There is a community garden here in the DTES we help run. If I had a photo of it, I would post it with this blog, but since I don't I will describe the scene to you until I find one.

On Hastings Street, between Main and Columbia lies this patch of beauty in the midst of horror. Main and Hastings is known notoriously. Locals call this intersection Pain and Wastings and are quite accurate in doing so. The drug rates and disease rates are climbing high, fast. Poverty and addiction have taken over these streets. People are dying down here everyday. Garbage, including used needles and condoms, complete the decor of the DTES.

Next door to InSite, our local needle exchange and "safe" injection site where people walk into death daily, lies a beautiful garden full of life and beauty. This is our community garden. You walk down Hastings and see constant death but then as your eyes meet with this garden you are then instantly reminded of hope and life and beauty. I can't describe to you the beauty of it - but it is nicely juxtaposed surrounded by such despair.

Not only is it a source of hope to the eye - it is also quite practical. Part of the whole poverty thing leaves a lot of our neighbours hungry and/or malnourished, but with a garden full of vegetables that hunger can be satisfied.

It actually took me a while to dig the garden (no pun intended). I had no interest in it, and thought it was almost pathetic that others were so into it. I wouldn't be vocal with that opinion and would show up to garden when I could- but thought it was a waste of time, and valuable space too. I found it a waste of time because I could think of a million things that seems more important and practical then gardening. This opinion of mine lasted for months.

It wasn't until I was in there one day and I saw the growth. There were pea's growing and ready to eat. I picked one up, and it wasn't until I ate it that I was able to see that this was good. Taste and see that the Lord is good. It was then I realised how a beautiful presence is important and not a waste of time. I realised then that our hungry friends and neighbours could have access to free, nutritious food. I realised that spending time in the garden also brought us many new friends as people would come in to see whats going on. I also began to understand all the kingdom parallels this garden could teach us.

So now, my opinion has completely flipped regarding this garden. It's beautiful and our neighbours are genuinely happy it is here, mostly because of the beauty it brings to the DTES.