Author: Bob

Tropical Agronomist

En route to Tanzania

It took me a few days to get this posted!
Wednesday morning (16 June) and I’m having breakfast at the airport waiting to begin my journey and watching the World Cup. After the match, in which Chile defeated Honduras 1-0, there was a piece on the recent history of South Africa. Well the sound was off but the pictures from Robben Island, of Nelson Mandela and fighting in the streets made it clear that the subject was the end of apartheid.
Interestingly, the father of one of my key contacts in Arusha, Tanzania served in the Vermont House of Representatives for 30 years and publicly addressed this issue.
From a letter by Robert Kinsey that was added to the US Congressional record in 1985:

“After Erwin went to Africa, he told me what was going to happen in Uganda with Idi Amin and he was right. He told what was going to happen in Rhodesia and again he was right. Now he tells me that “Apartheid is going to end in South Africa in one of two ways. If the end of Apartheid has to be by bullets, the whites are going to be pushed into the sea.”Erwin would prefer non-violent pressure such as H210 as the only hope left to create equality and harmony amongst all colors. I support H210.”

We thank God that the end of Apartheid was not by bullets and under the leadership of Nelson Mandela and others South Africa has come a long way, a “Rainbow Nation” that now has the attention of the whole world.

May Update

Update from Ellen

May 18, 2010

Greetings from our current home in Pioneer Village – North Fort Myers, FL.

One of these days I’m going to get it together and spend the time figuring out how to use all of the things available to me on my computer and send you all a very spiffy looking newsletter – I promise, one of these days!

In the mean time – I want to just update you and thank you for your friendship, prayers and faithful support.

So – What’s new?

AIM (www.aimint.org) – Ellen continues her work as TCK Educational Coordinator for AIM US. That means that I get in touch with all of our families on their Home Assignment and see how education is going for their kids. I try to help out wherever there might be problems. I also attend all of our US Candidate Weeks to meet with all of our new missionary families and again help them walk through what it is to raise and educate their children in Africa.

From April 1, 2010 – September 15, 2010 – Ellen is the Interim Regional Administrator for the Southeastern US. That means that I am meeting with and interviewing many in the SE who are applying to work with AIM in Africa. In the past 6 weeks I have traveled to North Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and East Tennessee. Next week I am hoping to get to South Florida (Atlantic Coast) – and probably one or two more trips to the Western part of my territory before I turn over the reins in September.

ECHO (www.echonet.org) – Bob is still on staff at ECHO answering requests from ECHO’s “network” all over the world and interacting with interns and visitors. He will also be arranging a forum for network members in East Africa and making a trip to Tanzania June 17th – June 28th to help get the ball rolling on that.

Ellen also meets with the young married women at ECHO on Monday nights and we are currently beginning the Power of a Praying Wife.

Family – James is now officially a missionary with OCMC (www.ocmc.or) and is in Tanzania upgrading his Swahili. He has quite the challenging commute across the capital city Dar es Salaam!

Ginny is winding up her classroom studies at Taylor University and Stephen has concluded his teaching at Ivy Tech in Eastern Indiana. They will be leaving for Southern Sudan on June 17th where Ginny will complete her Masters degree with an internship in water development and she and Stephen will both serve with SIM (www.sim.org) into December of this year.

Becky and Elliott are still in St. Louis where Elliott has wound up his second year at Covenant Theological Seminary (www.covenantseminary.edu) and Becky, her second year of teaching music at Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Academy to Middle Schoolers.

July 2nd, Ellen’s dad will be celebrating his 90th birthday and we are hoping to celebrate with family in Cincinnati.

Ellen is also looking forward to celebrating her 40th Reunion for Finneytown High School the 2nd weekend of July!

Back in Kenya – As you know, we had the privilege of being back in Kenya this fall to teach at the AIC Missionary College. What a rewarding time of teaching and spending time with many that we ministered with and to in our past years. there. Things at the college and Cheptebo are moving on well and we just heard that one of the couples we worked with are now proud parents of a new daughter.

I still receive many requests for school fees – urgently is needed about $250 for Eunice Basele from Loglogo who is coming near the end of her degree. I also have many requests from Cheptebo of impoverished families with children in Secondary and Tertiary education. If anyone is interested in contributing anything to help these young people who love the Lord and want to help their families, their God, their futures and their country – please let me know and I will get the fees to the right places.

strong>Logistics – Once more we are changing residences. But don’t worry, we will continue to get our mail at ECHO (address below), continue to have the same cell phone numbers, and continue to have the same e-mail addresses. We will be moving to a different mobile home in a different park – this one has two bedrooms and two baths, so we can once more host visitors, but is further from the ECHO campus.

Spiritual Growth – Ah… why is this last? Maybe because it is easier to sum up “What’s happenin'”  – To reflect on how God is working… now that takes more thinking and reflecting. Now, what are we learning. Continually, utter dependence on God. God is Sovereign. There are many things going on in the world at large and the world we see more intimately that are distressing and concerning and can cause us to think that God is sleeping or not at work. Yet, in the midst of that, we see him alive and active in both big and little things. So – we are learning to trust when not everything makes sense… Haven’t we learned that before? Of course! And so, now, yes, we DO know that this is true – but we relearn each day as new challenges come our way.

Again, we are thankful for each one of you that is a part of who we are – yes – that is each of you! We covet your prayers and love each of you in your own unique and special way!

Blessings! Bob & Ellen Hargrave

Ellen Hargrave

c/o ECHO

17391 Durrance Rd.

North Fort Myers, FL 33917

239 464 6516

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.

1 John 5:1  (New Living Translation)

March 2010 Update

Family and Friends,

Many of you keep up with us through facebook and e-mails but for those who do not we apologize for the long delay in communicating with you. We are still in Fort Myers where Bob is ministering full time with ECHO and Ellen with AIM.

Last fall we were able to go to Kenya for three and half months to teach at the Africa Inland Church Missionary College in Eldoret. We have known several staff at the college for many years and Eldoret is an hour’s drive from our previous place of ministry at Cheptebo. So after an absence of six years it was an incredible blessing to be back in familiar territory and to have the opportunity to reconnect with many good friends and former colleagues.

It was especially encouraging to see the progress that has been made at the Cheptebo project under the Kenyan leadership. The demonstration farm and conference center there continue to play a significant role in the agricultural and spiritual development of the Kerio Valley and beyond as they reach out in the name of Christ to the needy families in their communities.

At the Missionary College Ellen taught English to theology students and I taught a class in Dryland Agriculture to the first year missions students and continued to do work for ECHO. We both enjoyed interacting daily with the students and staff of the college community. For more information on the college check online at http://www.aimint.org/eu/projects/aic_missionary_college.html

Our time in Kenya was cut a week short by the call to return to the US due to my father’s deteriorating health. God opened the door for immediate flights and connections so that we were able to return and spend the last week of Dad’s life with him and other family members. Robert Henry Hargrave entered into the presence of his Lord on December 6th at the age of 83. We deeply appreciate the many messages of encouragement and condolence that we received during that time.

Our plans for the rest of this year and beyond remain somewhat uncertain. Ellen has been asked to assume an interim position as AIM Area Representative for the Southeast US as well as continue in her role working with missionary kids and their families. I continue to serve at ECHO where I am the coordinator of consulting services and also am leading the effort to open an ECHO East Africa Regional Office.

We deeply appreciate your faithful friendship, prayers and support as we wait confidently for God’s leading in our lives and ministry. We are humbled when we consider that you have stood with us for 25 years of service with AIM. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and may God bless you richly in the days ahead.

Yours in Christ,

Bob and Ellen

Nobel Prize winner Norman Borlaug dies at 95

One of my heroes passed away last weekend. Here are some excerpts from the news:
Dallas Morning News —
Though fame eluded him, he had probably done more than anyone else in history to make the world a better place, said Dr. Ed Runge, retired head of Texas A&M’s Department of Soil and Crop Sciences and a close friend who recruited Dr. Borlaug to teach at the university.
The Nobel committee honored Dr. Borlaug in 1970 for his contributions to high-yield crop varieties and bringing agricultural innovations to the developing world. Many experts credit the green revolution with averting global famine during the second half of the 20th century and saving perhaps 1 billion lives.
One of his last visitors was former Texas A&M president Elsa Murano, who assured him that his colleagues would continue his efforts to combat world hunger. “And he said ‘What about Africa?'” his granddaughter recalled. “And I think that’s a testament to the kind of person he was – concerned right to the end.” [Dallas Morning News]
And from National Public Radio —
“Norman E. Borlaug saved more lives than any man in human history,” said Josette Sheeran, executive director of the U.N. World Food Program. “His heart was as big as his brilliant mind, but it was his passion and compassion that moved the world.” [Nationa Public Radio]
A sad commentary on our culture when a person who had that kind of impact on the world would hardly be noticed while a pop star’s death dominated headlines for weeks!