Book Review: A Place at the Table. Miranda Harris and Jo Swinney. And:Planted by Leah Kostmo.

These two books both deserve a blog to themselves but they also, I thought, go well together.

They were the first two books I read on A Rocha. Most would go to those by Peter Harris or Dave Bookless (I’ve now those as well)…..but I’m glad I read these first. Together they gave me an inspiring and different insight into the heart of A Rocha.

A Place at the Table is partly written by Jo Swinney and partly by Miranda Harris. Jo, an established author, is the daughter of Miranda. Miranda died in an horrific car accident in 2019, on her final trip before retirement from A Rocha. Also in the car was Chris (Chris was the then Executive Director of A Rocha) and Susanna Naylor – his wife. They both died also. Peter, Miranda’s husband, survived. More written about this traumatic and tragic event here.

Jo had to manage the shock, trauma and grief in losing her mother (Miranda) while caring for her father, who was in intensive care, in a completely different continent from her home.

Miranda had always talked about writing a book. Within months of her death Jo,

partly at the behest of her father, was bravely piecing together much of her writing and diary entries and notes from old talks and bringing them life in this book. That context alone, warrants some attention!

So the book is part biographical of Miranda, part an expose of the heart of A Rocha, part a record of their family time growing up in Cruzindha, Portugal where her parents moved to and founded A Rocha.

The wording is soft, almost poetic, insightful, challenging yet hospitable. It is also a brilliantly structured book based across the different themes of hospitality. You manage to track the insights, the personality of Miranda, the experiences of Jo, and the history of A Rocha.

Crucially, for me, it honours both her mother and the ‘traditional feminine’ role of meals and hospitality: the care taken to think through the ingredients, the importance of blowing the budget on a welcoming table, the love of preparation, the fellowship of sharing food together and how that shaped the culture of A Rocha. So finally the book honours a vital heart of A Rocha that you don’t find so strongly in those of Peter and Dave: (I’ll get round to their reviews soon) – community, togetherness, welcome….hospitality.

I’ve listed below some of my best quotes but, if your still not convinced then consider that this book has recently won more than won award including the prestigious ‘Nautilus Award’ (I’d never heard of it either) but the Dalai Lama was a previous winner!

The second book I read was ‘Planted’ by Leah Kostamo.

Leah – was co-founder of A Rocha in Canda and tells both the story of founding A Rocha while explaining the heart, the essence and theology behind it.

Both Miranda and Leah co-founded their respective centres with their husbands. At the risk of offending gender views again - I would say this book also captures an important element of A Rocha - the mothers heart.

Just as Rach would describe the raising of our children with equally valuable but different insights to me so Leah’s recollections and insights are equally valuable and needed and so I think these books hold something important for A Rocha.

This book covers, through their personal story, the theology, justice issues, food, simple living, love of nature……..not just the work of conservation!! So they give you a holistic feel…you might say ‘integral ecological mission’!

Jo draws out the hospitality her mother brought to the team, the meal times, the preparation, the washing up, the sharing and Leah speaks about the impact of the work she experienced on her young family. Both lean into the Biblical basis and theological underpinnings but in a digestible way as it intersects with the story.

It is littered with inspiring stories, faith-stretching moves, great quotes, biblical references you’ve never met before, ‘God-coincidences’ and for the charismatics and sceptics amongst us this one story from Leah blew my mind:

An intern felt like God was saying ‘I have a surprise for you today.’ As she was monitoring a fish-trap she felt, again, God say: ‘Here’s your surprise’. She then pulled a fish called: ‘Salish Sucker’ – an endangered species not found in that river for over 30 years and considered ‘extirpated’. This ‘find’ by a humble but spirit lead intern turned out to be highly significant and boosted the profile of A Rocha in the Canadian science and conservation world.

Leah summed the story like this: ‘Sure, I believe, as that old song goes, that ‘His eye is on the sparrow.’ And when it comes to endangered species I am easily convinced that his eye is on the Panda and tiger…..but on the Salish Sucker? A bottom-feeding, wide-mouthed fish with big lips? Gods eye is on such an ignoble unattractive creature?’

But that story also takes us to the heart of A Rocha: ‘The earth is the Lords and everything in it!’ (Psalm 24 vs 1) And if we love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul – then even the Salish Sucker must be important to us, caring for it a beautiful expression of worship….because God created that also! And finally, I suspect Jesus also had this in mind when he commanded us to ‘preach good news to all creation.’ [Not just the human race] (Mark 16.15)

Ed Sept 23

PS oh - and if he cares that much for a Salish Sucker – how much more will he care for you?

Both books produced lots of kindle highlights. Here are some of my favourite:

Place at the Table:

What God makes deserves our attention. What God makes deserves our attention.

Prepare me as I prepare this meal.

Being so closely involved with the raw material of nature is always a profoundly moving experiences and often a source of healing.’

‘Eat, drink and be glad’ Ecclesiastes 8

The most destructive form of conflict is the kind we pretend we are not having, the kind that goes underground and leaches into the water table.’

‘Death would not be so bitter were it not that love makes life so sweet. Nor would death inspire such fear and dread were it not that it cuts us off from those whom we love and who we love.’

Planted:

‘Humility permeates A Rocha culture. There is nothing grandiose about what they do – it is all local, personal, relational, hospitable.’

‘When we try and pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.’ John Muir.

‘Integration of belief and life…they loved God, the loved people, and they loved creation. Theology found legs in their work.’

‘I care not for a mans religion if his dog and cat are not the better for it.’ Abraham Lincoln.

‘Everything is phenomenal, everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.’