Thursday, July 22, 2010

Down on the Farm


Living in South London just a stone's throw from the Houses of Parliament there's a sound that would be more at home in the sweeping english countryside... a city farm. I love this quote from their website 

Vauxhall City Farm is a happy, noisy and vibrant part of Vauxhall that welcomes everybody from all walks of life a chance to escape the city grind and enjoy a little slower pace of rural peace before hopping back on the train or bus.
There are the usual suspects down on the farm, ducks hens, sheep, cows 

watching these little chicks running round was so funny they have feathery feet and were tripping over very sweet...

 


And the more unusual suspects 
You gotta love the Hair !!!!

I started getting to know the staff, volunteers and regular visitors to the farm in November last year through the riding for the disabled. To be part of this has been a real blessing to me, to see the wonderful group of kids every other thursday and how they have grown in confidence over this time and the hugh smiles they have. 

Going down for the very first time was way beyond anything I knew and 4 yrs. at bible college don't equip you for!!!!!  Though I had worked on a city farm at the secondary school I was at in Nottingham  horses were a very different "animal" altogether. Learning about the different horses ( they all have their own characters and one or two are naughty I've lost the string from my hoodies thanks to one and a couple of zippers) how to groom, clean a saddle, how to walk at the side and lead a horse for the lessons.. 


At palm sunday the Shetland pony from the farm played a big role in the procession as we all followed the cross between two of the parish churches...

There have been great times of fun and Chat over a wheelbarrow full of horse manure it's time to reflect too. Strange but true, that mucking out is a humbling experience, it doesn't matter who you are outside the stable if your part of the yard team if muck needs shifting, you do it.

wonder how many of us in leadership are willing to do that, or is it a job for the cleaners, would we be willing to kneel and clean the toilets at church !!!! or clean muck on the car park.... to talk the humble roles as a servant as Jesus did ? 

In the cool of the stable there is that feeling, how you react how you are about yourself how you are with the horses. they hear many confession through the day and just listen, and at times come close almost as if to say I hear you. 

How much can we learn from the horses in this way, as we walk along side people as they share there life stories with us. 


2 comments:

  1. love the haircut! Is it a llama?

    Great to read how the kids have grown in confidence. I suppose the ponies and horses now have a summer break to go eat grass and go fat? that's what happens in Finland anyway ... though I don't know of any city farms like this. It's such a good idea and right in the heart of London. Amazing!

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  2. Yeah they all went off on their holiday, was a bit sad to hear today though that they had the same return from holiday shock that we get :(

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