How good it feels to be back in San Diego. I just returned from ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization) in Ft. Myers, Florida. I spent a week there in much the same fashion as I did almost exactly one year ago: clinging for dear life amidst a torrent of presentations, tours and discussions about agricultural development in the tropics. I came into last year’s course armed with much more book knowledge than many of my classmates, yet still ended up with that . . . that feeling. You know, an intellectual version of the one where you eat too much, maybe on Thanksgiving or at a sushi bar. I know I’ve done so when I take this certain deep breath, employing my diaphragm as a tamp to condense my meal like so much trash in a compactor.
So yes – I imagine I wasn’t alone in my feeling this August or last as we gorged ourselves (and occasionally allowed ourselves to be force fed) fact after theory after case study of agricultural, Biblical and community development wisdom. There were perhaps a few shy of 25 in our class, half having field experience and half eagerly desiring it. One woman had lived in Africa the vast majority of her life and, judging by the quantity and quality of her input, could have handily taught the course herself. Much appreciated by myself and surely the whole class, she offered what she did with grace, humility and patience.
Reader, what have you heard about development in the “third world” (bonus: did you know the term "third world" is now considered antiquated and politically incorrect?), or about “food justice”? The term “sustainable” was placed in front of “agricultural development” many times during our course; what have you heard, or personal thoughts do you hold, about that word? In my opinion, beyond the lectures about soils, water harvesting through sand dams and micro catchments (?), System of Rice Intensification (!?) and Farmer Managed Agroforestry Systems (!?!?), the most stirring and compelling lectures and discussions were on “Biblical Holism”, and “What Is Sustainability?”
We were all invited to weigh in on what our perspectives were on these subjects, and I’m convinced that all present felt they gained much from the conversation. I, for one, left the session quite encouraged to witness my fellow Christians thinking and speaking in such a way. There are many dogs barking up the sustainability tree in the media spotlight these days; it seems we mostly hear from those who get the most airtime due to brutish and inflammatory tactics, speaking mostly from the skeptics’ corner. Then there are the ones who have the next “green” product to sell and thereby save us from ourselves; I find neither party to be particularly encouraging.
In any case, amidst all the technical knowledge imparted to us over the week, I found our (likely/hopefully) God-inspired philosophizing regarding sustainability at its truest to be of great worth. The idea of what is sustainable, i.e. capable of sustaining what matters most, is one that will surely continue to garner my attention. And, perhaps, yours?
