Feed My Lambs

A rough-hewn handmade cross blesses the site. Rows of flowers mark the southern boundary. Then row upon row of vegetable plants begin their march to cover 3/4 acres of what used to be St. Timothy's lawn. A small garden has bloomed into an ecumenical project at my church this summer. A parishioner plowed and tilled the bigger space; others came and worked the soil, sowed seed and dug holes for plants. The first crop was radishes, of course! And they found their way to hungry people. Peas came next...30 pounds at one picking. The 150 tomato plants are predicted to produce 2 tons of tomatoes. Volunteers from other churches in the area help weed, harvest and re-plant; it's become a real community project. There is discussion about our church partnering with the Cathedral downtown to process and can produce as that church has a huge kitchen and the ability to meet food regulations. It's a big deal, this garden project. It's a response to Christ's instruction to 'feed my lambs' found in John 15:21.

But it's even more than that. Most of the harvest from this garden goes to non-governmental agencies, i.e. churches and non-profits that serve undocumented peoples...the homeless and those in this country illegally. During my garden photo-taking session, I spoke with one of the garden's founders who told me that all the 'official' Des Moines and state agencies require two forms of ID in order to help/serve clients. This effectively eliminates both the homeless and those undocumented workers in this country illegally; they are turned away leaving it to places like the Eddie Davis Center and churches in the area to help. I've been haunted by this knowledge ever since I heard it. No matter what your political persuasion or how you feel about illegal immigration, no matter if you think being homeless is a matter of poor personal choices...if someone comes to you hungry and in need, you have an obligation to help whether they have the proper paperwork or not!  Whether we decide to send someone back to their own country or back under the bridge to sleep, we should send them with full stomachs and maybe even a sack lunch for the journey. It's the least we can do to feed Christ's 'lambs.'