Category: Social Justice

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Down On The Farm… #GivingTuesday

gregoryjoel

The holidays have officially started. Christmas decorations are springing up all around the neighborhood. My ‘Honey Do’ list includes getting the Christmas stuff down from the attic, too! One of my favorite days of the year is coming up on Tuesday. It’s only a seven-year-old tradition so I would like to spread the word this year —- especially this year.

Tuesday, November 27th, 2018, is #GivingTuesday, the Global Day of Giving. Every year, following the Thanksgiving holiday here in the USA, #GivingTuesday is the official start of the charitable season. Many folks wait until the end of the year for their holiday and charitable contributions. It’s the perfect time of year for giving and philanthropic work. Since it began in 2012, #GivingTuesday has raised more than $300 million dollars from over 150 countries.

This year, #GivingTuesday means more to me than usual. This year it’s personal. I’m the Farm Manager for Opal’s Farm, a two-acre urban farm in the heart of Fort Worth. Opal’s Farm grows organic produce that’s distributed throughout area food deserts and low-income communities, helping restore health and vitality to local neighborhoods. A portion of the fruit and vegetable harvest is sold to local chefs, restaurateurs, and Farmer’s markets to support local farm-to-table needs and to help make the farm self-sustaining.

 The farm creates jobs, provides job training, and brings a spirit of entrepreneurship and self-reliance to the local community. The two acres of arable, urban land connects food production, processing, and distribution in the same space. This is basically from farm to plate; which is a win-win for the residents of Fort Worth and a model for other municipalities.

Mission Statement:

Opal’s Farm restores hope and vitality to neglected communities through an agricultural intervention and education.

Statement of Purpose

Opal’s Farm is a model for sustainable organic agriculture that:

  •  addresses the elimination of local food deserts and scarcity in low-income communities.
  • offers education in sustainability, soil conservation, food distribution, and nutrition.
  • creates jobs, job training, and entrepreneurial opportunities that provide a living wage for low-income community members.

A simple farm can change lives. On this #GivingTuesday, I invite you to be a part of the farm,  a part of the transformation.

Facebook has set $7 million for matching funds for your donation, so be among the first to donate and see your dollar doubled as far on #GivingTuesday through our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/donate/2246575222246012/. 

You can be a farmer, too and transform lives – one bite at a time!

P.S. Don’t forget that Facebook has only pledged $7 million for matching funds so donate you don’t have to wait until Tuesday to make your dollar go further. Give today and be a farmer!

Activism, Bible, Choices, Christianity, Communication, Community, Culture, Emotional Health, Faith, Grace, Gratitude, Health, Hope, Jesus, Love, Monday Mornings, Non-Profits, Opal's Farm, Practice, Prayer, Red Letter Christians, Social Justice

Feeling Revived!

gregoryjoel

Thoughts From the Porch: It’s beautiful Fall morning on the porch.I had an incredible weekend at the Red Letter Revival in Dallas. I couldn’t goFriday, but I was able to attend Saturday. What a Sabbath! The workshops wereamazing. The worship service Saturday night was what I always imagined ‘church’to be. The presence of God’s spirit was overwhelming! A huge thank you toeveryone who worked so hard to make the weekend possible.

The weekend fulfilled the promise of its name – revival. I feel revived, refreshed, and renewed. Going into this weekend I found myself tired and worn down – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The months since my hospital stay have been arduous, especially financially. Work, paying work, has been slow. Financial fear and frustration creep in despite my faith.

Most of my energies have been focused on Opal’s Farm. Compensation won’t start until later next year, but the initial footwork still must be done. Doing the “next right thing” can be scary at times. The only reason I mention this is because this weekend I received a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

I attended a workshop led by Rev. Edwin Robinson on “Undoing the Theology of Racism”. He started the workshop by singing and talking about ‘wading in the water’. He drew an analogy with Moses’ parting of the Red Sea as recorded in the Book of Exodus.

You see, Jews understand the event differently than most Christians. Moses didn’t simply put his foot in the water and the sea parted. He waded all the way in. It wasn’t until the water was up to his neck that the water began to part. Salvation from the pursuing Egyptians and the sea in front of them came when the water almost covered them, when they couldn’t see it coming.

That’s stuck with me all weekend. I’ve been feeling like the water’s up to my neck lately, the future unsure. That’s the feeling anyway. But that’s not the reality. Let me explain…

If I look back on my journey to this point in life, I can see that, God has always ‘parted the waters’ for me. Not just on occasion, but every time. Unfortunately, while I see clearly looking backwards, I’m flying blind while looking forward. Maybe that’s why they call it faith…

This weekend renewed my faith. Financially, there’s more month than money right now. Physically, I feel refreshed and ready to greet the day. Mentally, I’m still fearful but somehow less stressed. Most importantly, I feel revived spiritually. I’ve struggled with the whole idea of ‘church’.  I take the words of the Rabbi literally. Sometimes I think I’m one of the few when I see what others do in Jesus’ name.

I believe that Jesus “meant what He said”. I believe that following His instruction can help me become the man Idream of being: of loving God and loving others with all my heart, mind, and spirit. I believe that He really did bring good news of the Kingdom of God and I want to share it.

My heart and my spirit tell me that Opal’s Farm is a tangible way for me to share that good news. Not by words, but by example. Jesus feed the hungry, why shouldn’t I? The Apostle James said that “faith without works is dead”. In other words, walk the walk. If you believe it, act like it.

Finally, this weekend reminded me that I’m not alone. There’s a multitude of wonderful people of faith, Kingdom people who seek God’s will “on Earth as it is in Heaven”. I really needed that reminder.

So, thank you Red Letter Christians for putting together a great weekend. To learn more about the Red Letter Movement, visit www.redletterchristians.org . Colorful