The farmers (Kelby, Kristina, and our kiddos) escaped on a family weekend to Benezette, PA. It was fabulous there was little to no cell service and lots of wilderness! We are so thankful to the Sunny Cove team for allowing us to get away and breathe some mountain air. We love this little town in central PA, home to the largest wild Elk population on the East Coast. We enjoyed hiking, driving around side by side, and seeing those gorgeous Elk. People ask what they remind me of up close and it's funny a lot of their characteristics seem cow-like! They chew their cud, lay down like a cow, and never seem to be in a hurry!
During our time we visited the “Cross on the Hill.” From what I gathered from the story; three families had it in their heart to preserve a few acres of land that fostered a place of meditation for generations to come. They were intentional about this refuge being a place welcome to all, they used the term “inter-denominational” which was a new vocab word for me. It goes beyond “nondenominational” to mean all-encompassing, all are welcome. Their mission intrigued me because that’s what we are building on our farm, a community that welcomes everyone. A place of peace where folks from different backgrounds, belief systems, and family structures can all come together to enjoy delicious, nutrient-dense food!
Back to Benezette….We pulled into the parking lot on a foggy Monday morning, it was our last stop on the way home so the car was packed to the brim. We walked down a steep incline to visit first their message board nestled between two great evergreen trees with a bench beside for resting. The air was misty and the temperature was just about perfect for fall. There was a short explanation of their mission.
“We are all on the walkway to Our Lord, Jesus. All our lives, we come TOGETHER, at the foot of the cross.”
The children ran ahead down the walkway and Kelby and I took a moment to pause at each station. There were large framed steel cutouts depicting stories from the Bible. Another sign told us these were handcrafted by prisoners in a local facility. In one of the stations named “Jesus Meets His Mother,” the sun shone through just brilliantly. It truly was serene.
The children urged us on and together we gathered at the end of the path, the Cross on the hill with a brilliant overlook of the valley and beyond. It was such a treasure.
As we finished our pilgrimage other families began to arrive. Sharing smiles as we passed I thought to myself how thankful I am for the community. How reassuring it is to find comradery in the fact that we are all sharing this planet.
I wish I could spend all day at the cross reflecting but I was missing my own home, my community on the farm. How blessed we are! On the drive home I pondered how else we could serve our people, how can we help draw connections, build relationships, and meet more needs? Perhaps one day our farm will have its own cross on the hill, that welcomes all! Until then may we find strength and encouragement at our dinner tables full of food grown with love, surrounded by friends new and old.
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