Harvesting rice

Fresh and ready for the garden

Today we learned a new skill: how to harvest rice. Our church has a farm and the rice crop was ripe so as many of us church members that could go, went to "bring in the sheaves." You guys, I'm so exhausted I can't even tell you!

As I learned how to grab handfuls of rice and slash it with the sickle, I kept thinking of the story of Ruth in the Bible, when she would glean behind the harvesters and collect anything that was left behind. (There actually is a lot that falls to the side.)

Growing crops like rice is how people can pay their kids' school fees and feed their families. Just like Ruth and Naomi, the harvest is their livelihood.

It really is a beautiful thing how hard work and God's provision of rain and sunshine, can yield this delicious outcome!

I loved that  Carson wanted to join in and learn how to use a sickle. He is such a hard worker.

 Eli's job was the threshing. He took handfuls of rice still on the grass, and beat it on this contraption made of bamboo and as he beat it, all the kernels of rice fell off and were gathered below. I can't begin to express what hard work this is and to to mention, in the blazing heat. I am always amazed at our friends here and how many days they spend in their gardens digging, planting, weeding and harvesting. They work sooooo hard. They are so strong. And we love it when they let us join hands and learn from them.