Serving - Being the Lord's Hands and Feet

There is a steady cold rain coming down in the darkness of Thanksgiving evening. The big white banquet tent is holding its own again the breezes and the rain. The white tables and chairs are ready, the volunteers all have their name tags on, and are standing in their places. On top of the tables were raw vegetables, potatoes, squash, onions, to name a few. There were several bags set aside for the folks to take these home with them also.

 

MCM Founders Kenny and Vicki York

Kenny, Manna Cafe's leader started with a testimony, and a short message from the Lord about harvest and serving, about abundance, and how God loves us all, each and every one. He then led in prayer and here they came! Each person got a ticket that when they were finished would allow them to receive a bag loaded with food for the rest of the week!  As they approached the dinner line, each humbly took a ticket, then signed on the line, and got their trays.

Tonight Sweetie and I got to be a part of an amazing Thanksgiving dinner. No, we didn't eat, but we got to watch, help, interact and most of all listen. Tonight we served our fellow Clarksvillians, the homeless ones. They filed in, one by one. What was most touching to me tonight was the children. There were whole families that had no where to go, and nothing to eat. Some were wrapped in trashbags to keep the rain off, others didn't have anything, and were just glad to be in out of the cold.

Each one had a story, and we were ready to help in anyway we could. It was so touching to see, help, and sometimes share a hug with one of these precious few that are down on their luck.  These folks were looking for work, or were day laborers, there was even a family that was still displaced by the flood. It really put things in perspective as I had spent the morning listening to friends and family plan their strategies for shopping tomorrow, where all these folks were concerned about was the meal they had now, and could they please have an extra roll for in the morning. To read more about this ministry please check out: http://www.gcomchurch.com/manna-cafe-ministries .