God’s Divine Provision: Navigating Famine Through Obedience and First Fruits

As the first quarter of the new year unfolded, the Liseli Foundation and its farm entered with hopeful anticipation and steadfast faith. We have seen great progress on the farm in the past year and our latest cultivars are doing fantastic. Despite the promising progress on the farm in the past year and thriving cultivars, the region was unexpectedly gripped by a severe drought in the latter part of 2023. This drought, one of the worst since 1996, brought devastating effects, plunging the people of Sesheke and neighboring communities that we serve into a dire famine with huge food shortages.

Through prayer God began to speak to us about being God’s beacon of hope and a source of aid to the Sesheke community. Our hearts resonated with the words of Isaiah 58:10, where God declares, ‘If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.’ Through fervent prayer, we embarked on a mission to provide food and hunger relief to those in need. Over three instances, we distributed maize and other staple foods, feeding well over 3000 individuals. At the Ahavah School, we ensured that our learners received a daily meal, prioritizing their health and well-being. Witnessing God’s grace and provision amidst such adversity was truly a cause for celebration.

Yet, the true miracle lies not only in God’s provision, for which we are profoundly grateful, but in the manner in which He provided—through simple obedience.

The Liseli Foundation’s ability to provide hunger relief was made possible through the generous contribution of our agricultural division. In a journey marked by faith and miracles, our citrus orchards stand as a testament to God’s abundant provision even in a seemingly ‘Barotsi land’ (translated as ‘Barren Land’).

A biblical principle underscores our journey—the principle of First Fruit. Just as the Israelites were instructed to offer the first fruits of their harvest to the Lord, we have faithfully adhered to this principle. We believe in the sovereignty of God’s wisdom, and that His ancient principles for His people still apply today, and that when it is applied, God brings a blessing unto His people. For three years, we abstained from harvesting the fruit of our citrus orchards, in accordance with God’s command. As we entered the fourth year, now 2024, we honored God with our first fruits offering.

Leviticus 19:23–25 When you come to the Land and you plant any food tree, you shall surely block its fruit [from use]; it shall be blocked from you for three years, not to be eaten. And in the fourth year, all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to the L‑rd. And in the fifth year, you may eat its fruit.

Amidst the famine, the Liseli Agricultural side harvested the citrus fruits and sold them to the local supermarket. The proceeds from this harvest were then generously donated to the Liseli Foundation, facilitating God’s heart to provide hunger relief to the Sesheke community .God’s sovereignty is evident in His perfect timing. Through our obedience to God’s ways and the act of honoring Him with our first fruits, He has opened up a way for the Liseli foundation to miraculously provide food for the hungry and needy during this severe famine. 

God foresaw, four years ago, the famine that would strike and orchestrated the planting of the citrus orchards, knowing that they would serve as a means of provision for His people in their time of need.