving Barrow we started to get 12 hourly situation reports from James giving the position of Amazon Hope 2 but were unable to have direct contact.

After leaving the Azores James managed to get the email system working and their next stop was Bermuda. Part of his report follows "We are working 12 hours a day with a '6 on 6 off' watch plan. The leg down to the Azores was fairly 'lumpy' with, at times high swells, which we seemed to find the bottom of quite well!"

Then came an unexpected requirement from the US, all crew had to have Visas (not the plastic sort either!). Thankfully with some help from a church in Bermuda and God's overseeing hands this particular requirement was resolved. The next challenge came with regard to insurance at Pier 17 in New York - again prayers were answered.

En route though they were able to see some wildlife and were entertained by whales, dolphins and a variety of sea birds playing round the vessel.

Another quote serves to emphasise the immensity of the challenge "each of us take turns at the helm for an hour at a time as steering is quite a tiring chore especially in heavy weather". The ship has no automatic pilot and had to be steered manually for the entire 11,000 miles!

By 15th May they were settled in New York for public viewing and the launch of Vinetrust in the US. The next stops were Philadelphia, then Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Trinidad, Macapa, Manaus, Tabatinga and Iquitos. James and the chief engineer were the only consistent crew. For the Amazon leg they had a TV crew on board.

They arrived in Iquitos on 7th July. James then had a few tasks to complete: arrange for Amazon Hope 2 to have repairs; modifications and repaint done; write a navigational and engineering training manual for the Peruvian crew and get it translated into Spanish; train the crew; prepare Amazon Hope 2 for it's first two week visit to villages along the Amazon; check the new crew can resolve navigational and engineering issues; and, set up the refit for Amazon Hope.

So we look forward to welcoming James home and hearing about all the things that he didn't tell us about! Because for five risky months all we have been able to do is email and occasionally speak to James on the telephone, we have learned that God provides peace as we put our trust in Him. We know for James this trip has been extremely challenging and because of his faith in God, James has been given Godly wisdom and power as he has faced every obstacle.

"For the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." - Proverbs 2