Feeding the people: two down, one to go
posted: August 15, 2008 | category: community, faith, homelessness
tags: free meals, homeless needs, hunger
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- the sky after shopping
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- Friday's breakfast
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- after the rush
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- serving it up!
My friends Tim, Janet, Steve,Vicky, Travis, Deb, Justin, Brian, Jerry, Marshall and I (and the guys from the Grace small group — sorry, I can’t remember everyone’s names!) have received lots of help from others in feeding homeless and hungry people in Greensboro yesterday and today, since the Hospitality House is closed this week. We so appreciate all the help.
Yesterday, we served eggs (purchased), pastries (donated by Simple Kneads and Great Harvest Bread), juice (purchased) and coffee (donated by Starbucks) to about 100 people. We boxed up a few leftovers and gave those out to homeless friends downtown.
This morning, we served eggs, grits, and bacon (all from an anonymous donor, plus some purchased eggs), ham (donated by D.R.E.A.M.S. Treatment Center), toast and pastries (donated by Great Harvest Bread), bananas (purchased), juice (purchased) and coffee (donated by Starbucks.) It was a big breakfast, and really delicious! We had a big group at the church, many of whom had seconds on some items. Then we boxed up what was left and went down to see more of our friends on the block (corner of Lee and Eugene Streets), where we pulled down the tailgate on my truck and handed out more food and poured up cups of coffee. When all the boxed food was gone, we headed over the downtown library, where we saw more friends and gave out the rest of the bananas and cups of coffee, and we hung out for a while and talked and reminded everybody that we’re serving dinner in that area this evening. In all, we served meals to at least 150 people, plus the folks who got just coffee and bananas. Great morning!
We got a lot of help unloading and reloading from our friends who had come to eat, and several of them will be joining us this afternoon, either to cook or to set up for the dinner. We had such a good time this morning. After everyone had a plate of food, we all sat on and around the front deck at Grace and just hung out and ate and talked before we headed out to do our “mobile meals.” It felt like it does when I’m at the beach sitting on the deck eating with my whole huge extended family,and everybody’s laughing and joking around and just enjoying being together. Because we know each other and we enjoy each other. It was real cool. I’m so glad we got to do this. Thank you, Jesus. And thank you to everyone who’s helped to make it possible.
And also, I have an even greater appreciation and respect for Miss Terry, who does the breakfast four mornings a week at Hospitality House. I’m glad she’s getting a vacation this week. She works hard! 
In a few minutes we’re going to start preparing for tonight’s dinner. I can’t wait! Want to join us? We’re cooking at the Salvation Army Church on Aycock Street this afternoon. Then we’ll serve at 6:00 p.m., outside at the downtown library. God is so good. All the time.
Here are two articles from the News & Record about what we’re doing to feed people:
» Discovering a need, blogger takes action
» Many hands get breakfast served for Greensboro’s homeless
My name and my picture are in those articles, but let’s be clear: This story is not about me. It’s about God using many hands to feed His people, and about Him letting me hang out with Him and be blessed and happy while He does what He does. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being amazed that He loves me enough to let me do this. It just overwhelms me sometimes…
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6 Responses to “Feeding the people: two down, one to go”
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G-d uses our hands to do divine work. This week, they were yours (and other weeks they are yours as well). Here’s to more weeks and more hands.
So happy for and proud of my dear friend Cara Michelle. You have a heart of gold and the intelligence to see that things get done that need doing. BB
If you would stop enabling homeless people maybe they would be able to get homes.
Sue, I heartily agree on more weeks and more hands!
Brenda, thank you so much. I just feel really blessed to be surrounded by so many people who care and work and give and join in to get it all done. It’s just great to be part of it.
Love you, Ben.
Neighborhood breakfast and supper guests aren’t the only beneficiaries of this beautiful thing; two of your friends I get to work with. Their acts of kindness bless the likes of me, too. We serve other poor in spirit types, some of whom are wealthier than most, yet unhappy. You might like to see this post, written by one of your friends.
Jonathan:
I love this line form Justin’s post:
“[Your vocation should be] the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
We should teach it to all our children from their earliest days.
I appreciate your observation about the wealthy who are “poor in spirit.” For me, they are, perhaps, the hardest to reach, because they don’t seem to know they’re in need. What a hard place to be.
Thank you for sharing with me today.
Peace and blessings to you,
Michele