The Fitzpatricks-Sed, Nicole, Jason, and Jasmine

It began in 1988 in St. Louis, MO. at age fifteen. David Hogan (www.freedom-ministries.us) challenged me to go to Bolivia to visit some of the churches planted by American missionaries. That was all it took for a luke warm youth without a mission at the time. At sixteen I was welcomed into the Hogan's home in Mexico and the training began. Then at twenty I married my lovely wife Nicole who I met in Guatemala, she was only eighteen when I put the ring on her finger. Two children were born (Sed - 1995 and Jasmine - 2001) while living in a village called Xochiatipa for eleven years planting churches. Then in 2003 we were sent to Puebla to pioneer a new work. The desire to see the churches community supported and sustainable prompted me to launch some businesses in the local area. This was both successful and very unsuccessful. The success was that it eliminated a lot of assumptions that I had about the ability of the poor in third world countries to succeed in commerce. I launched seven different businesses (carpentry, bread, specialty meats, screen printing, fish, tortilla, resale produce) over a period of two years hitting them with money, time and a good bit of effort. Some never got off the ground, some would have only supported one or two employees, all required a very low quality product in order to make a profit in the low income region that most live in. Thereby not meeting my objectives and falling very short of being a life giving community asset. The conclusion was “if I can't do it then how in the world can the billions of impoverished souls possibly have a seat at the table of commerce when there are only so many seats”? Thus the Agricultural Pyramid was born and a sustainable table is now being built to where all will have a seat who will. The Village Global supports the feeble and gives more abundant honor to that part which lacks (1 Cor. 12). The following is an excellent quote from early writings.

“Thou shalt not turn away him that needeth, but shalt share all things with thy brother, and shalt not say that they are thine own; for if you are fellow-sharers in that which is imperishable (immortal), how much more in perishable (mortal) things?” – Didache A.D. 100

Our friend David Servant wrote an article about us that you might enjoy here at his Heaven's Family website (http://www.heavensfamily.org/special_reports/2008_10).

On his site you will see an array of wonderful projects that support the poorest of the poor. 100% of funds designated to the various ministries go directly to the people! We love him and his family dearly. Go to http://www.shepherdserve.org/newsletter.htm and sign up for his newsletters and e-teachings. You will be glad you did!