At the end of each year, Theresa receives an “Extraordinary Leader Bonus.” If you follow along with the project at all, there is no explanation needed! If you are new to the world of Living Compassion, Kantolomba, and do not yet know Theresa Kapenda, give yourself the gift of spending even a little time on either the trip blogs or the News tab with photos and captions of the project.
In a recent batch of photos from Theresa we received this one….
with this note….
Dear all,
From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of my family I say a BIG THANK YOU TEAM LIVING COMPASSION US, for the BONUS you give me this year and years back. From that I bought a piece of land and started my little seasonal farming. Today I’m proud to report back that from last year’s rainy season I have a harvest of maize (shown above). Though small, I’m so proud of myself. I have achieved something from my hard work on my small piece of land. This is all due to our team—here in Kantolomba and on the US side.
Again Nakunkula (roll on the ground in gratitude)
Lots of love Theresa.
Moved to hear more, we asked Theresa about it on our weekly call.
This was something I doubted I could do. It looked difficult. But now I had capital that I had never had before, and I wanted to try something new and something that would benefit my whole community.
Everyone in the co-op was there to support from the word go. They would come with me on Sundays out to my little piece of land. They helped me plant, then weed and water. When I first saw the maize popping out of the ground, I was SO excited!
And voila, it was a bumper crop! After shucking and grinding it all (the team helped with all of that as well), I have 89 50-kg bags of mealie meal! When I look at all of those bags, I look at myself and say “Is it really me who accomplished that?” I feel a great sense of pride at overcoming the doubt.
I’m going to keep nine bags for myself and my family and give the co-op members a bag as a huge “thank you” to each of them. And I’m not going to stop there. I have learned so much and I know I can do more. I am going to use my bonus funds to purchase a larger piece of land and plant more maize. My goal is to have 150 bags next year.
I’m over the moon.
What a simple and profound expression of Ubuntu—the word Theresa offered us at the very beginning of this project. She receives a bonus and immediately turns it outward. The bounty is not hers, but everyone’s. Not because she’s being generous, but because the orientation is One. Not me and you, WE.
And how fitting that, on both sides—at A Long View Farm and in Kantolomba—we tend the land, we plant, we learn, we harvest and we offer what grows to all. There’s joy in the work and in sharing what it yields.
Gasshō
Jen
A photo taken at a clinic in Ndola on our 2018 trip