All things Nature

One of the hardest things about leaving Africa for me was leaving my garden. Over the years it had become a place of rest and solice, away from the stress and craziness of cross-cultural ministry. Learning to tame and and marvel at the tropical lushness and beauty of Africa's rainy season, and at other times nurturing, watering and sustaining the life of living things in the 6 months of Africa's dry season gave me such a great wonder at God's perfection in every flower that came out of the dust when the rains began and thrived, and a great respect for God's balance in nature when despite my best efforts things sometimes didn't make it. When we left, I dug up what I could, potted it and moved it to a shady spot in a colleague's garden where it could be cared for until someone else could take charge of the plants and carry on and enjoy God's miracles.

Now back in the US, there is something inside of me driving me to find little ways to bring life out of the dirt. I have already begun to nurture numerous potted plants in my room, and the back porch of my mom's villa where we are temporarily staying. And little by little we have begun to plant some flowers on our farm and tame the wilderness that it has become after decades of resting fallow, and the woods which as far as we can tell have never been lived in except for animals.