ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organisation) is a Christian organisation that works to equip those working in agricultural development, mainly in developing countries. They do this through networking, a research and example garden in Florida, intern program, a seed bank which donates seeds to missionaries and people working all over the world, publications on research in tropical agriculture and many more things...if you want to know more check out their website (link on the sidebar of my blog).
After 3 13hr days at the conference my mind is full of new ideas, my experiences overseas, and the people I've met along the way. As I introduced myself over and over again this past little while, I've definitely been asked (and have asked myself) why I'm here. I'm not associated with a missions organisation. I don't have any definite plans to go overseas again anytime soon. I'm not going to agriculture college and don't plan to. So what IS a (relatively inexperienced) teacher from Canada doing at a tropical agriculture conference?
As I've spent the week thinking about all the things I've learned and where life has taken me I think I have an idea now. I love to see people reaching out to be all that God has created them to be. People who suffer from malnutrition and hunger are often not accessing their God-given talents. I hope that appropriate education programs and encouragement from others will be empowering for people. I have specific sites and people in mind because I've witnessed a small taste of life in different corners of the world.
Sometimes, and especially before this past year, issues and problems like this seemed too big and complicated to solve for little old me. And I would still agree with that...it's all to big for me alone. But I am not alone, I serve a God who is good, loving, powerful, wise, and just....so I've decided to get out of his way and do my small part whatever that may be.
I think the things that seem most memorable from the past week are these: everyone has something to learn and something to teach; going out and doing development work is not so much about the accomplishments that you have but the relationships you build; if we put plants where they are supposed to be (their original environment), eat a wide range of plants and grow a range of local or well-adapted plants we would be much healthier (all over the world).
I think my favourite quote from the conference was said by Dick Dugger, one of the original founders of ECHO. He saw a need or potential to serve and so he stepped out, took a risk, allowed himself to dream and it's become so much more than he ever imagined! I think he said it's an African proverb or saying:
If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
So even though I don't know exactly what my next step is yet, I feel closer and have been totally blessed by my time here in Fort Myers. I know I could push to try and figure things out for myself, but I'm done with that. I want to go together with God so He's teaching me about the patience and endurance you need to go far together. I still have 2 more days before I fly back to Canada so I pray I'll be able to make the most of them. When I was flying here I started to list out all my expectations for the week, my hopes for what I wanted to get out of this time here (they recommend you do this so that you can focus your research and not get distracted by all the cool stuff they have going on), but then I let them go...Ok God, you know this is what my expectations are, but my vision is limited so I'm open to what you have for me this week and your leadership. And between my expectations and his leading things have been so much more than I could have done alone.
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