Christian Students Launch Tree Planting Day
The movement brings together about 50 students from five universities, and this year five non-believing friends joined the day.
In a country where talking about Jesus in public is heavily restricted, a group of students turned a plot of land into a garden and created a Tree Planting Day. IFES en español reports.
A garden that feeds and opens conversations
The movement brings together about 50 students from five universities and is now in its eighth year. Its base is a piece of land with fish ponds, fruit trees and vegetable gardens, where the team meets physical needs, cares for creation and talks about Jesus, according to IFES en español.
The country's economic pressure hits families hard. Some students dropped out of university, and those from rural areas are the most vulnerable. Out of that urgency, the Two Fish project was born: students living in hostels needed more food, especially protein. They got a plot of land and started raising fish.
«Caring for creation is also discipleship»
The first student camp wasn't easy either. Several places refused to lend them the space because of their Christian activities, so they held it at Two Fish, with limited facilities. Then a clearer vision came: a garden with a pastoral center. There were already vegetables, corn and fruit trees.
The trees the students asked for
Two years ago, the students talked about deforestation near their towns and their responsibility as Christians to care for creation. That conversation gave birth to Tree Planting Day. The day allows them to be good stewards of creation, something rarely mentioned in local churches, IFES en español reported.
It also opens the door to invite non-Christian friends to a safe place, where conversations are honest. Caring for creation is also discipleship. The team sees it as a natural way to unite discipleship and evangelism, in line with loving God and neighbor and with the Great Commission.
For the young people who came without faith, the effect was different. "They saw and understood that caring for creation is part of Christian faith and practice," the team said. They used to associate environmental care with other organizations.
The garden also recalls an ancient charge: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15, ESV).
Games, food and a talk
This year the day added 25 workers, graduates and students. Five of them were non-believing students. Besides planting, there were games, food, worship and a talk.
In a sensitive context, personal relationships are what open space. As students earn their friends' trust, they share Jesus in a more relevant way and conversations about the Bible arise, according to IFES en español.
In recent months, several friends said they want to learn more and are attending activities.
IFES en español asks for prayer for strong friendships, for wisdom in sharing the faith and for students who live it out in every area of their lives. Also for those who have shown interest, that they may follow Jesus as Lord and Savior, and for protection and provision for the hostels, the community and the Center.
