*Food* for Thought

With the holiday season fast approaching it’s easy to get caught up in making our Christmas lists, planning family gatherings, and stocking up on stretchy pants for all the over eating we intend to do, but what about those who don’t know where that next meal will come from? Recently, at Jesus’ Helping Hands, we had visitors from Feed The Children. For many years we’ve been blessed to work with these fine folks and they wanted to spend some time with us meeting some of the families and children we serve. As we drove around the Kittrell community talking with various families there a few questions that each parent we talked to were asked. Is food a struggle for you? Do you ever run out? Do you ever go to bed hungry? Do your kids ever go to bed hungry? How would things be for you without the food pantry?  And if the questions alone weren't enough… there had to be answers…“I go to bed hungry but I never let my kids. Sometimes we run out and have to ask for help. I use coupons and a calculator to get 2 weeks out of my food stamps. If it weren't for Mr. Reed I don’t know what we would do.” We were only able to visit with a fraction of the families that regularly receive food from JHH, but I imagine more than we would like to think have similar struggles. What a reality check right? As bad as life can seem at times how often have you gone to bed hungry (without being on a diet)? How often have your kids had to share a lean cuisine just to have something to eat for dinner? How many of us wonder if this will be our last holiday season with our families? Recently we received this message from one of our regular families: "I have been really sick an my daughter is here with wayne an i, we really need help this month i have nothing all our money has been for gas an boost an ensure they think the cancer has returned want know for sure till next week . But i was wondering if we could come in the morning my fever broke last night an i can bring my daughter with me she lost her job to come help me an wayne . It seems the holidays are harder every year but we have faith to get us through them i got four people adults here an i cant pay them an they are taking care of wayne an me , please keep us in your prayers an we would line to come for your holiday services i dont know if this is going to be my last holiday , but can we come in the morning . I want u to know you have really made a difference in our lives an we would be honored to come to your service if u will pri nt me up a schedule i cant remember yuesterday anymore , i am scared i am not afraid to go but i dont want to leave wayne an he is my strength . God bless you an your good heart it means so much. Linda wayne i got four adults an three kids but we not alone , they can eat so much an my daughter with my guide ce can cook . Hope this finds you an yours well ...." 

Need to soak in that for a minute?

This month Harvest View Church will be joining forces with Jesus’ Helping Hands to provide a Thanksgiving meal kit to 100 Kittrell families. This kit will contain all the fixins for a traditional Thanksgiving meal from the turkey all the way to the pumpkin pie. We love this annual opportunity to partner with our home church where volunteers serve them coffee, sit and talk and pray with families as they wait to get their food box, and then help hand out the boxes. This meal may give them happy bellies, but what an incredible opportunity to show them love… to show them Jesus. Dinner rolls are great, but the bread of life is greater.