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The Garden Goes to School

By Matt Steen

[Note: The following originally appeared in the newsletter of The Garden Community.]

Wow.

There are times in life when you know that you have witnessed something significant. Over the course of ten days, I had the distinct honor to see the body of Christ do something incredible.

In December The Garden began to engage Eutaw Marshburn Elementary school in a dialogue about how we can best be of service to them. Wandering through the school it became obvious that the school was in need of some "freshening up." Since that first conversation we have shared with you the story of Eutaw Marshburn and how nearly all of her students are on federal meal assistance. We have shared with you how a large number of the students come from families lacking a high school diploma or G.E.D., and we have asked you to pray for the school, the staff, and the teachers of this school.

Monday, July 6 saw over one hundred volunteers descend upon Eutaw Marshburn. Over the course of ten days we watched as the school transformed from a dreary collection of hallways and classrooms to a warm and welcoming learning environment. During the preparations for this project we were very intentional about not promising that which we could not deliver. As the principal, school system officials, and I discussed our workload we told them that we would spend our time working on the third floor, the second floor, and the two main stairwells. We promised the school that we would finish any room that we started, but that we could not guarantee the completion of those floors. We also explained that the gym and cafeteria would be on our secondary target list (which we might get to in August) and that it would not be possible to paint the library or auditorium at all this summer.

Nine days after beginning work we had completed the classrooms and hallways of the second and third floors, the two main stairwells, the gym, the cafeteria, the stairwell to the cafeteria, the library, and the auditorium. On top of that we were able to spend some time planting and caring for gardens around the entrance of the school and caring for some problem areas in the courtyard at the school's center.

While the amount of work done was amazing, what was most exciting for me were the relationships built over this short time. Connections were made with teachers and staff, parents and school board officials. We saw tears of gratitude and a great deal of smiles . . . and told a lot of people that we loved them.

Throughout the course of this project we have been quick to remind people that painting a school is not the point -- but it is a point of entry. As The Garden moves forward in the coming months it is our desire to leverage the relationships that we have built and the good will we have gained for the greater good of the Kingdom. With a reputation of delivering on our promises and caring for this neighborhood, we look forward to finding new opportunities to care for the school. Earlier conversations with school leadership focused on low or no cost G.E.D. programs complete with a hot meal and childcare or mentoring for students of the school. These conversations will continue to move forward in the coming weeks, and we look forward to seeing them take shape as the school year approaches.

As we continue to celebrate the goodness of God as evidenced through his provision in this project, please continue to pray for us. Specifically pray:
• That relationships created during our time in the schools will continue to deepen, and that we will be able to care well for this school and her staff.
• For the teachers and staff of Eutaw Marshburn Elementary school as they prepare for the upcoming school year.
• For Axis, an eight-week core development gathering that The Garden has been journeying through together. Pray that our time together with continue to bond together our team as we continue to grow this community of faith.
• For wisdom and endurance as Joel and Jess look to raise their two girls while planting a church in the middle of the city.
• For Theresa and I (Matt) as we negotiate a very busy month together. Theresa is currently doing the year-end accounting for the Heart Association, which can be a very stressful time for her and her coworkers. Pray that we will continue to love and serve each other well through the busyness.

Thank you all for your devotion to prayer on our behalf. We continue to covet your prayer, and are thankful for your support in our work in Baltimore.