Germany, and other German-speaking countries, have a beautiful custom called “Erntedankfest” (translated: Harvest Thanksgiving Festival). In Germany, they celebrate this on the first Sunday in October. They offer thanksgiving for the good harvest, and they implore God for His blessing for the fruits of the field.
Being a German-speaking community, with half of our number is German, we also celebrate this beautiful custom. So every first Sunday of October, we put near the altar some of our garden’s produce. And this is our experience: the more we thank God for anything and everything, the more he provides our needs. He inspires people to help us with whom we are very grateful!
So the next Tuesday after the “Ernetdankfest” Sunday, we received more than two wagons full of fresh vegetables and fruits from a nearby German parish. (Our place is at the boundary of Germany) A Foundation there collects fresh produce from some farmers and brings them to their parish; then, after the Mass, they sell them cheap to the parishioners, and the proceeds go to the mission. But because of the pandemic, there were very few churchgoers and the usual big celebration with singing and procession were dropped. Most of the goods were not sold.
What did they do? They thought of a cloister – of us. They brought all the unsold extra to our convent. We had fresh vegetables and fruits for many days, and we still gave some to our neighboring SVD Mission house. Indeed, the Lord provides for his children in many ways than we can imagine. Those who trust in the Lord, indeed, shall not be disappointed.