Shepherd's Spring will build and host a Heifer Global Village.

Heifer International and Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center in Sharpsburg, Md., recently signed a letter of agreement to establish a Heifer Global Village at Shepherd's Spring. Shepherd’s Spring is an outdoor ministry and conference center of the Church of the Brethren’s Mid-Atlantic District.

Construction of the new Heifer Global Village on the Shepherd's Spring 220-acre campus will begin this fall. On Sept. 30, at 3:30 p.m., Shepherd's Spring will host a groundbreaking event to bless the land and prepare the site. An Open House precedes the groundbreaking at 2-4 p.m., and a parade and road dedication are planned for 2:30 p.m.

"Heifer started with the Church of the Brethren, so we’re glad to bring it full circle," said Ann Cornell, Shepherd’s Spring administrator.

Over a five-year period, an estimated 38,000 people will learn about world hunger and Heifer's mission through the programs at Shepherd's Spring. The outdoor ministry center has been a part of Heifer's Learning Center expansion process since Dec. 2003 to become a pilot Heifer Global Village community sponsor who builds and operates a Heifer Global Village at their expense.

In this model, Heifer provides Shepherd's Spring with the program curriculum, staff training, and construction plans for the Global Village. Heifer also will provide marketing support along with an annual operations review and program evaluation. For its part, Shepherd's Spring will meet Heifer's required standards and will provide the funding and staffing for the sites and programs.

Through donations, Shepherd's Spring has raised $200,000 to pave the entrance road and estimates a total cost of $120,000 to construct the village. Shepherd’s Spring will pay for the construction expenses through donations and grants, and plans to cover operational expenses through program fees and donations.

For more information visit www.shepherdsspring.org.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline