The Journey to Gosheni
Since 2015, GHMI has brought healing and hope to hundreds of East African Refugees through the Hope Community Farm, previously located at Iroquois off Bicknell Ave. The farm integrated education, organic farming and cross-cultural therapy to address trauma & mental health issues, isolation, loneliness and chronic illnesses.
In partnership with Louisville Grows and Louisville Housing Authority, Seven acres on Bicknell Avenue near Taylor Blvd. were turned into gardens that provided therapy, sense of purpose, exercise, food and jobs for a group of refugees. “Most of the refugees are from the Congo and Central Africa and they’ve come to Louisville and many of them don’t have the language skills they need to find employment, so this garden project, among others is a way they can get involved in something and also make a little bit of money and feel connected to this community and to the earth,” said Valerie Magnuson, who served as the director of Louisville Grows in 2015.
In September 2021, the Louisville Metro Housing Authority voted to redevelop the land, previously leased by GHMI, into housing, requiring GHMI to seek new property. This is where the journey to Gosheni begun. After scouting around, GHMI identified 19 acres of land on Lees Lane.
In 2023, thanks to the generosity of our friends, partners and donors, GHMI purchased the land. The land has been named Gosheni, the kinyarwanda name for Goshen, a biblical reference to the fertile land that was set apart and spared when the plagues struck Egypt, allowing the Israelites to be safe and flourish. (Exodus 8:18).
The property will serve as GHMI Land of Healing & Wholeness. The land is dedicated to farming organically. Gosheni will serve as an income generating initiative providing training, skills development, and practical resources to encourage, empower and educate refugees to positive sustainable changes. GHMI also envisions the construction of the Gosheni Community Outreach Center. The outreach center will house a prayer & spiritual retreat space, offer culturally sensitive holistic adult & youth services, and provide a safe house for vulnerable girls & women.
In the News:
Plans made to redevelop site of old Iroquois Homes into mixed-income housing News wdrb.com.mp4
Local groups envision creating urban garden, farm in Shively Wdrb-video wdrb.com.mp4
