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Family creatively uses veggie market to share health and hope

Family creatively uses veggie market to share health and hope

Since mid July 2022, Svetlana and Daniel Wilson, along with their kids, Michael and Mary-Faye, have had a veggie stall at the Shannon Farmers Market, where they sell/share the fresh vegetables and offer free books on various themes, especially the health message and hope. The Farmers Market is held every Thursday, from 10.30am-2pm at the Shannon Town Centre, Shannon, County Clare. The market has a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, home baking, etc.

Svetlana and her family are members of the Newmarket-on-Fergus Seventh-day Adventist Church, in the village of Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare. They rent the property right next to the church. Svetlana remembers how their vegetable garden started. “Unbeknown to us there was a piece of land adjacent to the property. One year ago it was an overgrown piece of land with some nasty weeds. Our landlord kindly allowed us to use it for a veggie garden. As I look back it seems totally impossible to have this amazing garden established in less than a year”. They grow almost everything, from humble potatoes, carrots, onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. To some unusual vegetables like pad choi, kohlrabi and patty pan squash.

The garden flourished under the tender care of Daniel, Svetlana and their children. Soon they realised they needed an outlet to sell/share the produce. They also wanted to use it as an opportunity to get to know their community, their needs and become more involved. “We come across the Shannon Farmers Market and I was really impressed to take part with the view of offering literature while having a veggie stall. They community seemed very interested in us as well”, she explains.

The children really look forward to the weekly market experience and are actively involved. “I like to say ‘hi’ to people and unpack the car for mummy”, says Michael, Svetlana’s 6 year old boy. “I learnt to not talk to mummy when she is talking to customers and when she is busy on the side doing something I can talk to people and offer them a book”, says Mary Faye, her 4 year old girl.

Every Thursday morning the family prays, asking God to bring the right people to their stall. “We promote our health message, so fresh chemical-free products and homemade preserves are an entering wedge. Some people are interested in the books. Some of them come directly to see the books and we are able to have some health and spiritual conversations too”, Svetlana says. Majority of times people are quite open to have a Health Book or a Celtic Connection booklet on the history of Christianity in the British Isles and the story of St Patrick. They have also met a few Christians who eagerly take the books: Desire of ages, Ministry of Healing and Steps to Christ. Svetlana has observed that it is often the person she least expects, that reaches for the book The Great Controversy.“I was even able to share a Polish Great Controversy with a Polish artist who had a market stall for two weeks, and a Russian Great Controversy with some Ukrainian refugees. I think this is all we can do: sow a seed and let God do the rest” she says.

Svetlana and her husband Daniel believe that having a garden, being able to play and work outdoors on garden projects as a family, is an integral part of true education. “We all work as a team, help each other and enjoy the fruit of our hands together. Having books at the market also adds a missionary/evangelist dimension to the education of our children”, she explains.

“Alongside gardening, teamwork and helpfulness, the children are also learning real life skills like marketing, money handling, meeting different people and sharing literature. As Adventist parents we believe this is exactly what God has called us to do. We are very content and joyful that we can do God’s work together, fulfil His calling for our family as we learn and grow together”, she concludes.

 

 

Their garden before:

Their garden afterwards: