“Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need,so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality as it is written: “he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little” -- 2 Corinthians 8:13-15
Feeding the Poor
Steve and I have now lived seven months in Malpaisillo. When we realized building and running a farm would generate jobs and income for the poor in January, 2014 we decided to formed a 501c3 non-profit “Sheep Not Goats” in order to receive tax deductible donations to build a farm (Finca Buenpaisillo) where we would raise tilapia and grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. The main focus of Finca Buenpaisillo is to provide employment to many and food to everyone. To date the farm has provided employment (full and part-time) to approximately 30 people from within our local church and community.Until Finca Buenpaisillo is able to produce its own income, we are dependent entirely on donations to build and pay workers a days wage. Up to this point here are some of the things we have bought, built or planted: 1.75 acres, barbed wire fencing around the property, electricity and water from the town, a 150 foot deep well, a drip irrigation system with a 5000l water tower, and a small house. We have also planted dragon fruit, passion fruit, plantains, granadia, watermellon and canteloupe to list a few. We are soon to plant mango, avocado, lemon, lime, orange, fig, zapote, and star fruit trees. The fish tanks are being built in stages. Presently an enormous hole is being dug by shovel that will hold 20,000 gallons of water.
Working with and helping the people in Malpaisillo has brought an indescribable joy, sense of purpose and accomplishment we have never experienced before. We feel very blessed participating in as well as personally seeing peoples lives and families transform.
We have reached a critical point in the construction of the farm where we find it necessary to make an appeal to those living in first world countries to help us finish the work we have begun. Funds are running low and unless we receive more donations we will be forced to stop offering part-time work and delay construction of the fish tanks. We are grateful for any and all donations but it is the monthly donations that provide us with the clearest view of our ability to fund current and future work for the people and projects of the farm.
We hope by showing you a glance into the personal lives of our full and part-time workers you can see how much their lives have been impacted from working on the farm.
Lucio
Lucio is thirty-eight and cannot read or write. He has been a Christian for one and a half years. He is married and has two sons. His wife left with their two sons one year ago for another man who makes more money than he. At one point with no job Lucio literally lived on the streets of Malpaisillo. Today thanks to some wonderful Christians from Charleston, SC, Lucio lives alone in a 15x25 brick home. 
He is so happy and grateful. I should mention that there is no toilet, refrigerator, stove, door or windows, though there are two “openings.” Lucio recently learned that his twelve-year-old son has juvenile diabetes and the doctor visits and blood test cost more than what he makes in one week. Lucio works full-time on the farm.
Bismarck
Bismarck is in his thirties, married and is raising his wife’s eleven-year-old daughter. He had been in the military up until we started building the farm in January 2014. His marriage, family and spiritual growth suffered greatly being away all but a few days each month. As a full-time worker Bismarck now makes more money than he had previously and he and his wife have recommitted themselves to Christ and their marriage.
Oscar
Oscar is in his early twenties, married and has two daughters. He and his wife have been Christians for a year and a half. He used to work in the mayor’s office where he was daily challenged by very aggressive and assertive women coming on to him and eventually quit to save his marriage. When we moved to Malpaisillo Oscar was unemployed and his wife worked eight hours in a bakery making approximately $0.50/hour. She made just enough for their daily food. Now as a full-time worker, his wife can stay home caring for their two girls and a sick mother.
Medardo
Medardo is in his mid-to-late thirties. When he was 15 he was falsely convicted of murder and spent fifteen years in prison.He has been a Christian for one year, is married and has a baby daughter. His main source of income had been driving a tricycle taxi and making approximately $4 a day. Often his electricity was turned off due to lack of funds. He moved to Malpaisillo in February and now as a full-time worker he is able to provide for his family.
Winning Souls
So far this year our small yet growing church has 20 new Christians which puts us now over 60 people. Of those 20 new Christians, four of them are men who work part-time on the farm and we wanted to share a little bit of their lives with you. 
Alejandro y Alejandra
Alejandro is fifty-five years old, recently married to Alejandra and has a son Alejandro. Both father and son were baptized on the same day in April. They are our closest neighbors. I remember when I first met Alejandro he showed me his old Bible and shared that he no longer attented church. 
Alejandro is very sick. He has a serious kidney disease that causes him much pain and often is incapacitated. He has medicine he is supposed to take but he can’t afford it, it cost $2 a day. He had no means of income before he started working part-time on the farm and he is grateful to now have money for food.
Alejandro (Lito) is twenty-eight years old. One day when he was eleven he and his mom were on a walk a drunk driver hit them both and killed his mom. He has ongoing pain and needs physical therapy but is unable to have it due to lack of money. Lito had been unemployed and drank heavily out of boredom. He too has a kidney disease and cannot afford to buy medication that also costs $2 a day.
Alcides
Alcides is in his fifties and one of the few people who owns a small truck. He uses his truck to haul in tree posts, sand, or whatever to earn an income. When he first came to us to offer different materials needed to build the farm, he shared with Lucio (unknowing that Lucio was a Christian) how he had intentions to swindle us by giving us bad quality materials…..of course Lucio warned us. Today Alcides is a brother in Christ.
Sergio
Sergio is in his thirties. He is married to a Christian, has one son and helps raise his sister-in-law’s three children while she works in Costa Rica. Sergio was often without a job and would spend most of the money he made on alcohol. Sergio became a Christian in May.
Teens in Malpaisillo rarely work because of lack of opportunity. Since the construction of the farm many teens from church have asked to work to help with food, pay a bill or to buy clothes. When they work it’s usually part-time and then go to school.
Please partner with us in this work through your tax deductible donation. Through August 30, 2014, we are excited to announce that a generous supporter is matching individual donations dollar for dollar (up to $5000). You can donate online at: www.sheepnotgoats.org