On May 1, 2011 a Columbian named Henry Sánchez Pardo trotted barefoot into Ajijic to complete the Lake Chapala leg of his ecological mission to run the Americas from end to end, replenishing Mother Earth by planting trees along the way.

Taking leave from his work as a university math and engineering professor and volunteer fireman, Sánchez initiated the 30,000 kilometer journey in October 2008, departing from Patagonia at the southern tip of the hemisphere. Five years later he reached his last destination in Anchorage, Alaska, leaving more than nine million trees in his wake. Without formal sponsorship for the long and arduous trek, he adhered to a do-as-you-can itinerary, relying on support from friends, fellow countrymen, athletes, firefighters, environmental activists and ordinary folks sympathetic to his cause.

During the lakeside stopover, Sanchez and his support team distributed 40 trees among the people of Mezcala before finishing at Ajijic’s waterfront to plant two dozen Royal Poncianas bordering the Malecon walkway.

The umbrella-shaped flowering species known locally as Tabachin is noted for its abundant fern-like foliage and scarlet blossoms that burst out at the height of springtime heat. The tabachines flourished and are in full bloom at the moment.

“We owe our existence to nature. A single action, however small, is worth more than the greatest intention,” Sanchez told the crowd of well-wishers gathered to welcome him to Ajijic.  Recalling that he had practiced running without shoes since childhood, he remarked, “It keeps me in direct contact with the earth. And on this journey, it’s a way of spreading message for everyone to help leave smaller carbon footprints.”

There to embrace the cause was town elder Julia Ramos de España, now the late mother of our acting mayor, who had spearheaded tree planting along shoreline for more than two decades. Green activist Moctezuma Medina was in charge of tree acquisition and grunt work. Town administrator Javier Rojas, Ajijic Limpio volunteers and a mix of resident Columbian, Canadian, U.S., Mexican, British and French citizens pitched in with the planting. Chupinaya mountain race masterminds Ricardo Gonzalez and Ivan Garnica accompanied Henry on the run.

As he continued his venture the barefoot runner hurdled over multiple obstacles, celebrated occasional triumphs and sealed bonds of friendship with hundreds of kindred spirits.

For his first stop just across the U.S. border he attended the 40th anniversary celebration at Friendship Park in San Diego, California, situated right at the international line at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. He was honored to plant a replacement for the tree originally planted there in 1971 by American First Lady Pat Nixon, who marked the occasion stating, “May there never be a wall between these two great nations.”

Ironically, the spot is spitting distance from the site where President Trump’s border wall prototypes were built. But that’s another story.

Right now is a good time to saunter along the Malecón to marvel at the barefoot runner’s living legacy and wish him all the best as he prepares for extended globetrotting to carry his message for a greener, healthier planet.