A typical Saturday usually looks different than it did today. Breakfast in bed. Cartoons. Maybe an extra cup of coffee or an hour of sleep. This morning looked different. The sun rose, beautifully colored, over the Caribbean Ocean around 6:30 am; some of us scored an extra early cup of coffee and captured God’s early-morning masterpiece over a timelapse photo. For those of us who were there to witness it, the sunrise gave an air of hope and possibility to anticipate beautiful moments ahead for the coming day.
Farm work was on the table – starting at 8 am. Our team headed to the only hydroponics farm on the island, one that Many Hands hopes to continue to partner with to combat the lack of agricultural presence in Abaco. Upon arrival at the Driftwood Food Company, our first impression was how the land was flourishing with growth and green life; a stark contrast from what we have witnessed thus far from the devastation left over from Hurricane Dorrian.
Our tasks were harvesting, planting seeds, flipping crops, and finalizing the construction of a new greenhouse. Getting our hands dirty to play a small role in the process of creating plant life that, in turn, will sustain many people was incredibly hopeful and fulfilling. Moreso, than any Saturday morning Netflix binge or cartoon show.
At nightfall, we were blessed with a visit from Pastor Ryan Forbes who came to us to give his testimony as a leader in the community and a survivor of Hurricane Dorrian. He shared his experience of God’s numerous miracles throughout the hurricane. Additionally, he displayed enormous hope and enthusiasm for a forward vision of the community along with the future impact of Many Hands for Abaco. It was obvious to our team that Pastor Ryan’s vision and hopefulness was directly cohesive with the mission of Many Hands.
The hope that began with a glorious sunrise, ended with our hearts filled with hope for the future – both as individuals and for the community of Abaco.
