One of the programs the ship does is an agriculture school. This program is run by an African man named Jean Claude. He is part of the crew and lives on the ship, but his job is off ship. He has set up a training program where people come and live for a couple months while they learn about agriculture and the best ways to farm. Jean Claude has a degree in Agriculture and it is his passion. He has trained men from Benin to take over teaching when the ship leaves. This way the school will continue after we are gone and the people will continue to learn!
The following pictures are of the training center that Mercy Ships helped build while the ship has been here. There is a picture of the courtyard inside with the dorm rooms all around the perimeter. Also there is one of the class room where the students have class every morning before going to the fields for hands on training.
This is out in the huge garden or field that the students have helped to start and care for. These are me and some of the students. They also harvested the corn behind me and the girl in the picture that day. The African men can be pretty forward with javo (white) women. So in the picture with four of us, the guy next to me grabbed my hand right as the picture was taken. I pulled away fast and everyone thought it was funny. As he walked back toward the workers I made a kicking motion at him from behind and everyone just roared. It was pretty funny.
This is the water hole where they get all the water they use for watering the entire garden...with watering cans!
Jean Claude caught me offguard in this picture ;-p hehe
In the picture where I'm talking to one of the students as we carry watering cans, the student's name is Bien Venue ("Welcome" in English!). He knew a little english and we enjoyed trying to talk back and forth. I tried out the few french words I know.
Me and Jean Claude! He is amazing the passion he has for his ministry here in agriculture!
Me and 2 of the 3 girls in the group.
This was the main project of the day. Turning the compost pile. It was an all day job.
Here are some old pineapple skins that they chopped up and through in as we mixed the compost
Just a few days before, Jean Claude had shown the students how to plant cabbages. They had already started growing and the students were very excited. Jean Claude teaches as they go. Here they are all gathered as he teaches them while they look at what they have created. They start by planting the seeds in this shollow bed under this hut, and once they grow a little bigger and stronger they transplant them into the big garden.
They are also learning how to raise livestock: pigs, sheep, chickens etc.
This is the garden of a former student. He is now implimenting what he learned on his own with his family to help them make a living and provide food for themselves.
Here they are planting something. I can't remember what. But it was so interesting the whole process. The had holes all spaced out and dug. Then they would go get some more fertile dirt from a pile they had made from somewhere which they placed inside each hole. Then they would put a spoonful of ashes in each whole to lower the acidity level in the dirt because the dirt is very acid here.
Its amazing how everyone gets involved. It's really exciting. They loved it when I jumped in and started helping. They showed me what to do, it was a lot of fun :)
This is the fertil soil they would carry over. Everyone in the family helped.
Jean Claude, the father, and another neighbor that came over. They are just checking out the progress together.
Their youngest was absolutely adorable!
He wanted to help too!
So daddy showed him how and let him do it :)
Jean Claude is so proud of what they have learned and the success they are having!
The garden and a little shack at the top. I'm not sure if that is where they live or just a place for storage. My guess would be that is their home.
In the picture where I'm talking to one of the students as we carry watering cans, the student's name is Bien Venue ("Welcome" in English!). He knew a little english and we enjoyed trying to talk back and forth. I tried out the few french words I know.
Me and Jean Claude! He is amazing the passion he has for his ministry here in agriculture!
Me and 2 of the 3 girls in the group.
This was the main project of the day. Turning the compost pile. It was an all day job.
Here are some old pineapple skins that they chopped up and through in as we mixed the compost
Just a few days before, Jean Claude had shown the students how to plant cabbages. They had already started growing and the students were very excited. Jean Claude teaches as they go. Here they are all gathered as he teaches them while they look at what they have created. They start by planting the seeds in this shollow bed under this hut, and once they grow a little bigger and stronger they transplant them into the big garden.
They are also learning how to raise livestock: pigs, sheep, chickens etc.This is the garden of a former student. He is now implimenting what he learned on his own with his family to help them make a living and provide food for themselves.
Here they are planting something. I can't remember what. But it was so interesting the whole process. The had holes all spaced out and dug. Then they would go get some more fertile dirt from a pile they had made from somewhere which they placed inside each hole. Then they would put a spoonful of ashes in each whole to lower the acidity level in the dirt because the dirt is very acid here. 
Its amazing how everyone gets involved. It's really exciting. They loved it when I jumped in and started helping. They showed me what to do, it was a lot of fun :)
This is the fertil soil they would carry over. Everyone in the family helped.
Jean Claude, the father, and another neighbor that came over. They are just checking out the progress together.
Their youngest was absolutely adorable!
He wanted to help too!
So daddy showed him how and let him do it :)
Jean Claude is so proud of what they have learned and the success they are having!
The garden and a little shack at the top. I'm not sure if that is where they live or just a place for storage. My guess would be that is their home.
It was a great day. Such an awesome experience! I love seeing these people learning how to make better lives for themselves and being able to learn and work alongside them for a day. :)
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