Power and Light

I walk in a dark room; without even thinking I flip on the light switch. My hands are dirty; I turn on the faucet to wash them. I’m thirsty so I push my glass against the spout on the door of the refrigerator. Cold water fills my cup. Behind the refrigerator door, my milk, eggs, fruits, and vegetables stay cool without fear of spoiling quickly. The room is a tad stuffy so I turn on my ceiling fan.

I doubt if many of us take time to consider the convenience of a light switch, refrigeration, or a ceiling fan. I doubt if many of us would even consider them to be a convenience; we view them as mandatory.

Move to the tribal villages of North Africa, however, and your perspective changes the first time you walk into a dark room and no switch awaits to flood the room with light. Even if you’re ok with that, the first day you spend – the first night you try to sleep – in a 120° climate will make you wish for a chiller fan or ceiling fan to cool you off.

Grow Barefoot is thrilled to once again partner with the International Mission Board to provide a solar electrical system for a family serving in these types of circumstances. A group of men are preparing now to travel to Africa sometime in the middle to late part of 2014 and make this life-changing difference in the ministry and the life of a family.

Late last summer, volunteers helped pack and load shipping crates full of supplies that are currently sailing across the ocean. Once those crates arrive safely in their destination, final preparations will begin for the men to also journey across that same ocean and begin the installation.

To be honest, the men who travel on these trips have a hidden agenda for going. Despite their skills in electrical wiring to provide power and light, they also have a heart to share a different kind of Power and Light - "To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to LIGHT and from the POWER of Satan to GOD, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me [Jesus Christ]" (Acts 26:18).

They have a desire to invest in the lives of people.

They have a desire to provide a little help and comfort for those who gave up life in the land of light switches and air conditioning to go and make disciples of all nations.

These trips aren’t cheap, however. If you’d like to help cover the cost for the men, please mail your donation to:

Grow Barefoot

ATTN: Africa 2014

11520 S Alley Jackson Rd

Grain Valley MO  64029

Or, give securely online through Paypal:

For their safety, we do not publish the names of the men participating in this trip. If you know one of them, and would like your donation to credit toward their account, please make a note on your check or in the special instructions of your Paypal donation.

UPDATE: Grow Barefoot was recently approved by the IRS as a 501c3, not-for-profit organization. Donations are now tax-deductible.