'Dream come true' reunion for green hero

When Ronald Sakolsky from the United States stepped off the plane at an airport in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region at around 6 pm on Sunday, it marked the beginning of a long-awaited homecoming to the region, where trees he helped plant more than two decades ago now stand as a living testament to a green bond of international friendship.

Waiting for him at the arrival gate was Yin Yuzhen, China's afforestation hero whose battle against desertification in the Maowusu sandy area has inspired many people. Yin and her family hugged Sakolsky warmly at what was their first in-person meeting in years.

For Sakolsky, the reunion was a miracle.

"It is a dream come true," he said, describing Yin as the "hero of the story".

"She made a promise 27 years ago, and she kept her promise. I never thought I would see her again. It is a miracle. She is an amazing lady. She has done many things for China."

Sakolsky, who taught English in Luoyang, Henan pro­vince, in the late 1990s, first learned of Yin's story through media reports. In 1999, he donated $5,000 to support her reforestation efforts, a sum that allowed Yin to purchase much-needed saplings.

At the time, Yin was already renowned for her campaign to green the barren desert landscape, but she lacked the funds to expand her planting drive. Sakolsky's donation changed that.

Combined with Yin's effort, the once-barren wasteland has been transformed. Those seedlings have since flourished into a sprawling forest that now carpets the dunes in emerald green.

"I am very grateful that Mr. Sakolsky could come here to meet with us," Yin said. "In preparation for his visit, we have been growing various fruits over this period for him to sample, including the ginseng fruit."

She described herself as deeply moved and filled with excitement, adding that she strongly desires to take him into the desert and through the forests she has nurtured for nearly three decades.

Sakolsky's return was made possible by an official invitation from the China Education Association for International Exchange, the goal of which is to further promote educational exchanges between China and the US.

What truly made the story go viral is the bond Sakolsky and Yin forged through afforestation efforts. That bond has now blossomed into a moment of shared celebration.

"Finally, that long-awaited moment has arrived, capturing the attention of netizens across the country. From sharing the same forest to forging a friendship between two nations," one online user wrote. "The light of humanity knows no borders."

According to the schedule, Sakolsky will visit Yin's home in Uxin Banner, Ordos, on Monday and Tuesday. The two will tour the fruit-planting bases and shelterbelt forests that have reshaped the local ecosystem, revisiting the plots where Sakolsky's saplings were first planted. They will also inspect fruit trees planted in recent years, highlighting the ongoing evolution of the region's green transformation.

Following his stay in the region, Sakolsky and Yin will travel to Henan province to reunite with his old acquaintances in Luoyang. His itinerary there includes meetings with former colleagues and students from his teaching days.