The Best of the ICFW Archives - DEVOTION: The Upside Down Tree by Shirley Corder

The mighty Baobab tree found in the savanna (tropical grassland) areas of Africa is a fascinating sight. Its fire-resistant bark is like cork, and is used to make cloth and rope. The fruit, known as "monkey bread", is rich in Vitamin C, and the leaves and roots are used for medicinal purposes.

The tree stores up to 120,000 litres (32,000 US gallons) of water, which the Kalahari Bushmen tap using hollow pieces of grass, similar to our drinking straws. The huge trunk provides shelter, food and water for animals and humans. Mature trees are often hollow, and are even sometimes used as bars or barns. For these reasons, it is often called the Tree of Life.

According to radio-carbon dating, some Baobab trees are calculated to be 2,000 years old. The Baobab features as the Tree of Life in the famous "Lion King" by Disney. Continue reading here.

SHIRLEY CORDER lives on the coast in South Africa with her husband, Rob. Her book, Strength Renewed: Meditations for your Journey through Breast Cancer contains 90 meditations based on her time in the cancer valley.

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Please visit Shirley through ShirleyCorder.com, where she encourages writers, or at  RiseAndSoar.com, where she encourages those in the cancer valley. You can also meet with her on Twitter or FaceBook.