The profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.
Ecclesiastics 5:9
ELI continues to highlight stories that celebrate ten years of God’s amazing grace on our ministry. This past April, two very special projects began thanks to our generous donors. With perseverance, hard work and much prayer, these “seedling” projects are now bearing much fruit! We know you will rejoice with us as you read and remember these small beginnings now deserving a celebration.
ZAMBIA - What a Difference a Tractor Makes
Subsistence farming has been the way of life for generations of Susu farmers. Cultivating and planting small plots of land by hand or with a cattle drawn plow is hard work. Often the harvest is barely sufficient to feed a family, with little to nothing left to spend for other necessities like clothes or a child’s school fees.
When ELI purchased land near the new Susu Community Library, we knew that modern farm tools would be required in order to transform the African bush into fertile fields that would produce large and diversified crops. The Plow for Plenty campaign was fully funded in April 2022, and the Susu community watched and cheered as the new tractor rolled to a stop in front of the library. In one year, the Susu farmers have planted maize, sunflowers and potatoes, with additional land being cleared for the expanding banana plantation. With such a variety of crops, there will be harvests in different seasons that will eventually provide a year round financial support for the library and various outreach programs.
Plow for Plenty has been a huge success and definitely deserves celebrating.
MALAWI - Dorothy’s Fantastic Year
Dorothy’s very first day of school was April 29, 2022. This young girl was born with deafness and unable to speak. She had never left her village or ridden in a car. But now, a miracle; Dorothy and her mother Estery were both being welcomed into a school for the deaf in the capital city of Lilongwe – a forty minute car drive from their village.
One year later, the progress report is nothing short of amazing. Dorothy has learned how to communicate with sign language, how to write in both English and Chichewa, and to understand numbers and symbols. She enjoys learning crafts when the EL mobile library visits her village, as well as looking at books, games and puzzles. Dorothy now helps other children work puzzles and joins them as they play ball games.
Estery is also acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to communicate with with her daughter and supervise the “homework” left behind by the EL team. Recently, Jacob (EL Malawi director) introduced several Dima village girls to Dorothy. The girls had heard about Dorothy (a story circulating through many villages), but had never met her. Jacob reports that they were completely astonished as they watched Dorothy draw and complete a puzzle, let alone use sign language. Jacob also reports that the girls promised to work just as hard as Dorothy and do better in their studies! Applause please!
Dorothy still needs many years of schooling to just to catch up. Your generous designated gift would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps one day, we’ll all celebrate Dorothy’s high school graduation and then her college commencement and then….?
Mr. Limiton in Malawi
Since the very beginning of the Malawi mobile library program, Mr. Limiton has served as the EL book monitor in Mphonde village. He keeps careful records in a notebook of all the borrowed books and makes sure they are returned for others to use. Serving as a village book monitor is a tremendous responsibility by itself, but Mr. Limiton has a very caring heart for the children. His desire for the village is to develop a culture of reading so the children can acquire knowledge needed for life beyond the village. The local schools have very few resources and often children are not encouraged to attend. So he holds classes to teach the English alphabet, colors, shapes – basic learning skills. His story time draws children of all ages. In addition to the books, the EL team leaves work sheets and a few other resources. When “class” is in session, Mr. Limiton brings out his wooden chairs and the children do their best. He has a blackboard and children enjoy writing their letters and numbers, however, a chair is used for a table, so only one child can work at a time. A folding table with chairs would make learning so much easier and effective.
Please consider funding a folding table and chairs for Mr. Limiton’s children.
$300
In January, the new campaign, Let's Go For Mangoes was launched. The exciting news is, only $1,000 is needed to fully fund the purchase of the mango grove in Susu, Zambia. Please prayerfully consider contributing a gift to the Let's Go For Mangoes campaign. Another small beginning to a very big vision.
ZAMBIA - Road to Susu
Four years ago, the ELI US team traveled to Zambia to dedicate the site of the future Susu Community Library. It was a day to be remembered; the team was privileged to be in attendance. At the dedication ceremony, the officiating pastor knelt on the ground to commit this land and future library to the glory of God. Then everyone “walked the land” and prayed together for what God would do. Within a year the library was constructed and additional land was purchased, cultivated, and planted. The team planned to return and officially open the new library, but COVID closed down the world and the team could not travel. Yet, our African team kept working, and we all kept praying, waiting for the journey back to Susu.
This July we will return to Susu to officially dedicate the Susu Community Library. In the last four years, the library and the outreach programs have impacted thousands of lives. You have been a significant part of that journey and we can’t wait to celebrate with you. You will rejoice when you read the stories and see the pictures of what has been accomplished, we are so grateful for your partnership and give glory to God.
The US ELI team will also travel to Malawi to visit the three villages of Dima, Chimutu, and Mphonde to extend your love and greetings.
Please be praying for this amazing trip as the US and African teams come together to celebrate the goodness of God.
Please be praying for wisdom and God's leading as we together discuss the next steps for Elizabeth's Library.
Thanks for sharing this journey with us.
Please consider being a monthly partner to support Elizabeth’s Library International as we plan ahead. Designated and one time gifts are also much appreciated, thank you!