In a land known only in the hearts of children, there is a tree. This is no ordinary tree, for it is a special wishing tree. At night, when the wind blows, and the leaves fall from the tree, each leaf has the power of a wish, and whoever is there to catch it, their wish is granted. But, if you are not there to catch the leaves when they fall the wishes fly away into the sky and become the stars in the heavens above.

---

In a South African village there lived a little boy named Masamba. His family was very poor because they were in debt to the village usurer, Ekwueme, who wanted to make Masamba and his family slaves in the mine fields. A smart young man, Masamba devised a plan to save his family and himself. He had heard of the wishing tree, and thought to wish for money to pay his family’s debts.

But when he told his family about it they laughed, “There’s no such thing. Why would you ever believe in such silly fairytales?” Nevertheless, Masamba determined to run away that night, and find the wishing tree.

He ran through the fields for what seemed like days, but there was no such tree in sight. He spent most of his time roaming through tall grass and collecting rocks. He was so tired of searching that he decided to rest a while and then return home. But when he arose, it was morning. Masamba quickly sprang up. Surely, his family was worried about him wondering where he had been. He ran home as fast as he could only to discover that his family had been taken away to the mine fields.

Masamba fell on his face and began to cry. Weeping he pounded his fists on the ground, “Why was I so foolish to believe in a stupid wishing tree. Had I been here I could have saved my family.”

All seemed hopeless; but for the determined young man that he was, Masamba got up and went to go find his family...

On the road he encountered an old man sitting under a sycamore tree. Masamba was still very sad. The old man asked, “What is wrong?”

Masamba replied, “I lost my family to the mines searching for a stupid wishing tree.” The old man grinned, “Ahhh, the wishing tree. Well lucky for you, you have found it. I am sitting right under it.”

But Masamba was jaded, “There’s no such thing. That is just an old tree. Besides, the wishing tree has special leaves that make your wish and your dreams come true. Those are just regular leaves.”

The old man looked Masamba in the eyes and whispered, “My son, how would you know the difference?”

Masamba was speechless… yet defiant, “Well I know the difference between a wish come true and nothing happening at all. I found nothing searching the fields, just these stupid white rocks!” Then Masamba took the rocks that he had found and threw them to the ground in frustration.

Then the old man stood up, “You searched for a tree and you have found your wish. I can take you the mines and help you find your family.”

“What about Ekwueme? Can you also help us pay our debts to the village usurer?”

The old man laughed, “Don’t worry, the white rocks will take care of all of that.”

Masamba was confused, “What do you mean?”
The old man replied, “You went searching for a tree and you found diamonds.”

---

Often the secret to making one’s wish come true begins with a search.

For Masamba, the wishing tree was a virtual goal that manifested in a real way. Let OwnAWish.com be your wishing tree... and see what success comes to you.