Hello from Nicaragua!
If you have been following the story of us, Steve and Sandy Jacoby, then you know we are both in our mid-fifties and empty nesters. Three years ago we moved to Nicaragua wanting to help the poor and needy in some way, but with nothing definitive in mind. We spent our first 16 months in Managua getting to know the disciples, learning the language and feeling our way around.
Two years ago this month (November) we moved to a town where “no one” and I mean no one from Nicaragua intentionally moves to. Malpaisillo, 20 minutes west of Leon is surrounded by volcanoes and is a town of 8,000 where there is absolutely NO employment. It is extremely hot and dusty since there is no grass (except a small patch we planted in front of our house). Most people struggle to eat three meals a days, many if not most are or have been ill with kidney problems, liver problems, diabetes among a few to mention.
We are not farmers. We are not city planners nor in the construction business and our pockets are not bottomless. We believe God put it on our hearts to start a non-profit (Sheep Not Goats (SNG)) and we would “learn as we go.” So in the two years that SNG has existed the non-profit purchased a barren piece of land (2.25 acres) and in the last year we have close to four hundred plantain trees along with a number of banana, fig, dragon fruit (pitaya), and passion fruit and now as of one month ago one thousand baby tilapia.
The sole purpose of SNG is to help change people’s lives by enabling them to put food on the table, buy medicines and pay bills which is possible by providing jobs which in turns pays a salary. In a town with no employment SNG has hired six full-time men, along with four part-time men and women, all but one are disciples. We don’t need any more workers per se, but when people come to the farm’s gate, like three mothers (disciples) did last week begging for any kind of work to feed their children, we find some kind of work for them to do (usually it’s weeding) so they can feed their families. The weekly pay for the full and part time workers is only made possible by donations. To date after two years of existence, the donations to SNG falls short not only for the workers of the farm but for those who out of desperation come knocking on our door….you can’t imagine how it pains our hearts when we say no for lack of money. The truth of the matter is, we desperately need more monthly donors.
After much hard work, design and building SNG now has five fish tanks and we are excited to be now in the second stage of the farm, which is raising tilapia. One month ago SNG purchased its first one thousand fingerlings (baby fish) and once these thousand fish reach a certain size we will transfer them to the second fish tank and purchase another thousand fingerlings.
With all the water pumping involved in aquaponics, our electricity bill is going to rise higher and higher over time. One means of improving sustainability of the farm here is to go solar, at least in the fish-growing area. Does anyone know someone who is an expert in this area and has a heart for the poor and might be willing to invest some time into helping us?
For the money a solar outfit in Managua would charge just for labor we could fly an expert down here to work with us for a few days. Some of the components could be brought from the US for less money, and the panels are readily available here. All of the planning and some of the prep work could be done before the expert arrives.
Any and all suggestions and ideas are welcome. Please keep following our progress from either www.sheepnotgoats.org or our SNG Facebook page.
Love,
Steve and Sandy Jacoby
