Getting to the JTP

Getting to the JTP from Bujumbura is quite a challenge. Jean Marie takes two buses, a bike and motorcycle. It’s a total of a 1 1/2 hour trip. Shown below are two segments of his trip.

The Lord has blessed us with 5 farmers and an agronomist. The agronomist, Vital Habonimana, is shown in the photo below explaining the plan for the JTP below. We are planting a combination of seeds and cuttings, both irrigated and non-irrigated to determine how the plants respond to varying amounts of water.

The land has been cleared and the farmers have already begun planting. The photo below is of the cleared land. I’ll post one with the cuttings planted once I receive it.

There is a 70 km irrigation ditch that runs through the province of Cibitoke. The photo here shows the ditch, adjacent to the JTP, where we will retrieve the water during the dry season.

This boy represents the future generation who we are trying to help. Thank you for your continued prayers. God is blessing this project and expanding our vision of what is possible.

I also wanted to give a quick update on my test project here in Orlando, FL. The photo on the left below is my tallest Jatropha, which started out as a cutting that began to show growth in mid-February. It is now 24” tall, representing 4 1/2” of growth in one week. On the right is the mid-sized Jatropha. I planted this one in April and it is now 17” tall, representing 3” of growth in one week. I zoomed in so you can see the buds that will begin blooming soon. These buds will grow into the fruit that will contain the seed pods.

God Bless,

John

“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” Mark 11:23-24

Budding Jatropha and JTP Update

I have continued to experiment with fertilizer. Two weeks ago, I added a 9-59-8 NPK mix to the Jatropha. The plant on the far right (below) is now 19 1/2” tall, representing over over 8” of growth in one month. I measure the plants at least weekly and have seen accelerated growth with 2” of growth just in the last few days.

The center plant is now beginning to show flower buds as you can see in the photo below. It is just over 14” tall.

I received an update on the JTP in Burundi, Africa. I will include Jean Marie’s update in his words:

“I left very early in the morning, at 07h00; then I took twice buses, from my town to Cibitoke, where the JTP is. It took me 1 hour 30 minutes. When I reached there, I found all the workers present and ready for more work. They have finished cultivating, collecting the cuttings and seeds. Tomorrow, they will start planting. It has required 5 farmers to cultivate the plot during 5 days. In order to reach the JTP, the transportation means I am using are bus, bike and motorbike.

After arrival, I hold a very successful discussion with the agronomist and farmers. We decided to intercrop the jatropha with beans and corn, then see what will happen.

I left the place around 13h30, back to Bujumbura.

I want to have a word on the irrigation system. It is a canal running like a river of 71 kms of length. It has been built during Belgium colonial times to help Cibitoke population cultivate, plant, irrigate and harvest over each year. This land and the irrigation system can feed one third of the entire population and even export to neighbouring countries; unfortunately, due to war, the financial support that Belgium used to give stopped. Now, the people SHINE is working with have decided to clean the irrigation canal, but have not succeeded to finish it all, due to lack of support.”

He has asked us to pray for several items. Please join me in praying for his requests:

What to pray for:

• Safety while going to the JTP
• Cutting costs: the farmers are asking to be paid for the cuttings and seeds they have collected. They want 80$USA. Pray for the discussion I am having with them.
• Experts and finances to help the population in order to maintain the irrigation system and exploit efficiently and effectively this land.
• Clean water, school, health centre for the population of this location.

• Favor as I am planning to introduce our project to the governor of this province and ask him a letter supporting the project.

God bless,

John

“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” Mark 11:23-24

Photos of the Jatropha Test Plantation

Our work on the Jatropha Test Plantation is just beginning. Two weeks ago, the team from Spirit of Joy delivered the camera and laptop to Jean Marie in Burundi. The photo below is of Jean Marie in his office with the new laptop. What we take for granted is a major blessing in Burundi where it is very difficult and costly to obtain these items.

 

Another challenge has been with Internet access. It is expensive and the Internet there is very slow. Despite this, Jean Marie has been faithfully emailing me with his prayers and updates a few times each week over the last year. However, these challenges are small in light of God’s great power that gives us the strength to prevail and see His will done in Burundi.

Below is a photo of the chief farmer that will be managing the Jatropha Test Plantation. He is standing with his family in front of his mud brick home.

In the first update from Jean Marie, he sent the following narrative:

“The jatropha test plantation (JTP) is located north of BUJUMBURA capital city of BURUNDI,exactly in Cibitoke. Let us make this trip together to the discovery of the JTP. From Cibitoke main city,four kilometers north,you reach on your right the muddy road taking us to the JTP. In order to reach the JTP,we pass through healthy green plantations of banana,corn,sweet potatoes and mainly cassava; parallel to an artificial small lake,DOGODO. After 30 minutes of walk,we reach the JTP on your left side.”

You can see in the photo below, the irrigation ditch that the farmers have cleared out. This will be essential as Burundi is still in the dry season and the Jatropha will need irrigation to prosper until rainy season begins in a couple of months.

The Cibitoke province that he mentions is in the north west region of Burundi as shown in yellow below. The yellow provinces are areas we are considering for expansion of the initial plantation.

His narrative continues - “Although the plantation is healthy, people are very poor, living in muddy houses, covered grasses, no clean water, no schools, no health center. Presently,the farmers are cultivating and collecting the cuttings and the seeds to be planted in few days ahead.”

Please pray with me that we can begin to address these needs. In addition to the test plantation, I am looking for the means to drill a well and provide clean water for the village. The needs may be great, but God’s provision is even greater.

 

God bless,

John

 

“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” Mark 11:23-24