Petro pastors a church in a Ukrainian village. All his life this Ukrainian farmer tries to make a living, growing grain on twenty-four acres. But Petro’s farming venture didn’t supply enough income to support his eleven children.
In 2019, Petro joined a SALT savings group. As he attended meetings and listened to the teaching, he started to reconsider how he could use his land more wisely. He recognized his land as the main resource God had given him. With input from others, it became clear that he needed to stop raising grain and seek another way to use his land. Raising animals seemed like his best option.
Although the local savings group didn’t have enough funds to loan to Petro to launch this venture, Petro was able to round up the money he needed to get started. SALT meetings provided a place for him to ask questions, receive instruction on business management, and seek direction from others in the group.
Thirty pigs and four calves
Petro bought thirty pigs and four calves. Even with the space taken by the animals, he still had room to grow feed on his land. His business of raising animals has increased his income by three times! He sells piglets and quartered beef. He is now thinking about processing and selling meat like sausage and bologna.
Petro’s mind seems to be constantly turning, trying to think of ways he can best use the land God has given him. During a SALT teaching session, he heard about growing raspberries and fruit trees. He is thinking about this idea as a next step for his farm development.
One of our objectives with SALT is to help people discover ways to provide for their families. Often, people do not need many additional physical resources to start them on the path to providing for themselves. Like Petro, many people have resources, but simply need encouragement and input from others to best use what God has placed in their care.
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