BALKANS — Rakes? Check. Shovel? Check. Gloves? Check.

Patrick and Avery, Crossworld workers and busy parents of young children, had been working to plant a garden. One day after dinner, Avery made a deal with her husband: “If you watch the kids, I’ll try to make progress on the garden before dark.”

Within minutes, Avery had an audience.

Two nanas (older women) had stopped during their evening stroll to watch Avery’s progress. Soon, watching turned to staring and head shaking.

“Excuse me,” called one of them to Avery. “We couldn’t help but notice….”

Avery opened the gate and invited them in. The nanas paced through Avery’s mounds of dirt and pointed out each “glaring error.” A smile stretched across Avery’s face as she paused and listened to them. 

“Then something amazing happened,” recalls Patrick who glanced out the window. “About a dozen more neighbors came over to offer advice — people we hadn’t been able to connect with.” With nods and gestures, Avery navigated the unexpected chaos stretching through the yard. She was listening — really listening — to each suggestion and asking more questions.

In the Balkan culture, home gardens are a treasured tradition but interest in them by younger generations is waning. This saddens older people who enjoy gardens for many reasons, including the natural way they start conversations and build community, not to mention keep food on their tables. Patrick and Avery didn’t know that before they started, but God knew.

After darkness closed in and the neighbors had ambled home, Avery went inside. Her body and voice showed fatigue, but her eyes and spirit shone with excitement.

“Patrick, I didn’t get much done, but Nermina across the street invited me over and I met her whole family. She wants to get together again!”

As disciple-makers with Crossworld, Patrick and Avery are examples of the original and organic way of reproducing the life of Christ in others — by living God’s truth through authentic relationships wherever life happens.

“In the end, it wasn’t the evening we had planned,” Patrick says. “Our garden looks different than we intended, but God was planting an opportunity to bring His love to life — right in the middle of our dirt mounds.”

Through what ordinary means can you bring God’s love to life in your world right now?

Italicized names were changed to protect identities.