We are missionaries. We know that God has called us to go to dark places and bring good news and hope. Hyde Park is a dark place. It's not a horrible place. There are good people here. There is beautiful architecture. There is a remarkable history. But the neighborhood has been in a state of desolation for generations. Many businesses and residents have fled, violence and drugs continue to be a problem. Fear and hopelessness are still present. And we feel that God is doing something here.
Part of what He is doing is calling us to urban gardening. We see it as working hand in hand with the other aspects of our ministry. It has the same goal of spiritual and physical transformation. We want to come alongside people and bring them the Gospel and hope, empowerment and change, confidence and edification, food and education. We can see the vision and the potential, but we still don't know how to go about every aspect.
There is a group of children who regularly play in one of our gardens. We've talked with them, and they've helped us plant. But they also leave their trash, tear up plants, steal produce, and lie to us about all of it. Residents of the neighborhood regularly steal produce, not caring that they did nothing at all to help the plants grow. When we've confronted them, they always say they thought it was a community garden, denying the fact that at the heart of a community garden is the idea of community: people working together toward a common goal. We've also had huge problems this year with weather and pests, and with communicating with the schools whose gardens we manage. Plus, there is the always present physical reality of garden maintenance, which takes from 6-12 hours per week for all three gardens.
Though it can be frustrating at times, and though we still don't have the clearest path for how to move forward, we want to and we will, because the potential is huge. Having an established garden in which to teach people (and learn ourselves) is priceless. Being able to come alongside a family and empower them in such an essential way can change their lives. Partnering that physical ministry with the love and hope of Jesus Christ will eventually transform the community. Watching another neglected, desolate lot, which had been a financial burden on an already burdened city, be transformed into a garden that produces life and food will declare to the community that conditions can change and people do care.
This is definitely a huge undertaking, taking place in an even greater vision. There is much to learn, and we plan to share that in this blog. This is an adventure that we and this community will have with God as He brings transformation to St. Louis.
