​Back in March of 2025, I took Amtrak to visit parts of Western Oregon as a Mennonite Men representative.  I wanted to build connection and witness what God is up to in the Pacific Northwest. One of the unifying experiences of the Northwest: trees!   The train took me through Glacier National Park where snow still covered the trees before arriving to the hazelnut groves, Douglas fir, Oregon white oak, and cherry trees of the Willamette Valley. 

In advance of the trip, I made contact with the conference minister of Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference, several area pastors, and some friends and others I knew personally.  One of my known destinations from the outset was to visit Salem, Oregon and catch up with folks at Zena Forest Products, an inspiring company that practices sustainable forestry while making beautiful wood products.  Mennonite Men's JoinTrees program has awarded Zena and the Deumling family for their planting of Oregon white oak, a tree species that's so important to forest health and ecosystems of the Northwest but has long been neglected or choked out in part by the overplanting of conifers.  Though slow growing, Oregon white oak is stunning in its glory, its mature white oak trees often covered in moss and lichen.

The site visit to Zena Forest Products began early in the morning, and rain did not stop me from a complete tour.  I was fortunate to see the woodshop, witness the sustainable practices used in the milling, meet founding family members Sarah and Ben Deumling, and ride on the 4-wheeler through the woods and hills with Sarah to see the young Oregon white oaks planted with support from JoinTrees.  I enjoyed seeing the flooring products and wooden floor vents that Zena has become well-known for producing from sustainably grown and selectively harvested trees.  Staff members were proud to inform me that their signature Zena EdgeGrain™ Oregon White Oak Flooring is installed at Portland International Airport and helps to educate many folks visiting the region about sustainable forestry and native trees.

Sarah and Ben Deumling  are visionaries.  Every step of their process as a company prioritizes future generations and ecological care.  In fact, Sarah has presented about Zena at Oregon State's school of forestry to share the exceptional model of sustainable forestry and ecological restoration that Zena exhibits.  After Sarah's tour of the Oregon white oak plantings, it was abundantly clear how much her faith and vision informs how she approaches her life and the company.  We talked about faith, books, Sunday school teachings, our fondness for trees, and land stewardship as well as our families, hopes and dreams and the planet's wellness. 

I took Amtrak to Oregon not only to reduce my environmental impacts from travel, but also for the chance to arrive more slowly and see the scenery en route to Portland.  The rest of the trip in Oregon only worked because of public transit, a borrowed car, and generous hospitality by folks at Portland Mennonite, Salem Mennonite, Zion Mennonite, Albany Mennonite, Drift Creek, and more.  Thanks to Tony Kauffman and Chris Nord of Drift Creek (Executive Director and Board Chair respectively), I visited the raw Oregon coast and the towering trees of Drift Creek after enjoying profound conversations in the car.  I met tree planter and Earth steward Joe Blowers of Portland Mennonite and learned about PMC's men's group, visited pastor Kristen Swartley and Luis Tapia Rubio's new baby, and shared a meal with pastor Steve Bomar of Zion Mennonite.  And I worshipped at Albany Mennonite, enjoying their coffee hour and seeing trees they planted onsite.

Through visiting congregations, sharing about Mennonite men, and experiencing the land of the Northwest, I had the chance to appreciate the Earth, God's first gift, and to feel what it's like to be out on the edge of this continent, away from the Mennonite centers in the East and Midwest though surrounded by stunning and wild examples of God's creation. 

I am deeply thankful for the many folks I met and was inspired by, for the majestic wild Oregon forests and coast, and the dedication to tree planting and native habitat restoration I witnessed firsthand.  May the trees planted with help from JoinTrees continue to flourish and give life, and may the stories of God's creation continue to inspire and offer hope.