A CALL TO ALL FARMERS AND BELIEVERS IN COMMUNITY
Seed Loans for Friends Over Seas
through KAT ROBERTS
AN INDEPENDENT MISSIONARY, VILLAGE NURSE, AND COMMUNITY BUILDER
In the same spirit as this loving communityI am so fortunate to live in these beautiful Western North Carolina mountains, a fellow sister is slowly rebuilding a small village in Zambia Africa through small steps. She moved to this village in January of 2011 unaffiliated with any organization or religion other than the call of her heart after meeting a friend who was working in the next village over for the Peace Corps. The Village needed a nurse and after 3 years of traveling nursing in emergency rooms she felt it was time to give her gifts in a new community over seas.
On her own she has become the village Nurse Practitioner, fullfilling every medical need from delivering babies to treating malaria. Her personal mission is to support this community through education to the betterment of their overall health.
In light of this mission, she has begun a program to help these families start their own gardens. She has not done any formal fundraising to help support this mission, but is kindly accepting donations to help jump start the upfront gardening costs.
In Kat's own words, " Some of the farmers have already received seed loans!
I bought as many seeds I had money for, but there are so many people
who could use a seed loan! These seeds will bring them good money
and only cost about $10. "
A gift seeds is literally giving life and an assurance/insurance for the next season.With a few seeds,we have the opportunity to help build something beautiful that speaks to the soul as well as the eyes-there's no better therapy than diggin' in the dirt! :) And even a small garden can feed a family or more all season long!!!!
I support this project with all of my heart and wanted to share Kat's story through this blog. I am so proud of her as an individual and am honored to be called her friend. I pray that however this story leaves you, that you walk away inspired to put your heart closer to your community. We all need to lean down our ears to the ground and feel its' heart beat. We cannot know what our community's need if we do not pay attention. And paying attention is only half the needed response.
Like our friend Kat,
May we have the COURAGE, GUMPTION, AND PERSEVERENCE to follow through with practical and loving action.
IF YOU FEEL LEAD please send seed money to:
Katherine Roberts
375 Ridgewood Rd
Clarkesville GA 30523
LMFund@hotmail.com
Dogwood Flowers
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Hushed
While rushing downtown after attending the last few events of an art festival I had been involved in, I was stopped slowly at the sight of a warm group of people huddled together with palms lifted,
i felt hushed
struck silent after running to cross the street and strangely drawn into a trance-
i wanted to join them.
i did not quite know how or why.
with high ritual services, I always feel so awkward-moved at the sanctity, wanting to show respect, but not knowing how to follow along
So in a brief moment of decision
I continued to cross the street
in my chic outfit from leaving a fashion show-passing along the sidewalk in front of an air of reverence, a prescence of slowly passing palms.
the priest began to turn my way, the incense swinging, his voice defied the passing traffic, singing gracious glory to the one who went before us.
i smiled with my head down, swept deeply by the breeze and native hearts silently marching together to continue their prayers in the shelter of our precious bascillica.
still, in a moment passed wondering how could get in,wanting to be a part of it, could i slip in the back?
and i'm sure that i could have,
instead, head still bowed at these thoughts and the persistence of a cold front wind, a warm heart smile could not erase itself from my gaze as i traveled lovingly along the church's border; tulips under rose bushes-their thorns to our king,their eyes toward the sun,
lambs ears peaking through the grass, the lamb of God our second change or resurrection,
the precious easter dogwood tree sang out loud, guarding each window of stained glass.
i reached down between leaves of grass and secretly stowed a dogwood flower into the pocket of my skinny grey jeans and made my way on into the rest of my normal life: rushing, checking lists, numbers objects ideas swirling through my thoughts-
still this Easter lay steady in my heart.
My heart is unburdened
My mind is brought to rest, to reality, to calm and resolve.
In this moment
My mind is brought to Easter,
sweet sweet Lord, oh my soul,
Hallelujah!
i felt hushed
struck silent after running to cross the street and strangely drawn into a trance-
i wanted to join them.
i did not quite know how or why.
with high ritual services, I always feel so awkward-moved at the sanctity, wanting to show respect, but not knowing how to follow along
So in a brief moment of decision
I continued to cross the street
in my chic outfit from leaving a fashion show-passing along the sidewalk in front of an air of reverence, a prescence of slowly passing palms.
the priest began to turn my way, the incense swinging, his voice defied the passing traffic, singing gracious glory to the one who went before us.
i smiled with my head down, swept deeply by the breeze and native hearts silently marching together to continue their prayers in the shelter of our precious bascillica.
still, in a moment passed wondering how could get in,wanting to be a part of it, could i slip in the back?
and i'm sure that i could have,
instead, head still bowed at these thoughts and the persistence of a cold front wind, a warm heart smile could not erase itself from my gaze as i traveled lovingly along the church's border; tulips under rose bushes-their thorns to our king,their eyes toward the sun,
lambs ears peaking through the grass, the lamb of God our second change or resurrection,
the precious easter dogwood tree sang out loud, guarding each window of stained glass.
i reached down between leaves of grass and secretly stowed a dogwood flower into the pocket of my skinny grey jeans and made my way on into the rest of my normal life: rushing, checking lists, numbers objects ideas swirling through my thoughts-
still this Easter lay steady in my heart.
My heart is unburdened
My mind is brought to rest, to reality, to calm and resolve.
In this moment
My mind is brought to Easter,
sweet sweet Lord, oh my soul,
Hallelujah!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
New times
The spring is coming around in the mountains of Carolina. The winter was suprisingly mild, especially compared to last year. I am comforted to see the sun so much more often. This time last year I was consumed with anxiety from the pent up enviroment of many days of winter. There is a point where the person must get fresh air, must receive sunshine, must be active in the living enviroment around us.
The forsythia is blooming, daffodils also, a bright reminder that sunshine is on the way.
Garden's are being tilled, new growth for new mouths, new healthy bellies and new callouses on top of old, new trails to run, new rain water falling to melt the cold of the icy wood and spring forward color from the ground.
It is fragrant this beauty, jobs picking up, so tired of hanging on through the winter, locals welcome the new tourists with gentle acceptance, yes these jesters pay my salaries, yes they drive me insane, but how they make my roads stay paved, lights stay on, mouths stay fed. oh such times as these, these unfortunate times where living off the land is a land unknown, where we dont know willow is what eases our pain, grains drown our sorrws, aloe our wounds.
we sit and wait for this unknown- the new summer days, the new tourists we made a part of our lives when we moved here, we are here, we are them, they are us, we must, we must work and live and breathe again that gentle air. and breathe again this ancient mountains, they are waking, their echos again, again,
lay down your weary tune lay down. -dylan
The forsythia is blooming, daffodils also, a bright reminder that sunshine is on the way.
Garden's are being tilled, new growth for new mouths, new healthy bellies and new callouses on top of old, new trails to run, new rain water falling to melt the cold of the icy wood and spring forward color from the ground.
It is fragrant this beauty, jobs picking up, so tired of hanging on through the winter, locals welcome the new tourists with gentle acceptance, yes these jesters pay my salaries, yes they drive me insane, but how they make my roads stay paved, lights stay on, mouths stay fed. oh such times as these, these unfortunate times where living off the land is a land unknown, where we dont know willow is what eases our pain, grains drown our sorrws, aloe our wounds.
we sit and wait for this unknown- the new summer days, the new tourists we made a part of our lives when we moved here, we are here, we are them, they are us, we must, we must work and live and breathe again that gentle air. and breathe again this ancient mountains, they are waking, their echos again, again,
lay down your weary tune lay down. -dylan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)