ECHO Reflection

  The ECHO field trip was an eye-opener for me. I had no idea there were people in the world who studied how to teach others to live off of what they have. My first thought when learning about what they do at ECHO was in fact a merge of what they do at ECHO and mission trips I am involved in. The quote we learned, "give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you'll feed him for a lifetime," made me think about what I do on mission trips. The ones I am involved in are medical mission trips. We go and give people in Central America temporary help for thier medical needs. When learning about ECHO's mission of sustainability it made me think about what can be done medically for these people also.
  The part of ECHO that caught me attetion the most was the Moringa Tree. I could not believe what outrageously awsome health benefits it contained. To be able to take the seeds of these trees on our missions with us would start a new medical wave. It would be amazing to bring this plant into parts of the world that may not have them currently where they would thrive. Countries like Central America have perfect enviroments for plants to grow and from what the people at ECHO told us about the Moringa Tree I feel it would be a perfect match.
  Learning about the vast amount of resources that can be introduced to people, who may not be knowledgable about them, was very surprising. For people like us who have any resource we need right in front us, cannot imagine the importance of spreading this knowledge. I am going to contact the preident of our mission trips, in the near future, and let him know about this amazing plant. I am excited that a place such as ECHO even exsists. I hope they will continue to inspire other people, such as myself, to make a difference in the lives of others.

WORD COUNT: 343

Journal #2 My Hometown Neighborhood

   The first though that comes to my mind when I think about my hometown neighborhood is that I had no neighbors at all. In fact, within a five mile radius, the only neighbors I had growing up were two deer I named Susan and Louis. I woke up every morning and looked out my dew stained window to see Susan and Louis grazing in the field behind my house.
   When I was 7 years old my parents built a home in Lake City, FL. Although this was where I had been my whole life, moving into this house was a new beginning for me. New trails to explore and bigger trees to climb. We were fortunate enough to have 11 acres. To me, this might have well been a whole continent. I spent countless hours outside exploring, building forts and sitting beside a small pond with my toes in the water. I didn't need toys or even other children to keep me entertained. The simplicity of nature was enough for me.
  I remember getting into trouble because I had grass stains on my pants or ripped another hole in my shirt from "playing too hard" my Mom always said. Play too hard? I don't think that's possible. My backyard was a wooded haven to me. The air was always so crisp and clean. In Lake City there aren't many big buildings and there is a lot of roaming land left. Just the smell alone could bring me back home.
  I remember when Dad would make it home early enough to help Mom with dinner; he always grilled. I always knew when dinner was ready on these nights. While keeping busy down by the pond I could smell the caramalized meat when it was done cooking. Afternoons were special times as a child for me. No matter what happens to my house someday, I will always have memories or playing in the trails and climbing the trees. My exploration is not over.


WORD COUNT: 331

Journal #1 My Connection

  I am a Florida resident and have been my whole life. I grew up in an agricultural family who grew everything they ate and still do. My great-grandfather, "Pa," taught me everything he knew about farming the land and making the most of what nature has given us. From canning tomatoes in the kitchen to picking greens in the field, my connection to the Florida enviroment is one based on making good use of "God's green Earth."
We came to depend on Florida's enviroment as it held the power to stop us from having a plentiful garden or make it flourish. Pa always told me, "it's teamwork making this garden grow, Mother Nature and us." We would always take advantage of having beautiful seasons by canning whatever vegetables we possibly could. Tomatoes have always been a family favorate. My Pa passed away five years ago and we are still enjoying vegetables he canned himself. Hopefully, I will retain this knowledge and be able to pass it down to my children.
   Unfortunately, I believe my connection today with my enviroment isn't as strong as it should be. This is probably the case in most kids of my generation due to the explosion of technology keeping them indoors. However caught up in being inside I might get, I do allow myself time to get fresh air everyday by coaching softball at a local high-school. Growing up my family made sure that all of us kids were involved in an outdoor activity. Some of us play sports, others go hunting and some have continued on the agricultural track. I attend practice everyday from 2:00-4:30. I truely believe getting in this time helps me cope with stress. Being outdoors, even if you're not studying the enviroment, is healthy.
   I do believe I lack knowledge about my enviroment, however, I am active outdoors allowing myself to be exposed to my enviroment. My connection with the enviroment is one filled with my family and agriculture. What I have been taught by my great-grandparents will forever be retained and very much appreciated.

WORD COUNT: 330