AgConnect Ministries emerged from a September 2004 visit that Les Yoder made to Moldova, as a follow-up to a January visit made by Jim Ranck, Leland Miller and Dan Ness where they conducted agriculture seminars. Out of that visit, 2 projects were formed which compared Moldovan practices of growing corn, to growing corn according to accepted US practices. Les Yoder went to Moldova to evaluate the success of those projects, and to determine if this was a work that should continue.
While in Moldova, Les received a Promise from God – Genesis 28:15 “I am with you and will protect you everywhere you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” NCV. On observing the results of the projects and seeing the great needs, and the potential, he was filled a desire to help improve the plight of the farmers in Moldova. When he returned to the US, the 4 men met, and decided to form their own organization, AgriService Moldova, whose mission was to improve Moldova, one farmer at a time by providing education, technical and financial support. More about the work of AgriService Moldova can be found at their website www.agriservicemoldova.com.
In a 2011 visit, Les sensed a clear call from God that it was time that he devoted his energies to the work in Moldova. His vision was to expand the work of AgriService Moldova, providing a much more intense level of support, to build a network of other people and organizations who were attempting to do similar work, not only in Moldova, but other parts of the world, and to include humanitarian aid and Christian missions.
Les was diagnosed with cancer in September 2011, and underwent surgery, Chemo and Radiation treatments. That incredible journey taught him many lessons that he is able to share with people wherever he goes. He learned what it meant to depend fully on God to for everything that he has. He also learned what it meant to live moment by moment, focusing only on Jesus, not being distracted by the difficulties that life brings to all of us, but simply following Jesus’ command to “Come, follow me.”
With the granting of an extension of his life, Les made a significant career change, leaving his partnership in a Soils, Crops and Dairy Nutrition Consulting business. With the blessing and support of his family and friends, he founded AgConnect Ministries in 2013. He travels frequently to Moldova and other countries in Eastern Europe, providing agriculture expertise to many farmers and Ag businesses. To help support himself and the ministry, he formed a consulting company, Gen 2:15 Consulting LLC, using his many years of experience in agriculture in this manner.
Les and his wife of 34 years, Suzanne, live in Gap, Pennsylvania. They are the parents of 2 sons – Shane, who lives in Lancaster, PA with his wife Katelyn, daughter Marlowe and son Jack; and Jordan who lives in Maine. They are members of Petra Church New Holland, PA.
