Hello Family and Friends!
Today was a special day: our first day at Earthworks. We took a tour. We ate some food. We trimmed some trees. But it was much more than that. Entering into this new experience with open minds and open hearts, we first gave our undivided attention to Shane, our Earthworks community partner. After some quick introductions, he gave us a tour of the grounds supplemented by historical information.
Some Q&A and relevant issue discussion followed, which led into lunch at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. We shared the meal with guests from the local area, joining with them through silence, conversation, and solidarity. As we discovered in our reflection later in the day, this was a touching and enriching experience for all of us. Whether we were out of our comfort zones or returning to a familiar experience, we entered into an important element of service; presence.
Once the lunch hour was over, we took a crash course in pruning fruit trees and tackled the unkempt growth of the orchard. Artful snipping, trimming, and sawing ensued. Although Patrick, our pruning instructor, didn't exactly follow up on our work, we left Earthworks relatively confident that our work was at least satisfactory (We hope).
Our adventures did not end there; Kaustav, one of our accompaniers, had a delightful dish in store for us. After hours of his careful preparation, we indulged in a true culinary masterpiece that satiated not only our hunger, but our quest for the diverse tastes of the world. Sharing his Indian culture and cuisine with us proved to be a true blessing.
As this "Leap Day" comes to a close, know that we keep you all in our thoughts as we prepare for tomorrow's adventures.
With love from Detroit,
Detroit ABST 2016
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