At home in Virginia, USA, Mike Applebee searched the internet for charities who could use surplus vegetable seeds ... he found our Happy House.
Mike and his wife Kathleen are members of Kempsville Church of Christ in Virginia Beach and their friends from the adult Sunday morning Bible Class, and other church friends, got together to pool their excess seeds sending a whole variety to our family including pumpkin, radish, butternut squash, acorn squash, tomato, cantaloupe, lemon and gala apple.
Kathleen told us: "I'm happy to hear that one of the goals of the Happy House is self-sufficiency. After working in the social services field, it's refreshing to hear that being a goal of a non-profit organisation.
"I am hoping and praying that our church will do more to help the Happy House in the future."
Kathleen and Mike were also delighted to hear about our Young Farmers' Club where our kids are learning how to grow their own ... a valuable skill in any country, but particularly on a continent where so many are starving.
Kathleen teaches in an alternative school in Suffolk where she and Mike have introduced gardening to their own pupils.
"We grow seeds into plants, veggies as well as flowers. My kids are urban and disconnected from growing things. One was not going to try the radishes because they had been in the dirt. When I told him the carrots he eats at lunch came out of the dirt he made a shocked and disgusted face and wasn't inclined to believe me!"
Kathleen and Michael's church is involved in helping orphans in the Ukraine, and its annual Mission trip has visited Columbia and an Indian Reservation in Washington.
Kathleen said: "You are doing a wonderful thing for the "least of these". We plan to keep sending seeds and to be in touch from time to time. Who knows, maybe one year our mission group may visit you!"
We hope you do Kathleen and Micheal - you would find a very warm welcome.
Thank you from all our family to you and to your friends who have so very kindly sent seeds for us to plant in our garden.
* Pictured are: Bill and Linda Dowdie with Mike and Kathy Applebee; second picture: Ryan and Shanda Feber
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