WANATAH, Ind. – You’ve of course heard the story – the three wise men brought baby Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Whatever star you’re following, if you’re in the market for frankincense or myrrh, there’s a merchant in Wanatah who can hook you up with the best stuff.

Ryan Bambrick runs Northwest Indiana Trading Co., an international business based in LaPorte County that trades in frankincense, myrrh, resins, essential oils and ginseng. The company imports resins that are used in church, for prayer, as an anti-inflammatory palliative and in cologne.

“It’s an international company, but we’re based right here in Indiana,” Bambrick told The (Munster) Times. “We’re proud to have Northwest Indiana right in the name.”

In 2012, Bambrick started a company that does retail, bulk and wholesale sales online. Northwest Indiana Trading Co. imports all-natural frankincense from the Al Hajar Mountains in Oman, and myrrh from Somaliland in Somalia. The product is often shipped directly from the source to the customer.

“Both myrrh and frankincense is on trees just growing in the wild,” he said. “There are no pesticides being used.”

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Northwest Indiana Trading Co. imports the same hojari frankincense the Sultan of Oman burns in his palace. Bambrick says the frankincense harvested on that mountain is the best in the world because of the soil conditions and weather conditions, and the Omani government’s policies that the trees cannot be overharvested.

“It is relaxing,” he said. “It has a unique smell with citrus notes to it. It’s a type of smoke that’s generally healthy for you to breathe in.”

Orthodox and Catholic churches across the world use frankincense in religious ceremonies. Orthodox churches burn it during prayer, while Catholics mix it with olive oil to make annointing oil, Bambrick said.

He does business with countries all over the world, including Australia, Spain, France, Ireland and Norway, often through Amazon and a variety of commercial websites.

Business picks up around Christmastime, and some parishioners use their tithes to buy resins for their churches.

“I grew up in a more traditional religious background,” Bambrick said. “It’s stated in the Bible incenses are burning when prayers are going before the Lord. It’s nice to know how it adds symbolism, and adds to the intimacy of prayer and worship.”


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