This summer has been a busy one for A Rocha in Northern BC. Read on to hear how staff member Cindy Verbeek has lived out A Rocha’s core commitments (otherwise known as “The Five Cs”).
Christians in the Bulkley Valley have been encouraged to partner with Good Seed Sunday this coming fall,
Conservation research on salmon-bearing Buck Creek was completed which will contribute to restoration efforts in the Upper Bulkley/Skeena watershed,
Community was built as folks enjoyed the A Rocha booth at the Bulkley Valley Exhibition in Smithers,
Cross-cultural dialogue and understanding was built as Cindy presented findings from her recent trip to east Africa about how Kenyans and Ugandans are being affected by and working to alleviate the impact of climate change and what we can do as North Americans to partner with them,
Cooperation was fostered between A Rocha’s partner HOPE (Healthy Options for People and the Earth) Society in Houston to present the Pleasant Valley Community market where farmer’s and artisans can present their wares during the summer months.
The most satisfying activity though, Cindy says, is the Mountain View Community Garden at Houston Christian Reformed Church, a member of A Rocha’s Community Garden Network. Though small in size, a number of families are able to grow healthy food for themselves on the 50×75-foot plot on the church’s property. Many people in Houston have large gardens, but this is a place for people without access to land to try their hand at growing their own food and becoming more connected with the land that they call home.
“As people work the soil there is a sense of connection with the created world and the Creator that does not come with any other activity,” Cindy explains. “Metaphors that Jesus uses in his parables come to life as we watch seeds turn to plants, dig weeds and prepare the soil. I am delighted to be a catalyst for this kind of interaction and am thankful to all the people in my congregation who have helped make this garden a reality.”
One of the most challenging parts of A Rocha’s work in the area is having the resources to do all that could be done in Northern BC. We are few people spread along vast areas of wilderness, but connections are being made and more and more Christians are becoming intentionally involved in creation care. To join the growing team of Christians in Northern BC and partner with A Rocha in this important work, visit Cindy’s blog at www.arocha.ca/author/Cindy or contact her at cindy.verbeek@arocha.ca. Or better yet, stop by for a cup of tea – mint from the garden of course.
