Gardening "GLA" Style

Don’t you love it when an idea blossoms into something really great? I sure do. That’s precisely what happened with the Sow the Seed Project. At GLA, we know that hands-on learning is a great way to teach concepts, and it’s also a great way for kids to have fun while learning. That was the idea behind the Sow the Seed project. This idea was pitched to Ginger Creek Community Church in Aurora, Illinois. They happily donated the seeds we needed to begin. Already in place were raised garden beds so the kids could get started right away. Each child had their own section of the garden they were responsible for, and they had to plant the seed, water, weed, and then reap the harvest. The kids got to go to the garden twice a week to manage their “crops.” What excitement and fun the kids had watching their garden grow. If you didn’t know, Haiti has 5,600 different plant species and is “fertile” ground to start this type of project. The climate, soil, and sun are all perfect components to make this project for the GLA kids a success.

It's Harvest Time

Nothing could have matched the excitement when the kids got to pick their fruit and vegetables. What did they harvest? They grew strawberries, beets, potatoes, onions, spinach, and beans, just to name a few. The lessons that were learned and continue to be learned are nothing short of amazing. Kids learn by doing. And at GLA, teaching responsibility comes in a variety of ways. Our goal is to prepare our kids with the fundamentals of loving the Lord, responsibility, honesty, and integrity. We didn’t expect this “little” garden project to be such a resounding success. As a result, we have expanded the garden project. Now, we are supplementing about $200 per month on our grocery bill.

We are always in need of more gardening items such as seeds, gloves, watering can, garden boots, pots, and rakes. If you are a gardener at heart and love what the kids are doing, reach out to the GLA team to make a donation for this wonderful project.