Community garden progress

It was a hot, sunny morning for gardening. Luckily, we had donuts and lemonade to get us through! Some families from the community, along with some church folks, showed up to plant some vegetables and flowers in the CUMC community garden and we made lots of progress. We still plan to get in a few more tomato plants and some lettuce and work remains on a centerpiece and benches for the middle circle of the labyrinth, but our garden now has some colorful flowers, tomatoes, cucumbers, jalapenos, squash, raspberries and herbs. We talked lots as we worked and practiced some garden-related words in English and Spanish with each other.

What a great way to start our 5th anniversary, which is today! We're also excited that we get to share it with Scott and Hilary who will arrive in Portland this evening and stay with us until Tuesday!!!

Migrant Trail Walk

One year ago this month, I was in Oaxaca, Mexico and along the US/Mexico border learning about the experience of migrants and what pushes them to embark on such a dangerous journey. In the second and final week of the Witness for Peace delegation, we walked 75 miles through the Sonoran desert south of Tucson, the corridor that has become one of the most dangerous areas for border-crossers. As I read the article below, I reflect on my own experience in the desert and pray for those migrants crossing that treacherous stretch of land right now. While we here in Oregon are joyful about this new summer-like weather, countless sojourners, our sisters and brothers, are suffering in the oppressive desert temperatures which are already nearing 100 degrees. I am grateful for those who continue to walk until there are no more deaths!

Migrant Trail Arrives in Tucson to
Testify About Border Experience

Sunday, May 31, 2009
11:30am
Kennedy Park, Ramada #3
Tucson, Arizona

Tucson- An international group participating in the sixth annual Migrant Trail Walk from Sásabe, Sonora to Tucson, Arizona will arrive on Sunday, May 31st. The 75-mile Walk will culminate in a press conference, followed by a community gathering at Kennedy Park in Tucson, Arizona. The Migrant Trail, a walk through the most traveled corridor on the Arizona-Sonora border, sponsored by a coalition of local and national organizations, bears witness to the thousands of women, men and children who have lost their lives in an attempt to provide a better future for themselves and their families.

"The human remains of more than 1,720 women, men and children have been recovered on the Arizona border since 2003. They are the direct result of our failed and unconscionable U.S. border policies," says Kat Rodriguez of Derechos Humanos, a Tucson-based sponsor of the Walk. "We, as people of faith and conscience, are called to make this journey together as witnesses, to be the voices that our migrant brothers and sisters no longer have."

For the last six years, this collaborative effort has joined friends and allies from across the country and from international backgrounds for a one-week experience through the Sásabe corridor, where most crossings occur and the vast majority of remains are recovered along the Arizona-Sonora border. An act of solidarity, the Walk bears witness to the death, violence, division, and xenophobia that has resulted from failed border and trade policies.

Betty Hung, a first time walker from Los Angeles commented, "As we walked the Migrant Trail in honor of those who have lost their lives simply in order to work and feed their children, I was struck by the enormous tragedy caused by the United States' failed immigration policies. While the government protects the Sonora desert as a wildlife refuge, Border Patrol agents roam the refuge hunting for migrants. I saw a sign that said "No Quail Hunting in the Refuge." Yet Border Patrol agents hunt migrants. Instead of preserving life, the refuge has become killing fields where the lives of migrants have been destroyed."

The Migrant Trail Walk will begin the final 6.7 miles of their journey at 9am at the BLM campsite on Ajo Way and San Joaquin Road. Participants will be welcomed home at Kennedy Park with speakers, music, food, and testimonies from participants and supporters. This event is free and open to the public.

Day of rest

I am thankful that we had a day completely off while the weather was so amazing (it's back to rainy, cool and overcast today). We slept in late and ate amazing strawberry pancakes for breakfast. Thank goodness Eric likes to cook--left up to me, we'd be eating cereal for every meal. We sipped our coffee on the back deck as the sun chased us closer and closer to the house. By the time we began to get ready for the day, it was nearly lunchtime! We packed some sammies and leftover strawberry shortcake and rode our bikes to a nice park in Forest Grove for a picnic.

Best sammies ever:

We read on our blanket in the shade for a while....

...until a giant lawn mower chased us away. We hopped on our bikes and headed to Mat and Leah's and Leah and Freya were just hanging around. Since their cat makes my head turn to concrete, we are their outside friends--and are now so very thankful that it is warm enough to hang out outside again! Freya is now five weeks old and is getting (relatively) big!

After our visit, we rode to a different park and played catch with the softball for a while. Saturday was our first practice for the rec softball team we've joined. It is so fun to be playing again and have more motivation for staying in shape!

We ended the day with a yummy taco dinner, showers, a movie and a glass of wine...and we fell asleep early and happily! What a wonderful day!

A few of the gorgeous flowers around our place... This rhododendron is in front of the church:

A calla lilly along the walkway between the parsonage and the church:

More rhodies next to our house:

Community Garden

Last Saturday was a gorgeous spring day and a perfect day to begin work on Cornelius UMC's Community Garden. It's shaped like a labyrinth and will (hopefully!) produce vegetables for the community food pantry and offer space for anyone to walk, rest or reflect.

This is an idea that came from a church member but has grown into something real through the enthusiasm and commitment of lots of different folks.

Including the folks there to help with the food pantry, we had around 50 volunteers at one point. We guessed that about 15 of those were church members--the rest from the community. It was amazing to work together toward something that we will all share.

Several of the families who came are participants in the family literacy program that has rented space from the church for many years. One family was the first to arrive and the last to leave--they worked so hard! I hope that their having committed to that day of work will reinforce for them that this is their garden!







Next up: mulch and manure!

Fly-by

Brother Justin and Lil were here one night on their way from Chico, CA to Seattle. Lil will be staying in north central Washington for the summer to work with Outward Bound and Justin will fly home from Seattle.

We did a mini-tour (it was their first visit to Cornelius!), ate at early dinner at Maggie's Buns and drove to Portland for my Landmark Seminar. They even joined me as guests! We stayed up late visiting, had a leisurely, delicious breakfast in the morning, and then they were off!

Wish these guys lived closer. It was so great to see them!

Strength for the Journey

Two weeks ago, Eric and I spent four days at Suttle Lake United Methodist Camp in central Oregon volunteering for a Strength for the Journey retreat--a camp experience for people with HIV/AIDS.

It was a gorgeous day and we had great views of Mt. Hood as we drove down the valley.


Mt. Washington in Central Oregon. So pointy!


Quick stop at the lookout.

I volunteered to take photos during the three day event and share them with the whole group later, but since I can't share any of campers, here are some pics of the site and some staff (and some of us!).

We had the most amazing weather for mid-April! The snow had just (mostly) disappeared about a week before we arrived, but every day was around 80 and there was not a cloud in the sky!

Suttle Lake.

Eric and Anne (another UMC pastor) in the outdoor chapel.

Prayer flags at the entrance of the dining hall.

Campfire.
A huge forest fire swept through this area a few years back but, amazingly, the camp wasn't touched. Up on the ridge above the main camp area, there is a clear line where the fire stopped. This tree, which is still very much alive, is right on that line.


Hiking around Suttle Lake.



Prayer flags we tied and offered to close our time together.

I can't say how wonderful these days were. What a gift to be in such a beautiful place with the only purpose to walk with people on the journey. We spent time hiking, napping, getting to know one another, putting puzzles together, singing, sharing in small groups, eating together. Some campers shared that they felt completely at peace while there and so much appreciated the care they received from staff, volunteers, and other campers. I am thankful for this opportunity to be fully present to the gift of creation and fully present to the gift of other people!