The word "synergy" comes from the Latin word, “synergia." The related Greek word is: "sunergeo," or "sun"-in union, or oneness with or together + "ergeo"-work = work together. Romans 8:28-30, is saying that all truths, processes and even hardships work together (sunergeo) for good. 28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together...(sunergeo: to work together, to cooperate, to assist. From sunergos: to be a fellow-worker, i.e. Co-operate -- help (work) with, work(-er) together.) ... for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."
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The name of our nonprofit is: Soteria (Salvation) + Network (different forms and ways of working together) + Initiatives (Doing things in a new way).

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From ChatGPT: "The words synergistic and sunergeo are closely related in origin but used differently." Sunergeo (συνεργέω)
• Greek verb meaning “to work together”
• From syn (together) + ergon (work)
• Used in ancient Greek and in the Bible (e.g., Romans 8:28 in the Greek text)
It literally means co-operate or work jointly.
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Synergistic
• English adjective derived from synergy
• Means working together in a way that produces a greater effect than the sum of individual efforts
• Commonly used in:
• Business
• Science
• Medicine
• Team dynamics
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Relationship
• Sunergeo = the original Greek verb (“to work together”)
• Synergistic = a modern English word derived from the same root
• Both come from the Greek root ergon (work)

So essentially: Sunergeo is the original action (working together).
Synergistic describes the quality or effect of that action.
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Earl: God has SoNI work together for the synergistic effect it can create or originate through working in union with God first and with Brothers and Sisters who trust and obey God. To God only be the glory!

Soteria Network Initiatives (SoNI) Experimental Garden serves mostly as a working and learning lab. The actual “Family Self-sufficiency Gardening and Moringa” (FSSGM) program applications that I did in certain Nigerian towns and villages and at some NGOs from 2012-2016, 2018-2019, and 2021, were simply a modified and adapted application of some tested gardening principles that could result in a more successful family garden (or institutional garden, agronomy or husbandry project) in the Third World — or anywhere.

Experimental Garden

This is a “grassroots multiplication” process that has the potential to empower thousands of families (with some income and food) within a few years of continued exponential multiplication. The trained FSSGM villagers generally came from about five sub-neighborhoods. So I generally ended up training about eight people from each of five neighborhoods. The FSSGM trainees included a good percentage of village leaders and committed gardeners. Beyond this, SoNI also provided garden implements: shovels, machetes, rakes, hoes, etc. for the attendees. However, they were asked to use their implements in training and assisting other community members. In 2013, the Imo State Agriculture Commissioner asked me to train 25 of her 27 Local Government Agency (LGA) leaders and SoNI provided them with extra seeds and garden implements as well. Why Moringa Oleifera? Because moringa oleifera grows tropical and subtropical yet most people do not know much about the nutrients it provides. 12 of 12 essential amino acids, 46 antioxidants, 36 anti-inflammatory compounds, etc. which are very significant, especially for the Third World poor across the world. ***** SoNI partnered with GreatStory International’s (GSI) annual “Just for Jesus” (J4J) project where GSI J4J annually served one or two towns/villages of southeastern or southern states with free medical (including surgery and eyeglasses, check-ups, malaria tests, etc.); free pharmaceuticals; and one-on-one or small group evangelism for an average of 2,000 to 3,000 people over a three or four day outreach. Almost all of the people they serve medically would have never had these opportunities throughout their entire lives otherwise — and many would have lived with their ailments and deformities for the rest of their shortened Third World lives. SoNI partnered further with GSI J4J by paying for the cost of malaria pills; purchasing insecticide treated bednets for pregnant mothers, homes with young children and the elderly — the malarial most vulnerable regarding deaths. SoNI also provided English and indigenous language Bibles to distribute to some of the attendees. And I got to participate with the witnessing and preaching functions. GSI (Greatstory International (https://m.facebook.com/GreatstoryInternational/) J4J served mostly Igbo-speaking states that were part of “Biafra”-secession between 1967 to 1969 after the British release of the Nigerian colony in 1960. In 1969 the Federal Government of Nigeria squelched the Biafran secession by creating a 250-mile food blockade which killed an estimated two million people, three-fourths of them children. The whole movement was predicated on Catholic and Christian persecution in the country. What percentage of Igboland were Catholics and Christians in 1967. I have DVD videos and/or photos for each year of my service in Nigeria. ***** SoNI also partnered with Gweimen Centre (Kwoi of Kaduna State; https://www.gweimencentre.org/ which services HIV AIDS-surviving mothers (with meds and professional training) and surviving children with their one-meal-a-day, educational fees and transportation to Gweimen’s compound for various Monday to Friday services. SoNI has co-labored with Dr. Kadangs and the Gweimen NGO over many and varied issues and construction needs. A third major partner was ECWA Bingham University (https://binghamuni.edu.ng/v2/#). I worked in nine of thirty-six Nigeria states and the Capital City Abuja with more than 30 agencies during my feet-on-the-ground in Nigeria years. I have leaders still meeting and visiting in Lexington from Nigeria — and from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Anyway, this all started in January 2012 when the Lord said, “I want you to go to Sub-Saharan Africa and India.” And my answer was, “Okay.!?” The “2020s Visions-Japan” (2018, 2022 to present) outreach ministry is rolling out well. The creation of a ministry beachhead in Yokohama, a “Son and Father” baseball training clinic and having Japanese pastors preaching in California and in Hawaii are moving forward as well. It’s been fun!

Grassroots
Multiplication