Covid19 Food Hampers

Due to Covid19, here in Botswana we went into lockdown on April 2 and were only allowed outside of our homes on May 21 without a movement permit from the Government. 50 days of being stuck at home and if we went out of our home there were police and military waiting all around the city checking to see if you had a permit and if not you could be jailed or fined. It was easy to focus on the negatives and what we didn’t have the freedom to do anymore, but as a family we chose to focus on the positives and make it a fun time (not to say that we didn’t have our ‘bad’ days). 

We were able to remain in touch with our ministry partners and we kept hearing how people were really struggling and were starving, We applied for funds from BGR (Baptist Global Response) and were approved for funding for 215 food hampers to help out some of the struggling communities located around some of our Baptist churches throughout Botswana. Each of the food hampers included the following: 5kg Flour, 5kg Maize Meal, 2.5kg Sugar, 2.5kg Samp, 1kg Beans, 2L Oil, 1L Milk, Yeast, Tea, Bath Soap, and Laundry Soap. 

The US Embassy also collected some funds and we were able to purchase an additional 29 food hampers for distribution. 

We have been working hand in hand with a Batswana pastor and his wife on this project, from developing what should be included in the food hampers to how to best do distribution. As I was speaking with her recently she said she wanted to share a testimony with me. She said she and her husband were feeling quite discouraged as there are so many people suffering  (including them) during this time and it seemed that no help was coming. She said that 2 days later I contacted her and told her about the food hampers we were hoping to do and she said that was such a “pillar of her faith” to see the Lord provide for them and other Batswana here in Botswana. 

Over the next few posts, I want to focus on some of the stories that came out of distribution of the Food Hampers.