Thank You! | 謝謝你！
It’s tough to be a turkey in November! At the SEAPC Garden of Hope in Vientienne, Laos, there is a turkey. In fact there are probably several turkeys by now (unless the Guinea Fowl have established complete reign in their quest for total farm dominance). Some days, I think about just how lucky those Laos turkeys are! For some reason, God chose them to be born in Laos and not the U.S. They get to spend their afternoons scratching around the SEAPC Garden of Hope. There is no sensation like being interrupted by a gobbling turkey while teaching outdoors in the jungle setting of the Garden of Hope.
Garden of Hope
The Garden is a beautiful place. Purchased in 2007 as 5.5 hectares of jungle outside of the capital city of Vientienne, Hubert and brother O.’s vision quickly manifested and the land was transformed into a life-bringing development center for produce and people. The turkeys run freely through one section of the farm which includes a shaded banyan tree forest and a cool meandering brook. Animal friends on the farm include chickens, pigs, ducks, turkeys, geese, rescued native animals, and of course, the guinea fowl. In the Garden, many fruits and vegetables are grown and sold to help sustain the work and other “works” in the region. The land produces pineapple, mango, lettuce, radish, potato, and mulberry trees. Most importantly, the land produces a place for young people to learn and to develop new skills.
Each year, Hubert and brother O. invite selected young people to come to the farm to learn how to run an agricultural-based business and also to learn English, music, finance, and additional studies. SEAPC sponsors these students at $200 per month for two years which covers their food, lodging, materials, and salary for work done on the farm. SEAPC is committed to the challenge of creating sustainable economy in rural sections of Laos and believes that if we can equip young students and provide them with a tangible platform to grow, they will succeed and our mission and vision will multiply. Therefore, we work very hard to cover all of the student’s costs and ask the student to save as much of his salary as possible so that SEAPC can match their savings upon graduation. SEAPC then works side by side with the graduate to purchase, establish, and grow their ag-based business.
Since we are talking turkey, the turkey needed to place a self-sustained working individual and platform in place is $2,400 — which is $200 per month to one student at the Garden of Hope. We are looking for ten individuals, businesses, or organizations who will commit themselves to sponsor one students needs for the next two years or $2,400 total.
SEAPC has also been given a new opportunity in Laos that you may have read about in our articles this year. We have been selected by the Laos International Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (LIFPA) to partner with two existing schools in providing professional education to 1,000 students per year. The timing is perfect as SEAPC has just been invited to partner with FAMU (Florida A&M University) to bring degree programs for Ag-based technologies to Cambodia through SEAPC-Cambodia and CCSN. (Please keep Sothea Chap and her incredible efforts in prayer). The turkey needed to partner with LIFPA in the establishment of the nation’s first training center is $225,000.
Matt
當十一月的火雞真不容易！在越南、寮國的SEAPC希望之園有一隻火雞，事實上，現在應該有好幾隻火雞了（除非那種幾內亞禽完全霸佔了那裡的農場）。有時候我會想，寮國的那些火雞真是幸運啊！不知怎地，神讓牠們生在寮國，而不是生在美國，牠們可以整個下午在SEAPC的希望之園裡啄啄蟲子。希望之園有如叢林的戶外教學時，被火雞咯咯的叫聲打斷，這種經驗可是絕無僅有。
這個園區是個美麗的地方，位於越南首都外圍，佔地5.5公頃，購於二○○七年。當時，Hubert 和O 弟兄的異象很快就顯明 ，這塊土地成為一個帶來生命的發展中心，不但生產農作，而且培養人。火雞在農場的一區自由地奔跑，那兒有一片榕樹林，一道彎彎的小溪。農場裡的動物朋友們有雞、豬、鴨、鵝、救回來育養的當地動物，當然，還有幾內亞禽。園區種了許多水果和蔬菜，販賣所得用來支持此地的工 作和其它事工。這裡出產鳯梨、芒果、生菜、蘿蔔、洋芋和桑樹。最重要的是，這塊土地提供了一個處所，讓年輕人學習與發展新技能。
每一年，Hubert 和O 弟兄會邀請一些經過挑選的年人，來到農場學習如何經營以農業為本的事業，並且學習英文、音樂、財務和其它科目。東南亞禱告中心支付這些學生每人每月二百元的開銷，包括食物、住宿、材枓以及在農場工作的薪資，為期兩年。在寮國鄉間創造可延續的經濟，這是東南亞禱告中心所接受的一項挑戰。我們相信，若能裝備年輕學生，提供他們實質的成長平台，他們會成功，而我們的使命和異象將會倍增。因此，我們非常努力，為要供應學生們的開銷，並且要他們盡可能把薪水省下來，到他們結業之時，各人有多少積蓄，SEAPC就會他們對等金額的錢。接下來，SEAPC會陪著每一位畢業生置產、設立、經營以農業為本的事業。
既然我們提到火雞，要使一個人達到自給自足的工作平台，所需的火雞是$2,400，也就是一名學生在希望之園每個月$200，為期兩年的總額。我們需要十個贊助者，可以是個人、公司或組織，每個贊助者資助$2,400。
你們在今年的月訊中已經看到，SEAPC在寮國有一個新的機會，我們被寮國紓貧國際基金會（LIFPA）選中，與兩所現有學校合作，每年提供一千名學生專業技能教育。這時機真是完美，因為SEAPC 剛與FAMU 佛州農礦大學達成合作協議，將透過柬埔寨的東南亞禱告中心和柬埔寨基督學校聯網（CCSN），把農業科技的學位課程引進柬埔寨（請在禱告中記念Sothea Chap 為此所擺上的一切努力）。要與LIFPA 合作，興建首座訓練中心，所需的這隻火雞是 $225,000。
Matt
