Seeking Love and Seeking God: A Reflection on Bethlehem Farm

When we first drove up the mountain in Alderson, W.Va., to Bethlehem Farm, the only thing visible for miles was farmland. 

Driving in and out of bends and turns, up and down the rolling hills of Appalachia, I was overcome with a sense of peace, as all of the worries that fill the outside world disappeared with every mile we put between us and the hustle of the city. 

Upon entering the gates to Bethlehem Farm, the first thing I heard wasn’t the birds chirping or the cats meowing on the porch; it was the echoing “Welcome home” from all the summer servants and caretakers currently living at the farm. While I was initially thrown off, by the end of the week, I was crying over the fear that I might never hear that sound again.

Bethlehem Farm is a Catholic Community in Appalachia that transforms lives through service with the local community and the teaching of sustainable practices. They harvest their own solar energy, grow their own food, and provide aid to those in the community around them through their home repair programs, solar energy program, as well as farm work for those who need help working on their land. They allow volunteers to come and spend a week with them, living out the cornerstones of service, prayer, simplicity and community; as well as adults 18 years of age or older to become a summer servant or caretaker.

Every day on the farm was like entering a completely new world, with no two work sites or chores being alike, from the people on the site to what we were working on at the time. The very first day, the chore I signed up for was garlic picking, and I only realized the importance of the harvest later. Bethlehem Farm grows around 10 strains of garlic, some more than others based on their usefulness, and every single one was watched over by Eric, one of the founders of the farm. 

I spent hours that Monday feeling relaxed and tranquil while pulling garlic up from the soil, with no idea how what we were doing would impact them later this year, though I would taste it in the food. 

Throughout the rest of the week, I was taught how to use a nail gun and a circular saw, learned why I was using a hammer wrong, and saw exactly how much love and care is put into Bethlehem Farm year-round. We might not be able to see the fruits of our labor while working on the farm, or while helping build someone a new roof, but it will be passed on to the next group of people, and in the end, the love and work that everyone puts into each activity will be made visible. Whether that is seen physically in the garlic harvest next year, or in a few months when the wood we chopped will be burned to warm the house, God’s love is visible all around us.

At one point, we were asked where we saw love and where we saw God that week. While they were posed as two separate questions, my answer was the same. I noted that during our time there, I had not met one person who complained about the work we did or the conditions, or even how much we sweated in the summer heat. To quote my friends from Wilmington, “It’s so hot and no one’s even complained about it.” Everyone poured all of their energy and effort and love into every activity, and that is where God’s love was most evident.

Bethlehem Farm not only fosters the growth of community within Alderson and Appalachia, but also connects people from across the country. Although we are spread out, I know, without a doubt, that I will reconnect with everyone I can, and we will continue to talk every day until we can meet again.