Paul H. Williams, Gleaner Writer

MISHE

Since the mid-1980s, the scourge of AIDS has been taking its toll on the minds, bodies and lives of millions worldwide. Scientists are working to find a cure. As they do so, a Jamaican living in the United States has been saying for quite a while now, look no farther, the 'cure' is already available. He said it was sent to him by God.

"I did not come up with this 'cure' ... but, I was given it by the Angel Gabriel, who appeared to me in 2002, and said, 'I am going to give you the cure for AIDS.' So I replied, "There is no cure for AIDS!" Gabriel asked, 'Do you believe I am an angel?' Now, looking straight and stern at me, standing about seven feet away. So, I said, "Yes, what is it?" He showed me a species of the palm plant. I asked him how to get it out, which he showed me, and said that the dose should be 60ml three times daily for 21 days and the person will be 'cured' of AIDS.

And therein lies his challenge. Many in the medical science community don't believe him, even though he is claiming to have cured 400 persons so far with AMBUSH, the name of the drug derived from the plant. "I have contacted the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and a host of other institutions who were 'very interested' until they asked the question: 'Who gave you?' and (when) I said the Lord God, then all lights are out." But, before we get to the 'cure' itself, who is this man with such a huge claim?

Name change

In Warsop, Trelawny, in 1953, he was born Vernon Palmer. Last year, he changed his name to Apostle Shada Mishe. The year before, he was on the ballots for governor of the state of Florida. But, years before that, he attended Warsop Primary School, Knox College and the College of Arts, Science and Technology where he studied pharmacy.

He has worked as a pharmacist in many locations, including Red Hills Pharmacy in St Andrew; the Kingston Public Hospital, Hialeah Hospital in Florida. He also studied political administration, and law at Nova University, and health services administration at Florida International University. Then, in 2002, Angel Gabriel, on a mission of mercy, manifested itself to him.

For seven months after the 'revelation', Palmer did nothing about the 'cure', but when his friend Larry was near death from AIDS, he acted. He recalled, "So I gave him the 21-day dose. In which time, I had to boil and feed him with cornmeal porridge because he was so weak. After 21 days, Larry had recovered and was on his way to full strength. I made him take the HIV test again and it was positive.

"I asked the Lord why it was positive if he is cured. The Lord reminded me of the principle of virology 101. When the virus is killed, the antibodies are left in the body. Therefore, the individual will always be positive, similar to mumps or smallpox."

The palm then is the source of this much-needed cure. The Lord God, he said, has given him seven steps to isolate the active ingredient, which is soft and metallic in nature, and has a carbon-uranium-sulfur-(classified)-phentolamine configuration or structure.

Preparation

Palmer: "AMBUSH is a radioactive isotope of uranium that is found in the palm plant of which there are more than 3,000 species. When ingested, AMBUSH causes the body temperature in the trunk area to rise to about 102 degrees when the individual is sleeping. The preparation takes four hours per batch, which is then given to the individuals for consumption, 60ml three times daily for 21 days. AMBUSH is a herbal preparation in this form, but it contains an active ingredient, which is a new crystalline substance."

The active ingredient, he's contending, kills the virus by causing its protein envelope to rupture and the viral particles are discarded by the white blood cells. AMBUSH is able to kill the virus that is hiding in the lymph system by its natural radioactive properties. This process allows the body to return to normal health.

"After 21 days on AMBUSH, all the individuals experienced a decrease in viral load to undetectable - an improvement in general health such as more colour to the face, a decrease in buffalo hump, an increase in gluteal muscles, a decrease in joint pain. There is also a dramatic increase in their sexual appetite beginning after the first week of therapy."

In another claim of success, he said a 35-year-old male AIDS sufferer who found it difficult to urinate was put on green tea and water, while his doctors contem-plated prostate surgery. One of the doctors gave the patient his number. He sent the man a supply of AMBUSH. Since he has started taking AMBUSH 18 months ago, he has not been given any more anti-retroviral drugs, has been in good health and has expressed a willingness to be examined by HIV investigators.

Universal 'cure'

But AMBUSH seems to be a universal 'cure', for Apostle Mishe is saying that as an antiviral and a natural radioactivity-producing agent, it is also effective against leukaemia, lupus and the human papilloma virus (HPV).

Palmer: "Here I am saying that I have given AMBUSH in the same strength and dosage to patients with leukaemia, lupus and HPV." Yet, no organisation or government is willingness to buy into his claim.

"I have sent this idea to most HIV research agencies, scientists in the field, universities, hospitals, clinics, politicians and news agencies (and) it is rejected because the name of the Lord God is mentioned. He has steered me scientifically through the processes such as which plant and how to produce the active ingredient."

Palmer, who said he was christened and confirmed in the Anglican Church, which he still attends, and sent by the Holy Spirit to be baptised in the Pentecostal Church, wants his proposal to be accepted on the basis that he has proven that AMBUSH has saved many end-stage and/or drug-resistant sufferers and that the scientific community is aware of their recovery.

No charge

And to those who might say it is just a scam to earn money, the ordained minister said, "I have never charged any of the people for their supply of AMBUSH, but a life's saving has been spent on the project with no remuneration from any sources because AMBUSH falls outside the walls of modern medicine and research."

He is steadfast in his claim, for he said, "If this is accepted or not, believed or not, the Lord God always wins, and this is the heavenly truth to which AMBUSH was divinely given to mankind for the 'cure' of HIV/AIDS and it will be here forever."

Send feedback to paul.williams@gleanerjm.com.