Seeds4HOPE: Building Resilience
By Michael C.
Depression is “a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest” (Mayo Health Clinic). “Approximately 280 million people in the world have depression” (World Health Organization). Anyone can get depression. It can come after the death of a loved one, anxiety from school, or other external circumstances. However, depression is not the end of the road. It can be battled with hope and resilience.
Ms. Kammy Downs, the drawing teacher at NorthStar, says the Seeds4HOPE project was a result of a concern she had been having about depression and suicide which had been on the rise among farmers in the Midwest over the past 35 years. She says, “My original idea was to go into small rural communities in South Central Kansas with fabric seeds asking others to draw and stitch on a fabric seed their words of hope. In the Spring of 2020 Covid unfolded and I was unable to go forward in person, so I began a Facebook event page and promoted the project there.” With Covid came a rise in depression and anxiety. Ms. Downs decided it would be good to open up the project to all interested in responding to the issue. She was able to show the beginning stages of this project at the Jones Gallery of Art in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The students of NorthStar were also invited to work on this project.
A “seed” is a cut out piece of fabric in the shape of a seed which is no longer than 6-8 inches at its widest point. The seed can be designed with any medium, whether it be markers and pencils or even embroidery stitches. The “seed” can be designed with anything that gives you hope. The designs can be abstract or concrete representations of hope. When the “seed” is finished, it is mailed to Ms. Downs, and she sows the seed into the “garden row.”
Ms. Downs says the project is so important because “I believe it gives people an opportunity to stop in their busy lives and reflect on what it is that gives them hope and keeps them resilient to trauma or depression.” This project makes people intentional about confronting depression and trauma head on instead of trying to put it in the corner. Seeds4HOPE helps people to address their own emotional resiliency. Seeds are the very perfect example of being resilient. “A seed is planted in unseen places. What we ruminate upon is also taking place within the unseen soil of our mind. A seed grows leaves, fruit, and foliage that appear in the seen arena of life while what we dwell upon in our mind becomes seen actions.”
Why is it important to take time and consider your thoughts? Well, because the Bible speaks of this very issue multiple times. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (New International Version, 2 Cor 10:5). Any evil thought that is against God is to be destroyed. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is” (Rom 12:2). We are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Paul speaks of this again in Philippians 4:8 when he says, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, admirable – think about such things” (Phi 4:8).
There are almost 80 seeds, and they have outgrown the original 20 feet fabric “garden row.” The Seeds4HOPE project has been shown at many galleries such as these: “Jones Gallery and Four Chapter Gallery both of Kansas City, MO; Moss-Thornes Gallery at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas; and NOTO gallery in Topeka, Kansas. It is scheduled to show at MidAmerica Nazarene University of Olathe, Kansas in Spring of 2024 and at Steeple of Light Gallery at Community Christian Church of Kansas City, Missouri.” This project can be shown at any church interested in exhibiting it. The churches can contact Ms. Kammy Downs at kammyLdowns@gmail.com.
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Michael C. lives in South Asia with his parents and three siblings. He is in 11th grade and has been at NSA for four years. His hobbies include working out, listening to music, and reading Stephen King books.