The Sperlings in Africa

Please be sure to check out our links to

www.sperlingsinafrica.posterous.com

Equip,

Farming God's Way,

Arise Africa,

ECHO,

South Abbotsford Church,

Meet the Sperlings : Left to Right. (front:) Chris, Jane holding Ezra (2008), Isaiah (2006), Albert (2004), Tugume (2001),

(back:) Kenny (2003), Andrew (1999)

The Sperlings returned to Uganda in January 2007 to continue their work in Uganda under Equip Canada. The Sperlings are missionaries sent under Equip Canada. Equip is an evangelical interdenominational organization that trains and sends missionaries to assist the local church in ministries to the poor. Equip missionaries have a practical skill which they use on the field to assist the local church in the care for the poor in some specific way. The main area that the Sperlings offer assistance to these people is by training and teaching in Agriculture and Appropriate Technologies. We desire to see God's glory come to this continent of Africa in practical, everyday ways. We want to see yields increase and hope rise as people see God's purpose for their lives. The Kingdom of God needs to be preached as Africa has very high conversion rates to Christianity but also very high war-crime, poverty and corruption rates. The Christianity we preach must be one of glorifying Christ in all we do -- in the church halls and in the shambas!!

Chris is trained in Agriculture (Horticulture Diploma UCFV 1994) and Appropriate Technologies (ATI Equip 1998) as well as Hand Well-drilling and Water Filtration (Equip 2006). He has also received training in Farming God's Way (FGW 2009)Agriculture principles which he is currently using as the main tool to help rural Ugandans climb out of the spiritual and physical poverty that they are in.

Chris has run an "Improved Seed" distribution program with OKM. This seed was given to the Foster Families and HIV affected families in the surrounding communities. The improved seed helps the families to get more from their land in terms of crop yield and nutrition. Maize, beans, soya, and peanuts (Ground nuts) along with vegetable seedlings have been given out to selected families. The families send a representative to come for an afternoon of training and then there is a follow-up program where all of the families are visited to ensure the proper use of the seed. These visits allow Chris an opportunity to encourage fellow believers and to share Christ with those who are not saved as well as keep a close tab on how these peasant farmers are doing.

With Bushfire Chrildren's Home, Chris has run demonstration plots showing how the locals can use animal traction (oxen) to plant and weed their crops. Currently, the locals open their land with the plow but all subsequent activities are performed by hand.This will bring greatly increased efficiency to the farming system as well as relieve the women of some of the back-breaking labour involved in planting and weeding which is done all by hand tools.Last year, Chris helped set up a Commercial Farm with Bushfire funding on an 80 acre piece of land that belongs to the ministry. The farm business has been created to help the Children's Home become more self sufficient and less reliant on outside support. The first harvest was in July/August 2008.

Chris also offers free consultation to other NGO's that need help deciding what to do with their land or how to grow certain crops or use certain agriculture technologies. Because the Sperlings are supported as missionaries, these services are all offered for free except for the costs related to reaching and/or staying at the job site.

To continue to hear more about what we do you can be added to our e-mail or snail-mail list by sending an e-mail to: sperling_equip@yahoo.ca