So It Sounds Like......
Active Listening is Key to working with people.

"The best sense of security is the eyes and the ears."- unknown.

When someone trusts you enough to share with you what is going in their lives trust and security begins to build.  A major key in their trust in you is when you listen to them. Actively listening can be a very big challenge for people.  We are good at listening, but being active about it can be a challenge.  The speaker shared about the importance of giving an "empathetic response" to people.  As we listen to the people, we need to remember to extend grace to them just as Christ has extended his grace to us.  Our response to them should be that of empathy and grace, with wisdom from the Lord.  I am challenged to show grace toward those who are dealing with things, because my trust with them will grow.
Not only is showing grace a key to ministering to others, we as helpers need to make sure we have proper and healthy boundaries between us and those we are working with. As I went through this last week I reminded how important it is for me to make sure I don't go deeper with people than they are willing to go, and also to make sure not to take other peoples problems, but instead helping them to work through their own issues.  If there are not healthy boundaries co-dependency can occur and an unhealthy relationship can happen.

LAKESIDE COMMUNITY GARDEN

As all of you know, a couple of years ago, I was part of helping establish a local community garden here.  Last year we had a successful time gardening.  This year 2013 we decided to expand the garden and create more beds for people to use to plant.  With the help of the community we were able to expand the local garden and add around 18-20 extra raised beds which puts us at around 40 raised/elevated beds.  It is amazing to see how the hard work of so many in the community have caused this local garden to grow and expand and be even better established.  All of our beds are being used by locals throughout the city; which is amazing.  Things are going so well that we actually have a small waiting list.  :)  Which is a good problem to have.  I am blessed to be able to be apart of such a wonderful ministry happening here in the valley.  I will hopefully be putting up more photos on another update here in a couple weeks or so.  Enjoy the photos!!

Filling up the beds with aged manure and soil

Me

The Pile

One of my flowers

Me standing at the main entrance to the garden.

Part of the garden

ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP (EARS)

 

As many of  you know, I applied back in January to do a training school within YWAM called Environmental And Resource Stewardship. The jest of the school is that this school is designed to provide us (students) with knowledge and hands on experience in the following areas:

1. Water collection, purification and storage
2. Food production with creative techniques for difficult environments
3. Solar energy via thermal capture and photovoltaic cells
4. Animal care and development
5. Recycling and creative use of waste
6. Scriptural basis for being a good steward of our land, water, air and bodies

So part of my training includes taking care of 10 goats, 2 horses, 4 dogs, 4 cats and around 120 chickens.  Not only do we (as a school) have the animals to take care of, I personally am overseeing the 2 main gardens we have in which we are growing many different fruits and vegetables. What are we growing?

Arracache (a local root veggie), Broccoli, carrots, corn, cucumber, garlic, granadilla (passion fruit), green onions, jalapenos, lettuce, potatoes, radishes, strawberries, tomatoes, squash, cilantro, rosemary, oregano

Before I came to this school I really felt that during this time, not only would I gain even more skills and become stronger in some hands on work, but that God would use this time to counsel me and teach me things about my self and his character.  Well for the last 2 and half months He has done that. God has been showing me more and more things in my life that need to change and be improved.  Which has been good, however a little messy at times.  Not only has God been showing me things in my life that need to change he has been showing me more and more different aspects of his character that I really did not understand or even knew He had until I took the time to study his creation and gain an understanding of his heart for what he has created, and our roles as Christians to take care of creation and tend the garden; according to Genesis.

The EARS school has only 3 students; myself, a girl from the states and another girl from Mongolia.  Definatley a small school! 

Each one of us was given a specific area of the base that we needed to research and create a research paper/manual that can be used in the future to help this place become a fully self-sustaining facility.  The area I was given was in the area of fruit and vegetable production specifically and how we can provide all the fruits and veggies we need for our selves.  During my studies I researched things such as Aquaponics, Permaculture/bio-intensive gardening, companion planting, etc. 
Aquaponics is a closed system which uses fish waste to fertilize the roots in the grow bed, then the plants in the grow bed filters the water and then the water is then taken back to the fish tank.  with this system you get fish and veggies to eat, and it is completely self-sufficient. 

Permaculture is a type of gardening/landscaping that makes sure that everything grown, placed and design has a purpose to maximize the amount of food grown in a smaller space.

So, as you can see I have been extremely busy, therefore my communications have been slim.This school has been a great help, because now I am feeling even more confident and prepared to take what I learned and my passion in creation care to the field long term!! :)

Israel (1 week)

For the last week I was in Jordan, I decided to take a quick trip over to Israel.  While I was there I stayed at a great hostel and explored so much of the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Galilee area.  I waked all around the old city, up to Mount of Olives, through the city of David, went through part of Hezikiah's tunnel, went up through the Canaanite tunnel.  Went to the Israeli museum.  When I was at the museum I saw the Shrine of the Book, where they have on display replicas and original portions of the Bible, and other works. So incredible. I was there for only a week, but it was well worth it. :)  Below are pictures of my time in Israel.  Enjoy!