Thirteen years ago today, I sat in a large, open classroom listening to Christopher Hobbs instruct the latest Master Herbalist class in their final week. I gazed doubtfully at the board displaying a chemical formula graph, and then down at the small, but challenging textbook before me. I reasoned with myself that I would not be overly concerned; I would not be using chemistry again. But then he made a curious statement: “Knowing and being able to identify the chemical constituents in the various herbs will enable you to identify other herbs with similar qualities anywhere in the world you may go.” (Perhaps not an exact quote, but very close.) Well, there again, I wasn’t traveling anywhere outside of Indiana, so the need was minimal, if at all. Still, I loved to learn, and I had promised God that, since He had blessed me with this scholarship, I would give my very best into these classes and be the most skillful Master Herbalist I could be for His glory. Hey, I didn’t do too bad on the test after all - 90%!

Three years later I was visiting with a friend outside the flourishing herb garden in my back yard. We were discussing the next herb walk for those in our community, coming up in a couple of weeks, and gathering blackberry canes from my fruit garden for her to take home and plant. The phone rang. It was a woman on a tiny island in the Pacific. She had heard that I was interested in mission work, and that I was an Herbalist and trained in lifestyle medicine. She wanted to know if I would come over and help establish a small health institute on that island. I was floored! I said I would pray about it and get back with her, and that I did. I thanked God for the opportunity and moved ahead. I sold my home and almost everything I owned. A year later, I flew 7,500 miles west, taking only 24 boxes of books, 8 boxes of household things, and my clothes.

Here I have been for 8 years, this month. I have been teaching native families and workers from the Philippines and Bangladesh how to use their medicinal plants, along with lifestyle health practices, and sharing herb and healing information at local fairs. 

I marvel as I hold the root of a Noni tree in my hand, recognizing the deep, rich, blood-like color from my chemistry class notes. I am comfortable as I research on Google Scholar or access the tropical medicinal plant information from a site in the Philippines and see the lists of chemical terms roll across my screen, now familiar old friends bringing me deeper healing knowledge to help these lovely island people around me who are training to be healers in their own homes. 

Thank you, Dr. Christopher Hobbs, for your patience with struggling students, your faithfulness to our precious School of Natural Healing, and for being a blessing to people, literally, across the world. 

Katie Franklin is a Master Herbalist blessing the lives of people in the Philippines.