Day: May 27, 2017

I asked the refugee kids to pose for me at Pompanuck Farm. They had just gathered around the farm there to feed the fish and watch for tadpoles and frogs. Ali, their very beloved teacher and guide is at the right in the rear. To his left are Scott and Lisa Carrino and Dr. David Gandell of Pompanuck Farms.

Maria, who all of you know, is up front. Scott and Lisa Carrino are also the co-owners of the Round House Bakery And Cafe, moving shortly to its new home. They live for community.

I am determined to get these kids to Pompanuck Farm for a weekend retreat, they would just love it there. I’m going to talk to Scott and Lisa about what it would cost to get them there for a couple of days, it would be so meaningful to them. Pompanuck donated lunch, six or seven gourmet pizzas and Scott gave the kids a tour of the farm.

The kids were so happy and free there. The  Pompanuck Farm Institute has trails, ponds, yurts, comfortable rooms to stay in and a beautiful kitchen and woods to explore. If any group of people ever needed a retreat, it would be these kids. Ali, too, he works seven days a weeks for them.

This is the group that is going to the Great Escape Adventure Park in July, thanks to the generosity of Kimberly, a reader of the blog.

Scott and Lisa were thrilled to have the kids there and I am sure we can work something out. I’ll share this with you. I’ve never seen these kids so at ease and free as they were at Pompanuck today, this non-profit retreat center and farm is quite magical.  It is a place of great beauty and safety.

Our friend Treasure Wilkinson brought over two of her baby goats, they both escaped through the fences a half dozen times but not before they were hugged by the kids from the RISSE soccer team. There was no animal they saw that they did not love.

Lulu and Fanny loved the refugee kids, and they loved the bags of carrots they brought into the pasture. It took a few minutes for the kids to get that they needed to be calm and still, but these were passionate animal lovers and they hugged and brushed and loved every animal they could get their hands on. The kids were a total pleasure to be around.

They have been through a lot, many carry awful scars, but their hearts and humanity remain strong and remind of us how fortunate most of us are in our lives. Some have lost everything, but have not lost the capacity for love.

One of the kids spotted a snake by the pasture fence and Maria held a sudden press conference – a dozen cell phones came out to record her talk – to explain the snake was not dangerous and why snakes were important to gardens and soil and farms. Her talk was broadcast all over the word I think.

Soon after the kids from RISSE (the refugee and immigration center of Albany) arrived, I looked up in the apple tree and saw that five of the boys had climbed up and gotten a front row seat. It was a pleasure to see the old apple tree used so lovingly and wisely.