How Does Your Garden Grow?

The day we got back from the Cabana, Narcisa and I were asked to stay with the foster children in Unirea (a suburb of Bistrita). No problem! We just spent four days with 18 kids, surely we could stay a couple days with only seven!

It turned out to be a relaxing couple of days, but not uneventful. I quickly realized how easily I can be duped when within minutes the four boys had slyly convinced me to help them to do things that were off limits to them. I unwittingly accompanied them to a construction site...fascinating as it was with all the tractors and heavy equipment, it become obvious rather quickly that it was not a safe place for little boys. I managed to get them back to the house and within seconds I was led by the hand into a luscious garden that I later learned was forbidden to the boys because they always do exactly what they did with me...run excitedly to the strawberry patch trampling plants as they picked every ripe strawberry in sight.

The garden was magnificant though. It had 2 pear trees, 2 apple trees, 2 cherry trees, and a peach tree. It also had both raspberry and strawberry patches and some other kind of berry I'd never seen before. It had onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, dill, parsely, and of course loads of cabbage! It even had a green house!! I had no idea it existed because it was hidden behind a door that divided the yard. On one side, a small yard to hang laundry and play...on the other side, the grand garden.

I was fortunate enough to taste two kinds of jam made by the fruit of the garden at breakfast and a canned fruit cocktail made from a pear like fruit at lunch. The strawberries the boys shared with me were so sweet and delicious...I understood why they like to get back there whenever they have a chance.

I knew that garden had been planted with the needs of the Family Center in mind and that it would enable the children to eat fresh and canned produce throughout the entire year. As I reflected on this it reminded of a verse in the Bible. Isaiah 58:11 says, "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden , like a spring whose waters never fail." NIV