Fall is a time of abundance here at Jubilee: jujube, figs, peppers, squash, greens, lettuce—and watermelon in October!. Part of what makes this harvest taste so good is knowing the love, care and connection that went into growing and harvesting.

A few snapshots: working with a mom from Ethiopia to harvest the last of her summer tomatoes, looking forward to the sweet potato harvest with the newly arrived couple from Burundi, Korean volunteer Eun Jung frying sesame leaves for community lunch and enjoying a common love of chestnuts with our Karen neighbors.

We see this abundance in other areas of our life as well. In the last several years we have received far more requests for housing that we can say ‘yes’ to. It is difficult to say no and yet by reaching out and making calls to find other options for these asylum seekers, we’ve been able to stand back and see God at work. It reminds us that we are a very small piece of God’s big and beautiful kingdom.

Just this fall we’ve seen God provide: housing for a Ghanaian mom and children, a wheelchair for a Venezuelan boy with severe cerebral palsy, a friend in Texas who found shelter for a Colombian family and someone willing to befriend an asylum seeker in Baltimore. Through these connections, we also get to hear from people who are in very vulnerable situations and yet certain of God’s faithfulness.