The River Church Community

In a former bLoG, I wrote about the family next door to the community garden.  Yesterday, I learned more about them.  I was planting tomatoes, jalapeños, beans, cantaloupe and other veggies when a voice called out, “Pastor Tony.”  I looked up to see a man I had never seen before.  He called out again, “Pastor Tony.”  “Yes?”   And that was when the conversation began.  He explained that he grew up in Burma and had been called by God to minister to Burmese refugees in the USA.  Hence, why he was standing across from me.  The house next to our community garden is full of recent refugees from Burma.  I had met them before, but had not learned their story.  He shared with me about their need to learn English and I offered to be of service.  I thought that maybe some of the ESL teachers in our midst might be able to help or that I could sit down and talk with them weekly—assuming that would be better than nothing.

It surprising me how much can happen with soil in hand.  Burmese refugees yesterday.  And the day before, a boy named Alexander, age 5, also said hello.  He had never planted anything and so we did it together.  He wanted to water and plant and generally help out.  With soil in hand some much can happen.  Plants grow at our community garden.  Sure.  But so do relationships.  Both are extraordinary miracles.  Both reveal our Creator God’s beauty…

                    Tony Traback Pastor of Mission Mobilization