Indigenous Christian nursery to fund food gardens near George

Here is a story on Christian earthkeeping practices that appeared from Ds Michiel Burger

GOD’S word started with a relationship with people in a garden and to this day he is still using gardens to demonstrate his healing love for us, says Ds Michiel Burger, CEO of Church House Community Nursery near George. It is here, near Thembalethu township, in an HIV Aids hotspot, where an indigenous nursery of George lily flowers and vegetable gardens are flourishing. The community nursery was started with vegetable gardens about three years ago that now feeds about 370 people.

“The desolate townships need to be greened to create areas of beauty and nourishment for the underprivileged and for future generations,” says Ds Burger whose project is part of Christian Medical Service and Relief vision to provide comprehensive medical care, social work services, relief and pastoral care to destitute communities. There aim is to develop sustainable programmes that are capable of overtaking the socio-economic impact of HIV//Aids and poverty crises. “I have personally witnessed many so-called down and outs starting to blossom with joy and new hope as they work in their gardens.”

The indigenous nursery that grows the official flowers of George among other tree and plant species was a plan to bring in foreign capital to subsidise the growing demand for food gardens in the Thembalethu township and Southern Cape. It has the support of 4 fraternals in George as well as 32 NGK communities throughout the Southern Cape.  The lily project was started by two congregations in Groot Brak river and Rheebok who within two weeks collected 6 000 bulbs of the George Lily from their gardens. Research is underway to determine to determine growth pattern and bulb production; minimum bulb size required for flowering and possible flower manipulation.

It is a long-term project that is hoped will eventually provide seasonal employment for a number of individuals in planting, harvesting, grading, packaging and export of the George lily bulbs. The plantings at Church House contribute to the conservation and development and provide a unique opportunity for visitors and residents alike to observe the official flower of the City of George.

Ds Burger believes that when a church begins to really care then we are coming close to its real nature and purpose. Commenting on the spiritual significance of the project, he says: “We believe the whole setting was by God’s design because the first sermon in George was preached here by Rev T.J Herald in 1813.” But the project has had its challenges. One occurred when a number of squatter homes arose overnight. Fortunately, Church House could draw on the relationship with the community street committees and church leaders to order their removal. As little as 24 hours after the incident all the squatters were removed with no ill feeling. “We serve a Majestic Lord,” says Ds Burger.

Part of the vision of CMSR, which has 8 different churches represented ecumenically on its board, is to help churches and pastors to expand their vision. They believe that many pastors plan in the paradigm of their own local organisation. Instead of keeping believers inside the church members should be empowered and mobilised to “live out there”. In order to achieve this, churches need to form partnerships with the community, other churches and other role-players. In this way, transformation will happen on many levels. “It is indeed the case that we produce much fruit if we abide in Christ but ‘live out there’,” says Ds Burger.