More From Annette Poitier

The Garden—A Project

During lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic, my pastor asked the congregation to take up a new project for Lent, rather than denying ourselves something.

I decided to start a project that I called “Forty days in the garden.” This project involved physically planting seeds or trees, recording the date, finding a verse of scripture that applied, finding a hymn or song that spoke to the occasion, and allowing the word of God to speak to me through my day in the garden.

From the very first day, the words of scripture and scriptural hymns filled my mind.

On Ash Wednesday, my neighbor stood at my door with a potted plant in her hand, a sugar apple tree.  I asked myself, “Why am I receiving a tree on the first day of my project?  My neighbor could not possibly know about my project.” 

My thoughts turned to these words from the hymn “We Plough the Fields and Scatter:”

All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above;
Then thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord
For all his love.

Receiving Seeds

Upon entering the church on the first Friday in March at A World Day of Prayer service, I received a small bag of seeds.  During the service we held up the “seeds of hope” and were asked to reflect on the following:

A seed is full of potential and hope. Hold your seeds and ponder. What might God be saying to you?

I took the pigeon pea seeds to be planted in my garden, where in nine months there should be a harvest. In the same way, if I plant seeds of hope by giving encouragement and love to others, I may not see a harvest immediately. But if I continue to nurture those spiritual seeds, in time I will see the manifestation of God’s love in the people I meet.

“A man reaps what he sows” — Galatians 6:7 (NIV)

Plants for Healing

A friend called to ask if I had an aloe plant from which she could get a small one. I sought out the aloe plant in my garden and found that there were seven small plants attached, ready to be removed and replanted. I could share with more than one person.

Aloe is sometimes referred to as “the miracle plant” because it can bring healing to so many ailments. Sharing the aloe plant is sharing leaves that God provided for healing. Thank God for the ability to share such a worthwhile plant.

“On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” — Revelation 22:2 (NIV)

Beyond the Project — Staying Attached

After the forty days of Lent, a different looking plant, not planted by anyone, was growing in a straight line right across the backyard. Some weeks later we cut a huge pumpkin from this vine, and made pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie that were enjoyed by family and friends.

I believe that God’s Holy Spirit was with me, guiding me and granting me favor during these days in the garden and beyond. Two years later, friends and family members stop by to receive plantains, bananas, avocados, fever grass, and spices that were still growing steadily after starting as a simple project at Lent based on the word of God.

“Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” — John 15:4 (NRSVUE)