KCIYA- Faith Always Wins Interfaith Leadership Blog

Maleah and David high-five after completing laying the tile board Day 1: Orientation and Tour I am not going to lie, I was really nervous. Despite my fears, this sense of community has immediately pulled me right in. It's contagious. The joy and love of the residents at J-Farm literally radiates off of them. From the hugs upon arrival to the shared birthday dance (shoutout to my B-Day twin Sept. 13th.) I have already begun to feel surprisingly at home. In our opening prayer of the retreat, we were asked to anoint ourselves with oil that was paired with one of the four cornerstones (Simplicity, Community, Prayer, Service) Jerusalem Farm that we wanted to grow in or have more challenge with. I chose Prayer. As I embark on this journey, I hope to hold prayer close. I want to continue and grow my prayer techniques and practice. While this might sound cliche, I feel God here. I feel His presence. As a non-denominational Christian, I have always had this sense of not necessarily

Maleah, Gwyn, and Jesse making lunch Day 2: Kitchen Crew and Walk Today was amazing. I started off my morning working in the kitchen. As someone who rarely (never) cooks, I was truly amazed at all the work that goes into planning a meal.  Directly following breakfast, the attention immediately went to preparing lunch. Being a part of this process has truly pushed me to see another perspective when I consume food. I don't think I properly acknowledge and appreciate those who work in helping provide me with food. A human right which many people are unable to obtain. As a society, we take so much for granted. My action of preparing and cooking grilled cheese may seem minor, but for those who serve meals on a daily basis these tasks are important and work in serving and helping their community of friends, family, neighbors, or "strangers."   Something that really struck and impacted me along this journey was our morning walk around the garden. In that period of tim