Finding Zachariah

FINDING ZACHARIAH allows you to capture the spirit of what is possible in a community garden. While this remarkable story is fiction, it is based on true events. Imagine a veteran with PTSD, who has fallen into homelessness and thinks alcohol is his only friend - only to find a true friend in a feral cat, Sebastian. Then, imagine a family suffering from losing their dad to violence.

Finally, imagine the possible healing and reconciliation that can occur when volunteers work their own "road map" to turn their lives around - with the help of compassionate humans, the feral cat, and a service dog.

Many things go on in a community garden - mulch-making, seed-planting, pollinating, irrigating, nurturing - both plants and people, and reaping a bountiful harvest.

All this can occur even in Phoenix, Arizona, where you can plant in October and January, but not in May, and where you need to add nutrients and water to the parched desert soil.

Nancy has volunteered in two community gardens. She has learned up close what makes a garden work. First, all who participate learn skills and provide nutritious food for families. Even more important, she has witnessed the rich bonds of friendship that form among the humans - and their companions - who make the community garden an integral part of their lives.