You may not know it, but you are being tested…
Ever since the first Israeli Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, declared statehood in 1948, a change in the world had been set in motion—a challenge to unite the people of Israel and their allies to create splendor and peace in a land of desolation and turmoil.
My Olive Tree is proud to partner with Israel to bring about this change. And we are honored to have you stand with us.
With unwavering courage, the Jewish people reclaimed their homeland, holding on to it in spite of outnumbered odds throughout many battles. But the real test for the Israelis was not through war or conquest.
David Ben-Gurion’s vision and legacy was one of peace and restoration of their homeland:
“It is in the Negev that the people of Israel will be tested… for only with a united effort of volunteering people and planning and implementing State will we accomplish the great mission of populating the wilderness and bringing it to flourish. The effort will determine the fate of the State of Israel and the standing of our people in the history of mankind.”
Although the Negev Desert makes up more than half of Israel’s landmass, the land has been largely ignored for centuries due to its harsh climate and lack of water. Over time, and especially in recent decades, the average temperature has been increasing. If we continue to ignore the Negev, it could become too hot and too dry to live there.
We Must Save the Holy Land
We have a unique opportunity to shape the future of the Negev Desert, Israel, and the World. We have a chance to come together to carve our names into a milestone marker in the history of humanity. For thousands of years, mankind has struggled to adapt to life in this harsh desert, but the Bible has foretold of its restoration:
“The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
even with joy and singing… They shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God.”—Isaiah 35:1-2
Today, the restoration is happening, and My Olive Tree is championing the challenge in the Negev Desert of Israel. For more than a decade, we have worked closely with Israel, and contributors from all over the world, to plant olive trees and vineyards in the desert so that we may bring this prophecy to fruition.
The Secret of Success Was Their Shortcoming
Centuries ago, there were groups of people who attempted the challenge of surviving in the desert. Among the most famous were the Nabateans, who ruled the desert centuries before the birth of Christ. They controlled the incense trade route, primarily because they were the only people who knew where to find water, using this knowledge to their advantage both to guide caravans safely across the desert and to hide from enemies during times of war.
Perhaps their best-kept secret was that there was no magical river to draw water from, as they had outsiders believe, but instead, the Nabateans relied on a series of cisterns and pipes where they collected and redistributed rainwater.
With this system of irrigation, the Nabateans were partially able to transform the desert even thousands of years ago. They made the uninhabitable wasteland a sanctuary for themselves; the impassable sands became a shortcut for their customers. This great success of the Nabateans was also their most significant shortcoming: they kept their success and their secrets to themselves.
My Olive Tree only has secrets and success to share. We are proud of our progress and our mission, and we want the transformation to be a gift to the world:
“The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by… Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it.”—Ezekiel 36:34-36
New Direction, New Development
Whereas the Nabateans found opportunities to adapt to the desert, the Bible inspired us to seek a chance to adjust the desert to us. And that is why we are planting olive trees in the Negev.
Olive trees may not grow in the desert on their own, but if given enough water, they are sure to thrive. My Olive Tree has planted well over thirty thousand as we work towards our goal of one million. The more trees we plant, the more the land will adapt to the trees.
The lack of water in the desert is only part of what makes it difficult for plants to grow. The desert soil lacks nutrients due to erosion, which is the process of wind and water gradually destroying the land. When it does rain in the desert, the nutrients in the loose soil are carried away in flash floods. But if there are trees in the ground, the rainwater gets soaked up by the roots, which causes the soil to retain water, allowing the nutrients stay put. This process keeps the earth fresh and moist so that even more plants can thrive.
You can think of olive trees as the foundation of a building—the larger the foundation, the larger the building. Therefore, the more olive trees we plant, the larger our garden will grow. The more olive trees we plant, the more water the soil will retain, and then the more other varieties of plants will be able to grow as well. In time, the entire desert will be transformed.
Although the trees are essential for water retention, they do not provide adequate water replenishment… You do!
Your Sponsorship is What Makes the Difference
Providing the trees with water is as fundamental to My Olive Tree as planting the tree itself is. Your sponsorship covers the cost of providing an olive tree with seven years of water, when the tree is mature enough to survive on its own.
Partnering with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), we supply every sponsored tree with enough water so that it reaches maturity and beyond. In as little as three years, the trees will begin to bear fruit, which can be harvested and made into spectacular olive oil. These olive tree groves create new opportunities for Israeli immigrants and help to bolster the economy of the emerging nation.
Your Sponsorship is Your Legacy
It is time to unite and determine our stand in the history of mankind. Will we be those who let the opportunity run through our fingers, like grains of sand? Or will we transform the desert, so that when we reach into the ground we find fertile soil that we can hold on to and plant our roots?
It is time for us to turn our attention to the signs that have been there all along. It is time to restore the desert. Israel achieving statehood was one test. The battle has been won… but there is still work to be done, more miracles to be made.