April 9thA Taste of Life in Creation
I have been reading a book in my time here titled Food and Faith by Norman Wirzba and he writes “eating is the daily reminder of creaturely mortality.” This quote stood out to me as a very small glimpse into life at A Rocha.
For those that don't know, A Rocha is a Christian stewardship organization. They work in environmental education, conservation science, and sustainable agriculture. This location is in Surrey BC and is one of the largest A Rocha sites internationally. Living and being here encompasses so much more than just the titles people wear for their work. At A Rocha the work being done is a way of living with more care, awareness and love for creation. I have had the opportunity to participate in the Tatalu Conservation Residency program, designed for people to come, volunteer and get a taste of what it means to live out creation care and pursue earth keeping in our everyday lives.
In the last couple months I have learned and felt that food is at the heart of A Rocha. It feels familiar as food is also at the heart of many Mennonite traditions. I remember sitting in church earlier this year when we were celebrating the 500th Anniversary of Anabaptism and many people shared how being a Mennonite centred around the grandmotherly approach of welcoming any and all with food. This may be young adult lunches after the service, potlucks, or simple family dinners with new church friends. It was the shared love in these conversations and the offering to any and all that wanted to join that felt so familiar at A Rocha. I have often found myself eating a meal with people who were just working on the farm or counting egg masses in a nearby pond. Food brings the community together. 
We all gather at 12:30 (sharp!) for lunch and say goodbye to the students on the education team, the farmers leave their seedlings and the science team rolls down their waders to enjoy warm bowls of soup. Eating is at the heart of the day and there is always a seat for anyone who wants to join us. Not only are the lunches here at A Rocha amazing but so are the folk music nights, where new and old staff gather to sing and play music in the heritage guest house living room. The kids bring their maracas and people try guitar for the first time! Teaching time also happens on Thursday mornings for the TCR’s. I had the opportunity to delve into learning about creation care, what it means to steward land and care for the creatures and neighbours we live with. I have learned what the bible says about caring for the earth our place and relation to God as creator.
The rhythms of A Rocha are beautiful and so is the work being done here. I have learned about the ever cumbersome blackberry (invasive species) taking over the landscape. As well as the salmonberry and willow trees we are planting in nearby farms to help with restoration work. I have seen kids pond dipping in our wetland for fish and invertebrates, and sang silly songs about spring during day camp. We get to eat veggies grown on the farm numerous times a day and we get to see them planted as seeds in the greenhouse to flourishing in the fields. I have also had the opportunity to learn about the Farm to Families program where we partner with seniors, newcomers to Canada and youth to share about cooking, learning English, and building community for folks related to food and life.
I arrived at A Rocha in late February to an abundance of rain and dreariness. The plants were brown and everyone was bundled up in rain gear and warm sweaters. I am now coming to the end of my time here and the land has evolved. Green grass covers the earth and flowers are blooming. Anna’s hummingbirds are frequently at the feeders and the mason bees are buzzing about. The birds are chirping and the chorus frogs sing in the evenings. Life is abundant at A Rocha. As I leave this place I am thinking about our Creation Care working Group in Alberta and the ways we may be able to continue to cultivate a sense of shared love for creation and our communities. I hope moving forward in Alberta we can continue to foster this sense of love for our neighbours and creation. I am inspired to learn more about native and invasive plant species in Alberta, local farms we can partner with and ways that God's creation is already providing for all of our church communities.
“The land we have is a gift from God, our creator, creator of the heavens and the earth, who calls us to love our neighbours (the earth as ourselves)”