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