India, Nagaland - Living Self Sufficiently

Network e-Bulletin, April 2020, No. 5

Message from Alemla Samuel

2015 Graduate

Hello ARI community and greetings from Alemla Samuel in Nagaland, India. I am a 2015 ARI graduate and I wanted to share how I am using my time during this lockdown period.

https://gyazo.com/d497ff0f87efcca483ff50ad685e9b0f

Alemla harvesting cucumbers

Seeking calm in turmoil

As COVID-19 made its way into India, our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, announced the world’s largest COVID-19 lockdown on 24 March, asking 1.3 billion Indians to stay home for 21 days to slow down the spread of the virus. For me, the first day was very difficult. I was scared, confused, and really worried thinking about so many unnecessary things. Nothing could comfort me, and I was not even able to sleep. But as I closed my eyes and turned to Jesus, I was comforted by the word of God recorded in Psalms 91. This situation led me pray even more earnestly and meditate on His word. I could experience an inner peace that I was hungry for.

https://gyazo.com/b6575fac6a57365e00db5f2b51da271f

Making bokashi

Rewind, remind, reread

With so much time at hand, I started working out a schedule of what I can do. I was reminded once again of all the rich learnings I received from ARI and I thought this was the best time to sit down and rewind, remind and reread. Then I started to check my ARI notes and I got answers to many of my queries. Here are some few things I decided to do.

Food Self Sufficiency

This situation got me thinking deeper and I realised the need for living a truly self-sufficient lifestyle. I looked at the people in the community struggling without enough food, because we completely depend on the other states of India to supply food to our plates. I saw where the real need of my community lies. It is indeed the best time to advocate for kitchen gardening to produce sufficient and good food, at least for our own family. To achieve this purpose, I have started writing a small handbook, which my community can use to start organic kitchen gardens.

Fruits of the kitchen garden

Kitchen Gardens in the Community

I have also made arrangements with ten poor farmers to train them on kitchen gardening immediately after the lockdown is relaxed. Slowly, I will increase the number of farmers. I have experimented with organic techniques in my own garden and found the results satisfactory. I will be using my ARI learning in the local context and at the same time learn from the farmers. I am excited and looking forward to the exchange of learning.

https://gyazo.com/96e6f16629367a0ccaea358f0163e5b0

Okra patch

Three Loves

Love God:

Matthew 22:37-38

... you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Love Neighbour:

Matthew 22:39

…and the second is like it; you shall love your neighbour as yourself.

1 John 4:7-8

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Love Soil:

Genesis 2:15

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

Numbers 35:33

You shall not pollute the land in which you live...

Proverbs 12:11

He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread...

Proverbs 28:19

Those who work their land will have abundant food...

Genesis 3:19

In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.

Revelation 11:18

...and shall destroy those who destroy the earth.

May the Lord comfort us all and keep us safe in this time of great tribulation. Let us continue to pray for each other.

‘That we may live together’