The Community garden as an educational program develops an important role in the Salvadorian society. Promoting it through PEPE program we intend to strengthen the development of that area, so important for the sustainability and progress of a nation, in the community. Although, it was not our intention before, as the episode of the community garden happened in a context of accomplishing the PEPE curriculum. Everything started because we needed to organize a class about nature, the creation and care of God for us. Because of that, the agriculture science and the Biblical narration were united in a project, that we hope it will revolutionize the life of the community.
The Methodology came through the experience. The missionary educator took the children outside for a first moment nature observation. The following class they thought about the possibilities of getting the seeds, the area to be planted and the tools that would be necessary to plant. In each stage they assured the children participation during the whole process. The project happens in a partnership with the foundation “New Creation Seeds”, through which it was possible to get the seeds, wire cloth, organic fertilizer and all the needed items for the construction of the garden. The children followed each day the growth of the plants and joyfully cared for our small garden. Soon came the great day when it was possible to harvest the fruits: beautiful and delicious cucumbers. Everyone ate the cucumbers with joy! Since then, our garden continues to grow because after the cucumbers came the tomatoes that were planted and followed with the same enthusiasm until the stage of using them in our meals, and our children once more, participated in the whole process.
The impact has been great because the children not only learned how to take care of the nature, but also learned to value what they eat because now they know how much work and dedication is necessary to obtain and enjoy the fruit. We believe that the best way to teach them is to make the to live the experience.
Among of our group of children and parents not everyone has a passion for the nature, however, a big part of the parents happily got involved and follow their children in the project. Thus, with them the project continued and there was progress in planting green pepper and tomato. Now not only the children, but also the parents have participated with a great joy.
Today we have the project “Community Garden” in three units of PEPE in our country. We are learning and looking for new techniques to improve the garden because we want to help to take meal to the tables of our children and their families. Our government has several support programs. So, we consider that the garden program is a value attached to the units of PEPE, as it has given visibility and credibility before the government, besides being a support to continue take the spiritual and material meal to everyone we can reach.
