Students Inspired to Change

Students returning from Koinonia Farm are inspired to make changes in their lives after being part of this intentional community that highly values relationships. During their weeklong stay students lived, worshipped, and worked alongside community members committed to racial equality, economic sharing, and living in harmony with each other.

Sophomore Philip Krabill describes the community focus on peace as beautiful. “A bell rang twice each day and everyone would stop what they were doing to pray for peace. Work was important, but relationships were more important.”

Teacher Krysten Parson notes how the students quickly bought into the value of being together. “They embraced being with each other and willingly left their social media aside, learning that you don’t need social media to have community.”

Sophomore Izzy Moore confirms Parson’s observation, saying, “I was honestly happy we put aside our technology as it was key to forming relationships. I also learned to connect more with nature and God’s creation—not something I usually do. Now that I’ve returned home I plan to limit the amount of time I use technology daily and find ways to be outside in nature more.”

With her new appreciation for building relationships free of technology, Izzy hopes her family might consciously set more time (and electronics) aside to interact together, perhaps over meals or playing games. Similarly, classmate Evan Brown notes that though his family tries to share their evening meal together, he now buys into what they are doing.

Evan further describes his experience at Koininia as “eye opening” as he expanded his relationships, worldview, and faith. He says, “I was a stereotypical teenager, associating with people who acted like me and talked like me. I was able to expand my relationships and see new ideas that hopefully make me more cultured and better person.

“When I was there it was just me, God, and people—nothing to worry about. That is a gift. As I come back I want to take actions to have more of that happen in my life—making time for relationships with other people and taking quiet breaks from work to pray, read the Bible, and to grow in God.”