kindred spirits

last weekend we had the pleasure of spending an evening with a family in footscray.  the couple are about our age and they have two young children.  we've been trying to get together for months, and the effort has become almost comical, but we finally managed to get there and have dinner at last.

they live on the edge of the poorer, less sexy part of footscray.  they bought lovely house about 2 years ago and it was the only one on the street with old, well-developed fruit trees.  their plot of land is just bigger than our urban space in lexington.  they've cultivated their garden space in a sustainable and redemptive fashion and they even have egg-laying chickens in the back.  the garden is emerging as an abundant, productive space in which they are growing their own food.  they also created a fruit/veg co-op for a group of friends that provides them organic food from the wholesale market in melbourne.

as we dined with them, we experienced the peace and rest of table fellowship.  we talked of our dreams and hopes (among the chatter of our children) and it gave me more than pause to think of our similar aspirations - grounded community in a mixed neighborhood, shopping locally, walking to church, knowing neighbors, eating organic food and growing some, merging compartments of life, including children in a kingdom vision and integrating faith into all areas of life.  they could have been dear friends in our community life and we could have been partners in ministry down the street from them.  it was a strange and comforting sensation.  because we will return to the states in a few months, our relationship will have no real grounds to develop.  we will, however, carry with us the encouragement of like-minded people and kindred spirits in the journey of faith.