Geeti no longer has to spend long days in the fields doing backbreaking work. Her task as a woman is to thresh the rice, separating the sheaves from the grain. It was a physically exhausting, time-consuming and tedious task. Geeti recounts how she would spend most of the day “bending over, hitting endless sheaves of rice on a wooden block again and again to make sure none of the rice grain was wasted.” That was before she was given training in the use of a paddle thresher and other new technology introduced by LWF.

For Geeti, it takes very little time now to produce the large pile of grain in front of her. With a small loan from LWF she bought a thresher and has repaid the loan with money she makes by threshing for her neighbors. “We were given training in how to use different tools”, she explains, “and I chose to buy the paddle thresher because I could see a chance to make a living. No more backbreaking work for me. I’m earning enough to give my children an education. Thanks, LWF!”

Prayer: Gracious God, for the gift of rice and for all who work in the harvest of food we give thanks. Amen.

(Your financial gifts to the LWF may be made through the ELCA Foundation, the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, the National Office of the ELCIC or directly to the LWF Regional Office in North America, 8765 West Higgins Road, Chicago IL 60631.)