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There is a greek proverb that goes, “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.” But for one selfless man, the opportunity luckily arose 27 years later. Ronald Sakolsky, a now-retired American teacher who spent some time China in the 90s, made a $5,000 donation to Yin Yuzhen, a conservationist fighting desertification, after learning of the work she and her husband did in China. Now, he has finally returned to see the effect his generous gift has had on the environment.
The story between Yin and Sakolsky traces back to 1999, when he was teaching as part of a China-U.S. exchange program in the city of Luoyang. As he immersed himself in the local culture, he heard about the efforts of a woman aiming to turn the desolate landscape of the Mu Us Desert, in northern China, into a blossoming oasis. Inspired by the tale, he set out to raise $5,000 to help the cause. The determined man then drove up to the heart of desert, aided by the vice president of the school where he taught at, to deliver the money.
The funds were used to acquire saplings, which looked frail against the imposing desert conditions. Understandably, Sakolsky wondered if the tiny plants would make it, although he applauded Yin’s efforts to devotedly water each one ladle by ladle. And so, the teacher flew home to the U.S., happy to know that people were at work to make the world a better place despite the towering efforts it took to achieve it.
Over the years, the pair had sadly lost touch. Now, 27 years later, Yin posted a video where she said she was looking for Sakolsky, sharing the story of the kind man who funded her reforestation efforts—making him a bit of a local celebrity.
Once her message reached him, Sakolsky was invited by Yin back to China to see the effect his donation had on the environment. The pair starred a tearful reunion after decades of not having seen one another. “This is a dream come true, from a lady who is the hero of the story, not me,” Sakolsky told the Global Times. “She made a promise 27 years ago, and she kept her promise.”
From there, they traveled to Yin’s home in the the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in North China. There, the teacher was greeted by 50,000 mature trees across the Mu Us Desert, which has gone from a sandy area to a lush forest. The teacher also got to plant some new tress with his old friends.
“If an American teacher teaching English in China can connect with a desert-dwelling Chinese woman and create a 50,000-tree forest, then if our world leaders truly seek peace, they can find it,” Sakolsky told the South China Morning Post. As for his generosity, it not only resulted in a greener planet, but also a lifelong bond. “27 years ago, we were just friends and acquaintances,” he said. “We are brother and sister now.”
In 1999, Ronald Sakolsky, a now-retired American teacher, made a $5,000 donation to Yin Yuzhen, a conservationist fighting desertification in China.
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Now, 27 years later, his gift has resulted in a 50,000-tree forest in a former desert landscape—and a lifelong bond.
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Sources: Tight hug after 27 years: Reunion across ocean, marking China-US folk friendship; US man asserts if simple teacher and China farmer can grow a forest, world leaders can find peace
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