Farewell Earthworks

Our last day at Earthworks has been a bitter sweet one. Today we started out our morning on the farm by doing some tree pruning and clearing of brush before heading inside to savor one last lunch with our friends at the Capuchin soup kitchen. After lunch, we began our final task at the farm: sifting compost. We enjoyed lots of laughter and good conversations as our group practiced various methods for breaking through the frozen surface of the compost pile (some unconventional tools, such as bricks, proved to be very effective and entertaining to use). Overall, while physically challenging, this experience was a highlight of the week for many of us, as it really brought us closer together, leaving us with tired arms and full hearts. After taking some triumphant photos on top of the compost pile, it was time to say goodbye to our friends at Earthworks. After we exchanged some emotional expressions of gratitude and a few group hugs, we left for the retreat center, feeling very blessed to have been able to share in so many beautiful  experiences with the Earthworks community. 

As evening approached, we piled into the van once again and headed out to the city of Dearborn to observe evening prayer at the American Moslim Society mosque. This experience was one of my personal favorites from the entire trip, as the members of this Islamic

community were incredibly welcoming and hospitable towards our group. We shared in an amazing interfaith dialogue on a number of topics, and we also enjoyed a meal together after the sunset prayer. The Arabic food was amazing, but the warm sense of community that we shared was what truly left us all feeling satisfied as we left the mosque. Finally, we finished the night off with some sweets from a local Arabic bakery before heading back to the retreat center and packing up to go home. If there was one word to describe today, it was unity. We felt such togetherness in all that we did- from working as a team to lift wheelbarrows full of compost, to sharing in conversations with our friends at the American Moslim society, to spending time in the soup kitchen, the entire day was illuminated by the joy of being together in the vibrant community of Detroit.

-Katie Dickey