“Every tree is like one more gift of love for Israel,” said one soldier, amazed that Christians had done all this for the Jewish state.
During our current desert olive grove planting, Israeli soldiers volunteered to help plant 1,260 seedlings. The young soldiers were surprised when they learned that Christians from around the world were contributing to making the Israeli desert blossom again.
Young Israelis often fail to understand that Christians want to participate in the restoration of Israel. And when they are told that these people only do this out of pure love for the people and the country, they are even more amazed.
“Pure love” is a quality that is rarely found in people today, especially when it is linked to a biblical promise. “Every tree is like one more gift of love for Israel,” one Israeli soldier told us. “This is crazy!“ she added. In a sense, every olive tree that is being planted symbolizes a new root of love being planted in the country – and we have already planted a total of 6,600 olive trees.
“Man is like the tree of the field,” goes one of my favorite songs. It was composed by the Israeli poet Natan Zach, who died this year in early November, at the age of 89. In his poem, Zach takes up a sentence and thoughts from Deuteronomy 20:19 – A person is like the tree of a field… People are often compared to trees in the Bible.
When a tree is planted, first a seed needs to be buried in the soil and after that the ground around it has to be watered and weeded regularly. Similarly, God has planted a divine seed of His own image in every human being – our soul. The strength of the tree depends on how well it is rooted in the earth. The root of a God-fearing person is in his faith. The beauty of a tree is its fruits. And this reflects the spiritual care we need during our growth, just like a tree. The young soldier reminded me of this with her astonishment at your love for the people of Israel.
Anyone who would like to participate in this planting of love is welcome! Everyone can help in the greening of Israel’s desert. When you buy three olive trees, you will receive a can of our unique olive oil from the south of Israel for FREE!
Each purchased tree is given a name and its exact location is recorded on a map. You also receive a certificate with your name and the tree you planted. What a great gift to plant a tree in Israel’s desert for a friend or loved one!
Originally posted at israeltoday.co.il