By Rick Burnette Rick and his wife Ellen are CBF field personnel in Florida. They founded Cultivate Abundance in Immokalee in 2017. “There are few places in America more beloved than the Blue Ridge, rising like an ancient Great Wall across a third of the breadth of the nation. It has the burnished beauty of … Continue reading
By Kristen Thomason In one of the most polarized corners of the country, Agustín Quiles is uniting Latino Christians in Florida to serve God and advocate for social justice. Latino Christians are the fastest growing group of evangelicals in the country; but in 2016, cultural currents were pulling the community apart. Young people were leaving … Continue reading
Por Kristen Thomason En uno de los rincones más polarizados del país, Agustín Quiles está uniendo a los cristianos latinos en Florida para servir a Dios y abogar por la justicia social. Este grupo de evangélicos son el de más rápido crecimiento en el país; pero en 2016, las corrientes culturales estaban separando a la … Continue reading
By Rick Burnette “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24). In the Misión Peniel kitchen at 3:00 p.m. June 1, I’m alone, sorting eggs donated by an area farm. The building is typically buzzing on Thursday afternoons when the Cultivate Abundance staff and Misión Peniel team organize … Continue reading
By Grayson Hester Grace can be manifested in many forms, often appearing in the unlikeliest people and the most unexpected places. It can even show up in a plant. Just ask Lupita Vazquez Reyes, the Community Gardens and Outreach Manager for Cultivate Abundance in Immokalee, Fla. For someone who has spent her entire life around … Continue reading
By Rick Burnette “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (II Corinthians 9:6-7) One Saturday morning in February at Misión … Continue reading
By Grayson Hester It’s no secret to any American in any corner of this country that we’re enduring a seemingly endless housing crisis. Rent, from coast to coast, rises like sea levels while wages stagnate. This presents a problem to almost everyone, except for those rich enough to be insulated with their money. To the … Continue reading
By Grayson Hester Maria knows, perhaps better than most, that for things to grow, there must be patience. For things to flourish one needs resilience and humility, a willingness both to get hands dirty and to let go. Having moved from the mountains of Guatemala to Immokalee, Fla., 22 years ago, Maria understands the necessity … Continue reading
By Grayson Hester Often, we only speak of South Florida when it relates to Miami, national elections or hurricanes. The southernmost tip of the United States sits as distantly from our minds as it does most of our churches. This is sadly ironic because we literally could not, and do not, live without it. Across … Continue reading
By Marv Knox Imagine going hungry in a desert while surrounded by a tropical garden. That’s Ellen and Rick Burnette’s ministry paradox. They serve migrant farmworkers in Immokalee, Fla., where industrial farms yield 14 million pounds of fruit and vegetables per day during harvest season. But the people who pick that produce can’t afford it … Continue reading