Healing the Land John Mower, Programs Manager As Floresta staff, we have the privilege of seeing firsthand the fruit of our three way partnership with you and those we serve. Your prayers and financial support provide the vital link in our efforts to bring hope and long-term opportunity to the world’s poor.

The fruit of our partnership can be seen in how many trees have been planted, how many small loans have been dispersed or repaid, or in the testimony of a person's life or entire family being changed. By the Fruit we see that people are being empowered to make positive changes in their lives -- both physically and spiritually.

In addition to our programs in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Floresta has been working with the indigenous Mixtec people of Oaxaca, Mexico since 1995. Floresta's work in Oaxaca involves five communities: El Oro, El Sabinal, Nuxaa, El Porvenir, and Rio Plaza from the Municipality of Santo Domingo Nuxaa.

Floresta uses agroforestry and ministry as methods for physical and social transformation. In meeting peoples' physical needs, Floresta has developed integrated projects in agriculture and forestry (agroforestry), as well as animal husbandry. So far this year, 308 families have participated in and benefited from Floresta's program.

The region of Oaxaca is one of the most severely eroded regions in the world today.

Before the conquest, the Mixteco Indians called their forest-covered home in the mountains of Oaxaca Nudzavuinuhu, which means "heavenly and esteemed land." Today, all that is left of the forest are a few strands of pines on the ridges. The earth itself is deeply scarred. Enormous fissures cut through the landscape; hillsides have been eroded down to bedrock. According to a United Nations report, the mountains of Oaxaca are the most eroded landscape on the planet. Simon, Joel. Endangered Mexico. Sierra Club Books, May 1998, pg. 35.

The fruit of our partnership can be seen in how many trees have been planted... how many loans have been repaid... or the testimony of a person's life being changed.

Accomplishments among the Mixtec in Oaxaca

In the area of forestry, farmers have access to seedlings through a forest and fruit tree nursery set up by Floresta. New species of trees have been introduced including fast growing pinus radiata (New Zealand pine) which is showing rapid growth potential and adaptability to the climatic conditions of El Oro. Up to 500 native tree species have been discovered, some of which are being used to reforest certain areas lacking vegetation.

• Twelve agroforestry demonstration farms have been set up using apple trees planted jointly with vetiver and napier grasses, and creole corn mixed with cover crops such velvet bean and dolichos. Farmers are conserving and recovering soil nutrients and water by using natural barriers of vetiver and napier grasses as well as creole corn which will also server as a food staple. Cover crops help prevent erosion as they attach to the soil, forming natural barriers and utilizing water efficiently. We are also hoping to see an increase in the use of animal husbandry with more active and effective participation from farmers.

In the area of corn conservation and improvement, four demonstration farms were set up. Training seminars were given in regards to corn collection, use and management of fertilizers, and seed selection. Samples of creole corn were collected representing an important genotype bank, differentiated by color, size, resistance to drought, and potential for performance.

• Five workshops were held involving appropriate technology for insect control and use and management of fertilizers, which benefited 125 farmers.

Rural subsistence farming communities around the world depend on gathering fuelwood, converting it into charcoal, using it for heating and cooking and/or in many cases selling it in the local marketplace. Floresta’s program of agroforestry provides alternatives to this devastating practice of deforestation. In addition to those things mentioned above, Floresta is currently working with farmers to help them create a forestry plan based on sustainable use principles.

Healing the People
The essence of Floresta’s work is that people see their hope turn to reality and that they experience lasting change.That change involves the word of God, the deeds of his people, and his signs and wonders working together pointing to his Kingdom.

Please take some time to read the following letter written by Martin Mendoza, Director of the Oaxaca Program. Martin shared these observations during a recent meeting with community leaders (the Assembly) and program participants. This letter was not originally intended to be published in our newsletter. We decided to include it because we believe that you will be blessed as you read his letter and compare it with those things done this year to meet the Mixtec people's physical needs.

A Biblical Reflection from the Oaxaca Director Martin Mendoza (translated from Spanish and edited).

Left to right: Martin Mendoza (Director),Raymundo Sanchez (consultant), John Mower (Programs Manager).

We have done some Biblical reflection about our vision and mission as a Christian organization. Specifically, I would like to share with you what the Lord has done and what He is doing in the life of the community, local leaders and the staff. In April, Floresta staff attended an Assembly meeting. We had the opportunity to discuss Floresta’s work being done in their community and the support that Floresta gave for the purchase of a pipe to transport water to the tree nursery. The members of the Assembly were very appreciative of Floresta’s help.

However, what was most interesting was the response from those who have been overseeing the tree nursery project and who were expected to benefit the most. These handful of farmers decided to give to the community 80% of the seedlings that are in the nursery and will allow the community to decide where they will be planted.

I would like to emphasize that the Assembly was very surprised by this decision. They did not expect this decision since each community member has his or her own piece of land from which to make a living, and the tree nursery team has been working on the project for two years without any payment.

These are actual statements from two participants:

"We would like to share with our community the seedlings in the nursery, even though we have voluntarily worked on the nursery for two years. There are also other people (Floresta and its donors) that are sharing with us and who are supporting us. We now understand that we ought to share with you too."

Another said, "Partners, we should not miss out on the benefits that God wants to give us through our partners,let's take care of our forests and our land so that we may leave something for our children."

After this, the community accepted the seedlings and at the next Assembly meeting they will decide where to plant them. From now on the community as a whole will participate in taking care of the tree nursery and participate in reforestation efforts.

This led our staff to reflect with community leaders on how Floresta's program is impacting our lives spiritually:
The training and projects where Floresta helped establish corn, the nurseries, and the agroforestry farms, are serving as tools that help us teach the people the value of being good steward of the resources that God has given them. Not only are the people learning valuable lessons of stewardship, they are also drawing closer to God and experiencing the love that He wants to give them.

We as staff want to be useful and faithful servants in doing God's Work (Luke 12:41-48; Matthew 25:14-30).
"...And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

The way people are thinking and acting is proof of how Jesus Christ is really transforming the lives of the people of El Ore. The people of El Oro see Floresta sharing things (economic resources, services, training, God's Word) and they are asking themselves, Why! Some might think it's because Floresta expects to receive something back, but most of them know that there is something different about us and they recognize that God's love is being poured out to them through our work.
As the Oaxaca team, we understand that by sharing this vision through our work, we are fulfilling our mission. It's important to have God's leading to discern where God would like to take us. This is God's work and we are his servants, privileged to work and develop his Kingdom in the marginalized Mixtec communities of Oaxaca.

In conclusion, we have reflected about our work and we think that God has shown us great things and how we need to abide in Him as the branches are to the vine (John 15). Therefore, we understand that the work in the community of El Oro is really ministry and pastoral work that surpasses any methodological or technical scheme, since we enter the service of establishing God’s Kingdom here on earth -- that His Kingdom come His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

I hope this reflection is a blessing to your lives since we are together in this ministry.

Martin Mendoza
Oaxaca Program Director

Mark Your Calendars
Floresta’s annual silent auction and dinner will again be held at The Hyatt Regency in La Jolla on September 11, 1999. Last year's event was not only a tremendous success, but it was also a night of great entertainment. Your invited to join us as we look forward to an evening spiced with Caribbean flavor. Call our office for more information, to volunteer, or to donate an item for the auction.

Spread the News!

• Floresta’s 1998 Annual Report is now available. Contact our office for your copy.
  
• Floresta’s new brochures are available for distribution. Do you know of churches or other places of interest where these reader-friendly informational pieces can be put on display? Give us a call and we will send you a bundle.

Prayer Team
A special thanks to all of you who have decided to join Floresta’s prayer team. For those of you who have not joined Floresta’s prayer team will you kindly consider making a pledge of prayer to Floresta by contacting Margeaux Ortiz at Floresta’s office? We will continue to send you "Seeds of Change" a monthly update with prayer requests and praise reports (we have enclosed a copy with this newsletter).

About Floresta
Floresta is a Christian non-profit organization that works with rural communities of developing countries to provide solutions to the economic problems that cause and are caused by deforestation.  Through technically appropriate, business-based programs that lead to self-sufficiency, Floresta servers as an example of the love of Christ by bringing hope and long-term opportunity to the world's poor.

Issue # 58. 7he Sower is published quarterly by Floresta USA 4903 Morena Blvd., Suite 1215, San Diego, California 92117
Ph: (619) 274-3718, 1 (800) 633-5319. Fax: (619)-274-3728. www.floresta.org

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