Mikey Neal
Getting the chance to visit Baltimore for this trip has been an eye opening experience for me so far. Being a Baltimore native, it is nice to be able to come back to my hometown and participate in various volunteer opportunities. It gave me the feeling that I was helping to restore my own community. Even though this was the case, I also realized that I was not aware of organizations such as the Black Church Food Security Network and the Strength II Love Farm. These organizations work diligently to positively impact the Baltimore community, and having the opportunity to connect and work with them directly was a very empowering experience. It was very rewarding to see that people in Baltimore have and share a deep passion for addressing food insecurity in Baltimore, making a huge difference.
While visiting Pastor Brown at the Blessed Hope Baptist Church, the group had the opportunity to hear him discuss the dynamic of the Black Church Food Security Network. We also got a chance to hear him preach a sermon during Sunday worship. From this, two things caught my attention and will probably be with me for the rest of my life. One thing that Pastor Brown said that resonated with me was turning your judgment into curiosity. This was a highlight for me because I never considered the things people experience to make them who they are. By taking these things into account you are able to better understand and accept a person for who they are and what they have gone through. Another thing that Pastor Brown mentioned was the importance of just showing up and being present in the moment. In his sermon, Pastor Brown talked about how just showing up, in most circumstances, is half the battle. He emphasized rewarding yourself for battling adversity and overcoming obstacles to be present in whatever endeavor a person chooses to take part in. I believe this lesson is extremely important because oftentimes we as people get caught up in the things we don’t accomplish, and as a result are very hard on ourselves. However, if we give ourselves credit for the little things, it will encourage us to keep going when all the odds are against us. I am very grateful I got the chance to learn from Pastor Brown, it was an eye opening experience.
Later in the week we visited the Strength II Love farm and worked hands on with Iberfull and the rest of his team. There I helped by picking weeds and spoiled crops from the ground to make space for seasonal crops that were soon to be planted. I also moved heavy tarps from one greenhouse to another, getting new grounds moist and prepped for planting. The manual labor that I was participating in served as a therapy session. While doing the work I was able to forget the things that I had going on in my own personal life, and was able to enjoy the company of others while taking pride in the work I was doing. After we as a group were done working, the Strength II Love team thanked us for our work. They even said that because of our work, they were now a week ahead of schedule. This made me feel very proud, not only of myself, but of the group as a whole. We were able to come together as one to work effectively to have a positive impact on the farm that benefits an entire community. It made it even more special to me because it is a community that I hold dear to my heart. One thing that Iberfell said that stuck out to me was that a lot of beautiful things were created in dark spaces. To me this symbolized a sense of undying hope that can be used to propel someone forward at any point in their life.