In the book, Miller explores what makes a good story, something he had to think about a lot when he was approached by a team of filmmakers who wanted to make a movie out of his memoir. To make a good movie, though, they had to change some things around in order to make his life a better story, which led Miller to the realization that the elements of a really good story are also the elements of a really good life. If you want to live a better life, he suggests, you have to live a better story.

I’m intrigued by this, though I have my reservations (usually, a really good story ends with a riding-off-into-the-sunset fairy tale ending, while life – even a really good one – rarely does). I do like the notion that we get to decide what we do with our lives, and that we ought to seek out the story we want to be living.

The scriptures for Sunday seem to encourage this kind of reflection, too. The letter to the Colossians (3:1-11), challenges us to set our minds on things above, living on earth while being mindful of heaven. In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus tells a parable about a rich farmer who has an unusually abundant crop and decides to hoard it all for himself. Jesus reminds us that “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” So, what does your life consist of?

What kind of story are you living?

Reflecting back on our work together so far this summer, I am reminded of a phrase that one of my swim coaches used to say at practice before seemingly impossible sets.  (For all of you non-swimmers, a set is basically an hour of agonizing and strenuous swimming.)  He said, “When we get to Nationals, you are going to stand on the block and think, ‘This is the set that made all the difference.’”  Of course, he said that almost everyday, so by the time we actually got to Nationals, we had months’ worth of sets to reflect on.  But he was right.  Each of those “insurmountable” sets made a difference, not only in our strength, but also in our attitudes.  We enjoyed doing sets that were hard because we knew that they would make a difference in the long run, even though our progress was not necessarily tangible, and sometimes we even seemed to take a step backward.

This summer, through the Summer of Service and the Garden Ministry, we have accomplished so much.  We have made hygiene kits for Church World Service and kits for the men at the Servant Center.  We have cooked meals, weeded, and picked vegetables…a lot of vegetables.  We may not have gotten to see the immediate results of our service, but we know that it will “make all the difference.”  The hygiene kits that we sent to Church World Service might make all the difference to a child in Haiti.  The fresh vegetables picked and delivered to the Servant Center may make all the difference to a family that cannot get fresh vegetables any other way.  The meals that we cooked for members of our own congregation make all the difference to the people who receive them and know that we appreciate them.  Each act we have performed with others in mind will “make all the difference” to someone, somewhere.  And that is what serving is all about, right?  Making a difference.  As our summer continues, I challenge you to think about this phrase and know that you can make all the difference.

She is still a little too young and grabby to really be helpful in the garden. I have to steer her away from the not-quite-ripe tomatoes, and when I try to get her to pull weeds, she pulls a few too many plants instead. The other gardeners are gracious – they are good-hearted, patient church folks who know that there are things more important than perfect gardening – and one of them invites her over to look at a caterpillar.

The beans have come in, and the squash and zucchini have gone berserk, doubling in size over night so that we’ve had to line up volunteers to harvest every day. Tomatoes will be here before we know it, and rows of corn at the far end of the garden are already higher than my daughter’s head. Cantaloupe the size of softballs lay in waiting, with pumpkins promised before fall.

It’s the second summer for our community garden, and it feels good to be here on this sunny morning, working together. Like most good projects, it’s been championed by a small handful of hard-working and faithful people, and supported by many others who come when they can. We don’t have individual plots; everybody pitches in and does what’s needed. The harvest gets shared with anybody who works in the garden, and with anybody at church who wants some, and with the local food pantry. On Sunday mornings, folks bring in extras from their own gardens and add it to the bounty near our front doors. We don’t keep track of who brought what, or who took what, or who worked the hardest. If you can help, you help. If you need some, you take some.

On this morning, after the beans have been picked and we’ve made a dent in the weeds, we gather in the shade for a blessing. One of our most regular gardeners talks about how important this project has been for her. “I sit at a desk all day long,” she says, “and then I get to come out here and play in the dirt, and it’s wonderful.” We ask God’s blessing on the ground and on the harvest, and pray for the people this food will feed. Someone has brought a guitar so we sing a little bit, which feels just right. The breeze sweeps through us just then, a welcome freshness on the hot morning, and I am pretty sure it is the breath of God.

Today was our culture and fun day. We headed out at 8:00am for the 70 minute bus ride to the orphanage at Monti Christi. After a brief tour, meeting the kids, and getting eaten alive (the mosquitos are much worse there than in Jaibon), we went into the town and toured the English Institute that is operated by Orphanage Outreach. We also visited some
historical sites and shopped for souvenirs before heading to a gorgeous beach for some well earned R and R. After a stop for ice cream, we headed back to Jaibon for dinner and our final night.

This is our final posting, as we head home tomorrow with an ETA of 12:30am Sunday morning at FCC. You can, and should, be proud of our kids. They really made an impact this week. Also this is not an easy place to be, but there has not been one complaint about conditions. But we will be glad to get home! Thanks to everyone whose contributions made this trip possible. We look forward to sharing much more about it at a Third Wednesday Fellowship Dinner later this year.

Today was the final day of morning camp and we were greeted with cheers as we arrived.  The kids were so excited today that it was a challenge just to get them to sit still.  We all got lots of hugs when it was time to say goodbye and the children asked for our handwritten name tags as a keepsake.

Then this afternoon we went to a nearby batey, which is a camp for transient Haitian workers who are brought in to harvest sugar cane by the sugar companies.  This was our real eye opener for the week.  Extreme poverty, squalid conditions, and children who have absolutely nothing.

They were thrilled to be given something as simple as a piece of chalk to keep. We spent the afternoon reading to them, coloring with them, playing ball with them, blowing bubbles with them and just holding them.  They are literally starving for attention; some appear better cared for than others, but there is definitely evidence of malnourishment.  And the Haitian girls love to braid hair – as Alison, Jennifer and Hannah found out!

Tomorrow we will get to visit the orphanage at Monti Christi, which was the first one established by Orphanage Outreach and the one April has worked at in the past.  And we also get some beach time!

Last night we watched a moving film about the DR concerning the reign of Trujillo and the Maribel sisters.  We had a couple of Tarantula sightings, April had a rat join her in the shower, and April, Jane and Jennifer’s tent leaked – other than that, fairly uneventful. Rain continued on and off through the night but the morning dawned bright and clear.  At breakfast we learned that a RN in the Arizona group had noticed an infant at the Batey on Monday that did not look well, so she and her husband along with Orphanage Outreach staff are in route there this morning to take it to a clinic.  Our group did 2 camps, adding a new church in the afternoon.

Conditions were cramped and hot, but the kids were so glad to see us and so full of enthusiasm that we left more inspired than tired.  Tonight is movie night with the boys.

Canning Class: July 25
Coming up on July 25 at 6:00 P.M., Dawn Benbow will be leading a canning class at the church.  The jars will be provided, as will the tomatoes.  Don’t miss this very fun and interesting experience!

Summer of Service Work Day: July 31
Our next Summer of Service day is on July 31.  It will begin at 9:00 A.M. and end at 12:00 P.M. with refreshments.  We will be clearing trails at Kopper Top, a non-profit organization that provides therapeutic horseback riding and animal-assisted therapy for individuals with disabilities.  (Because Kopper Top is located at a farm, we will have to drive about 25 minutes to get there, so we should not expect to be finished early, like we were on the July 10 Summer of Service day.)  We will also be building a greenhouse at the Community Garden and cooking for members of our congregation.  Kids will paint artwork to hang in patients’ rooms at Beacon Place.

Ten Thousand Villages Work Project: August 2
On August 2 at 4:40 P.M. we will be painting fixtures in the Ten Thousand Villages store, a fair trade organization.  We will meet at the church and drive over together.  If you are unable to be there at 4:40, you are welcome to join us later!  We will be finished by 8:00 P.M.

Summer of Service Work Day: August 14
During our August 14 Summer of Service workday, we will be hosting a back-to-school party for 40-60 kids and their families at Glen Haven.  Many of these families are newly arrived refugees and will greatly benefit from this.  To prepare for this party, we are collecting backpacks and school supplies to be distributed to the kids.  These donations may be put in the donations box in the narthex and monetary donations may be labeled Summer of Service and placed in the offering trays.

All of these will be wonderful experiences and we hope you will join us for them!  You can sign up by e-mailing Alison at outreach@fccgreensboro.org.

“I was glad when they said to me,” writes the author of Psalm 122, “‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’”

I know the church isn’t about buildings. I know you can commune with God in nature, you can find the Holy Spirit on a hike through the mountains or in the roar of waves on the beach.

But have you ever sat in a room where the light falls just right, where the prayers of the church have been raised for generations, where songs of praise soak the walls and rise up from the carpet, where the people of God gather, where the spirit of ancient words fill the air?

If you think the afternoon sun is breathtaking, you should see the light shine in here on Sunday mornings.

Following a breakfast of French toast and fresh fruit, we set out for the church in Jaibon for Day 2 of Bible Camp, where we acted out Daniel in the Lion’s Den, starring Sam as Daniel, Alison as King Darius, Hannah as the evil governor, and all the kids as the lions.  Marci and Rheagan taught the parts of the body in English, Holly and Annah helped with crafts and April and Jane organized games.

Teaching English

The food is really phenomenal here – we would all gain weight if we stayed for long.  It is Dominican Republic home cooking, everything fresh and seasoned with herbs chopped by hand.  Lunch was followed by heavy rain, which continued through the afternoon and washed out our planned trip to a Batey, which is a transient camp located in close proximity to farms and fields.  Instead we stayed and hung out with the boys.  Tonight we get a Dominican Republic history lesson.

We are tired tonight!  Hot day with no afternoon rain, so we will be able to sort and deliver donations tonight.  We did our first camp today for about 40 kids at a Church in Jaibon.

Ready for camp to start

The group grew in size throughout the morning as word spread through the community.  We are told to expect 20% growth in attendance per day.

Working on a project with new friends

This afternoon our group weeded and mowed, started construction on a planter, and did activities with the boys here at the orphanage.  Tonight after devotions is game night with the boys.  The good news is no tarantula sightings since Saturday night!

One last note: After dinner, we were treated to quite a view of a full rainbow.