Hope For The Island

Category: Organic Farm

  • Hope for the Island Organic Farm

    Hope for the island Organic Farm has been doing great and on a steady income since January. We are so happy with the progress of the farm. The last quarter of 2018 was difficult because our water supply broke and the repair depleted our finances.

    In March we had a closing program for our partnership with the Grade 11 & 12 High School students Organic Production course. It is a volunteer partnership we do with the local high schools nearby. This year 14 students graduated with the skills they need to apply for jobs or start their own Organic farm set up. This initiative set up by Department of Education is changing Siargao Island and saving the future food supply of our Island.

    Pastor Leo, his wife and six kids currently live full-time at the farm. They pour their heart into their work but lately pastor feels a call to pioneer a church in a town near the farm. He still wants to work at Hope for the Island farm but he and his family will move near the church when we can find another full time family or couple t take over the work at the farm.

    There are now twelve flights a day to our island. With the steady demand for fresh Organic veggies from tourists our need for farm workers is vital.

    Recently the Agri-Youth organization of Siargao asked to tour Hope Organic Farm to see what we do and prepare a collaboration for the future . The interest in farming is definitely rising! We are so excited to be a part of this new direction on the Island.

    Continue to pray for Hope Organic Farm as we seek new workers and for guidance as we move forward.

    Finances do not allow for major repairs at this time and our greenhouse is in desperate need of a new roof. We will not be able to purchase a new plastic roof covering until September. God knows this and we ask you to join us in praying for abundant harvests.

  • Prayer and Fasting

    From Jenn: 

    Hope Organic Farm Video

    So many exciting things have been happening at Hope for the Island and we are only a month into 2017!  After our recent corporate prayer and fasting we have seen walls previously impenetrable start to come down!! Personal and ministry breakthroughs do come as we seek God and obey His Word.

    Hope for the Island Organic Farm faced quite a few challenges in
    2016, so we started off the year with a farm blessing. We gathered all Hope staff; local/foreign volunteers and a Pastor friend living close by.  We slaughtered and roasted a pig, shared a meal of thanksgiving and took time to pray over specific areas of struggle and over the farm property.  We also took time to pray over the farmers and bless them. It was a very moving time for all of us and it set us on a path of expectancy and joy for all that God has in store for this year.

    Not even the typhoon that welcomed in the New Year and extensively damaged the roofing on four of our buildings, could dim the excitement we all have in our hearts!

     

    We are currently launching our new Farm website at www.hopeorganicfarm.org . Our Swiss intern Dario has been a key player in putting all the information together and getting the website ready. As the ministry continues to aspire towards the goal of sustainability, this website will help us move more value added products across the Philippines like mushrooms, dried herbs, teas, meat rubs and marinades. I am excited to contribute to the farm blog on the site as well.

    At the end of 2016 we built a new goat / sheep shelter. Thankfully the goats and sheep were safe and dry through the typhoon. The shelter was designed with a birthing room and a milking room. This addition has allowed us to start experimenting with goat milk / cheese.  We hope to be selling it soon as an additional value added product at the farm!! Please pray as we continue to move towards reaching our goal of sustaining the ministries through farm sales and food produced to feed malnourished kids.

     

  • Island Reality

    For five consecutive days now, we have been trying to cope with no power on Siargao Island. There have been five earthquakes that have hit in the evening hours. Two towers are now down after a signal #2 typhoon that hit last week.

    Nutritious2Supply boats are not running because of the weather. Food supply is Farm worker Jose 2often a day-to-day ordeal under normal circumstances and many are hungry right now. We are thankful for the produce at our Hope for the Island Organic Farm. It is helping feed us as well as others.

    With no power source, locals have turned to gas lamps. Most homes are very small and breathing the fumes is harsh and toxic in such confined quarters. Needless to say it is also a huge fire hazard.

     

     

    Ien, a young boy was burned badly when a lamp containing hot gas fell over onto his back while he was sleeping. His family brought him to Hope for the Island. We prayed for him and cleaned and treated his back. A donated stuffed husky dog we gave him briefly turned his tears to a small smile.

    A badly burned boy2Ien 2JPG2Ien
    Please pray for his full recovery and that no infection would set in. Even with so much to face, we see the fortitude of the people here and are humbled as we minister to them.

    Derek Van Ryckeghem

  • Fruit Of Our Labour

    We are experiencing the busiest time of year! This is the hottest season but also a very productive season. The farmers labor every day in the intense heat to be sure we always have enough mulch available for the beds. It differs a lot from the season we came through with torrential rains and heavy winds.

    The summer season is also a time when all of us at Hope take a turn spending a day at the farm. We pull weeds or cut grass. Visiting teams or individuals to Hope for the Island are offered and, usually take advantage of, a day at the farm to experience how it operates.

    Let using grass cutter
    Beyond the regular veggies and herbs we produce, we have introduced new varieties to Siargao Island such as swiss chard, beets, kohlrabi and turnips. Some resorts and families are now becoming accustomed to having fresh vegetables delivered weekly.


    We are excited that the farm has been showing a profit. After many years of sweat, toil and tears this is a huge breakthrough in an island that is only now being introduced to farming of this kind. Gradually as the farm earns, this will in turn allow us as a ministry to be more sustainable, while also enjoying a healthier diet.

    God has honored our hard work and prayers and has given us favor in the land. We are blessed to have such a hard working faithful farm team!

  • The Best Harvest Ever

    The Best Harvest Ever

    Since the day our farmers joined Hope for the Island we have been praying for them. For months we have been laying seeds of truth in the hearts of our farmer workers. We have been praying that they would get to know Christ and make a decision to make Him Lord and Savior. One of the six farmers, Edang was already a Christian when he joined our team. The others were originally accepted to come on as farm staff even though they were not Christians. 

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