Small family farmers in Mississippi understand community. They are a living testimony to the spirit of cooperation, hospitality, and faith that thrives in rural America. In May of 2006, I toured rural Mississippi with six of my colleagues from the Rural Church Network. Our mentor and guide was farmer Ben Burkett. The destruction from Hurricane Katrina was still visible in the thousands of damaged homes and miles of downed timber. Katrina had also left its mark in less visible ways—a heart attack suffered by a farmer’s wife, the stress of the storm on hens resulting in a decrease in egg production, produce markets in the gulf coast disrupted, and inland farmers struggling to sell their vegetables. Among the farmers we visited with, one resounding message was clear, “the church and my neighbors have helped us come through.” By “the church” they were speaking not only of their local congregations, but also of the outpouring of prayer and aid that have come from denominations and congregations around the United States and the rest of the world. Within this stalwart community of faith, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has offered the kind of sacrificial giving and hard work that surely begets our own rural and small town roots.
 

Of course, much more needs to be done. Our government must redouble its efforts, and we must be reminded that family farms and rural communities were under stress long before Katrina. Moreover, the high cost of diesel fuel may prove as damaging to some small farmers as did last year’s hurricane season. Still, after sharing meals, visiting fields, and seeing the industry and cooperative spirit of Mississippi farmers, we came away with our faith renewed. We saw farmers sharing seed, tractors, and labor. People in the cities were supporting farm cooperatives and purchasing local produce. Families and neighbors were supporting each other in countless ways and the church was at the head of the effort to bring wellness and justice to the people and their land. Kentucky Appalachian Ministry (KAM) hosted a lunch for about 25 farmers who had been affected by Katrina. They wanted me to say thank you to all of the units of the General Church who have given so selflessly, and thank you to the local congregations who have been at the forefront of the rebuilding efforts. As people of faith, each of us must support our family farms as we strive to build the kind of communities where city and rural people live in support of each other.
By Lon D. Oliver, Kentucky Appalachian Ministry