“‘Send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.’ But [Jesus] answered them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ … And all ate and were filled…”
Paul Cox (1974) & Micha Bradshaw (1989) founders of Nottz Garden Project, Gamble Street Corner, 2023.
“Pointing towards a stretch of grassy land beside a busy road in Nottingham, Paul Cox says ‘We want to bring forgotten green spaces like these back to life.’
‘We took over Gamble Street as it was near the food bank and was left in a state - full of rubbish and syringes. These areas of the city are often overlooked - but we saw this as potential to grow produce on and host gardening workshops for people.’
They now grow fruits and vegetables on the land all year round, including non-native vegetables like callaloo, for both the food bank and community to use for free.” Miya Chahal, BBC News, Nottingham
Bible Passage: Mark 6:30-44
My Big Story Bible: Pages 170
Momma used to say
That when Jesus turned the
Loaves and fish
Into a picnic
For those hungry folks
In the wilderness
The God blessed victuals
Tasted like mouth watering
Mississippi catfish
Deep fried in the best store bought meal
Served with a healthy side helping
Of iron skillet cornbread—
Bread so fine that
No one asked for butter or honey
And nary a crumb hit the ground.
She grew up an orphan
In the Great Depression,
Where low cotton prices
And bad weather
Killed farms and families—
Times, she remembered, so hard
That sometimes even dinner
Was a miracle
And prayers offered
At the evening meal
Wafted in the air
Thick as coal oil smoke
In the fragrance of gratefulness.
This poem by Tom Darin Liskey was originally published June 16, 2019, on Kelly Belmonte’s All Nine blog.