Business Missions: Livestock Feed and Value Addition

I'm in Kenya this week with Paul Soper, CFO of DML, and an old friend, Malcolm DeKryger from DeMotte IN.  Malcolm is the President and CEO of Belstra Milling and Fair Oaks Pig Adventure, as well as a number of other agribusinesses.  We will be taking a look at the challenges relating to livestock feed around several parts of Kenya.  The conversation around a trip like this started during a phone call in September of 2019 and was then confirmed by a visit that Malcolm had in October with one of the Kenyan governors asking for assistance in this specific field.  We quickly felt
like God was confirming this track.  This week will be looking at the demand for livestock feed, the current feed producers, and the potential gaps in the market relating to the value chain in producing healthy meat.  We will be meeting with this Governor and the livestock farmers in his county who do not have good access to feed.  We will also be meeting with one of our key partners in Kenya through the Anglican Church and discuss challenges for their livestock farmers for their members as well.

I'm excited about this because for the last five years, I have been focused on helping the church understand the importance of business in the Kingdom of God and developing tools to help them be able to disciple their members to do their work as an act of worship.  But my real passion is seeing business owners equipped and released to do the work that helps people flourish, use their gifting in a way that is reflective of the Image of God, and to find real joy in doing meaningful work.

As we begin to round a corner of churches and denominations understanding it, there are a number of businesspeople who have said to me, "Now it's time to continue developing tools to help business owners thrive!"  Malcolm is one of those people who has said this to me.

This year we are launching a new part of our ministry called "Business Ambassadors."  For years, typical missions has involved those of a theological background or those willing to paint/build.  But what many parts of Africa need for sustainable poverty alleviation is technology transfer - learning from other entrepreneurs and business people - access to information about new technologies that can help their business grow, and possibly leapfrog some technologies to get to those that can really develop capacity in this growing world.

These business ambassadors will be representing Christ by mentoring and teaching business owners in their specific area of expertise.  They will come for a week and be able to go deep in mentoring with two businesses and then provide a workshop for a much larger group in the area.

We believe it's time that business people take on business missions and we believe that through our network of churches and denominations, this can be done in a way that will be mutually beneficial and respectful, with the goal of fulfilling Genesis 1:28.

If you might be interested in being a business ambassador, please email us at info@disciplingmarketplaceleaders.org.  We appreciate your prayers for God's leading as we explore this important topic this week!