Peacehaven Farm: Nurture, Grow, Renew
by Jeff
Saw my good friend Buck Cochran this morning. Buck is executive director of Peacehaven Farm- a community for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Buck had long had an interest in people with disabilities and in the ministry of L’Arche communities. L’Arche is a well-known community founded by Jean Vanier. Later, Henri Nouwen (Life of the Beloved; In the Name of Jesus; The Wounded Healer) joined when he left Harvard Divinity School.
I was talking to a friend when Buck stopped by. The friend asked, “So, is this a rehabilitative model?” I blurted out attempting to be the star pupil, “No, its the ‘do you love me’ model! Buck smiled and said, “Exactly!”. We got a good laugh out of it. “Do you love me?” was a phrase from Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus.
Peacehaven Farm is inspired by the family members of the farm’s leaders: Tim and Susan Elliott, and Buck Cochran. All are parents of children with special needs. They have experienced the joys, the heartaches, the quest to “fix”, and the awe and wonderment of having someone they love with intellectual disabilities become all they were meant to be.
The farm is locted in Whitsett, NC and I look forward to visiting with Elle and Aiden. Who knows, maybe I’ll get to drive the tractor!
