Call it coincidence? (I won’t)

As my life post-WWOOFing unfolds, sometimes I just have to step back and marvel at everything that has come across my path to lead me where I am now. In this post, I’ll share a glimpse into just one aspect of my life that I cannot help seeing God’s plan and direction in.

Never thought I’d see myself in scrubs!

April 25, 2018

Last spring, I experienced some sores on my face that got me really worried about my health. After getting reasonably stressed from quick internet searches, I eventually stumbled upon some information that suggested a connection to poor digestive health. I then realized, after a little reflection, that there was also this link in my own condition.

Well, this eventually led me to discover the research of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride and her gut-healing GAPS nutrition protocol. Not too many days had passed before I was sold on the value of what she was sharing and bought her book “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” to understand her research more thoroughly. Her highly educated background and successful clinical experience helping others in major ways certainly did a lot to establish her credibility. But beyond that, I was most impressed by how her research was all motivated by a mother’s desperate love for her son, who was diagnosed with autism. She is promoting no products or partnering with any industries. Instead, her protocol is simple. It takes major discipline to follow(!) since it is based on a specific carbohydrate diet. But the foods recommended are all the closest things to nature that one can find. -Non-processed foods, animals raised naturally and away from antibiotics, produce grown without harmful pesticides. It seemed that everything Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride was sharing lined up with God’s design and tied together only the true aspects of all the other healthy diets/health ideas I’d heard about in the past. In fact, this woman’s message was so close to nature and something she so freely wanted to share with others that she has her own farm/homestead in England and invites WWOOFers (just like me!) to live with her and learn!!

WWOOFing trip almost called off

After learning about GAPS, I, of course, tried it for myself. But because it was spring, and the first violet flowers were blooming… when I saw the first violet, I just couldn’t keep myself from plopping it in my mouth (though the GAPS protocol calls for no raw food for at least several weeks). Though I stuck with it for only a week, I saw and felt noticeable improvements in my health, and adopted many of Dr. Natasha’s recommendations longer term.

I was so impressed by the healing potential of what she described that I had this desire that all of my friends and acquaintances struggling with the (many) issues linked to digestive health could finally find healing and relief as well. In fact, just over one month from my planned journey, I remember telling friends that I was really considering the possibility that my time might be more worthwhile spent just finding several women who were struggling with their health, who would be willing to let me live with them and cook healing foods for them -but also to teach THEM how to cook for themselves and eat in a way that would allow their body to heal itself. I was on the lookout for willing women, feeling sure that I’d find fulfillment in that mission. I’d continue working as a freelance musician on the side, and spend what extra time I could around the woman, building relationship, trust, and introducing healing practices into her life. The idea excited me. But, time was running out. Though I reached out and even asked a friend to reach out if she knew of anyone that could use the help, it seemed that God did not want that path for me. Doors did not open. And so, instead, I continued preparations for an extended life on the road…

Many farms, home visits, and life experiences later…

May 10, 2019  in Oklahoma

I had just left my last farm in Oklahoma, and was spending several last weeks with a dear family in the same state, to get to know them a little better before heading home to Wisconsin. One morning, Abigail, a girl about my age, was visiting. We all passed the afternoon together weeding some flower beds around the property. As we were working, conversation made its way around to Abigail, and I tried to learn more of her story. After telling how she works at a nursing home, she casually made mention that she had gotten her CNA certification following two weeks of training.

Just Two weeks!?!

I was shocked. Having turned down nursing school to study music in college instead, I was under the impression that anything related to nursing involved intense and prolonged training, with extensive clinical experience. But two weeks? – This seemed like something completely manageable. My thoughts returned to some special people I’d met in a nearby under-staffed, underfunded nursing home in WI. Though it would undoubtedly be difficult, I still thought it would be purposeful to get to work in an environment like that. And to think, I could get a job like that after just two weeks of training!

That evening, I sat in the family living room with my laptop and researched training opportunities in Wisconsin for the month of June when I would be back home. Though there were definitely options, no good fit stuck out at me right away. HOWEVER! My training search somehow led me to a job search website. MyCNAjobs.com had a bunch of ads posted for caregiving jobs, I noticed. And strangely, many of these were saying “no experience necessary” or “no certification required.” Hardly believing that these were real job avaliabilities, I used the website’s one-click apply for caregiving with at least 8 different companies.

Well what do you know, the next morning, I got a call from one of them, and I was able to set up an interview for the day after I was set to return to WI. That all happened quickly!

May 22, 2019

I had hardly gotten used to seeing WI license plates everywhere again before I found myself in an office, going through an interview (that could not have gone better, by the way), and was accepted the next day. Also, right after the interview, I got a surprise call from another company I had applied at in OK. I set up an interview with them for the following day and was also accepted. (Thankfully, because it is the company I ended up with.)

June 5th – July 5th, 2019

From my first day on the job, all I found was fulfillment in the work that I had gotten into. And looking back over my past year, I could see how God had used all of my farm experiences to make caregiving such a natural thing for me.

I had spent a year always showing up on the doorsteps of strangers, learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortableness of entering another person’s home and life and routine. -Learning to find ways to make my presence helpful beyond just the farm work, through cleaning up the house, doing the dishes, or splitting cooking duties. I picked up many interesting cooking and housekeeping tricks, as well as learning how to be at ease with the unfamiliar and to make conversation with just about anybody.

And so, stepping into an elderly person’s life and home to become almost like family to them felt like the most natural thing in the world to me. Aside from the more personal, close-up care involved, I felt completely at ease just jumping right in. And what’s even better – I never dreaded going to work when my 24-,48-or even 72-hour shifts would roll around. I even often would leave work with a deep contentedness and fulfillment. AND, I would find myself thinking over my past shifts throughout the week, with satisfaction and pleasure.

After a trip back to Oklahoma in July and August, I went right back to work with caregiving as soon as I got back to WI.

A rerouted vision

I can’t help going back and marvelling at how God held in check my desire to help women through living with them and sharing the GAPS nutritional protocol way back in April of last year. And now, with much more diverse and rounded experience, He brought me across the right girl in OK to spark a search that led to a wide open door in caregiving –something quite similar to the vision I had earlier of how to help people through close relationship with them. Now, I get to show the elderly care and encourage them towards healthy decisions, and cook nutritious meals for them, if they are willing.

September 21, 2019

…finds me having just begun CNA classes to better know how to care for people in all types of situations. Here is just one more area that I can’t help seeing God’s direction and blessing in. Though training opportunities weren’t available during my short stay in June, I was able to find a great option for fall classes while back in WI that would leave me, still, with enough time to work and visit with family and friends on my days off.

Just two days in, and I have discovered that my instructor is an amazing person! Not only is she a believer, but she also is an RN who believes in a more holistic approach to medicine and health, openly questioning the effectiveness of many established medical practices as well as the motives behind the major health and pharmaceutical industries. In addition, she is just a joyful, interesting, loving, but firm person. I think partially because she is a believer, she’s been flourishing her powerpoint lecture discussions with personal stories and examples of how to go above and beyond the requirements to show patients/residents extra care and help them feel loved. I so appreciate her experienced perspective!

And today, I was so happily assigned to be part of her lab and clinical group in the days to come (rather than being split off with the other half of class to work with someone brand new to teaching). I am really looking forward to everything I will be able to learn from my teacher’s experience these next few months.

Coincidence?

What an interesting and rewarding journey this has been. A year and a half ago, I could not have anticipated what I’d be doing with my life now. In fact, I don’t think I would be nearly as prepared, had God not directed my steps in the way He has. I am thankful for all of the experiences. And, seeing His guidance in the past and present, I am looking forward even more to what is to come!

 

 

 

Flowers and Fruit – and inspiration from Florida

As I spent my first day in Florida researching the area and taking in the surroundings, several things popped out at me.

 

purple wood sorrel!

First of all, Florida seems like an incredibly nice place to live. Pretty trees, flowers in January, fruit on the citrus trees. The people I’ve encountered so far have been extraordinarily nice. Goodness, even the roads (pavement largely in pristine condition and perfectly lined with reflectors) are pretty here!
Aside from all this, some other things about the area really caught my eye. One is the beautiful Spanish moss that elegantly hangs from the trees. Of course, I am also enjoying the sight of palm trees – something I’ve never seen up close to before. …Hmm, I wonder if palm trees have any practical edible or medicinal use?…

 

Look what I found while gathering pine needles – Yum!

But one more thing that struck me here is the pine trees. There is a type of pine – the Longleaf pine – that has ridiculously long needles. I’d have to actually measure, but some looked like they could even be close to a foot long!! I only saw a few of these.

But, more common, the Loblolly pine has appeared just about everywhere I’ve walked so far.

Immediately, I thought of how ideal these pines would be in making pine needle baskets. In my car, I brought with me some basketry materials from Georgia (some tree saplings I collected while doing pruning work around a garden). I was hoping to be more resourceful with my time and get to work on some natural/foraged craft projects during my travels. Well, now with lovely(er) Florida weather and the promise of prime basketry materials, I have new motivation to try my hand at creating little somethings out of nature.

And as I thought excitedly about getting back into basketry, this other thought flashed into my mind. What if there was a way I could create events in whatever area I am to teach skills like natural basketry – or even foraging! I have some research to do. And also, probably a lot of practice and prep before I’d give something like this a go. But the idea is exciting. -And, quite feasible, I think.

Inspired by the pine basketry materials, I also researched using beach grass and palm leaves. It didn’t take me too long to realize there are sooo many things to make with these things!

Besides getting more practice on skills I want to improve on, It’s also really neat to think of using this to generate a bit of an income while travelling. It is rather hard for me to justify spending on what is not essential while travelling, if I am not making any money each month. So, if I am able to make just a little on the side, I would finally (hopefully) allow myself to do and see more wherever I travel. AND, if I am successful enough with this idea to the point where I can cover my monthly expenses (not usually much more than $100) – well, that would give me so many more possibilities! If I don’t have to worry about living off of savings, I could do something crazy like travel to a different country, knowing that I’d have a way to scrounge an income without yet being established, whenever I return home.

These are exciting thoughts.

Thank you, Longleaf pine, for the inspiration!

 

The journey continues…

Hello, hello, from Murfreesboro (TN).

Just one more hour, and then I will drive on to my next farm. Spending the holidays with family was definitely needed. It was difficult having only seen two familiar faces over the past 6 months of travelling. Over that time, I did make some very precious friends. But unfortunately, they all cannot (or would not want to) fit in my car to come with me as I travel on. So, the time spent with family who know me was refreshing. Part of me could relax more deeply than I can when on farms and am trying to leave the best impression and learn the most. With family, they were okay with me creating my own schedule and working on my own projects, contributing to the household where I was able.

This flexibility and stability with family has been a huge help to get more grounded before continuing on. Without the unpredictability of farm life (on someone else’s schedule!), I found it unexpectedly easier to set goals and start new habits – and stick to them. It also helped that I trusted family enough to open up to them about some of my struggles/goals. Then they were able to support me and provide accountability and encouragement – even if just in little ways here and there.

The little successes that came from my stay with family has impressed on me, yet again, how important it is to be surrounded by people who know you. And, while it can be hard to open up to others and to show vulnerability, if you have people in your life who you know care about you (and especially if they also are following God), I encourage you to find ways to be honest about some struggles with them. Their support can greatly help to lighten your load.

. . .

And with that in mind, I regretfully am off again, leaving family and familiarity behind, to (unnaturally) live without a local support network until I meet up with a few friends in February.

…That doesn’t sound like excitement

Well, to be honest, I am setting off a little less exuberantly than I did six months ago. Partly, this is because I have been craving good Christian fellowship for more than a month now, and do not know when I will next find it. So if you’re reading this, please pray that God leads me to the right place and people for encouragement. Thank you!

But, there definitely still is an excitement in me to dive back into farm life and work! It was so strange and unusual to spend time with family, where tv and videogames were common-place in the home (something I did not live around even once during my travels). Where nearly all food came from the grocery store. And where industrially manufactured food products were part of meals every day. After nearly 6 months of eating off the land and cooking from scratch, this way of life did seem uncomfortably disconnected. (I had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that there could be no pumpkin soup or roasted squash -apparently nearby grocery stores simply do not keep them in stock – how horrid!)

What’s coming

So, it is with anticipation that I set out – thankful for the relaxing time I’ve had with family, but also looking forward to getting in on some hard work again – fulfilling in a way that I think only farm life can offer. And the homegrown, home-cooked meals will certainly not be unwelcome either.

Next up, I will be visiting a farm in central Tennessee for just a brief one and a half weeks, with the purpose of learning how to process chickens. Can you believe that with 6 months on the road already, I’ve still not gotten to participate in the butchering process? Well, that will soon be remedied. And with 50-75 birds to process each day, I’d say I should have a good understanding of the whole procedure by the end of this week.

Well, here goes…

Three beautiful hens from my last farm stay at Giving Garden in Georgia

This is not natural

As I’ve spent more time recently moving from city to city between farm stays, the challenges of life on the road have hit me harder.

Who’d have thunk.

As I go around trying to learn about community, not being consistently close to one community myself -it only makes sense that I’d be feeling deprived of those deeper connections often only found from regular fellowship with a local group of believers.

“I’m not wasting my time talking with you”

One incident this week in particular made me keenly aware of this challenge I’ve given myself while travelling. For just this week, I am working at a farm/garden in Atlanta, Georgia – kind of as a mid-point on my way to see family in Tennessee for Christmas. Since it gives me an opportunity to meet people from the area, I went to a swing dance nearby last night.

Before the dance began, I got to talking with a group of people. One guy casually made mention of the fact that he was from South Africa. Having just met Becky from Boston who’d met her husband and raised a young family in South Africa, I had learned a bit about the area’s history. So, with much curiosity, I asked this fellow at the dance if he had a British heritage. He replied, yes, and that his family had an interesting story. But when I asked if he would share his story, he responded by saying something along the lines of, “Nah, you’re only here for a week.” Though said in a joking tone, I guess this was a bit rude. But honestly, I get it. And I appreciate him just openly speaking his mind. There was truth behind his humor. Effectively, he was saying that to share his story with a stranger just passing through would not be a good investment of his time. (And for his redemption, right before a dance starts is not the easiest time to break into a long story anyways.)

Though small, it reminded of something bigger

To be fair, even before this dead-ended conversation, I had been feeling more and more hesitant to reach out for connection with people for this same reason. (-Feeling like I have nothing to offer people because I will not be able to stay and invest in a longer-term friendship.)

Back in North Carolina, I was staying in the Durham area primarily to meet and fellowship with Rosaria Butterfield and her church, having admired her testimony and convictions in her book, The Gospel Comes with a House Key.

Yes, I got to attend her church.

Yes, she invited me over to her house with others for Sunday evening dinner.

And yes, I even got to join in at the mid-week neighborhood Bible study and dinner she hosts weekly in her home.

Goodness – I even spent Thanksgiving (with half of her church) in her home!

I could witness the love and hospitality she had towards others, which was so special and encouraging.

But… Even with all of the people around, I was craving more one-on-one fellowship.  -Really getting to know another person -Hearing their story and getting to share my own.

Now, I was especially hoping to get to know Rosaria more and to learn from her testimony. But in visiting her home, I could see how she was pouring herself out to the people in her family, her church, and her community. It was just as she described in her book. Her home was a beautiful example of creating community by loving others in every circle of life. She poured so much into others (she home-cooked nutritious meals from scratch, was always lovingly there for her adopted children, and genuinely showed interest in the lives of all around her with ready support, encouragement, or biblical advice for each circumstance).

And in the warm environment that was her home, I started to feel this new hesitancy to reach out for deeper connection. Who was I, after all, to pull her away from the ministry to her community? I am just someone passing through. I’ll show up at her church and Bible studies while I can, but I cannot get involved in her community in any significant way for such a short time. It seemed rather selfish to hope that she would invest a good chunk of her valuable time to get to know me, as I wanted to get to know and learn from her.

In the end, for this and various other of my own reasons, I did not end up connecting really significantly with Rosaria or her family. But, I did meet one older woman in the church who just seemed wisened by life’s experiences. And when I reached out to her, she welcomed me over to her apartment for dinner and crocheting. That was probably the highlight of my 3 week stay in North Carolina, as far as finding good fellowship with another believer.

Shaping my path’s intentions

These past few experiences are undoubtedly going to help shape how I plan my travels as I continue on. So far, I have been staying for three to four weeks at each place (solo travel excursions aside). But everywhere I have gone, I have felt like I could have stayed longer. On top of that, the people I meet continually try to convince me to stay longer! And so, perhaps I will. While I still want to use WWOOFing as a way to see the country, perhaps I will have to slow things down a bit and more carefully and intentionally pick just a few farms to stay at for longer periods of time. That would also really help me to establish more of a personal routine and to work towards personal goals – something I’ve been struggling with recently, as my stays in each new city have been brief.

And, while I will still be bound to return to the road after each visit, perhaps the longer stays will provide opportunities for deeper connection with people than I’ve yet experienced.

Growing appreciation for what I’ve left behind

It is interesting, having found it so difficult to find encouraging, supportive fellowship recently, to reflect on my experience after just having set out. I am left with an even greater appreciation for the kingdom Christians I met in the AC churches back in IL and OH who, even knowing that I would be moving on, welcomed me in and sooo generously invested in me. The conversations we shared were personal and engaging in a way that was challenging, encouraging, and so refreshing. I am more than ever before amazed at how much they sought for connection, even knowing that I would be moving on in several weeks.
I pray God will somehow lead me to more believers like that. Otherwise, I am not so sure I will last very much longer on the road.

It is not natural for someone to be always on the move, disconnected from a consistent community. While God has given me a special few people to keep in contact with back home, it is not the same as regular Bible studies, and meals, and doing life in various ways with believers who I can count on to always be there in person. -And who will also be there to keep me accountable and to expect and encourage my growth. I know without a doubt that God designed the church for such consistent and close fellowship among the body of believers. And I crave that more and more, even while feeling that it is not my place to ask such close fellowship with people who I just drop in and visit with as I pass through.

Why don’t I quit?

The one thing that keeps fueling and driving me on this journey, though, is how many opportunities I have to meet people on the farms who are already on a journey of their own – having discarded the broad path of industrial agriculture, consumerism, materialism, capitalism, entertainment (and the list goes on…), they are seeking the narrow path instead. The people I am meeting have come to deep convictions about how we as humans are meant to live. And, even though most of the people I’ve been working with are not believers, they can see God’s design for the world and our lives more clearly than most Christians I’ve met back home. And interestingly, because they have come to respect and value His design in certain areas, their values often fall closely in line with Biblical values. Because of this, endless opportunities exist to share with them how I’ve found what is good and true in so many of these different areas all coming together to point towards God’s perfect and loving and just reign and in living for His Kingdom.

But beyond this, just being able to live and work with others in a way that heals the earth and builds community, and provides nutritious, safe food – this has been sooo refreshing. The people on the farms that I get to work with have so incredibly much to share – about farming, or just their own life’s experiences. I do not know what life will look like after my travels, but one thing I do know: on every farm I’ve visited, I have gotten more valuable ideas of how to live life in a richer, more meaningful and fruitful way. This has to be worth it.

At a truck stop

On Saturday afternoon, I was able to meet up with a friend from Wisconsin (only the 2nd familiar face I’ve seen in person in 6 months!). The designated location: a truck stop just outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

Why a truck stop, you ask? Well, I was asking the same thing too. But it seemed the best plan since my friend was riding shotgun in a semi truck, coming from making deliveries in Florida with his friend. (I don’t suppose one can simply pull up to a cafe in a semi.)

Never having been to a truck stop before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But, after hurrying inside to get out of the cold rain, a cozy little diner greeted my eyes. It was quite a fine little place to catch up a bit with my friend over tea.

Ears wide open

Now, as we were talking, I kept noticing an old, weathered man sitting right next to my friend around the bar-like counter who was, every once in a while, glancing over as I talked – obviously listening-in just about the whole time.  –Goodness, when you’re sitting right next to someone, eating lunch alone, it’s difficult to keep yourself from eavesdropping on the people next to you, I imagine.–  The longer we talked, though, the more I began to realize that my friend and I were one of only two pairs of people there. Everybody else around the counter was eating by themselves -probably relaxing after a full day of driving.

Well eventually, this older man next to us chimed in after I said something. It did not take long before it was the three of us in conversation. And, though with a somewhat soured face, our new friend, Don, had soon shared with us a broken synopsis of his whole life’s story, along with his thoughts on life, politics, and relationships.

While this spontaneous conversation was pretty neat in and of itself, what was even more special was that both my friend and I had opportunities to share a kingdom-focused perspective in response to some of the things Don has been observing throughout life. This man, having grown up around Catholicism, seemed to be unaware that there was much more to religion and faith than dull church services and nuns who slapped him and his younger brother in school. Oh dear. Well, in what ways we could, we shared with him the life and purpose we each have found in living for God’s kingdom, and not this world.

Craving connection

I couldn’t help noticing as the three of us talked, that others around the counter were listening in too, holding their gaze on us for a while, before turning back to their plate or cup of coffee. Goodness, one young man across from us even chimed in several times and we ended up learning that he was from Wisconsin too.

I was struck by how incredibly hungry these (pretty much entirely) men were for meaningful connection with other people. Now, I know people in individualistic America have gotten pretty disconnected – especially with the appearance of the internet and social media. But, even if someone lacks community with others and close friendships, many people, I think, can live under the illusion that their social needs are being fulfilled just by casual work or extracurricular interactions and scrolling through a news feed to keep up with friends.

But then you’ve got people like Don, going for three weeks on the road at a time. Having spent just a few weeks living out of my car, I feel like I can say with at least a tinge of credibility that I know what life on the road does to a person. Without the easy casual conversations that come from weekly social situations around home, one cannot get by with simply facebook and the occasional phone call to close friends. Without even those easy, casual conversations, it becomes impossible to ignore how disconnected you are from a close support network of people. Unless you are someone who deeply dislikes having to be around people in general, I think such an experience of travelling alone for a living would leave a gaping hole – one that cannot help but be felt by the truckers, I imagine.

Now, while most people in general (this is my own observation, at least) do not have significant close community ties, I am not so sure most are even aware enough (with the placebo of social media) to know that they crave it. Having spent a lot of time recently searching for people who want to connect in a meaningful way, I was really taken by surprise with how many people at this little truck stop in Georgia were open and seemingly eager to engage and connect with others around them.

I think many of these men have grown accustomed to the solitude and not fought against it (-because, it IS a struggle that must be actively engaged in every day and every place that life on the road takes you!). But still, I imagine they were well aware of their inner need for connection, even if most were too tired to take the effort of looking up from their food and making a comment like Don had to me and my friend. But having done so, I sensed that Don was really refreshed by our (what turned into a several-hours-long) conversation with him.

A huge opportunity!

Visiting the truck stop left me with so much to think about. Hearing from Don what it was like to spend one’s entire career driving trucks, I started to grow in empathy toward all of the other men in the little diner. I wish my friend and I could have engaged more people in conversation. So many others there had no one interested in talking with them.

With driving done for the day, nowhere to be, nothing pressing to do, and a relaxing meal ahead of them, it seems like there would be no better place to find people who are open to conversation. Certainly, everyone has their own interesting stories to learn from. But also, there’s no telling how much it could mean to a trucker just to have someone show interest in them enough to start a conversation. And if, while talking with someone, there is an opportunity to share Truth and Christ’s love, imagine how much more impact it could have on any of the possible ears eavesdropping in as they eat to themselves.

It would be really neat to return to rest stops like that sometime and just spend time getting to know people there.

. . .  I do realize, however, that that might not have the desired effect going alone as a young woman. . .  It does seem like a man or multiple people going together could be much more effective at sparking good conversation with the truckers.

There is such a need for something like a truck stop ministry where people simply would show up, grab some food at the counter, and befriend these people who are passing through. So many people starved of – but seeking! – human connection. What a need there was just in that little truck stop diner. Now imagine how many trucks our (excessively materialistic and convenience-seeking) culture has sent around the country every day… how many people make their living by travelling alone in a semi truck… how many similar diners are filled with people craving meaningful connection.

Not quite NYC

I don’t know what all of you are doing with your Friday night. But my night was spent writing as I wandered a park in New Jersey, alone with my thoughts from earlier in the day (in which I got to visit Liberty State Park, NJ, this morning).

(The title of the post comes from the fact that I had planned to go into NYC for the evening yesterday… until I learned how costly the bridge tolls are. And so, I quite contentedly enjoyed NYC from afar this morning.)

The poem was actually spurred by reading one of the park signs referring to the statue as “sacred” and as America’s most valued “shrine.” The language rather struck me. And as I mulled over it during the day, this is what I came up with. *Bonus points if anyone catches the Bible reference.*

The rain held off until later in the day, but still, the state park was nearly empty as dawn was approaching.

Cobblestone road leading into the park

First glimpse

view from the shore

First glimpse of the statue, followed by the view from New Jersey’s shore.

Street lamps lining the several-mile walkway form a lit backdrop for the statue, if viewing from NY

Statue of WWII American soldier carrying a Jewish holocaust survivor to safety further symbolizes America as giver of justice, and help to the hurting,

The city lights really do glitter from afar

 

 

southeast gaze

The southeast gaze

Manhattan island, viewed through the salt marshes of New Jersey’s Liberty State Park

 

Bruderhof: First impressions

Wednesday, October 24th

Yesterday and today, I took my time journeying from His Mansion Ministries in New Hampshire, south through Connecticut, towards the Fox Hill Bruderhof community nestled along the beautiful Hudson River in New York. Once again, I have been so impressed by the beautiful hilly landscape of New York – especially in crossing the Hudson River.

After passing the cheery entrance sign, a sweet girl, Julie, met me when I arrived. During my entire stay, Julie walked with me to many activities, and helped coordinate meals with some of her friends and others who wanted to host me, a visitor.

First off, I was shown to the room I’d stay in during my visit. It was a very minimal, but cozy single dorm room with a bed, bedside table, and little closet. at least 3 other families were on the same upstairs wing of the building (a school-house downstairs) that I was staying on. But even so, it did not feel apartment-like. Peoples doors were kept open, for the most part. And, a central kitchen was shared by all on this side of the building. This, I’m sure, required very intentional planning when family meal-times came around. But I also got to witness how lovingly the families interacted and shared whatever they had if the other families found themselves short of something.

Oh, because the kitchen was shared, the apartments were very minimal. A dining room with table and chairs, a couch or two on the edge of the room, and a bedroom/bathroom (maybe two). Clutter -in the kitchen, and in the apartments- was VERY minimal to nonexistant, I observed.

My first Bruderhof meal

The gathering/meal space, arranged for a community meeting

Tonight, all the young adults shared dinner in the main dining/meeting hall. The building was spacious and beautiful. Though there were a good number of young people, the huge place still felt very empty without the rest of the families. I hear there are more than 200 people who live on the property!

Speaking of the dining space, I learned that about three times a week a 7-8pm meeting will be announced at group lunchtime of the same day. The meetings are organized around different topics deemed worthy of discussion.

After dinner, Julie took me back to my room, where just down the hall, a neighboring mid/older couple had invited us and another couple over for a visit. It was charming to hear of some of their experiences and their appreciation for the simple things in nature. They shared some foraged pears from a recent hike, and showed me a stash of hickory nuts they’d gathered so far this fall. Ah, these are my kind of peoples!

Another neat thing I’ve observed about life here is how ridiculously easy it is to visit with others! Having multiples families of different ages and seasons of life all together on one floor builds connection. Also, all of the housing buildings are no more than a 15-minute walk from each other. So to invite people over for dinner – or even a 6am breakfast – would require almost no advance planning and scheduling hassle.

Julie says that she has a special couple who she spends time with a lot – at breakfasts, other meals, and just to hang out in down time. She can help them with their children if they need it, and they can provide her a sense of home or family. Apparently, it is normal for the bruderhof to assign young people like Julie (who was transferred here, away from her home community and family) to have an ‘adopted’ family like this.

Or perhaps not so much…

So this thing about relocating young people. Well, it’s not just the young people. It is actually common for families of all seasons of life to be relocated to different communities in the same state or across the country. The couple next door is actually on their way out next month to do mission work in the middle east. This, I believe, was largely their choosing. But often, people are just directed to relocate as the community leaders see the need. Most that I’ve talked to see joyful submission to these requests as equivalent to submitting to God’s will. Though I have some serious concerns with delegating out the personal leading of the Holy Spirit to group leaders (!), there was something beautiful present among the people who had found contentment in this submission. To take on the mindset of being prepared to, at any time, leave what has become comfortable – one’s home, one’s family and friend circle, one’s profession – well… This is how I believe all Christians should view their lives. If we see a need, Jesus teaches us to give of what we have out of love for others. And if that means downsizing our home, or relocating to a neighborhood where we can better serve the broken, this is exactly what we should be ready to do.

Okay, so while I don’t agree with how little individual choice there is, the Bruderhof’s frequent relocations definitely can help to cultivate this selfless, serving, adaptable attitude in an interesting way among its members.

Another less admirable part about life here is what I learned of how all of the children, once they reach high school, are sent away from the community to a neighboring community (maybe 45-60 minutes away) where they do school with all the other bruderhof children. It seemed really strange to me that so many parents would be willing to send their children so far, rather than want to invest their own time in their education. But alas, homeschooling is no option in the bruderhof. I guess they must not have big enough questions/concerns and have relinquished trust to their community about how their children are educated.

I also learned how, from when the children are incredibly young, the children are put into (loving) childcare within the community, and the mothers return back to their work positions within the community. This remains the same as the children move into school age. To me, it seemed that the children spent so much of their time being raised by the rest of the community. And when so much of life (like communal lunches and other community activities and meetings) are already done alongside other people, it seemed that the amount of time alone with children during the week would be so precious and sparse. But that is just my perception, and I can’t say I visited with any families with younger children during my stay to properly observe how they lived. But still, I was unshakably uneasy that the option was not given for bruderhof mothers to stay home and teach/train even their young children.

Admirable/interesting people

During even my first night, I noticed a diversity of backgrounds in the people I was meeting. I got to meet Alina, whose face I recognized from some of the Bruderhof Youtube videos that peaked my interest in the first place. I also met another young woman my age, who I had also seen on the Youtube channel, giving her take on the Bruderhof as a visitor. I learned of the path that had led her here. Sounding much like my own search for intentionality and a place where the church has a deep love for one another, her path of searching for other Christ-followers had led her through Koinonia Farm and eventually to this community.

Meeting everyone so far today with such different stories and experiences, I have to say, there is certainly plenty to admire about these people and their way of life. All of the older people people seem to have colorfully different stories about how they ended up here. I’d better get to bed, because apparently Julie has my day tomorrow all scheduled full of visits with more interesting people and joining in on the community work.

Farming with a kingdom purpose!

In just a short few days visiting, this ministry hidden in the mountains of New Hampshire left an unforgettable impression.

His Mansion Ministries is a place that, for 47 years, has given a home and support and Christian discipleship to people who have been really broken by addictions, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, or other similarly harmful patterns of behavior. Residents have to be seeking help enough to be ready to commit to one whole year on the farm, leaving all electronic devices and junk food behind. What a huge step to take!

During my visit, I got the opportunity to join in on one full day of work, right alongside several of the women residents and servant leaders. The work, involving things like cleaning the common areas and guest accommodations, was very structured in that all of the women worked alongside each other and went from project to project as a group. While cleaning a bathroom together, a servant leader (a young woman just out of college) and I got to talk about what it is like to jump into ministry there. She acknowledged the difficulty of being surrounded with hurting people, but shared how much support she had found from the other servant leaders (some of them graduates of the program themselves) and from the leadership team, who personally discipled her and offered needed advice in any situation.

Worship, never before so meaningful

Before lunch each day, all of the residents, servant leaders, and some staff gather for “Prayer and Share.” During this time, anyone can open up about where they were struggling OR share some of the successes they had experienced recently. What struck me most, though, was the time of singing.  Everyone had the opportunity to request a song from the printed out selection. But! Before singing, they were expected to share why that song in particular was meaningful to them.

Some of the people were very vulnerable with each other as they opened up about their struggles. But I could also tell that they were trusting in God in a way more deeply than perhaps I have yet experienced. As the keyboard started to play, I could sense the sincerity in the voices that began to sing. Though not all of the songs are what I would include in a list of songs if I were deciding, the worship that was happening in that room was more genuine than probably any I have yet participated in.

All meals shared

In addition to all of the work done alongside others, there was also plenty of time spent in the company of others at meal times. In the small dining hall, no seats were assigned. But there was often one or two servant leaders at each table. At every meal, I found myself with a new mixed crowd of mean and women residents and perhaps an older staff member. I very much enjoyed getting to know – though too briefly – the different residents. They all have such different stories and were, surprisingly, from many different states around the country.

“Not a true farm”

While the ministry website carefully explained that they were not a working farm, I was astounded, upon arrival, to learn of just how much of their own food they grew or raised. I was told that about 75% of what they eat comes from off of the farm! The first thing that greeted me on the chilly night I arrived was a white bull in the far pasture. Later I learned that there are a few other cows in surrounding pastures. In addition, they raised 29 pigs this year – all of whom they will butcher themselves! I was shown several massive garden plots, in addition to large greenhouses. Also, I do not think I have seen a more massive stockpile of firewood before in my life. They cut much of their wood from donated trees, and heat all of their buildings from this stockpile all winter. Another thing they use the wood for is in boiling down maple sap in their sugarshack when spring comes.

It was so exciting to hear of all of these farming skills that the residents get to learn and participate in. Goodness, I still have yet to learn some of those skills. Can you imagine the sense of accomplishment and purpose that the young men must feel after having played a major role in butchering the pigs they cared for all summer, and placing the cuts into the freezer, knowing that they will provide their whole community meals for the next year?

An intriguing landscape

His Mansion Ministries was located on such a picturesque plot of land with gently sloping hills. In contemplating the possibility of serving there at some point in the future, I was rather interested in what sort of terrain there would be to hike and explore (and forage). So, I spent my last morning there hiking up to the summit of their little mountain.

It was a very gradual hike up a utility road to the cell tower at the summit. Once at the top, several things stood out to me. First of all, the GENERAC generator next to the cell tower inevitably brought back memories of my Dad, as he had worked with that company for much of my life. Then, I walked just a little ways past the cell tower to find the most spectacular view – framed by three wooden crosses erected on the rocky summit. The last of the mountain surprises was a little patch of chanterelle mushrooms on the forest floor – past their prime, but still having the strongest fragrance. Knowing there are at least a few edible mushrooms to scavenge certainly increased my interest in spending time with this ministry. All of these things – the beautiful mountain view, the reminder of my dad, and the promise of good foraging – warmed me more and more to the idea of serving here at some point.

A few fragrant chanterelles offer the hope of more in these woods

Unexpected view from the summit

I got lost, but not deterred

Turning around, I noticed a side path leading (what looked like) down the mountain. Thinking that I remembered the staff telling me about a different way down the mountain, I spritely headed down this small path. Some little white dots on trees along the way raised my hopes that I would eventually circle back down to the farm.

. . . even as the downward hill turned to an upward, more rocky slope, I remained confident that the trail (now marked with much more bold white arrows) would meander back down. . . . After trekking at least as long as it took to climb to the summit, I stared at a large slope in front of me. “Okay, I’ll climb this last slope, but then I’m turning around. This is definitely not leading me down the mountain!” I thought, worried a little that I may not be able to remember which turns to take on the path back.

Climbing the slope, I discovered that I had climbed to the summit of a whole separate mountain! Well phoey! This quick hike would not be so quick after all. Frustrated at all the time lost, I jogged down, retracing my steps. Until… I reached a fork in the path that I could not remember. Choosing the most promising option, I jogged down, and down, but things were not looking right. As I passed several other forks, I made quick mental notes, wishing I had taken more careful note the first time through. Eventually, I knew things were not familiar. Great. I was somewhere in the mountains of New Hampshire, on some unpopulated mountain trail, without a phone on me. Noone knew what path I was hiking. Goodness, I didn’t even know! Hearing a dog barking far downhill, I started to imagine myself following the noise down to find civilization and begging directions back to His Mansion.

But, even with growing panic, I decided to trek back to that first uncertain fork in the path. Thankfully finding the fork, I very carefully tried to recall and retrace my steps. Coming down the first time, I had not realized just how poorly marked some of the first stretch of trail was. The path from the farm’s summit must have been some unofficial trail connecting to a proper, state trail. Well, with much prayer and very carefully scanning my surroundings, I eventually was able to find and follow the connecting path back up to the farm’s summit. Never before did a cell phone tower look so wonderful to me!

Perhaps a future home

While this unexpectedly long hike gave me a bit of a scare, it certainly did nothing to dampen my interest in this ministry. If anything, it encouraged me all the more, in seeing just how much there is to explore and become familiar with around the property.

As I drove off the farm, I could not help feeling like I would be back someday. Though right then I could not imagine making the commitment to serve for a whole year in the cold, cold mountains of NH, I did know that this was the most meaningful work I could imagine committing my life to for an extended period of time. To be able to learn and practice old farming skills alongside broken people who may never have experienced community or family closeness before – that would give the work I do so much more purpose.

 

I am not that much different from them

The neat thing about this ministry is that servant leaders who commit to living on the farm need no qualifications except to be “compassionate and humble” and a person “who desires to learn and is eager to serve people who need Jesus as a person who [also] needs Him too” (quoted from their website). Having spent time in an addictions ministry just after deciding to follow Jesus two years ago, I very much understand that I need Jesus just as much as any of the residents here who have more visible needs.

Any form of sin so easily becomes addictive. And beyond that, so many idols can fill our life. Things like finding a significant other, having a secure savings account, or gaining popularity and admiration through being really talented – all these can lead to the same emptiness and brokenness as drugs or alcohol or whatever else the residents struggle with. Only in committing to follow and serve God have I found a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment and security. In the addictions ministry way back, I learned how necessary it is to have a community of believers to be open with – no matter where I am at in life. It is so important for believers to know how their brothers and/or sisters in Christ are weak, and to learn how to best love and support them individually. And here at His Mansion, they make sure to offer discipleship, not only for the residents, but for the servant leaders as well. That is something that I really appreciate, and undoubtedly would grow alot from.

I am very thankful for how God led me to discover this ministry. Though it is getting colder and colder and I am headed south for now, a more meaningful place to work I could not imagine returning to.

New connection – backtracking north

Friday, Oct 19
–Moving on
Staying long enough at Becky’s house (in the Boston area) to participate in her son’s 11th birthday celebration, as I packed up my things, I enjoyed the sounds of him strumming his new guitar while joyfully singing any praise song that came to mind. I have been impressed beyond belief by this family and how they’ve intentionally been raising their children – and without any interference by technology. Their 11-year-old son with down syndrome has been a joy to get to know. And as I listened to song after song coming from him in the other room, I could not help sharing in his joy as I thought of all the special people God has led me to along the way so far. Off I went to allow myself the remainder of the weekend living out of my car to find alone time before my next destination. It was rewarding and refreshing to use some of this time to talk with a few friends from home and reconnect with a few that I’d met along the way as well.

Saturday, Oct 20
–Well, there goes that
Only two hours after I decided to finally pull off my ipad screen protector, I dropped my hard metal speaker on the front and broke the screen. So now life on the road just got a little bit more challenging. Namely, it won’t be easy to simply take snapshots of whatever info I need when around an internet spot. Nor can I download podcasts to entertain me (ooo, this is going to hurt as I am just about to clock in many hours in the car on my way south.

BUT, to be honest, I am actually a bit relieved how this played out. I think, in my lonely or restless moments here in Boston, whenever it was convenient, I would turn to my ipad for its podcasts. Even though I have no idea who most of the people on the podcasts are, I think there was something comforting in the familiarness of their voices, and the continuance of the stories or topics being covered. Now as I give it some thought, I can see why I kept going back to these shows in my free time. Without the continuance and consistency of the same people or places while on the road, those familiar podcasts gave me a sense of connectedness to others’ stories that I have known since before leaving Wisconsin.

To further be honest, I had felt like I was not making very good use of my time and letting my time be used more in meaningless ways these past several weeks. So, last night I had asked God to help me overcome distractions and to show me where I really should be investing my time. And so, I am not at all surprised if this was God’s way of helping me out. Yes, I am frustrated at the inconvenience and the hassle of ordering yet another (this will be round 3) screen to replace it whenever I have an address again. But I am also very thankful that God intervened when I asked, because, frankly, I have been lacking willpower and initiative lately to set and reach goals.

Sunday, Oct 21
–Apples and onward

Waking up the next morning in a chilly car, I did not feel like getting up right away. So, staying tucked under my piles of blankets, after putting my Bible down, I reached for a long-neglected book that I’d taken with me at the start of my travels. And I very much enjoyed passing the morning hours in that way, without the temptation of other distractions. Now I am realizing that if my ipad were still functioning, I’m not so sure a book would have held the same appeal as it did this morning.

This afternoon was spent driving north to an orchard/farm (which just so happened to be on my way to NH) where the Boston Gleaners were harvesting today. It was mighty chilly up on the ladders and at the top of the far hill (see photo above). As my second time out with this organization, I have to say that the people I’ve met there are a unique kind. In my experience, those who volunteer to help others who have more needs than themselves generally are people who are quite inspiring in getting to know.

2,560 lbs of apples gleaned by just a handful of people in 3 hours!

After a numbingly cold three hours and three huge bins of apples later, I was off to His Mansion Ministries in New Hampshire. The same fellow who had clued me in to the Boston Gleaners had also mentioned this ministry to me when he heard what my trip was about. Apparently, his sister had struggled with an eating disorder for 15 years, and finally found help through the Christ-centered discipleship program offered on this missional farm. I arrived after dark and was kindly shown to a wonderfully clean and tidy private dorm-style room.

Oh! After even just several days living out of my car, there is something so luxurious about a heated room, warm shower, and prepared bed. I will sleep well tonight. And I am so excited to meet the residents and staff tomorrow and to get to work alongside the women here for a few hours as I get a feel for their routine of life here. I hope to learn what would be involved in taking on a servant leader position possibly at some point down the road, because I have never before heard of so wonderful of a ministry that is a culmination of so many things that I consider to be important in life.

 

Challenging my ideals

As I shared previously, I reached out to Becky on Saturday and was met with the warmest hospitality. But to be completely honest, I could not have prepared for the shock that met me when I first walked into her home. -Specifically, the sight of her kitchen.

Walking from the entry hallway, what met my eye as the kitchen opened up was a collage of colors and shapes and figures and words. The kitchen walls were lined with shelves. These shelves, however, were not home to the usual dishes and pantry items. Instead, little lead painted figures about an inch high sprinkled the shelves, arranged in little scenes. These were positioned in front of all sorts of vintage knickknacks with some books or historic posters or advertisements mixed in. (I would share photos to try to help you understand the flurry of colors, but they are on my ipad, which went out of commission recently.)

Becky, with a smile, studied my face as I tried to take it all in. Then she explained that her vintage stove had stopped working a while ago. And with a son with down syndrome, she decided not to repair it, knowing it would just be a safety hazard that would have to be guarded again. And so, the oven shelves were used for storage, and the top was covered with a cloth. What she did have was a microwave and a working (but also vintage) refrigerator – which she very warmly said I should feel free to help myself to any of the food inside.

As I lay down to sleep that night, I stayed awake a good while just wondering what all the next week would hold. Certainly, something very different from what I had been accustomed to on the farms and with all of the other families I had visited! But, despite the unfamiliarness of her way of life, I was also very excited to better get to know this woman, who so openly and exuberantly invited me into her home, and whose faith visibly shaped her and her family’s lives in some rare ways.

Or perhaps not so unfamiliar

A mile walk with Becky and her 11-year-old son to church the following morning gave plenty of time for conversation. I had to admire her for her testimony and for how she, as a single woman, spent time studying in Japan, and later ventured to Johannesburg South Africa, where she later ended up marrying and raising a family in their early years together.

At church, I learned even more about this unique woman through another woman, who had been visiting the church for just 2 months. She told me that Becky is the reason she had kept coming to the church. She shared how Becky had shown her such a Christian warm and hospitality – yes, she used that exact word! – which made her feel welcomed and loved as part of the family of believers there. That gave me quite a pause.

Quick aside for those who do not know me well. The past year especially, I’ve been gaining an appreciation and value for old skills that bring people together. -But also, for the lost art of hospitality. Through the testimony of Rosaria Butterfield (you will hear more on her as I progress in my travels), I learned how valuable and powerful it can be to simply invite someone into your home for a meal. And with this in mind, I have done whatever possible to learn the skills of cooking and to practice hospitality whenever the opportunity presented itself through my (shared) apartment back home. And still, on the road, I eagerly soak up all the tidbits I can from other women (or men) who have skills in the kitchen or in creating a welcoming environment in their home for guests. The ideal I had formed in my mind was that one of the most powerful ways a woman has to show Christ to others is in her home, is through her welcoming hospitality, and yes, through simple and nutritious, home-cooked food.

HOWEVER. Here was this woman, with an almost completely nonfunctional kitchen, and yet God had been using her in the lives of others (and let’s not forget whose bed I was staying in – in my own life too!) to show them Christ’s love. Just as I had found in other Christian’s homes – if not more so here – Becky had a heart for others and was making an impact in their lives, just not through home/meal-centered hospitality.

Intentional about technology

One of the very unique things about this family is how intentional Becky and her husband have been to keep the internet and most all technology out of the home. Books by Neil Postman and other titles pertaining to the decline of education and the impact of media can be found throughout her home. Their family has sent their children to, what sounds like, a unique, classic-style school up until highschool – one that keeps all technology out of the curriculum. And Becky has taken it upon herself to homeschool her 2 older sons through highschool, even teaching some group Advanced Placement courses for other homeschool friends. Up until this past year, not even a cell phone made an appearance in their home. Now, her 15-yr-old son has a cell phone, but it is set up just to use the internet as a tool to search things related to horses (his line of work).

What their family is doing must be working. Their 18-yr-old son is in his first year at Harvard, so proficient in Chinese that they had to find an outside tutor for his area of study. Their 15-yr-old son was competent enough at age 14 to travel alone to and work at a BnB south of London. Now he takes on 40 hours a week of horse care in stables in addition to working through high school courses. And their dear 11-yr-old son, who has down syndrome – perhaps he has impressed me the most. He is able to read surprisingly well and to form written sentences on his own. But he was most charming by how engaging he is in conversation. Goodness, I think he knows more about history than I ever will, as he, with his wooden reenactment musket, told me of some major battles Washington was involved with in the French and Indian war. Though Becky certainly had some difficult moments with his stubbornness, her youngest son actually seemed surprisingly mature and engaged for most of the time. She attributes his progress to the many prayers of her church and to the complete absence of technological entertainment while growing up.

Intentional about historical perspective

In my last post, I this family’s unique (in comparison to the rest of their church) convictions of nonresistance. Well, they found a really interesting way to get their family involved with others in conversing about this important issue.

As a whole family, they have for a number of years been participating in historical reenactment surrounding the Revolutionary War. But, instead of perhaps the typical colonial outfits patriot military outfits, Becky would sew red coat uniforms for her sons and they would reenact as British soldiers. Now, many at the events they frequented would come up to them and say things like, “Oh, redcoats? So you’re the bad guys.”

But to this, their sons got very practiced at responding that, “Well, we read how Jesus tells us to pay our taxes. So, if I had been living in this time period, I would not be fighting against the British rule, but respecting their authority. But, I also would not take up arms to join them like I am dressed up now because of how Jesus tells us to love our enemies.”

In this way, they raised the eye of many Christian homeschoolers, nominal christians, and non-christians alike with their undervoiced Biblical perspective on the history of the “nation under God.”

This family had an understanding of how much media shapes our understanding of history. Another example of their intentionality around this issue is in how they would allow films into their home. I think they owned a total of 15 films. And Becky shared how intentional they were to have discussions surrounding the films they did chose to allow in their home. One example would be when they watched the “Sound of Music.” They read the book first and then challenged their sons to see how many points they could count that departed from the historical account. They would take this approach with several other films too.

Intentional with family conversations

I was very encouraged to hear how closely their son chose to keep in contact with Becky, even while living away from home at college. He talked through things he was encountering that ran counter to his faith at college, and would find guidance and support from Becky, herself a Harvard graduate, having experienced even in her time the intense (unreasonably silencing of other opinions) pressure to celebrate and approve of the LGBT lifestyle.

Beyond her conversations around college, I was also really impressed by how Becky would keep the door open to honest conversations with her children around the home, and throughout life. During one of our late-night conversations, she shared with me how she saw herself on level ground with her children, before God – all equally imperfect and capable of making mistakes. And so, with humility, she would tell her sons that she wanted them to approach her whenever she was not acting very Christian-like – honoring God through her choices/attitude/behavior.

This vulnerability and support within the home was something that was very absent in my childhood. But the more I learn, the more I see how important and central it needs to be within a home in order for children to see a need (their parent’s or their own need) for Christ in everyday life – the part of life that matters most! Becky’s example was incredibly encouraging. And her family’s life shined the effectiveness that it has had so far.

What I took away

Though it was neat to have a chance to visit historic downtown Boston, attend a weekly swing dance, and get to hear Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 (Horns!!) by the New England Conservatory’s orchestra, the chance to get to know Becky and her family better was definitely the most valuable part of my stay in Boston. (Oh, in case you are wondering why you haven’t heard anything about her husband – he was away all week with international work.) She always was willing to talk and was very encouraging when I told her about my next step in the journey – to visit His Mansion Ministries. In learning more about my me, she gave me a few new things to consider as to why His Mansion could be a very good place to serve and really grow.

In addition to her encouragement towards my travels, she also generously sent me along with a few other special items. She knew that I got so excited when I learned she had a copy of the “More with Less” cookbook, and that I was reading through it all week. Well, when it came time to leave, she told me that I could take it with me. Wow! That is definitely my list of most valuable gifts I could have received! I am so excited to take it with to the next farms and try out all sorts of different recipes from its pages.

Becky also knew how much I admired her library of antique reading material. Most of the books lining the shelves were geared toward children to young adults, written from the late 1800s to around 1940 I believe. I learned from Becky that the modern versions of the classic Nancy Drew stories actually have changed details (things like Nancy’s father’s permission being asked first by the guy who wanted to take her out). I had not realized that! (Knowing this, Becky had some original copies of Nancy Drew on her bookshelf.) Furthermore, things like the Girls Annual or Mrs. Strang’s Annual for Girls were actually put out by Christian organizations way back when they started to realize the push of culture on girls to focus on their looks and buy into the consumeristic mentality. The stories and articles contained in those books and volumes were from a simpler time when many values were still intact. And each story from the volumes would carry the lost charm of generations past – in a way that felt almost like the scenarios could be relived today.

Anyway, Becky generously gifted me with two of these (original print edition) volumes that she had multiples of. What a treasure – and one I hope to pass on for generations if they hold up.

Special in so many ways

A week seemed like too short of a time to spend with Becky and her family. But, that is often how I’ve felt when saying goodbye to the people I’ve met during my travels. There are so many things I will remember from this visit, though. And probably most significantly – God uses everyone differently and gives us each sometimes very unique gifts to use to reach the lives of others. Becky’s life looks very different from the many families I’ve met so far, but her life is certainly just as – if not more – radiant of an example of Christ’s love to others as I have ever seen.