The Grey Pages with Brave Cities S2E20 Love the Soil, Love the Work
– Lessons from Senegal with Joel Repic
In this special episode of the Grey Pages podcast, Joel Repic joins the team live from Senegal to share a deeply moving reflection on mission, suffering, and the slow, faithful cultivation of Kingdom ecosystems. What begins as a simple story about a fruit orchard becomes a rich metaphor for prophetic work in hard soil—spiritual, cultural, and literal.
Joel recounts his time with a Senegalese pastor and his wife—pioneering believers in their tribe—who have built a refuge, a youth center, a school, and an orchard in one of the most difficult contexts imaginable. Together, the team explores what it means to fall in love with the process, to work with your hands, and to find hope not in the results, but in the slow, faithful labor of love.
From aquaponics systems in Tampa to mango trees in Senegal, this conversation is a testament to those who plant where the ground is dry, who water with tears, and who stay even when there's little fruit—because they love the soil and the people on it.
Topics Covered:
- The slow work of Kingdom ecosystems in hard places
- Why some of the most faithful work bears fruit far down the road—or not at all
- Learning from suffering, not success, in global mission
- The healing power of working with your hands
- Empire vs. Kingdom thinking: Results-driven vs. process-loving work
- Aquaponics as a parable for community-building
- Apostolic foundations and generational thinking
- Why “loving the process” might be the most sustainable posture for mission
A Few Quotes:
“He doesn’t just love results—he loves the soil and the people who live on it.”
“It’s not normal for beautiful things to grow quickly.”
“You might have to cut down the very tree you spent ten years tending.”
“Kingdom work is everywhere. You’ll find Jesus in it—I promise.”
Who This Episode is For:
Mission workers, church planters, social entrepreneurs, anyone doing hard work in dry places, and all who need a reminder that slow faithfulness matters more than quick fruit.