The Growing Hope Globally project in northern Virginia includes five Church of the Brethren congregations that are working with the organization to grow crops on 10 acres in Midland and donate the income from their sale to food security and hunger relief.
My late brother, Lorne, was the “hype man” credited by Growing Hope Globally for his role in starting the “Field of Boaz” project. But it takes work and enthusiasm from everyone to make such a project work and continue to be a blessing.
Eden (N.C.) First Church of the Brethren took a “seed” from my brother’s enthusiasm and started a Community Garden of Eden on church property. My father, Herb Holmes, serves as coordinator.
The church sits in a triangular lot in an underprivileged section of town. This year they are growing the crops on their own to make sure they know what they’re doing and have what the community will need to be successful—water, security, access, tools, and good soil.
Fifteen people came out to help plant more than 200 vegetables and flowers in less than an hour! But two weeks later, a tornado went through and shredded many of the plants. My father was downhearted, especially because the community garden was in honor of his late son’s mission. I told my dad that God was just pruning the plants for a better harvest, to which he laughed and answered, “Who raised you?”
The community garden has rebounded with an abundance of squash and zucchini. The church has used the crops to serve more than 100 meals at community dinners. They also have delivered vegetable baskets to more than 30 homes, telling the story of the growing Community Garden of Eden and inviting people to the Community Meals and to worship. —Regina Holmes
This article first appeared in Messenger magazine.