Members of the Redeemed 2 & 3 cell groups had the desire to bless the refugee community, especially the refugee students of El Shaddai Learning Centre in a practical way. These students use the buildings of St Barnabas Anglican Church and Wesley Methodist Church Klang for classes.
We came up with the idea of an organic vegetable and fruit garden. The Redeemed cells hope to reach out to and connect with the students and teachers as we worked side by side planting and harvesting the vegetables for their lunch. We endearingly call our garden “God’s Garden”.
On 16 Sept 2011, God’s Garden was started as church members and the older students of El Shaddai came together to help till the land. This plot was actually the unused grounds of the nearby old parsonage of Klang Chinese Methodist Church. We planted kangkung, red spinach, emperor’s vegetable, sweet potato leaves, banana & papaya trees, lady’s fingers, ‘zhen zhu chai’, Roselle plant, corn and ‘sayur manis’. The first harvest was in October 2011. Today, God’s Garden is able to supply a minimum of 10 kgs of vegetables per week to the school. This has greatly helped to reduce the lunch expenses of the school.
Every Wednesday, from 3 to 6pm, students stay back with at least 1 teacher to work the garden along with at least 1 member of the Redeemed cell groups. Every morning and after school, these students also water the plants. Occasionally on Saturdays, the Redeemed cells members come together to weed and clean up the garden.
On 21 Jan 2011, the Redeemed cells members harvested the vegetables that were to be sold in church the following day. 21.5kg of vegetables brought in RM230, which will be used to maintain the garden. The sales of vegetables will be done only if the produce is more than the needs of the school, for example during school holidays.
Anyone who might be interested to join this ministry of planting and outreach could contact the Wesley Methodist Church Klang office.