On Monday 8 October, we welcomed a much needed and anticipated new asset to our campus — a brand-new, John Deere orchard tractor and custom sprayer for use in our macadamia orchard. The first thing we did — offer thanks and dedicate it to God’s work as a blessing for our sustainability efforts at African Christian College.
Though ACC has acquired several tractors over the years, our orchard production was suffering because the sprayer and tractors we had were inadequate. The tractor frames were too large to fit through the orchard rows without damaging tree limbs. Yet the tractor was not powerful enough to spray the necessary chemicals to prevent bug damage to the nuts to the tops of the trees.
Generous donors — encouraged and rounded up by Jim Marnach (Oregon) and Homer Dudley (Tennessee) — donated the necessary funds to purchase a new tractor and sprayer made especially for our macadamia orchard. Thanks to the good stewardship and partnership with John Deere, we were able to secure a very significant discount when purchasing the tractor. Since Jim was the champion of getting the new tractor for ACC, he got honors of being one to drive it and the sprayer out of the container when it arrived.
When the container arrived, it was already time to begin spraying our orchard. So, the very next morning, the new tractor and sprayer were out in the orchard getting the settings right to begin spraying that afternoon!
The container also included lighting and many books for our new library, household goods belonging to our new president and his family, and other important tools and supplies for our orchard and campus operations.
We are thankful to the many donors and supporters who made these purchases possible. We also appreciate the ongoing partnership and work of Global Samaritan Resources in Abilene, Texas. Global Samaritan gathers and stores items for us throughout the year, packs and organizes the shipment of our containers and helps make getting the necessary supplies for our ministry to us in Swaziland regularly.
Enjoy many other photos of the new tractor, sprayer, and other blessings from this recent container in our Arrival of New Tractor and Sprayer photo album
