tree planting

TREE PLANTING

20 January 2001, SCOM-UCS members planting trees.

This Tree planting, the first of its kind has been a great inspiration to this ministry. On this day, 65 students planted about 1700 Pinus okapa trees in the Zomba Mountain Forest Reserve. The exercise was full excitement and fun. The trees were planted on an extremely steep terrain from which trees had been felled some years ago. The vigour and commitment that the students displayed in this exercise cannot be over-emphasised.

The exercise was followed by an excursion to the beautiful Mulunguzi Dam at the Zomba Mountain plateau. This tree planting was not only full of excitement and fun. It was also full of meaning. Deforestation is a big and real problem in Malawi. The rate of desertification was estimated at 3% in 1996 and wood remains the main source of energy in this country.

As christians we see our relationship to the environment as that of a steward to his masters estate. We are stewards of our God’s creation. We have to take care of it and utilize it responsibly and not exploitatively.

With this in mind we have resolved to maintain and expand this program. Sooner or later all SCOM members will be planting trees in the service of the Lord and of the world.