文章基本信息

标题：Growing to share
作者：Adamson, Nicole
期刊名称：The Lutheran
印刷版ISSN：0024-743X
出版年度：2005
卷号：Nov 2005
出版社：Augsburg Fortress Publishers

Growing to share

Adamson, Nicole

Shaver's garden feeds 4,000 families

You could say Richard Shaver is a sharecropper-he's been sharing crops for 12 years. But "share" is an understatement, considering that Shaver provided fresh vegetables for 4,000 families this year alone.

"The Old Testament idea of tithing was that we give 10 percent. Dick is giving 100 percent," says AJ. Domines, pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church, New Stanton, Pa., where Shaver is a member.

Shaver never expected he would feed thousands of people off his land. He wasn't even a fanner. Now 65, he had a successful career as a defense contractor with five businesses, his own plane, two country-club memberships -and a whole lot of unrest. "Something was bugging me where I didn't feel fulfilled," he says. "No matter what I did, I just felt lousy."

He tried various hobbies and charitable endeavors until finally, by accident, he struck fertile ground. After casual efforts to grow corn produced a surplus, Shaver donated the excess to a food bank. But what really turned his life around was the food bank's request to glean from his farm. "All these different people-older people, war veterans, people with emphysema and missing limbs-came to glean from my fields," he says. "We sat around in a circle, held hands and said a prayer, and it was like a lightning bolt to me."

Inspired, Shaver began growing other vegetables-cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, squash, eggplant, green beans-and donating them. He has pressed on, even after suffering a heart attack in 2003.

Recently Shaver spoke to Domines, calling on St. Mark members to get involved. The pastor did a rogation blessing and brought the issue to the members ' awareness, both to encourage volunteers and to use Shaver as an example.

St. Mark member Lyn Hunter gave the Hunger Garden a monumental boost, offering to coordinate the 50 weekly volunteers.

"I've lived a good life, and I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing as long as God keeps me around," Shaver says.

Nicole Adamson

Adamson was The Lutheran's summer intern.