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A Note from Pastor Hannah
January 27, 2023
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Dear friend,
If you’re like me, the holidays feel far, far away — barely in the rearview mirror. These days I am very excited about this new year and all that will unfold.
And my excitement is quite the cocktail of anticipation, gladness, and fear!
I could tell you about my anticipation and gladness, but let’s cut to the chase. I’m nervous about our American culture and how we set a wildly unsustainable pace of life. I’m scared by how easily I’m sucked into experiencing the world in this rhythm.
Rhythm where the individual is privileged — there’s always a winner and loser.
Pace where my days are “go go go” because I feel like there will never be enough for me (money, time, attention, etc.) so there is definitely not enough for you.
It’s bananas.
I have a picture on my phone’s lock screen of a purple snail. Why purple? Because it’s lovely and adorable. Why a snail? Because she reminds me that the good and holy work of building empowered community is slow. The work must be at a steady pace. Incremental and pushing back against our American cultural treadmill while setting an entirely different pace.
The work is about individuals and communities accompanying one another – being present and listening to one another. The only way I can know about you and your hopes, hurts, needs, and dreams is to listen to you. And that takes time.
FAM Houston’s vision word for 2023 is Steadfast.
I’m longing to learn the steady pace of relationship-building this year – I know you can help us in learning it. I hope you’ll join us!
Steadfastly yours,
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Rev. Hannah R. Terry
Founding Executive Director
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Consider growing in steadfastness by becoming a recurring donor today!
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Although our favorite cultivating tool at Shamba Ya Amani is a sturdy hoe called a jembe, we are in serious need of shovels right now!
If you have any shovels in good condition, consider dropping them off at the farm–8401 Dairy View Lane. You can lean donated shovels against our colorful tool shed (seen here: farm stewards Roda and Constancia standing by the shed with tools in hand).
Or come on a Saturday morning when we can greet you during our weekly community work day!
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Also, leave us your leaves! ☺️ Anytime you or your neighbors have bags of fallen leaves or pine needles, we invite you to gather up a load and drop them off at Shamba. Our farmers use leaves in the community field to suppress weeds and turn into compost for the next season! Everyone wins!
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What an amazing start to 2023! Women’s Empowerment Group has resumed in-person weekly meetings since nearly three years! (We’ve been on zoom since the early days of the pandemic.) Deep thanks to our partner St. Luke's UMC Gethsemane Church for hosting us—you make us feel at home! 🧡
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Big thanks to volunteers, Connect Community, and Gethsemane for making a Home Sewing course available for 12 students. We are super proud of our community members as they are learning skills required to be eligible for Connect Community's 9-month Industrial Sewing course. Steady steps in economic empowerment!
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Welcome, Crystal, Micol, and LaKeshia! Two newly trained companions to work alongside our Pamoja families and one UH Graduate Social Work Student Case Manager to support a companion family and newcomer family.
"I can't wait to start introducing them to their families," says Francine Murhebwa, Pamoja Director. "We have scheduled visits already!"
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Epworth League — our young adult network — out for tacos together!
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