Training – Field Study: A Night in the Slums

Our May Field Study is currently being held on SIFAT’s campus May 12-25. Sarah Murphree, SIFAT co-founder Sarah Corson’s great-niece, is a participant this year. She will be blogging about her experience and giving readers a glimpse of what types of appropriate technologies and community development topics are being presented, as well as a look into who some of the participants are.  A 2012 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Sarah recently directed and produced two short films, one taking first place in the 2013 Nashville Film Festival. She is currently working on her third film, a documentary about Camp Koinonia.

 

Tonight was a night I shall never forget. It was my first time to experience the slums at SIFAT. The Slum Experience is a program offered at SIFAT where high school students, adult leaders and college-aged staff experience life in the slums. During global training, we get a taste of this. Tonight was that night. Addison Shock, Learn & Serve director, divided us into families and led us down the wooded path to the slums where we would stay for three hours. We had no knowledge of where we were going or what to expect. This is how the majority of people enter the slums. People don’t choose to live here. Often times, they come across the slums in search of a place of safety. People never expect to stay here long, but with little knowledge of what else is out there and where to go, sometimes the slums seems like a diamond in the ruff.

 

SIFAT’s Urban Slum simulates what life may be like for an estimated one billion people in the world.


View More →

Training – Field Study: Meet One of Our Teachers

Our May Field Study is currently being held on SIFAT’s campus May 12-25. Sarah Murphree, SIFAT co-founder Sarah Corson’s great-niece, is a participant this year. She will be blogging about her experience and giving readers a glimpse of what types of appropriate technologies and community development topics are being presented, as well as a look into who some of the participants are.  A 2012 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Sarah recently directed and produced two short films, one taking first place in the 2013 Nashville Film Festival. She is currently working on her third film, a documentary about Camp Koinonia.

Dr. Martin Price, founder of ECHO, came to speak with us about urban gardening, agricultural options for small farmers and managing a nonprofit. Martin and his wife, Bonnie, drove from Florida to educate us on these pressing topics.

Dr. Martin Price, founder of ECHO, taught us about urban gardening, agricultural options for small farmers and managing a nonprofit.


View More →

Training – Field Study: In a world of differences, we are all just the same

Our May Field Study is currently being held on SIFAT’s campus May 12-25. Sarah Murphree, SIFAT co-founder Sarah Corson’s great-niece, is a participant this year. She will be blogging about her experience and giving readers a glimpse of what types of appropriate technologies and community development topics are being presented, as well as a look into who some of the participants are.  A 2012 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Sarah recently directed and produced two short films, one taking first place in the 2013 Nashville Film Festival. She is currently working on her third film, a documentary about Camp Koinonia.

One night during our first week of training, all the participants travel down the red dirt road to Ken and Sarah Corson’s house. SIFAT co-founders Ken and Sarah open their home to the students at SIFAT to enjoy a meal together and allow time to share stories and good company. After dinner, the students have the chance to get up and perform their talents and share cultural stories.

Ken and Sarah Corson opened their home to the Field Study students for dinner and an evening of cultural exchange. Singing, stories and laughter ensued!


View More →

Training – Field Study: Lessons in the Garden

Our May Field Study is currently being held on SIFAT’s campus May 12-25. Sarah Murphree, SIFAT co-founder Sarah Corson’s great-niece, is a participant this year. She will be blogging about her experience and giving readers a glimpse of what types of appropriate technologies and community development topics are being presented, as well as a look into who some of the participants are.  A 2012 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Sarah recently directed and produced two short films, one taking first place in the 2013 Nashville Film Festival. She is currently working on her third film, a documentary about Camp Koinonia.
During the past few days, we have had the pleasure of working in the garden.

We were able to get hands-on training in the gardens.

Training-Field Study: Greens Powder – the Next Cure to World Hunger?

Our May Field Study is currently being held on SIFAT’s campus May 12-25. Sarah Murphree, SIFAT co-founder Sarah Corson’s great-niece, is a participant this year. She will be blogging about her experience and giving readers a glimpse of what types of appropriate technologies and community development topics are being presented, as well as a look into who some of the participants are.  A 2012 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Sarah recently directed and produced two short films, one taking first place in the 2013 Nashville Film Festival. She is currently working on her third film, a documentary about Camp Koinonia.

It’s simply amazing what greens can do for you. As a child, I was constantly told to eat my greens. This typically included broccoli, peas and turnips. It just so happened I fell into the one percentile range of children who actually enjoy vegetables. My brother, on the other hand, was a different story. My mother was constantly trying new methods to get him to eat his greens. Unfortunately, many of her tricks never worked. This was probably because she never tried new methods in how she served vegetables, just new incentives. Now if my mother had known anything about green powder, I can assure you my brother would have eaten his greens.

Classes on Wednesday focused on agriculture and nutrition. They were taught by Dave and Therese Kennedy of Leaf for Life and Martin Price of ECHO.