Recently, the Downtown Church of Christ in Searcy created a new way for people in the community to connect and fellowship together all while helping each other out. They call it the Victory Garden.
The Victory Garden is a garden that is located behind the Downtown Church of Christ building. People from all over the community are invited to come and grow anything they like- from flowers to produce, while building friendships as well. The gardeners meet on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, but people are encouraged to work on their plot of ground whenever they like.
Harding junior Sara Denton said she has really enjoyed working in the Victory Garden.
“It’s fun to have the responsibility of our own plot; they encourage us to plant what we want and how we want it,” Denton said. “The Victory Garden is a trial-and-error sort of atmosphere. It’s ok if you try something and it doesn’t work. We are all learning from each other’s experiences.”
According to Denton, one of the best aspects of the Victory Garden is the fellow gardeners who work the plots. She said she has really enjoyed getting to know them.
“I love working in the garden on Saturdays with everyone else,” Denton said. “It is a fun and refreshing environment to be in. The adults have been very willing to help us in any way they can.”
Harding junior Mallory Pratt said she heard about the Victory Garden last semester through a chapel announcement and decided to give it a try this semester. According to Pratt, she feels like we were created for activities like this.
Junior and Victory Garden participant Josh Pratt said he thinks the entire process brings glory to God.
“I think that God is glorified in the appreciation that gardening gives for his creation,” Pratt said. “Most of all, I think God is glorified through the relationships that are being built between fellow Christians and also between Christians and non-Christians in the community.”
People can get involved by contacting the Downtown Church of Christ or attending their weekly garden meetings.