Jesus' Helping Hands: Hand Written Thanksgiving

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Hand Written Thanksgiving

This sweet note comes from a couple whom we also have the pleasure of attending church with. They are such a great example of selflessness. A friend of Sue's came up to one of our staff members at one of our Thanksgiving Basket giveaways to tell us what a small world it is. She told us that she had called Sue, knowing of Sue and Ole Man's struggles with money, earlier in the evening to tell her that she had heard of place giving away food baskets for Thanksgiving. She had offered to bring Sue along so that she might also get a food basket, but Sue turned the lady down and said that she had already made a commitment to help with a ministry at church that night. Of course when the lady arrived at Harvest View Church, where we were distributing the baskets, the first people she saw working were Ole Man and Sue.

I'm sure it almost goes without saying that Ole Man and Sue went home with their own Thanksgiving meal after helping that night, and fast forwarding a year and half later Ole Man and Sue are doing better financially and haven't needed as much assistance with food.
Don't you just love stories like this?

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Our Story

In the early 90's Joel Reed, Founder of Jesus' Helping Hands, saw a need in the Kittrell community and decided to meet that need. Over the next 20 years his woodworking shop transformed into a large food and household good warehouse from which countless area families have received food, household supplies, clothing, hygiene items, and more. In the early days 30 foot trailers of food were unloaded by the hands of as many volunteers as could be found until the exciting day the ministry acquired its first fork lift. Over the last 20 years the entire Reed family has helped and participated in the ministry as well as many many volunteers, youth groups, churches, and organizations like the local girl scouts. Who knew throwing boxes of food could build such strong relationships and be so much fun!?

The Star Thrower

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!"

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!"

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea.

— Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley