“God’s work done God’s way never lacks God’s supply.” (Hudson Taylor)
Education
As of January 2011, CRCA has eight active schools. The teachers are each responsible to create and teach lesson plans, manage the classroom, and oversee evaluation of student progress. CRCA schools are Christian schools so our teachers are not only responsible to help students gain knowledge, but to instill Christian faith into their teaching. All schools are encouraged to be involved with some sort of fundraising project, like farming, to help support teachers’ salaries.
1. Konia (K-9th grade)
2. Junker Farm (Preschool)
3. Malawu (Preschool)
4. Yomo Town (Preschool)
5. Lowah Town (Preschool)
6. Peterstown (K-5th grade)
7. Kponde Town (K-5th grade)
Agriculture
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Chinese Proverb
CRCA sees wisdom in helping the church communities to be self-supporting through business and farming projects. Consequently, the association has helped pioneer agricultural projects in several regions to generate income. Churches that are self-sufficient and financially independent can support both the work of their church and the church movement by planting new churches. This is our methodology: Plant. Grow. Split.
RICE: The staple in Liberian cuisine. Rice mills stimulate the local economy, giving incentive for those returning after the war to plant their rice farms and provide for their families and community. Profits from rice sale give significant income not only to the church itself, but also helps feed the poor and finance future church planting efforts in the surrounding villages. In the local community of Konia, a donated rice mill is a boom to local development, giving the Konia Church a prominent place in the local region and a strong economic stake in the future of Konia.
CASSAVA: Cassava is the most popular source for carbohydrates, second only to rice. The starchy root of the cassava plant looks like a sweet potato but tastes like a turnip. The cassava leaves, in contrast, are a good source of protein and are primarily used in Liberian sauces, or “soups.” Cassava farms are lucrative because the plant is easy to grow and integral to the Liberian diet. The Tumukolia region, for example, has 2 cassava farms that women and youth from the church maintain.
PEANUTS: Peanuts are an important, profit-winning, calorie-rich crop. Africa alone produces 1/3 of the world’s peanuts. In Liberia, peanuts are eaten roasted, candied, or as a flavor-enhancer in “soups.” Peanut farms are thus another profitable crop, like the one managed by the CRCA church in Boata.
PIGS: Hogs reproduce quickly, are low maintenance, generally healthy, and produce much-needed protein. Pig feed is already available from the rice husks left from the rice milling operation, and waste from the hogs is a valuable fertilizer for the vegetable operation. The Konia Christian Fellowship leadership determined that the next important economic development should be a hog farm, what Liberians call a piggery.
FISH POND: Fish are an important ingredient, especially in Liberian “soups” (sauces that accompany rice). The Koniachurch rehabilitated a fish pond which once belonged to Dennis Aggrey’s late father before the war. The church uses this fishpond to farm different varieties of local fish, especially tilapia, for consumption and income generation.
RABBITS: Rabbit consumption is growing more popular in Liberia. However, inadequate care and expertise caused for kits (rabbit babies) to die early for unknown reasons, eventually aborting a startup project in Konia all together. Consequently, a team from Vienna, Austria broke new ground in Kpondeh Town, building a first ever rabbit hotel in 2011. The “hotel,” boasting 13 rooms, is the breeding ground for rapid rabbit reproduction and sale. The team’s leader, an agricultural specialist, schooled the new breeders in proper rabbit management while providing them with valuable educational resources. The profits from the project will benefit the construction of a needed church building in Kpondeh Town.
Other projects include peanut farms, coconut plantations, and pineapple farms.
Jesus Film
Part of CRCA’s commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission is to show the Jesus Film. This screening is often the first exposure villagers have to the Gospel. CRCA is equipped with 2 Jesus Film units, which include a screen, a generator, a DVD player, and films in 5 dialects and languages.