From Seedlings Do All Tall Trees Grow

My wife and I like to spend Sunday afternoons taking walks, going to the beach and generally lazing around. The goal is to take it down a notch and prepare for all the chaos that the coming week is sure to bring. Last weekend our adventure took us to a park near our house characterized by a grove of massive eucalyptus trees. We picked the tallest tree we could find and posted up with some blankets and popcorn. As I lay there trying to meditate on nothing at all, I couldn’t help but think about how awesome that particular tree was. It was a massive twist of beauty and strength; a model of perseverance. But the thing that amazed me most was that of all the seeds that ended up in the park, that one grew to be a giant. After contemplating why I came to the conclusion that it must have grown to its current size because it was nourished. It had ample sunlight to photosynthesize into nutrients. Its roots found enough water to fuel its growth. Somehow it was protected from all the dogs, humans and strollers have endlessly rolled over the park for the last 50 years. This tree is thriving because something, maybe nature or maybe a gardener, gave it the opportunity to thrive. They watered it, choked out the weeds that threatened to steal its sunlight and fertilized the surrounding soil. They walked with it on the journey from seedling to giant. The thriving giant that had me captivated is a great natural example of what we are working to accomplish at Krochet Kids international. Our mission is to care for vulnerable women in the same way that the tree was cared for. We stand in the gap that exists between vulnerability and wellbeing so women can make a similar journey from seedling to giant. We invest deeply and holistically in the people so that they can reach a level of empowerment that will keep the out of poverty, for good. We also make a commitment to care for women for the long-term. In the same way that one watering didn’t decide the fate of the tree, one handout doesn’t redefine someone’s future. It takes consistent care over the long-term for fruit to bear. We commit to caring for an individual for 3-5 years because we’ve learned it takes that long for women to complete the process of ending poverty in their lives. As my wife and I walked away from the giant eucalyptus, I felt affirmed and excited by what’s happening at Krochet Kids intl. As we prepare for the next group of women to graduate from the program this November, I’m proud of the journey that the graduating class has been on. They came into the program as seedlings and have grown into empowered individuals full of the same beauty, perseverance and strength that radiated from the tree that day. - – - READ MORE ABOUT OUR SOCIAL IMPACT FROM ADAM THOMSON – - -