When you plant a tree you sow life, just like Monsignor Romero did. Oscar Romero, the humble son of a carpenter, became Archbishop of El Salvador in 1977. Just three years after beginning his passionate ministry on behalf of justice, peace, and dignified life, he was martyred. In his memory, we seek to celebrate his life planting at least 50,000 trees among the communities he loved so dearly.

Background
On March 24, 2005, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero's martyrdom. He was Archbishop of El Salvador from March 1977 until March 1980, when an assassin took his life, setting off a full-scale civil war that lasted 12 years, destroying the country and taking 80,000 lives. For the Salvadoran people, and for people around the world who work for justice, peace, and human rights, this is a symbolic date; it invites us to revisit our commitments and to contribute to a world where life, in all its forms, is our first priority.

The day before his death, March 23, Romero made an impassioned call to the men in the army and National Guard to respect the lives of their sisters and brothers:

Brothers, you are part of our people. You kill your peasant brothers. When a man orders you to kill, God's law "thou shall not kill," should prevail. In the name of God, and in the name of this suffering people whose cries of pain are growing louder every day even reaching the heavens, I implore you, I beg you, I order you, in the name of God, stop the repression!

This homily, in the passionate defense of life, became his death sentence.

It is obvious that bullets kill, but not only bullets. There are other ways to cause death or sickness. Among them, we must pay special attention to pollution that destroys the natural resources that nature needs to stay healthy. Trees are an important part of the web of life. They protect natural springs; they clean the air, turning carbon dioxide into oxygen. Without trees, we do not have clean water or air, two of the essential elements of all life.

Today, El Salvador has only 2% of the forest it had fifty years ago. The race to cut down our trees has been brutal. Vital ecosystems are at the point of collapse or disappearing entirely from the country. In El Salvador's Bajo Lempa region, we have two special endangered areas that, with special attention, can still recover and provide a home to marine and animal life: the Bay of Jiquilisco and Nancuchiname Forest.

The Monsignor Romero Foundation, based in San Salvador, has proposed a priority project for 2005, the 25th Anniversary of Romero's Martyrdom. They seek to sow one million trees throughout the country. The Foundation for Self-Sufficiency in Central America, the Coordinadora del Bajo Lempa, and the Rays of Light Art School aim to do their part to make this project a success, planting at least 50,000 trees in the Bajo Lempa region.

Objective
This project seeks to commemorate Monsignor Romero's martyrdom through a massive reforestation program in order to improve the social and ecological condition of El Salvador and its people. The project will raise awareness in El Salvador and internationally of Romero's contribution to justice, peace, and dignified life. It will also contribute to reestablishing harmony in nature, which has been so damaged by humans.

Project Description

• Native trees, appropriate for local conditions, will be planted.
• Each tree will have a tag identifying the donor and memorializing Romero.
• Sites will include schools (where fruit trees can help feed children), mangrove swamps, roadsides, parks, and any other place where they can contribute to the people and biodiversity of El Salvador for years to come.

Project Execution

• The Coordinadora del Bajo Lempa, a Salvadoran social movement, will identify appropriate species and sites, grow the seedlings in their nurseries, and distribute the seedlings and take care that they are protected as they grow. It will also organize local volunteers to plant trees.
  
• The Rays of Light Painting Art will prepare the tags.
  
• The FSSCA will raise the funds to make this project possible. It will also organize international volunteers throughout the year to plant trees.

Financing
The FSSCA will collect a donation of $10 per tree. Any surplus funds from this project will be dedicated to sustainable development and environmental recovery projects in El Salvador.

Reporting
At the end of 2005, the FSSCA will prepare a public report describing project execution and results.