Two Parables About Planting Trees

Here are a couple of stories on planting trees. These are stories associated with my family, and I look at them as parables or apologues.

Story #1.

A few years ago, a little before the Pandemic, my wife Celia was involved in a ministry. The ministry was with those who were struggling to get away from illegal drugs. As I am sure you know, there are many problems with being involved in illegal drugs— not only can it be bad for your health and bad for your finances… your money. It is also bad on relationships. So Celia was working with a team that ministered to people who had already stopped using drugs, but were in the process of rebuilding their relationships with their family, their community, and with God. It was a good program that went on for something like 12 months. Eventually, however, the members of this group graduated. They had finished the program and were ready to move on without the program.

So it was time for the graduation. We held it in a gazebo on the grounds of Lualhati Barangay. It was a beautiful day. Members brought food to share and we had a great meal together. But before eating, we all sang some songs, one of the pastors prayed over the group. I gave the graduation sermon.

I gave the sermon completely in Tagalog. Everyone laughed and laughed at how bad I pronounced every word. Everyone had a great time.

When we were done with the main program, we went to the special project. Weeks earlier, Celia asked the group. “What does everyone want to do to celebrate finishing the program?” We had talked about going to a hot spring or traveling to a resort or something. That could be fun. That might be a good celebration.

But NO. That is not what they wanted to do. They wanted to do something to benefit their community— Lualhati Barangay. After some discussion, they decided that they wanted to do a tree planting project in Lualhati. When asked why did they want to do that… instead of something fun— one replied (and the others agreed)— “Because we were in trouble with the law in the past. Because we had done bad things. We are looked down on by our community, and sometimes even our families. But NOW we want people to know that we can be a blessing to our community… and to our families. We WANT to be a blessing.

So for the next couple of hours our group went around planting trees. The barangay captain and kagawads identified places to plant trees. We had lots of Benguet Pine seedlings. One by one a hole was dug and a seedling was planted. But as each one was being planted, a little bottle or sachet was planted with it. Inside was a message. We did not ask people to share what the message was. However, generally, they were statements of blessing, or were prayers. Their gift to the community was meant to grow as their prayer of blessing for their community, family, and themselves, grew.

Story #2.

This story is about my father-in-law… my wife’s father— George. Decades ago, they lived in a small place in Pampanga. At the time my father-in-law was a farmer— farming on land that he rented from someone else. One day my father-in-law George told his friends and family that he was going to plant some mango seedlings on the land. His neighbors thought that this was a foolish idea.

“Why plant mango seedlings?” They asked. “It will take years for the mango to grow up to produce fruit. It is a waste of time.”

Others said, “You don’t even own the land. You won’t be able to enjoy the fruits. Even if you are still on this land, the landlord will stop by, as he does now, with his family, and they will take all of the fruits from the tree. It makes no sense.”

My father-in-law replied. “But we don’t know the future. Maybe by then I can buy the land and enjoy the fruits! But even if I don’t… it is hardly a waste and it is hardly senseless. If I plant them now, someday people will be blessed.”

Later, he was able to buy land and able to enjoy the fruits of his labor.