With no air conditioners and no trees providing shade, the classrooms that faced south at my children’s middle school got too hot during the warmer months of the school year. I knew from my days volunteering in the school that students and staff got overheated and that it was difficult for them to concentrate.

As a long-time master gardener, I knew trees could shade those classroom windows and reduce the temperatures inside to relatively comfortable levels. If benches and trees were added, the front yard would be transformed into a beautiful outdoor classroom, one that would encourage teachers to bring their students outside to learn. And I imagined how wonderful it would be for our district’s kids, many of whom live in apartment buildings without yards or green space, to experience the happiness of sitting on a bench under a leafy green tree during their school day.

Then, I met with the school’s Parent-Teacher Association and told my idea of changing the school’s front yard. And I expressed my willingness to organize the project. The group liked the idea but thought it was too difficult. However, several days later, the principal told me, “I had further discussions with my staff. We all think you are very kind. We want to work with you to transform our school’s front yard.”

Later, I found a professional landscape designer who promised to design our front yard free of charge. After that, I found a local company that promised to deliver topsoil (表土) at a deeply discounted price when we were ready to transform our front yard. Then I contacted a charity which promised to provide us with various shade trees for free that would grow well in our area. And it would send a professional crew to help us plant the trees.

Then, we named our future front yard “The Habitat for Living & Learning”. At this point, we spoke with everyone we knew about the Habitat for Living & Learning. The hard work of spreading topsoil, digging and planting was scheduled to begin within weeks.

Para. 1: So we posted the tasks in the school’s front hall where everyone could see them.

Para. 2: Soon, everyone — students, staff and volunteers — began working to spread the topsoil.

Christmas was the one day of the year when the children did not work and received a gift. A gift for each child-something to call their own. This special gift was an orange. John had been in the orphanage (孤儿院) long enough to look forward with delight and expectations of this special day of Christmas and to the orange he would receive. To John and his orphan friends, an orange was a rare and special gift. It had an unusual aroma (芳香) of something they smelled only at Christmas. The children prized it so much that they kept it for several days, weeks, and even months-protecting it, smelling it touching it and loving it. They tried to taste and preserve it for so long that it often rotted before they ever peeled (剥皮) it to enjoy the sweet juice.

Usually. John slept with his orange next to his pillow. He would put it right by his nose and smell of its goodness, holding it gently and carefully as not to bruise it. He would dream of children all over the world smelling the sweet aroma of oranges. It gave him security and a sense of well-being, hope and dreams of a future filled with good food and a life different from this poor existence.

This year John was overjoyed by the Christmas season. New Year was coming. He knew he was becoming stronger and soon he would be old enough to leave. He was excited by this anticipation and excited about Christmas. He would save his orange until his birthday in March. If he preserved it very carefully, kept it cool and did not drop it, he might be able to eat it on his birthday.

Christmas day finally came. The children were so excited as they entered the big dining hall. John could smell the unusual aroma of meat. In his excitement and because of his oversized feet, he missed a step and fell, causing much noise among other children.

Suddenly, he heard the master roaring, “John, leave the hall and there will be no orange for you this year.”