A Hunger for Faith-Based Agriculture Education
Today I’m pleased to introduce Sarah Bedgar Wilson, M.S. as a guest blogger. She is the co-owner of Wilson Farm, Jamestown, North Dakota, where she, alongside her husband, Jeremy and their two daughters, ages 3 and 1, produce corn, wheat, soybeans, and pinto beans. She was raised on her family’s farm in Maryland, where her extended family raises dairy heifers and a variety of crops. You can learn more about her “Farmer on a Mission” work at https://farmeronamission.blogspot.com.
A student at the 2009 Atonement Lutheran Church Vacation Bible School student enjoys a tour of Entzminger Dairy, Jamestown, ND.
While driving across the prairie on a starry night nearly two years ago, I prayed, “Lord, please help me to tell others about how you have called me to farm and to be a steward of your gifts.” Before I got home, the idea had come to me for the “10 Heifer Prayer”.
Each spring our Sunday school donates their collection to Heifer International, and each year the children have raised enough for a goat or a few chickens to donate to needy families around the world, but rarely enough to buy even one heifer. I asked the council if they would help me to rally our church to help the Sunday School children raise not enough for one heifer, but TEN heifers ($5,000). This would be an amazing gift that would provide a rural community in Ukraine over 40 gallons of milk a day. I also asked if they would help me to teach the children about the basic biblical lessons of creation and stewardship and how they are being applied in agriculture today. We called it faith-based ag education.
Children were excited to meet “Mary Moo” (yours truly) at “10 Heifer Prayer” events. Just don’t tell my children, they still don’t know it was me in the cow suit!
“Team Heifer” was formed and it turns out that, with God, anything really is possible. Our church and the community were energized by the 10 Heifer Prayer. On “Sundae Sunday” the children built a 50-foot long ice cream sundae in our fellowship hall, we had Sunday School lessons designed to fit the 10 Heifer Prayer theme, some nutty gal appeared on occasion in a cow costume (yep, it was me), Vacation Bible School was themed on creation and we even toured a dairy farm! To conclude the project, I was asked to give a sermon, to share the story of how my family has been called to farm and serve as stewards of our land, animals and other natural resources.
Through this project, adults learned alongside the children and the results were astounding. Not only did we raise enough to purchase 14 heifers ($7,000), but we also had a surprising turn-out to each event. Especially Vacation Bible School, where we were planning for 30, over 90 attended the dairy farm tour! People are hungry (pun intended) to learn about agriculture on a Christian/moral level.
There are two main reasons why I feel Christians in agriculture are obligated to share the truths of why and how we farm/ranch within the context of faith:
- Those whom oppose modern agriculture already have a presence in Christian circles. For example, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has strategically begun a “Faith Outreach” program.My own church is struggling with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America’s (ELCA’s) draft social statement on “genetics” that discusses the use of genetics in agriculture. I could list many more examples, amongst all the major denominations.
- If we are faithful farmers and ranchers, following the command from the Lord to feed His people, then I believe He expects that we honor Him by sharing our testimonies on stewardship. We also owe it to our fellow Christians who are not farmers/ranchers. They are three to four generations removed from witnessing God’s miracles of growth and life in agriculture.
It is relevant, appropriate, and necessary that we in agriculture speak in terms of our faith about what we do. Our consumers and our fellow Christians are demanding it.
In memory of Yvonne Hanzal, rancher’s daughter and beloved “Team Heifer” member.
~Guest Post by Sarah Bedgar Wilson, M.S.
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Wow. You have NO idea how timely this is! I’ve been working on a faith based ‘haycation’ thing to teach life/farm lessons…from communication, why sheep are such a symbol etc. I’ve been wondering since getting back from the conference if there was really enough call for it even though I felt led to do it enough to message someone this morning to ask about possibly appearing. This post resoundingly answers that – yes there is an interest. Thanks for posting it.
Jan- I am so glad you have been encouraged by my story! If there is ever anything I can do to help, please let me know. I am eternally grateful to my community for rallying behind the 10 Heifer Prayer. I was also happily surprised by the number of local citizens and businesses that recognized that agriculture is the heart of our community and economy and graciously donated supplies and funding for this project! I think you may find that if you ASK for support, and explain why you are doing the project, that people will be more than willing to help out.
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For those who wish to keep an objective view there are other sides to The Heifer Project:
http://www.animalsandethics.org/heiferproject.html
Oh, and the photo of the little girl with the calf is lovely – But also heart breaking. I’m very certain that the calf longs to be with his own mother and that his mother misses him as well. So sad to steal the milk from the infants it was intended for, especially when done so “needlessly”.
What a great effort and positive experience for all involved. Please ignore those very few who apparently have no true knowledge of agriculture, nutrition, or the Christian faith. May God continue to bless your work.
Warren- THANK YOU for your encouraging words! Please continue to pray for my family and my congregation, as we strive to teach others about God’s command to care for creation and to be stewards for all He created.
Bea- It is unfortunate that you have put such a negative spin on the 10 Heifer Prayer and Heifer International, because I have only witnessed positives. The Ukranian community that received the gift of 14 heifers is so very grateful that there are barely words to describe their emotions. The animals and the resulting nutrition has truly been a blessing to them. I give thanks everyday that my family has not had to endure true hunger.
While it doesn’t appear that you and I will find much common ground with regards to animal agriculture (although I would be glad to share my experiences of caring for animals should you be interested), I believe that if you are a living, breathing humanbeing, then you must be eating something to sustain yourself. On our farm, we raise corn, soybeans, wheat, and pinto beans. You may find the pinto beans of particular interest, as they are a wholesome, nutrient-dense food. I would be glad to share some recipes with you, as I cook often with the beans we raise.