ladies gleaning after the tractor unearthed the garlic cloves

Mid-May into mid-June has been a huge month for the farm's garlic crops—it was harvesting time!

A few delays in equipment delivery postponed the harvest's intended start date and made it necessary for everyone to give it 100% for some extremely long work-days and work-weeks.

It was "all hands on deck" for four consecutive weeks. Men and women have gathered, cleaned, cut, and bagged literally tons of garlic.

Praise God—He did not allow the logistical complications or rainstorms to hinder the harvesters significantly enough to damage the crops. In fact, experts who examined samples of the harvested cloves were impressed with their excellent quality!

This year's crops are now being prepped and dehydrated, and then will be packaged for sale in dried cloves or in powdered form. The hope is that, even after dehydration, we will have gathered close to 9000 kilos (nearly 10 tons) out of this season's harvest.

May and June were also memorable months for "bringing in the sheaves" spiritually speaking! Seven people were baptized in the front yard of the training center, giving opportunity for local passersby and farm employees to hear their neighbors and coworkers share openly in the community how the Gospel has changed their lives.

This early summer has also been a particularly rough yet fruitful season for young Christ-foIIowers—several of the trainees have been navigating personal trials, spiritual struggles, and circumstances outside of their control. The Holy Spirit has comforted and convicted and encouraged and shown Himself very strong for them!

We are rejoicing here. "The Lord of the Harvest" is evidently at work bringing souls to Himself. And in the lives of believers, the fruit of His Spirit has been growing, and it is bearing more and more fruit. This year’s garlic season has been abundantly rewarding in multiple wonderful ways! It is a terrific picture of the eternal fields that are "white unto harvest."

Pray for the Lord to send more laborers. And pray for new Christ-followers who are learning not only how to harvest crops, but also learning how to reach out to their neighbors here and beyond with the Gospel.

Laboring for the Lord of the harvest

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