THREE WEEKS IN NATURE

by Israel

Slowly, the group gathers at the picnic table. The conversation is light as we unwind from the hours before. Laughter and talk of future plans are scattered throughout as we wait. Our leader - community steward Sanders Thornburgh - arrives. With a smile, we are welcomed to the second week of a class entitled ‘A Community of Bio-diversity: Exploring Koinonia’s Non-human Residents.’ This particular week, it is explained, we will be traveling down the Peace Trail to get more acquainted with the nature that resides there. Sanders encourages us to enter the woods of Koinonia’s Peace Trail as if we were entering a holy sanctuary, that is, as quietly and reverently as possible. We don’t quite succeed at this, though a spirit of anticipation moves us along as the sound of many trudging feet fills the air.

A little distance into the woods, we gather in a circle atop a carpet of fallen leaves to read quotes from those who have come before us. These individuals saw the voice of God embedded in the wonder of nature, not just in scripture. Armed with these insights, we scatter to gather our own experiences of being close to nature. Each person chooses a particular spot and studies intently what is in that area: a tree, a spider with its web, vines twisting in and out of each other and upward. For fifteen minutes, we watch, soaking up the scene. Called back by the chiming of a bell, we return to share what we learned in our exploration.

Next week, we return to the sanctuary of nature on the Peace Trail, this time under the lumbering power of modern technology. The truck and the wagon send us deeper into the wooded greenery until we pull up alongside the Peace Gazebo, an intimate wooden structure beckoning to the weary, offering shelter as well as another chance to sit, relax, and connect with nature.

And this is exactly what we do. Sitting in a line wrapped around the circular interior of the structure, we tell stories. We share with each other our memories of meaningful encounters with some of nature’s non-human residents of Koinonia. The wonderment of creation is passed from person to person as the words paint for each of us mental images of the grandeur of all that is around us. In closing, our meditative silence is joined by the sound of the wind embracing us as it brushes up against us from the outside.

The final week of this exploration into Koinonia’s bio-diversity - guided by former Koinonia community member Bob Burns - we tour several of the various trees, bushes, and plants spotting the landscape of the main campus. Surrounded by shared nature-inspired wonder yet again, questions fill the air. What is this? What’s the name of that? Is there a medicinal use for those?

Nature kisses us yet again.

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Israel, community intern summer 2004, current Koinonia Service Partner