The Miracle Tree

We should all have a Moringa Tree.  read about what great value these trees can become for you & the people you serve.

A Miracle Tree that can Flourish in the Desert and Still have More Nutritional Value than any Other Botanical on this Planet!

Moringa is known in 82 countries by 210 different names, but the one name that fully encompasses all its attributes is “the Miracle Tree”.
The indigenous knowledge and use of Moringa is referenced in more than 80 countries and known in over 200 local languages. Moringa has been used by various societies (Roman, Greek, Egyptian, and Indian to mention a few) for thousands of years with writings dating as far back as 150 AD.
"Moringa's potential as diet aid, water purifier is seen as boon to hunger fight. It's cheap, full of nutrients and a known quantity in much of the developing world.
Scientifically speaking, Moringa sounds like magic. It can rebuild weak bones, enrich anemic blood and enable a malnourished mother to nurse her starving baby. Ounce for ounce, it has the calcium of four glasses of milk, the Vitamin C of seven oranges and the potassium of three bananas.
Sounds like your Power Bar, you say? Well, consider this: A dash of Moringa can make dirty water drinkable. Doctors use it to treat diabetes in West Africa and high blood pressure in India. Not only can it staunch a skin infection, Moringa makes an efficient fuel, fertilizer and livestock feed.
Memo to Popeye: Moringa has triple the iron of spinach and more impressive attributes than olive oil. And it's not only good for you, it's delicious. You can cook Moringa in Moringa oil and top it with Moringa sauce and still taste a spectrum of flavors.
And it's cheap enough to grow on trees. Which is what Moringa Oleifera is: A tree, with a gnarly trunk and tousled head of foliage that make it look like a cypress that just rolled out of bed. It is a common tree that thrives in both the desert and the living room and produces leaves, pods, seeds and flowers that each do uncommon things" ......... Mark Fritz, LA Times, Staff Writer
In 1997 to 1998, Alternative Action for African Development and Church World Service test the power of Moringa leaf powder in pregnant or breast feeding women to prevent or cure malnutrition. The results of the test provided outstanding results in that pregnant women recovered from anemia and gave birth to babies with higher birth weights than before, breast feeding mothers had more milk, and the babies born had overall better health.
Other countries are already using the power of Moringa to treat all kinds of disease and ailments such as:

• Guatemala - skin infections and sores
• India - anemia, anxiety, asthma, blackheads, blood impurities, bronchitis, catarrh, chest congestion, cholera, conjunctivitis, cough, diarrhea, eye and ear infections, fever, glandular swelling, headaches, abnormal blood pressure, hysteria, pain in joints, pimples, psoriasis, respiratory disorders, scurvy, semen deficiency, sore throat, sprain, and tuberculosis
• Malaysia - intestinal worms
• Nicaragua - headache, skin infections, and sores
• Philippines - anemia, glandular swelling, and lactation
• Puerto Rico - intestinal worms
• Senegal - diabetes, pregnancy, skin infections, and sores
• Venezuela - intestinal worms
• Other countries - colitis, diarrhea, dropsy, dysentery, gonorrhea, jaundice, malaria, stomach ulcers, tumor, and urinary disorders
Moringa Oleifera, is one of the 14 species in this family and the most studied. She is a small shrub or tree that can reach 12m or 36 ft. height and can live up to 20 years. She is one of the fastest grow tree and can reach 3m or 9 ft. in height in less than a year. She has deep roots to survive the droughts. Her leaves replenish themselves even in the drought seasons.

For more information and how to purchase seeds to grow your own moringa tree or

http://www.moringatoday.com

http://www.treesforlife.org/our-work/our-initiatives/moringa

www.ilovemoringa.com/buyseeds.html

HOW TO GROW A MORINGA TREE

STEP 1

·  Obtain some Moringa seeds (http://www.wikihow.com/Germinate-Tree-Seeds)  from one of the many sources that sell them. There are several varieties, but the seeds of Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala are the easiest to obtain.

·         For a fast-growing tree that will bear leaves, blossoms and seed pods - called drumsticks, the first year - choose Moringa Oleifera. It is best to keep your Moringa trees at a manageable height; it makes harvesting the leaves and pods much easier to do. The drumsticks hanging from the Moringa tree, contain the Moringa tree's seeds. They can be planted as soon as the pod is dry, or stored for planting later.

• If you want a fast-growing tree with much larger leaves, making the task of gathering them for a meal easier, opt for Moringa Stenopetala.
• The flowers and seed pods take longer to develop on the African variety of Moringa - Moringa Stenopetala.
• The seeds are very different, but they both grow Moringa trees. In actuality, the seeds are basically the same size; but, you can see they are not alike in appearance. Moringa Oleifera seeds are round, brown, and winged. Moringa Stenopetala seeds, out of their husk, are almond-shaped and light tan in color.

STEP  2

·         Decide where you would like to grow your Moringa tree. Keep in mind that Moringa trees can grow over 20 feet tall, their first year. The average growth is about 15 feet, however, in optimum conditions, they can grow much taller. Because the branches will grow, on the average, to about three to four feet wide the first year, you will need to consider whether you want to plant your Moringa tree close to any existing structures. Moringas need a lot of sunlight, warmth, and water, in order to thrive - so think about where your tree will obtain the best exposure to the sun.

STEP 3

·         Get the best organic potting soil that you can find. Moringas do not like heavy, clay-like soil or vermiculite. They will grow in poor soil, sandy soil, and depleted soil, but they do not like their roots getting wet. Bear this in mind, and if necessary, purchase sand to add to the potting soil mixture, or use whatever soil is available in your area, and add coconut coir, peat moss, perlite, or sand to loosen it. This gives the roots of the Moringa tree room to spread out, go deep, and drain well. Moringa can be grow as a solitary tree, in rows, or as a hedge.

• If you would like to grow it as a hedge, plant the seeds into the ground, about 1 foot apart. Pinch back every other new leaf growth, to force the tree to grow like a bush, and once they are about 2 feet tall, cut the branches in half lengthwise, and pinch back the new leaf growth that will sprout out at the top of the Moringa tree.

·         If you are going to grow your Moringas in rows, then plant the seeds about 3 feet apart, in rows that are at least 6 feet apart, for easy weed removal and walking through the rows.

• If you are going to grow your Moringa as a solitary tree, just remember to give it plenty of room, so its branches can spread out. Periodically, cut back the top of the tree, to encourage new growth, and cut the branches' length back, by half. This will insure that your Moringas thrive, and give you lots of beautiful flowers,  edible leaves, and drumsticks - for years to come.

STEP 4

·         Make a hole in the soil, and plant the Moringa seeds about ¾" to 1" deep, cover with soil, and tamp it into place. Make a note of when you planted the seed or seeds, so you can monitor their growth. Once you have covered the seeds, thoroughly water the soil. Whether you plant the seeds in pots, or right into the ground, they will need a thorough soaking every day, until you see the seedling emerge from the soil. Once they have sprouted, they can be watered once every other day, until they are about 18 inches tall. Then, once a week will be sufficient.

·         Some people soak the seeds in water until they sprout, and then plant them. This method also works, but Moringa seeds are very hardy, and do not really need this additional step.

Disturb Us , by Daniel Kolenda

In 1577 Sir Francis Drake wrote:

Disturb us, Lord,
When we are too pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true,
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely,
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord,
When with the abundance of things we possess,
We have lost our thirst for the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity,
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new heaven to dim.

Everybody seems to want “revival,” thinking it is a pleasant and enjoyable experience. But to be revived is to be shaken out of a state of slumber, to be jolted out of apathetic complacency, to be alarmed, awakened, and startled. Too many churches praying for revival have a “Do not disturb” sign hanging on the door. Revival that fits neatly into a comfortable cradle is not revival at all. Instead of praying for revival, perhaps we should pray with Sir Frances Drake, “Disturb us, Lord!” Powerful prayer begins where complacency ends.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6

Tough decisions for the House

-The ONE Campaign Team

In two weeks, the House will start deciding where and how much to cut in next year's budget.

We know that tough decisions need to be made, but now is not the time to cut poverty-fighting programs that we know work--programs that have helped put more than 6 million people on AIDS drugs since 2002 and have helped avert 5.4 million child deaths due to vaccines--all for less than 1% of the budget.

I just signed this petition asking the House to protect these programs. Will you sign it, too?

http://act.one.org/sign/protect_fy2012/?source=protectfy2012tafem

Together as ONE we can make a difference.

Thanks! 

An Ancient Cure for an Ancient Curse

By: Darina Gancheva

The plant Artemisia can finally bring relief to Africa where a child dies of Malaria every 45 seconds.

Artemisinin, a chemical extracted from Artemisia Annua, is the key ingredient in Coartem, the most effective anti-malaria drug available. The best part is that the crop can be farmed easily in Uganda and the other African countries.

Clovis Kabasake from Fort Portal, Western Uganda, is a pioneer in bringing Artemisia to Africa. He is also a father who lost his four-year-old daughter due to Malaria. And a man with a big dream:

“I was created to leave the world a better place than I found it. And this has been the driving force all along and I believe if I could drive through my Artemisia venture that can make a better life for my community and myself then I would greatly have achieved my dream.”

Since 2001 when he read about the amazing power of Artemisia and started growing it, he has persuaded three hundred local farmers to join his cooperative. He also found a buyer of the plant - East African Botanicals, which supplies the pharmaceutical company that makes the most effective anti-malaria drug. Clavis has been putting a lot of effort to encourage African farmers to grow enough of the medicinal plant Artemisia Annua to wipe out Malaria.

“Clovis is an unselfish man. He introduced Artemisia and is always available to provide advice on how to get better yields,” said Grace Musana, one of the farmers inspired by Clovis.

Clovis has bright plans for the future: he wants to expand his cooperative to more than one thousand farmers and to invest in a large drying shed to stop rain damage. Most importantly, he is determined to transform the attitudes of his countrymen saying, “Fighting malaria is one of the obligations I feel I must address because it has done a lot of harm to me personally and to my society in general.”

Even though during the last years the largest absolute decreases in deaths were observed in Africa, according to the UN there were an estimated 243 million cases of malaria in 2008, causing 863,000 deaths, 89% of them in Africa. In 2007, the Ministry of Health in Uganda indicated that about 320 people die each day as a result of the Malaria epidemic in the country.

“Artemisia is where I’m seeing the solution to the problems of my community. Because it can address the problems of poverty and at the same time can address the problems caused by malaria which is killer number one disease in this region,” said Clovis.

Even if new to Africa, the curing power of the plant has been known to Chinese people for centuries for treating fever. Its credibility was boosted during the Vietnam War, when Ho Chi Minh’s troops used the plant to fight the disease. In the early 1970’s, Chinese scientists finally proved that Artemisia actually cured Malaria.

Who knew Cucumbers Could be so Helpful?

I just received this email from a friend and it just seemed to good to keep it to myself.  :)

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one
cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5,
Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium,
Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and
pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and
Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for
hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try
rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog
and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices
in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season
long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give
off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and
make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going
out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your
problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber
cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer
and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles
too!!!

6.. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber
slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free.
Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to
replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in
equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge?
Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European
trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off
starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you
don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut
cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable
shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice
and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to
the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of
water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with
the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing,
relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers
and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or
mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth
with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the
phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for
causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or
stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface
you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring
back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers
or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber
and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on
crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Africa's Hope

This came from the AG intercessor's report.  Missionaries to Africa since 1984, Bill and Judy Kirsch have served with the ministry of Africa’s Hope (formerly Africa Theological Training Service) since 2000. Bill and Judy felt that if Africa was going to experience the greatest harvest it had ever seen, a foundation of training needed to be built under those evangelistic efforts. "Africa has indeed seen a great harvest and since our founding we have tirelessly walked arm in arm with our sister churches in Africa to facilitate their growing educational needs." We invite you to visit our friends at www.africashope.org to familiarize yourself with all of the ways Africa's Hope is working to build a foundation under the massive church growth in Africa.

AFRICA: The Africa Assemblies of God has grown exponentially during the past decade. In 2000, more than 8.5 million people worshipped in nearly 29,400 churches. Today, the number of believers has swelled to nearly 16.6 million and the number of congregations is more than 67,800.

“Rapid church growth would, on the surface, seem like a great thing,” says missionary Jerry Ireland. “In reality, it can be potentially dangerous as pastors minister without the benefit of sound theological training.”

A recent study on Africa’s church growth further highlights the need for trained pastors. It found that if all students currently enrolled in theological education in Africa were to begin pastoring churches of 500 people, each new pastor would need to be responsible for 10 congregations to serve the needs of all believers. “This sounds daunting, but we can do something about it,” says Ireland.

Training and discipleship are top priorities, and AGWM Africa is addressing this need directly through the ministry of Africa’s Hope. “Currently the most vital resource we can offer is training,” says regional director Mike McClaflin. Africa’s Hope is helping facilitate the training of Pentecostal leaders by providing scholarships, textbooks, library books, Bible school campus development, computers and other resources.

Even in remote places, AGWM missionaries are teaching young pastors who are unable to attend resident Bible schools. “We are resourcing and partnering with national church fellowships to train pastors to lead effectively,” says McClaflin. “Spirit-empowered, biblically trained leaders are the hope of Africa.”

It can feel so overwhelming here in Uganda at times, BUT

It can feel so overwhelming here in Uganda at times, BUT...I choose to remember we have a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. When you see the devastation and heart ache day after day, it can feel like it's just too much. You hear the stories of these heroes of faith and you are reminded that the scripture in Is. 61 is true..ashes are replaced with a crown of beauty. I saw one of our teachers at Hope yesterday. Her name is Teddy. She is a beautiful woman and truly carries joy and love with every step she takes. As I sat in the car admiring here, Alisa shared with me what Teddy's last week had entailed. She lost her only daughter (8 years old) to malaria. A little mosquito bite with the combination of lack of medicine took this girl out. It shouldn't be!! But yet...here she was, at our school pressing on and loving our children. From first appearances you wouldn't even know that she was carrying heartache or despair.  She was shining as though she had been bathed with the oil of Joy. This is life in Uganda. As we prepare to "open" Field of Dreams, our Ugandan base, we are hiring new SMI team members. We will have guards to help with the gate as well as the entrance of visitors. We are hiring a man, Jeffrey, who was working as a head guard from a hotel we have stayed at many times. He was working almost 24 hours a day with little pay and was pretty worn out. As Randy shared his story with me, I was pierced to the heart. He was a child soldier in Northern Uganda years ago. He was forced into the LRA for 3 years. He must have only been a young teen then. The heartache and tragedy that he endured during those years isn't even comprehendable to me. After three years of torture and devastation, he escaped. He has 2 children still living in Northern Uganda while he is in the South because of work. He is now a born again believer...pressing on to the prize ahead. What an honor to work along side this man. I know his heart will be touched even more as he helps at the Field of Dreams. Remarkable the perserverance of these people. I am sure he must have a crown of beauty. This is life in Uganda. At dinner lastnight Randy shared about a phone call he received from a Ugandan church friend. This friend's father has been battling sickness and hanging on from the grip of death. He was walking to the bathroom and fell, only to break his hip. When Randy asked his friend if she took her father to the "good" hospital, her reply was....no, we took him to the local clinic. They put some wood on his legs to brace it. Because of the lack of resources, she had no choice. I just cringe at the thought of the immense pain. Imagine having your leg set and someone putting sticks on both sides of your leg to hold it in place.....I don't know if I could do it. I don't know whether he had any pain medicine or not. I don't even know if they have it at every village clinic. If he couldn't afford to hire transport into the "good" hospital, I'm not sure he was given the luxury of a pain killer. The thought makes me want to cry, BUT, instead, I will praise HIM, because I know, with him all things are truly possible. I will wear a garment of praise and will not despair. Because of HIM, I can hope and believe that Jesus will help this elderly man. This is life in Uganda. Life here in Uganda can feel overwhelming, yes. You sometimes don't know what to do or know how to truly help. You hear these storeis at every turn. You can get paralyzed wondering what to do, BUT then I remember all of the amazing things JESUS has done. Miracle after miracle that you see and hear about. This week at Awaken to Love we will meet some amazing Ugandan friends. We will hear a woman share her testimony of being healed from a tumor in her breast, suddenly. Not only that, she prayed for a woman who was dead one minute and alive the next. Another woman will share her story of having a tragic car accident and experiencing a miraculous healing. Another man was the town drunk and when he accepted Jesus, he suddenly overcame his addiction to alcohol. This too is life in Uganda. There are so many stories of victory here, that I must remember...there is a crown of beauty to give to those who have had ashes and loss...there is oil for joy and gladness for those who are mourning...there is a beautiful colorful cloak of praise to be given to those who have been in despair. I intend to share as much beauty, joy and praise to those I meet every day while I am here. What an honor and blessing to do this. Living life with purpose is what life in Uganda is all about.

By: Lori Bacher Salley