INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS OF COMPASSION

Planting Oak Seeds: July, 2011

It takes time, nurturing and the right conditions to see an oak seed become a full stature oak tree. The tall broad leaf oak tree is an awesome sight. It can take generations for a seed to become a tall tree. In times past, the first generation would plant and care for the oak seed. The next generation would watch the tree grow and would begin the foundation of the cathedral. The third generation would cut the oak trees and shape the trees into beams for the structural support of the cathedral. It takes generations to build a cathedral. It is a huge investment and it takes commitment to see the completed project. The beginning of the school at our base in Indonesia is also a huge investment. It takes commitment to start and complete the education of these little ones.

 The vision was brought  by Hendra Pontomudis. He is a university graduate who had a passion to begin an international school. Hendra is awesome and had a commitment to see our children get the best education. We have around 50 children in our care and some of them are now at school age. The school is licensed by the Department of Education and will provide the highest level of training. The children will be taught in English—it is our goal that they will all be bi-lingual. Hendra and his team have done an amazing work and it is exciting to see these seeds get planted.

 Most of the children in our care are thrown away, orphaned or unwanted. These children would be outcasts and abused if they were not in our care. They are now happy, loved and given a future. I love the thought of these “thrown away” lives becoming the best educated people in their generation. We want to see them become the leaders in the region and who knows we may have a future governor in the group. We are planting oak trees.   

The photo is the first day of class. They are sitting at their desks with their uniforms on—that is what a seed looks like.