Sponsor a Village Spotlight

The Floresta Sponsor A Village program is the key to Floresta¹s new strategic plan. In over 100 villages we have seen the exciting transformation that takes place when a community works with Floresta. However, it is often a rocky road. In the beginning villagers feel helpless and expect free handouts. With our coaching they learn how they can become agents of their own transformation and how to take care of their land. Gradually they gain self-confidence. They grow in their faith. They discover the talents that God has given them. Finally, Floresta is able to move on, leaving the people in a position to continue the change and growth on their own. By becoming a village sponsor, you can be a witness and participant in this remarkable transformation, as a community grows through the work of Floresta and the love of Jesus. You will become personally involved with a particular community. Up to ten sponsors per village will help to provide loans, training and empowerment through monthly gifts of at least $30. Sponsors will be provided with photos and regular updates on how the members of their community are growing through the Floresta program. You will be invited to pray for the particular needs of their village and perhaps even to visit. The village of Woje in Haiti is one of the newest villages where Floresta works. It takes several hours over rough dirt roads for our staff to visit. The villagers struggle with their remoteness and with lack of access to water. As a brand new community in the program, they have a long way to go. When we were there earlier this year, several of the women told us how little they had and how discouraged they felt. A voodoo priest sat on the edge of the meeting and begged money from the Floresta staff. Currently the Floresta Haiti team is training Woje to form a credit cooperative, to plant trees, to practice soil conservation and to improve their crop yields. Fifty-three farmers, about evenly divided between men and women, are members of the fledgling cooperative. Once their cooperative is functional, has elected officers, and set up its bylaws, Floresta will help them to make small business loans, and grow their economy. The field chaplain is discipling their leaders, and ministering to the group members. Sponsors who commit to the ongoing growth of communities like Woje change these villages forever! To sponsor Woje, or any other village, return the enclosed postage-paid response form.