Skagit Mission Trip - Day 3

Our group had another amazing day of hard work and relationships today on our mission trip.  The early mornings are becoming part of our routine, although there were plenty of heavy eye lids this morning after two days of hard work under our belts.  The groups returned to the work locations from the first day which meant we already knew a bit about our jobs.  The group in the raspberry fields picked a mix of berries for the cannery and for the market.  The market berries that we picked today made their way to local grocery stores this afternoon.  One of the surprising things that we discovered is that the berries are packed in clamshell containers by the workers in the fields.  That means that the only hands and touch the berries we find on grocery store shelves are the hands that picked them.  After working with the pickers in the field, we can tell you that they are picked and packed with a great deal of care!  The group at Viva Farms continued tending Salvador’s vegetable plot, weeding rows of green onions and lettuce.  They also learned more about Viva Farms from Chris, one of the managers of the farm.  Viva is a farming cooperative that leases land to farmers and provides education on agricultural techniques, marketing instruction to help them sell their produce, and financial support through CSA (community supported agriculture).  All of this means that the Viva farmers can grow to be self-supporting and manage their own brand of produce.

VBS continues to be a success and strong relationships are forming between our youth and the children who attend.  We had 43 children with us today to hear the story of the feeding of the 5,000.  They learned that God invites us to share what we have and that God takes what we give and multiplies it…it is always enough.

Our day ended once again with journal time, small group discussion, and Compline.  We have been very impressed by the thoughtfulness of the youth as they process all that they have seen and experienced.  We truly are encountering God all around us: in each other as we serve, in the people we work with in the fields, and in the generosity of the community hosting us this week.  Our lives have been deeply enriched by our work and the relationships that have formed.