Planting trees at the Ecole Biblique

On May 22, we planted trees at the Ecole Biblique. To start with, they planted 15 ungrafted mangos, three citrus trees and 3 anacardium trees. While the rains stopped for about 15 days and it is again very dry, because their trees are planted near their houses and they are faithful workers, I have no doubt their watering and care for the trees will be sufficient until the rains start up again. As such, I am starting with the planting of trees that are near houses and inside concessions, where people will water them, ending all the tree planting with those that are a little farther "en brousse" in fields where they cannot be watered. This way, but the time we get to those farther off, hopefully the rains will be more constant. For forestry trees, if they are planted at the beginning of the rainy season, by the time they make it to the dry season, they should have grown enough and be hardy enough to make it without watering. Fruit trees are different however, especially citrus and mangos, and need watering for their first few years. Thus unless their is a well in an orchard, or field, it is better to plant near houses, and if people are aware of the care that will have to go towards feeding and protecting them.
It was a beautiful time of planting, and we finished the planting and watering with a lovely prayer, given by Matthieu, thanking God for the gift of the trees and praying that God would help them as the students endeavor to take care of them for the remaining two years they are there, and that they would bless the future students who will come to study there. I am truly inspired by the Ecole Biblique families who are motivated, the hardest working people in the village, and desiring to plant trees whose fruit they will not even harvest. They are such a joy to work with. Afterwards of course, the photo session was quite a hit! Following are photos of the children, men and women of the pastor school families around one of the mangos they planted.