Agros Blog

As some of you may already know, my last day at Agros is February 6th, 2009. I have taken a new position at the Rural Development Institute (RDI), a Seattle-based organization working to provide land rights for the poorest people in the world.

There is currently an active search underway to find and hire a new CEO for Agros. Don Manning, Agros board member and former Vice President and General Counsel for Nextel Partners, will serve as interim CEO. In addition, the Agros board of directors, executive leadership team, and country directors all continue to lead the mission of Agros forward.

While I’m excited about this new opportunity to continue to serve the poor by providing access to land, I am leaving Agros with gratitude and humility, knowing that the organization is in good hands, and knowing that I leave a richer, more grateful man for having been a part of the Agros mission and family.

So how do you summarize 10 years of Gratitude?

I’ll never forget my first introduction to Agros as I met a roomful of people who spoke about relationships and serving the poor through land. I was overwhelmed with the potential that I saw and experienced — the potential for relationships, participation, and following Jesus by serving the poor. And this was long before these were named as the values of Agros. I can still remember running down the stairs and looking for a phone to call Inés, my wife, to share with her my initial impressions of Agros. Little did I know that it would be the start of a 10-year relationship that can only be described as amazing.

For those of you involved in Agros through Service Teams or Journey with a Village, you understand the experience. After spending time in an Agros village many of you return home and say, “I received so much more than I gave.”

After my own years of involvement in Agros with villagers, board members, staff and so many committed, passionate people — I can repeat those words with you: I, too, have received so much, and I am filled with gratitude.

I’d like to share a few stories with you to serve as a reminder of what everyone in the Agros family is a part of. These are just glimpses and scenes of hope and opportunity being realized for thousands of rural families across Central America, Mexico, and the US.

• Tomasa lives in the Agros Guatemala village of Batzchocola. You can hear a part of her story in this video, titled “Restoring Lives” . The video clip provides a glimpse into the life of a woman of faith who despite incredible hardship, tragedy, and personal loss has overcome it all with compassion and gratitude. Tomasa makes me want to be a part of something that makes a difference.

• Don Serbando: the first village leader of La Esperanza in Guatemala. When interviewed about a recent harvest the village reaped, Don Serbando explained that they were going to share this harvest with the widows and “the poor” in neighboring areas. At the time, Don Serbando was making not much more than  a few dollars per day, and yet he and others in La Esperanza were motivated to give. Don Serbando motivates ME to give.

• I’m in the home of Catarina and her husband, Diego. (It was Catarina’s smile on the Agros website that originally brought me to Agros many years ago). We’re there with Agros supporter and master guitar player, Trace Bundy. In the darkness of their home, at night, Trace plays Amazing Grace. Diego, who lies in bed, was recently crippled from a bus accident. We all sing together, tears streaming down our faces.

• Don Pedro and his wife, Guadalupe, live in the Agros Nicaragua village of Futuro del Mañana. When they finally realized the dream of owning their own land, Don Pedro shared at the title ceremony in the village that he had his daughter teach him to write just so he could personally sign his own name on the land title. Don Pedro teaches me humility, courage, and the value of hard work.

• During many Regional Team staff meetings we often took time to share with each other the deeper things in our personal lives. Work at Agros is often hard and complicated, and through it all I knew I could count on the encouragement, prayers, and support of the Regional Team and Country Directors. They are exceptional people and I’ll never forget their wisdom and friendship.

• My heart is also full with the memories of committed Agros staff and board members who have tirelessly & passionately given themselves in service to the poor of Central America and Mexico.

These moments… these people… have all taught me that it is the “simple ideas” that often make the greatest difference. The “simple idea” behind Agros is that having workable land, access to credit, and training are the basic ingredients needed to end rural poverty — one village at a time. This idea, and all the people this idea represents, has shaped and marked my life and I am simply filled with gratitude.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve with each of you, and thank you for your continued support of the Agros mission of land, hope, and life.

Greg with an Agros villager in San Marcos de Belén.

Explaining how Agros works to a new potential Agros village.

At the land title ceremony of Don Pedro.

Laughing with a young boy in Futuro del Mañana.

Greg in one of his favorite places on earth – an Agros village.