We are already in the 4th month of teaching agriculture at the middle school in Battrang village. Praise God that the garden continues to improve, that the students water the garden and that the students come to class! One of the nice things about the tropics is that there is a lot of organic matter available. We are blessed in this area of Cambodia to have an abundance of rice straw from the rice harvest. We use the rice straw in our compost and use it to mulch our plants, thereby returning the nutrients the rice plant took from the soil and reducing fertilizer input. We recently taught about mulch and how in nature there is usually a protective covering on the soil, whether it is growing plants or decaying leaves. We told the students that when God created the world, he made it with purpose and created the soil to be protected by this blanket. Mulch keeps the soil moist, can encourage microorganisms, can add nutrients to the soil, keeps the soil cooler, reduces weeds, reduces erosion, and more! We did a demonstration in the garden by taking a watering can and simulating rain on bare soil and on mulched soil and then comparing what happened. It is the dry season now in Cambodia and will be until May, so we will also be looking at other ways to conserve water, at simple and appropriate ways to irrigate and at some crops that grow better in dry climates.
Thank you for your prayers while my teaching counterpart has been away on home assignment. He and his family return at the beginning of March and I am looking forward to their return. Praise God also that we now have funding for this year to teach at the school!
The moringa business continues to grow and God always seems to provide leaves and seeds and other material just when we need them. The Moringa for Health products are now being sold at a few specialty shops, in addition to being sold from the Strong’s house and the CAMA office in Phnom Penh. The team is working on a new product: moringa tea! Please pray for the business to be an effective ministry for the Cambodians it employs and also for those who buy the product. The CAMA team continues to teach people about how to make the powder and about the health benefits of this amazing tree that our amazing God has provided, even the people along the road that we stop to buy moringa seeds or leaves from!
I recently returned from a prayer retreat with CAMA Services in Phnom Penh and we looked at the life of David. Thanks to God for this time of refreshing!
Blessings in Christ!
My friend Michelle married Jun on January 2nd!
