Miracle on Sumner Street!

Even though I grew up in the hot tropics, I love winter and have lately been missing it. So obviously I was excited about the snow last night. I ventured out this morning to shovel the sidewalk in front of 294 Sumner (Eastie Farm’s first site — we have been shoveling it since .

On the way, at the Church of Our Lady of The Assumption, I found Father Ignatius shoveling the sidewalk. To my surprise, he recognized me from the time when Sue, Adriana, and I brought environmental board games as Christmas gifts on Christmas Day in 2020, when we were all confined to our homes and the games were off-screen fun for the whole family (with some education built in :)).

Eastie Farm and Adventerra distributing board games for children on Christmas Day, 2020

Father Ignatius was just getting started and there was a ton of shoveling to do (The church has a loooooooong sidewalk). And he was doing it all on his own. I decided to give him a hand. We had fun shoveling together. It’s true what they say: Many hands make light work.

Father Ignatius and I (Kannan) shoveling snow on the sidewalk next to Church of Our Lady of the Assumption

Shoveling wet snow can be exhausting. And when people’s heavy boots have compacted some of it, it can be even harder. I was a bit tired after 20 minutes of intense work. But we did clear the sidewalk together and we were both convinced people should be able to pass safely. So I went on to my final destination.

That’s when I got a pleasant surprise. 294 Sumner sidewalk was already shoveled! I was reminded of a proverb in my mother tongue: If you feed a stranger’s child, your child will be fed wherever they may be. Someone did for Eastie Farm what I did for the Church of Our Lady of Assumption.

Sumner already shoveled! Thank you, neighor!!

Feeling the love of the community I live in, and inspired by the strength that stems from that love.

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