All you ever wanted to know about cows!

Well, we made it through the Christmas season when we last wrote about the farm in Viru, Peru. Since that time, we have had 19 births, 10 of which were future milk producers. Our herd now stands at 153 total cows, 83 of which are producing milk for sale to our customer, Gloria Dairy in Trujillo. Generally, a dairy herd that is growing will have about 50% producers, while the rest are dry between births or in the period before they give birth to their first calf and therefore begin their “career” as a milker.

There is some interesting data about the life of a cow, which will also explain some of the needs for working capital for a growing dairy. After a female calf is born, it does nothing but hang around our farm and eat for the first sixteen months (whereas her male counterpart goes off to live and grow somewhere else). Then, at sixteen months, she is impregnated and delivers her first calf after a nine month gestation period. Therefore, her first productivity begins at twenty-five months and she begins “earning her keep.” She then produces milk for approximately ten months. But, in the meantime, three months after delivering her first little “eater,” she is impregnated again and thus will have another calf about twelve months after her first. This goes on for about seven pregnancies and then she will be at a point where she costs more to keep than she produces, and off she goes to retired milker-land. But after the first twenty-five months, she will be producing milk ten of every twelve months.

Our dairy buildings and equipment and the first lot of cows (48 in total) in Viru was provided by a very generous family foundation about two years ago. Subsequent to that, several churches and organizations have provided another 38 pregnant cows. Those gifts, coupled with births of female calves bring us to where we are today.

We have had few surprises but one which stands out is how much working capital it takes to develop a dairy from inception to maturity. We expect that we will have sufficient land to farm a herd of 420 cows. But, to get to that point, it takes a lot of food and it will take more working capital for additional buildings and equipment, probably in early 2012. In the meantime we GREATLY APPRECIATE any financial assistance we can get from the outside to operate the dairy. Our website has a facility for making an on-line donation for the dairy operations as well as contributions for purchasing a pregnant cow. But, let me tell you a little secret (a secret on an Internet site??), we are much more interested in help in the operations area and smaller donations are available there (it takes $2,500+ to purchase a pregnant cow and care for her until she becomes a producer). So, as you rush to the donation page, please be assured that we appreciate everything you can do and especially in the area of dairy operations.

Next time, I hope to have some information about new businesses with new partners on the farm. We have a lot of space and facilities and we are constantly looking for new ventures.

Some simple souls.......

Someday some simple soul will pick up the Bible, read it, believe it, and put the rest of us to shame!” I read that quote by Leonard Ravenhill, an English preacher, author and revivalist in the 60’s and 70’s, years ago. I have applied it to very few people over the years. At our Big Sisters meeting on February 5th I applied that quote to our General Manager in Trujillo, Mike Bukta. I was also thinking about his wife Danell as well.

When I first met Mike and Danell I saw their heart for Peru and their desire to learn the language. John had told me Mike was a hockey player, and I was not disappointed. He had the look! I soon learned that he was also a Teddy Bear!

When John asked the board to approve Mike as the General Manager of the mission, I wrote John that I liked Mike but did not know that much about his leadership skills. John assured us that he saw something in Mike that caused him to believe that Mike would be effective in the new role.

John surely saw something that is sometimes hard to describe. Mike is street smart and is able to size-up people and situations. It is hard to pull something over on him. He has the uncanny ability to call a situation like he sees it, often sighting Scripture or pointing to Jesus as his authority. He just calls it straight forward, fair, without embellishment. He calls others to accountability. Sometimes it is disarming, but, my, is it refreshing! And because of that the people who work with him trust him, because he is also able to demonstrate and dispense genuine care and grace. These are the qualities that have served him well these past few months. I can’t say enough about how he has gotten PNHI on track - and we are seeing immediate results.

When John talks about Danell, he talks about her evangelistic heart. She leads people to Jesus on a weekly basis and teaches others how to do it and to have a passion to do it. She is heart and soul involved in the mission, meeting with people, training, teaching, out in the barrios. I love her enthusiasm and her heart.

And then there is Skylar and Nicole, the Bukta girls. God bless them for their heart for the work. Nicole is the youngest and so infectious. Last time I was there I had a word to describe her - “impetuous!” Of course she wanted to know what that meant. I asked her to look it up. Skylar wanted to know what my word was for her. “Sassy” is the word - not in the negative way, but in a positive, spunky way. They are so flexible and so involved. I love them.

The Bukta family, humble, everyday, and uncomplicated, are leading in God’s work in Trujillo, and causing the rest of us to rejoice in their effectiveness. I can hardly wait to get back there to spend time with them. Every time you think of PNHI and Trujillo pray for them - that God would give them health and joy in their journey.

Meet Chuck Norris

In past months it has been a real pleasure to share with you the reasons why we are so passionate about what is going on in Trujillo. This month is no exception.

I would like to introduce you to a young man named Chuck Norris, he is 23 years old and has been part of our project from the beginning about 4 years ago. He has four sisters and 3 brothers. Six of his siblings live with him and his parents, so as you can imagine they have a full house! He started helping out the directors in his barrio, which is Alto Trujillo 3B. He went though the Peace Treaty (which is our evangelistic tool) and wanted to be a disciple of Christ. He became the youth leader and when the opportunity arrived he qualified for our Hope 4 Kids scholarship program. We were encouraged by Chuck and his leadership skills. Even though he was working and going to school he still found time to build up the youth program in his barrio. He started volunteering more of his time helping out one of our directors that was training different youth leaders in 15 other barrios. We’ve seen such a huge change in this young man that he now works part time with Project New Hope, he is in charge of training youth leaders. He has been going to an institute to finish his education in computers; he has a year and a half left. He’s come a long way from where he was but he is still reminded at times. His younger sister got pregnant by her boyfriend (who is a gang member) he wanted her to abort the baby and when she didn’t agree to it he punched her in the stomach. Chuck went to talk to him but it ended up where Chuck was beaten up by him and his friends. His sister did not lose the baby. Chuck was the first one to become a believer in his family, his mom and two of his sisters are going to a house church in their barrio. I look at Chuck’s life and see hope, hope for all the people that we are working with and when we feel discouraged we need to think of success stories like this one. Please keep Chuck and his family in your prayers!

God Bless!
Mike and Dani

A Note from John Hendee!

A Note from John Hendee!

How do you say thanks?

I was reflecting this past week on the number of people who help make it possible for us to be working in Trujillo, Peru.

First there is our Board. They are a group of people committed to missions not only in Peru but around the world. Between them they are also involved in projects in Africa, Europe, Russia, 10-40 window, South America, Central America, and more. They give their time and energy to what we are doing. They give of their wisdom and years of experience. We are so grateful for them.

Then there are the Big Sisters churches. These are the churches that are the major supporters for what is going on in Peru. They fund that part of the work. There are 13 of them and they give from $1000 to $3000 a month to support this grand project. We couldn't do it without them. Several of them also help support Carla and I, Mike and Danell, and Tony and Kelley. They are fantastic. Plus they send teams down during the year to help out in Peru and several donate to special projects such as buying cows, or helping build chimneys in poor houses.

Then there are the many churches that help support Team Expansion. That provides the support all three U.S. couples mentioned above need to be able to work on the mission.

We couldn't work with them.

On top of that there are a couple foundations that give annually and are major partners with us in Peru.

Hope for Kids through their donors gives thousands of dollars every year to help sponsor needy children.

Wow, what a huge team of generous, committed people.

We have discovered that generosity is not a global trait.

But God has blessed us with generous, committed people.

Thanks God.

Thanks to all of you.