Praise Report from Decapolis, our Crown Stewardship Center in Nigeria

2024 was an incredible year for Decapolis, marked by significant growth, expansion, and new opportunities. These achievements inspired them to rewrite their mission and vision statement, which now reads:

“To empower the most vulnerable, lifting communities out of poverty through hands-on training in conservation agriculture, vocational skills, healthcare access, and renewable energy solutions.”Since attending the Foundations for Farming training, Decapolis has trained over 1,000 trainers. Looking ahead, they plan to equip 5,000 farmers in 2025.Their program is presented as teaching regenerative agriculture rather than conservation agriculture. This is because, in Nigeria, much of the land has been so degraded that there is little left to conserve—it must first be regenerated.

Although only 10% of trained farmers can report back on their progress, anecdotal evidence and the visible results from trained farmers suggest that the implementation rate is significantly higher.Decapolis has also been invited by an organization to train 1,000 farmers in their community. Of these, 400 have already completed the training.

Please keep them in your prayers for protection, renewed energy and for them to be able to continue to impact so many in Nigeria.

Background
Alina, from Germany, is engaged to Lore, the Worship and Youth Leader at Maranatha Faith Assemblies in Lordwar town, in Kenya. Last year, someone gifted Alina a copy of the African Money Map and encouraged her to consider using it in Kenya. One day, while reviewing the material, Lore expressed his deep concern for the youth group members who were deep in debt and felt hopeless about their future. Alina shared the AMM with Lore, and together with Cynthia, who offered to become the facilitator for their youth, reached out to us for permission to teach it.

Their city, while not rural, struggles with high unemployment. However, the Lord has been using Cynthia, Lore and Alina in incredible ways to bring hope and transformation.

Alina shared:
“For Lore and me, knowing these principles brings more peace and clarity into our relationship and future plans. It feels like the perfect marriage counseling. We are doing the spending plan every day. While it helps me have an overview and more control over my spending and where to invest, it helps Lore minimize costs and focus more on priorities. The perspective changes, we see the unique ways to use what God has given us. And as a result, we feel more at peace and better equipped to handle the needs and requests from people around us.

Earlier this year, they began investing in a small business. “In March, we started to invest in a little shop which Lore now owns, ‘Amakuru Family Goodies.’ It’s an investment into his financial freedom and the community,” Alina explained. However, they quickly faced challenges.

“A few weeks after we completed our own 10 Money Map facilitator sessions, we realized we had lost track of some financial things at the shop. It grew fast, we faced issues like burglary and theft against our shop and a constant changing market prices. Both of us lacked the necessary skills to calculate properly with so many different things. But God planned for it. Through the Money Map, we were able to talk and pray about it differently. Now, we’re receiving teachings and proper accounting skills from a church friend in Germany.”

Despite the challenges, the shop is stable and continues to grow, while Alina and Lore learn to steward it faithfully.

Impact on the Youth Group
Currently, 10 people are actively participating in the African Money Map sessions every week, with others occasionally joining. Cynthia described how the group is benefitting:
“It took a bit for them to open up for honest conversations, as often there’s no room for it. But they are really enjoying the sessions. The spending plan has been especially useful for them. They’ve been able to bring their unwise spending habits to light and connect them with peer pressure. Peer pressure is a huge topic for the youth, so it’s good to see them growing together. It’s life-giving to invest in these peer relationships.”

This update is a powerful reminder of how God can use practical tools to bring hope, freedom, and transformation in unexpected ways.

Impact on the Youth Group
Currently, 10 people are actively participating in the African Money Map sessions every week, with others occasionally joining. Alina described how the group is benefitting:
“It took a bit for them to open up for honest conversations, as often there’s no room for it. But they are really enjoying the sessions. The spending plan has been especially useful for them. They’ve been able to bring their unwise spending habits to light and connect them with peer pressure. Peer pressure is a huge topic for the youth, so it’s good to see them growing together as peers. It’s life-giving to invest in these peer relationships.”

This update is a powerful reminder of how God can use practical tools to bring hope, freedom, and transformation in unexpected ways.

Kittikun Meetang, National Director of CCI Thailand, shared a powerful testimony about the impact of training pastoral leaders in Thailand on God’s financial principles. Over the course of 2024, approximately 150 people have participated in this training from January to October.

Kittikun emphasized the significance of these teachings, saying, “We are reminded and modeled to live a life of faith that is subject to God’s principles in our finances, careers, and personal lives.” He highlighted the urgency of this mission, explaining that without such training, many people risk falling into the traps of Satan, who uses wealth, fame, and greed to lead them away from God.

Kittikun expressed concern over the current cultural climate in Thailand, where financial temptation and greed are pervasive. “The situation of temptation and falling into the trap of sin of greed in terms of finance and wealth is influencing many Thai people,” he noted. He sees this training as a critical tool in equipping God’s people to resist these temptations and remain faithful to Christ.

Many participants have shared how the training has transformed their outlook. “These people have become aware and careful about how they live their lives with a right attitude between God and money,” Kittikun said. He added that this shift has restored their relationship with God and strengthened their commitment to being good stewards.

As the work continues, Kittikun asks for prayer: “We ask that you pray for us that we will speak this truth, bring freedom, and bring about change.”

Mvurwi Church Visit

On October 13, 2024, the Mvurwi Christian Community Church welcomed William Tom, a trainer for Foundations for Farming International, to lead a financial training session centered around the African Money Map Game. The event was an impactful opportunity for the congregation to explore biblical principles of finance. “It was a blessing to fellowship and serve their congregation,” William shared, expressing his gratitude for the invitation and the warm reception.

This particular training session was significant for William, as it was the first one he conducted with his family present. After a time of worship, the session began with a focus on two foundational scriptures: Matthew 6:24 and 1 Timothy 6:10, which set the tone by encouraging the group to prioritize serving God rather than money.

Participants were seated in family groups, with a mix of young and old to ensure inclusivity, especially for children whose parents were not part of the church. The game started at a slow pace, with one group carefully deliberating over how to allocate their resources. Their patience paid off, as they were later recognized as the most profitable and generous team.

Robert, one of the church leaders, was so impressed by the impact of the training that he expressed a desire to extend it to the Mvurwi pastors’ fraternity. “This is a wonderful tool to reach families and encourage them to work together on finances,” Robert noted. He also saw potential in translating the Money Map Game for marginal tribes in the community, further extending its reach. The elders of the church echoed his sentiments, remarking that while it was presented as a game, the lessons learned were profound and applicable.

Tabernacle of Worship Couples Retreat

A few days later, William and his wife, Doreen, were invited to speak at a couples’ retreat at the Tabernacle of Worship Church. The event was focused on managing finances within the context of marriage, and many attendees were surprised to hear that the Bible contains over 2,350 verses on money and possessions.

William introduced a framework for handling money according to God’s economy, emphasizing the importance of working, giving, saving, spending, and investing. Drawing on examples from a presentation he had given in Eswatini, William challenged the participants to reflect on their own financial habits. When asked if they followed the biblical order of priorities, the crowd responded with a resounding “No! We work and spend.” One woman jokingly added, “My husband works, and I spend.”

The conversation also touched on how many in Zimbabwe tend to give only when there is leftover money, prompting a reflection on God’s call for first fruits and the importance of giving from the best we have. In the Zimbabwean context, William noted, many families are caught in a cycle where spending comes first, leading to debt before any money is earned. “How should I save when I don’t earn enough?” asked one participant, highlighting the practical challenges many face.

The discussion also delved into whether a wife’s earnings should be part of the family budget or if she should manage them independently, given the traditional expectation that men provide financially. By the end of the retreat, many felt they had gained valuable insights, especially on the topic of debt. “Freedom is more important than future wealth,” William emphasized, encouraging attendees to prioritize settling debts.

Reflecting on the event, William expressed his gratitude: “It was my first time speaking at a couples’ finance platform, and I am so humbled by the feedback and response.” Debt became the most-discussed topic after the session, with participants also appreciating the lesson on saving, inspired by the habits of ants. The retreat left attendees more mindful of their financial habits and encouraged to make meaningful changes.

Egypt

Our Alliance Partner in Egypt, MELTI (Middle East Training Institute), recently trained 157 people across Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey. The training introduced key teachings from Bible on Money and Managing Your Money God’s Way to attendees from various nationalities, including Egyptians, Syrians, Lebanese, Sudanese, and Kurds. Participants were highly engaged and appreciated learning from Crown’s materials. In Egypt, the training was provided to students from the Coptic Counseling Institute and MELTI’s school.

Egypt

Egypt

Turkey

Lebanon

Lebanon

Please read this update from Mobali, our dedicated leader in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC):

“This year has brought its share of challenges. A few months ago, a large portion of our crops were lost in a fire, and Cedric, my right-hand man, was burned while trying to extinguish the flames. On top of that, my oldest sister fell seriously ill, and we’ve encountered some difficulties getting our registration and bank account set up.

Yet through it all, God continues to show us His grace and provision.

During the summer, we were blessed by the visit of two children, Leo and Bene ages 16 and 14. They came to the farm asking if we could teach them what we were doing. Their dedication has been nothing short of amazing—they’ve shown up day after day, learning and helping with various tasks around the farm. Though they aren’t paid, their attitude has been incredibly positive, and we are deeply thankful for their lives and efforts.

With their help, we’ve been able to plant, mulch, and water onions, eggplants, and tomatoes. Leo and Bene returned to school on September 30th but continued to visit and help on the farm when they could. We pray that the Lord will use this time to mold them into young men with a bright future, filled with the hope that only comes from Him.”

-Mobali

Read other updates from Mobali here and here.

“I have witnessed extreme poverty and suffering before, but today, for me, it felt like it just didn’t stop. After a point, the weight of all the people and all the difficult circumstances made my whole body hurt. It was suffocating.”

I shared these words with our staff as I sat in my comfortable hotel room in Madagascar after day 2 of our recent trip. Members of the Crown team and members of our partner organization, Foundations for Farming, met in Antananarivo to visit the Program Pfumvudza Crown (PPC) Stewardship Center and to help PPC leaders host a 2-day conference combining practical farm training and biblical stewardship principles.

This was the fourth trip to Madagascar for some of our team. I don’t think anyone who was present will ever forget the pain Chuck brought home with him after his first trip. He was completely undone … and this from a man who has traveled and experienced what poverty looks like all over the world for more than 2 decades. My frame of reference headed into this trip consisted of the extreme poverty I witnessed first-hand in Haiti more than 10 years ago, and the devastating pictures and stories of children I’d served but was never able to meet face to face in Kenya and Uganda. I was prepared, yet still stunned.

Before I’d arrived, I’d learned that there could be as many as 5000 street children in Antananarivo. Sure enough, the first night, they were approaching our car from every side, asking for food, children the same ages as my own, nursing mothers, young girls 12-13 years old holding babies I prayed were their siblings not their children. We’d been warned that to stop and give anything out the window would result in a mob around our vehicle, so as painful as it was, we continued driving.

I’d heard the statistics – According to World Bank, Madagascar is the world’s 5th largest

island and is endowed with considerable natural resources and unparalleled biodiversity. However, its population, estimated at 30.3 million in 2023, faces a poverty rate of 80.7%, $2.15 per person per day.

The next morning, as we drove to our destination a couple of hours outside of Tana (the locals’ name for Antananarivo) I understood the statistics and all that had been described to me.

In the city, it felt like all 4 million of the population were out in the street, trying to do anything they could to sell something or make something or come up with something of value. There are no traffic rules: no lanes, no stop signs, no traffic lights, just complete chaos and regular hours-long traffic jams. The taxi system consists of what appeared to be vehicles meant for 15-20 people transporting more like 40-50 people at a time.

I’d heard even the dogs are hungry and that, too, proved to be accurate. I looked out my window and watched a puppy and a chicken fight hard for a scrap of food on the side of the road.

The poverty isn’t just physical – its spiritual as well. Idol worship, cultic rituals and exhuming bodies for worship of the dead are among some of the common religious practices. One of the girls we interviewed even shared that the more she went to church, the worse her circumstances got to the point that her husband told her to stop going to church and start worshiping idols. She refused. A few months later she was one of the first trainers selected to go to Zimbabwe to be trained in the PPC program and it transformed her life. She found new faith in Christ, hope overcame depression, and she returned home to become one of the most passionate trainers at PPC. Her husband has also accepted Christ and now serves within their church.

Our drive to our destination continued … the further we got from the city, the more I could breathe. The poverty was still just as real, but the devastation was now strangely contrasted by the beauty of the land – and there’s so much of it! I was beginning to see why our solution just might work.

A couple of members of our team who have traveled throughout Africa more than me commented that a lot of times with poverty, despondency sets in, and you’ll find people unable to take any sort of action. This is not what we found in Madagascar. The people are incredibly hardworking, busy, moving from place to place, trying to be resourceful … if only they had the right tools in their hands, some sort of equipping.

One of the core principles we teach is that we all have something, based on The Widow’s Oil in 2 Kings 4. In Madagascar, they have land, a desire to work hard to create a better future for their nation, and a spiritual hunger.

At the PPC Stewardship Center trainers learn a no plowing, no burning, conservation agriculture solution for turning small scale farms into commercial farms. They are simultaneously equipped with God’s stewardship principles through Crown’s African Money Map and/or Money Map Game. They are taught that God owns it all and we are just his managers. Before starting with any practical farm activity, trainers kneel and pray and commit to faithfully do their part while trusting God with the results. And they are equipped with the biblical financial principles they need to lift themselves, their families, and their communities out of poverty.

In a world where people are growing weary of throwing endless resources at complex problems with unsatisfactory results, this is my takeaway. Poverty is massively complex. It’s not about discovering a new, simple answer. It’s about discerning between effective and ineffective solutions. We’ve developed an effective solution that is working and transforming the lives of those it reaches. We heard their stories over and over again and will be sharing them with you in the months ahead. In Madagascar, God has opened the doors for the right leaders to be in place at the right time with the right solutions to truly be able to affect change across the nation … a change that is desperately needed. Thank you for your participation and partnership with us in critical projects like this.

For more information about our initiatives in Madagascar, click here.