In October 2015, what began as a simple “mom’s day out” trip to Uganda changed my life forever.
With a background in international nutrition, a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University, and extensive experience with the United States Department of Health in Washington, D.C., I had long prepared to serve overseas—but as a stay-at-home mom for 11 years, I felt that that season had passed. Then came Uganda, where I had the opportunity to serve with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Farmer-to-Farmer program, teaching soybean processing to a large farming cooperative. There I saw firsthand that practical, locally led training could immediately transform families facing severe malnutrition.
When I prayed about how the work could continue after I returned home, I sensed God’s simple instruction: “Hire the locals.” That step of obedience became the beginning of FARM STEW International. Its name is an acronym, which gives away the ministry’s focus on transforming communities through eight key “ingredients”—farming, attitude, rest, meals, sanitation, temperance, enterprise, and water—to build self-sufficiency.
Tough Beginnings
The early years required courage. I personally funded the first Ugandan trainers, formed a board, and eventually left my county Health Department job to lead the growing ministry. Expansion came quickly—Zimbabwe in 2017, refugee camps in northern Uganda in 2018, and an official launch in South Sudan during one of the worst food insecurity crises in the world.
In early 2020, overwhelmed by the weight of leadership and fundraising, I prayed aloud and told God I could either lead or carry the financial burden—but not both. The next day an anonymous US$100,000 gift arrived—our largest ever—just before COVID shut the world down. From that moment on, the anxiety lifted. The deal still stands: I will lead faithfully; God will provide.
Outstanding Growth
Since then FARM STEW has grown into a global, locally led movement equipping families with skills in farming, nutrition, sanitation, enterprise, temperance, rest, attitude, and water. By 2021 the ministry had reached Malawi; by 2022 it was active in the Philippines, Brazil, Zambia, Sudan, and Rwanda; and expansion into Latin America and West Africa soon followed, including Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cuba, Ethiopia, Senegal, Panama, and Nicaragua.
Through clean audits, strong local boards, and a multiplying training-of-trainers model, the ministry continues to steward resources carefully while reaching hundreds of thousands with hands-on, Christ-centered training.
God’s Abundant Blessings
Along with serving as founder and executive director of FARM STEW, I have had the privilege of serving as president of ASi Lake Union and now as general vice president of ASi Mid-America, helping mobilize lay members for mission.
As we look ahead, 2026 promises to be a remarkable year of growth—new countries, deeper impact, and continued evidence that when God calls us to something that seems impossible, He is already preparing the provision. All glory belongs to Him.
About FARM STEW International Ministry
When I was invited to teach soybean processing to a cooperative of 60,000 farmers, I discovered that practical, hands-on nutrition and agriculture training—using only locally available resources—could immediately improve family health. With the help of local leaders, I formed the first Ugandan training team.
In 2016 FARM STEW International was officially established as a nonprofit organization. What began as one woman sharing practical knowledge has become a global movement—equipping families with biblical principles, agricultural skills, health education, enterprise development, and clean water solutions to move from extreme poverty toward abundant life.
The original version of this story was posted on Mid-America Union Outlook. FARM STEW is a supporting ministry that is not part of the corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church.
