Samaritan’s Purse provides agricultural assistance to struggling families.
Azad* farms in Syria like his father and grandfather did before him. His crops include traditional produce like wheat and vegetables, but also grapes. He, his wife, and their five children spend their days taking care of the fields together.
When drought recently caused his wheat crop to fail two years in a row, they partnered with a neighbor, pooling their resources to buy fertilizer and other necessary items to bring vegetables for market. This plan gave them greater yield than the failed wheat the year before, but profits were still lean as they divided proceeds among them. Ever hopeful, Azad planted his fields the next spring.
Azad’s wheat harvest failed two years in a row causing him to diversify his farming efforts.
That’s when the Samaritan’s Purse agriculture team met Azad. During assessment visits, our staff quickly noticed that he and his family are very close, and they work hard in the fields together. Farming is a family job for them, and they all play a role. Even their 3-year-old helps pick cucumbers and travels with his father to the market.
When Azad agreed to receive our services, Samaritan’s Purse gave him fertilizer and seeds, including zucchini, okra, cucumbers, and red pepper. We also provided a drip irrigation kit, which was new for Azad even though he is an experienced farmer. Such drip systems help to conserve water better than the canal systems traditionally used in Syria.
Samaritan’s Purse trained Azad in using these newer technologies. The coaching and tools we provided helped him to overcome the unpredictability of local rainfall and lessen his reliance on a costly well. During our training, we also shared with him the story of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10.
The drip irrigation system that Samaritan’s Purse taught Azad to use conserves more water than the canal systems traditionally used in Syria.
Cucumbers Gain a Reputation
After long months of tending their fields, the family rejoices that the summer harvest season has arrived. They now split their days between collecting the produce and taking it to market with their “tuk tuk.” Azad is a natural businessman at heart so he is grateful that his vegetables have gained a positive reputation. He says traders come looking for his cucumbers, because he sorts out the good ones ahead of time, leaving the flowers on to make them more attractive to the buyer. In addition, he uses organic compost, which make his vegetables especially flavorful and in high demand.
Azad fills his “tuk tuk” with produce to bring it to market.
Azad is now making enough profit on his vegetables to provide for his family. He plans to set aside some of these funds to purchase items for next year and to introduce new ways to keep his soil healthy. He is even seeking to expand by planting an orchard of fruit trees.
Azad said that it is not common in the region to be willing to wait three to five years for trees to produce fruit, but once they do, they have many benefits. Farmers can eat, sell, and dry fruit, or process it into jams or other items in demand in the market.
Azad is grateful as he inspects the cucumbers Samaritan’s Purse helped him grow.
Seeds of the Story of the Good Samaritan
Amid this success, Azad was asked what he remembered about his training from Samaritan’s Purse. He responded with the story of the Good Samaritan. He said the parable stood out to him because it acknowledges the value and worth of all people and that we need to care for those around us.
As the winter planting season approaches, Azad will continue to receive weekly visits from our team to help him in his efforts. He is currently just one of 75 farmers in Syria who receive agricultural assistance from Samaritan’s Purse. Please pray for these men and women to see bountiful harvests and for good relationships to be built between farmers and our teams as they continue their trainings and visits.
Azad inspects his fields.
*Name changed for security
