This is me standing with four friends who are leaders in the Life! Initiative that I've just spent four months pioneering in North Western Zambia.

The Life! Initiative brings together three approaches to help those in rural Africa take hold of the Christian Gospel and spiritually and practically transform their villages themselves. Christian Discipleship groups in villages, Practical Support for the Initiative's Leaders and Community Help Projects Led by the Discipleship Groups.

About 60% of the population of Africa live in the rural Africa, however, less than 5% of the Church's financial and logistical resources are present in rural Africa. How can they make a difference with those maths? The answer is to enable those in the rural areas themselves, to make the difference with the power and the character of Jesus.

Part of this is to release the time, energy of the rural leaders from the grip of poverty. We believe we've designed a great way to do this, by growing and selling cabbages! This employs a local person, allows the leader and his family to live and gives them money to direct the future of the Life! Initiative for themselves, planting it in new villages and spreading the benefits to other leaders.

It costs about £500 per pastor to set them up for life....it's not that much is it??

Some more information, take a look at:

The Life! Pages on Dignity's website
A Gallery by Professional Photographer Mark Burton on his recent Trip to Zambia
My Blog featuring the Pioneering of the Life! Initiative in North West Zambia

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