In 2016, land was purchased for the new TransformNation (TfN) site, known as Victory Place.  Victory Place provides our teachers-in-training the opportunity to learn how to overcome adversity so they will be able to conquer in the communities where they will be teaching.  Located in the midst of a mountainous jungle, Victory Place gives TfN students the chance to learn independence through farming and selling products.  The goal is for all village schools to include land where TfN teachers will harvest crops in the afternoon, generating plenty of food to eat, bless others and sell for profit.

We are so excited about what God is doing here that we wanted to share a few highlights with you!

CAMPING TRIPS & LEARNING EXPERIENCES

A group of TfN students went up to Victory Place to join in the first ever camping trip. They pitched tents, grilled corn over the fire and set off to walk around the land to survey the crops. It was amazing to see them dream, imagine and plan what they were going to plant on the rich, fertile soil.

They envisioned how they could use that land to bless the surrounding villages by growing sustainable food. After the camping trip, each day in the dormitory everyone was buzzing about Victory Place. A couple of the teachers-in-training immediately started planting sunflowers, chili peppers and tomatoes to bring up to the new site.

They formed a group of students called the “entrepreneur team”, who travel up to the site every few weeks to plant, harvest and sells crops with the hope of learning how to build a business. The crops they are growing and selling are specific to crops which grow locally in the surrounding villages.

The students are hoping that they can help teach the villagers innovative ways to use these local crops and build businesses to better support their families.  The goal is to equip impoverished communities with dignity and independence so they can flourish spiritually, physically, relationally and economically.

PLANTING MORINGA TREES

The Moringa tree is a symbol of hope and renewal for the TfN students.  Teachers-in-training have been planting these trees across the new TfN site.

Moringa trees have been a blessing for many people in Southeast Asia because of its incredible potential to greatly improve health and eliminate hunger.  It has been hailed as the “miracle tree” by the U.S. National Institute of Health, the World Health Organization and UNESCO because the leaves are loaded with an incredible amount of nutrition, protein, calcium, beta carotene, vitamins, iron, antioxidants, amino acids and potassium.  It is quickly becoming a go-to plant for combating malnutrition, treating inflammation, promoting healthy blood flow and preventing infection, among other things.

Unfortunately, the Moringa tree is becoming scarce and hard to find in Southeast Asia.  This is a huge advantage for the new TfN site because this tree can grow rapidly and easily in its semi-arid, tropical and sub-tropical climate.

The strategy is that when students graduate from the TfN program and become teachers they will bring seeds from the Moringa tree to plant in the village where they will be teaching.  TfN students are so excited for the opportunity to learn how to make products from this plant so that they can find ways to bless the local people with all the amazing health benefits that these trees can provide.

What amazing potential this land provides to our TfN students and the communities that they will inhabit!