Durban, South Africa, a coastal town in the KwaZulu-Natal province and home to missionaries Rick and Anita Gutierrez. The Gutierrez’s mission: to aid impoverished and struggling families in and around Durban while spreading the word of Jesus Christ. Rick and Anita Gutierrez, doctors in family medicine, have three projects they primarily work on: the poultry project, the tree project, Covid-19, and pulse oximeter training.
According to Drs, the tree project’s mission is spreading knowledge on how to grow and maintain fruit trees for their various benefits. Gutierrez gardening is a blessing; everyone who gets into it will understand that. Dr. Rick Gutierrez states, “We become that family member that teaches you this skill.” The tree project teaches impoverished people and families how to grow fruit trees using a fast and reliable method—starting with the technique used: air layering. This method provides results much faster than previous methods and has a higher success rate. The Gutierrez’s discovered this method a few years back and realized it is much more effective than the last, traditional method. Instead of the more complicated traditional method, air layering grows roots off an already existing tree branch.
Once the roots are big enough, the tree branch is dislocated from the previous tree and put in the ground. From here, the tree continues to grow and eventually produces fruit. Now you must be wondering: Why would people want a fruit tree? There are several reasons for these trees, especially for impoverished families in South Africa, where fruits are expensive and complicated to come by. Once a family begins growing their fruit trees, not only do they have to pay little to nothing for fruit, they can make money selling their trees since fruit trees are in high demand. A neighbor across the street may require a tree themselves; thus, the original family can profit from selling their trees. Another reason for this project is the improvement in health and nutrition when more fruits and vegetables are consumed. With improved health comes improved lives for hundreds of families living in the KwaZulu-Natal province. In terms of health, the new trees also improve the air quality around where they are grown, especially in big cities where the air quality is poor. All these benefits improve people's lives, constantly in doubt and losing hope. This project, God’s work, gives them hope. As the Gutierrez’s and their fellow missionaries improve the physical condition of these people’s lives, they also guide them in faith. This type of guidance brings hope, love, and dedication into someone's life, the most influential trait of all.