I see myself sitting at a picnic bench in an unkept park that is run down. It’s such a broken place. Poverty stricken.

A group came in to clean it up. They started picking up the trash and mowing the lawn. They put up a volley ball area. Still, all around the park were projects. The park continued to be constantly trashed, and cleaned up. I wondered if people were starting to understand that this was a sacred place to be respected. There wasn’t any punishment for when it continued to be disrespected.

The group just kept cleaning it up and working on it. People came in and saw that they were able to rest here. The leadership taking care of the park was making it a place of rest.

Soon the locals began to defend the culture of the park to the other residents. They became volunteers as well, to take ownership of it for themselves. It inspired families and homes. It instructed people on how to lead their own homes. It was changing the culture around it. Soon people were able to move out of the projects surrounding the park; their living arrangements improved.

Where at first I felt the hopelessness of having to do all this on my own, the work of this group and the change of culture among the people lifted the burden completely. It was like my job was done and I can go on to other tasks. It wasn’t an endless, hopeless job.

And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations. (Is 61:4)

Still, all around, the buildings of the projects were solid brick. They would never go away. The poverty would never go away. This was such a hopeless feeling. Lord, what will you do with these buildings surrounding the park? Yet, people began to get better and move out of town. The buildings began to deteriorate beyond repair and became abandoned.

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment;
or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. (Mk 2:21)

“The rich and the poor are all the same to me” I hear the Lord say. A wrecking ball from the town came and started to destroy the brick buildings surrounding the park. As they came down so did all the memories of all the decades of struggle and oppression. “Poverty is an oppression” I hear the Lord say. I saw that both poverty and love of money were both oppressions. Still, the Lord had a heart to remove the oppression of poverty from this area. What would you like to do with these ruins then, Lord? He swept the ruins into His hands. There was then a time that He allowed the land to rest, with all the building materials removed. Grass began to grow through the broken, damaged ground. Palm trees began to grow and a warm breeze came through the area.

I saw the city council sit down to plan for the area. Jesus was sitting with the counselors as well. What do the people need? This area would be a place to serve the people. The park was in the center and had an influence to this decision. They decided to expand the block so that the people had more room to walk, stretch out, and rest. It became a very beautiful park.

In the years to come, it would influence the other building plans and ideas around it. Deep hopelessness turned to deep gratitude of what the Lord was able to do, after years of faithfulness, to such a small run down park.

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance;
for you serve the Lord Christ. (Col 3:23-24)

“Do you see the people?” I hear the Lord say. There were people of all ages and walks of life in this park. Sometimes people were going up to the team in the park, it was a ministry. They were so grateful for their work and were able to connect deeper. The children were playing in the park and were able to be safe. The parents were so grateful and were able to share a community garden with their neighbors. Even those who did not believe in God were grateful for the work of these volunteers and saw the work of God in it. It was an opportunity and an invitation to see the hand of God. This was humanitarian aid for all, in the name of Christ.

. . . that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt 5:45)

Lord, thank you for your strategies to change cultures and nations. To change hearts and communities through the Gospel. To rebuild desolate places in the earth for your glory. Thank you for the reward of our labors in the earth. Thank you for even inventing gardens and parks to begin with and for their work in connecting others to your beauty, heart, and provision.

Reflection:

I think this vision is so timely, as I’m just founding Hope of Nations, a Christian interdenominational, missionary organization whose members seek to spread the gospel while performing humanitarian activities. I would personally never think that building a park or garden would be a way to spread the Gospel, but it created a doorway for many people and even leaders to see the work of God. God wants to bring people into His real, tangible rest. I think the vision shows how to endure years of hardship and faithfulness in labor – and He will reward our labors and bring them to fruition. It also showed me that I have to rely on God and others. It is not my mission. It is God’s mission and the Church’s mission that I play a small part in. It is also interesting to me because my ancestor Charles K. Savage built a garden in Maine – the Thuya Garden in Mount Desert Island. I wonder if I will ever build a garden or park too? A place for others to rest and see God’s goodness?