Holiday Food Drive

The idea came to me during staff worship a week or two before Thanksgiving. We had been discussing helping those in need, and I decided our school should host a holiday food drive. We put boxes in every classroom and got the students involved. Food came pouring in. Lots of Spam and various canned vegetables. (Cuz' nothing says happy holidays like a can of mechanically separated pork.) By the last day of school before Christmas break we had collected several large boxes of food. On to step 2 of a food drive: passing along the donations to those who need it.

 Quick flash back to a couple months ago. While standing in line at our bank, Jean (our school registrar) and I made friends with a lady who was standing in line with us. The lines here are always long and slow, so we had plenty of time to become acquainted. Jillian is a reporter at our news station, and since becoming friends with her on Facebook she has become one of my sources for news on this island. About a week ago Jillian posted a tragic story. A mother and three kids had lost their home to a fire that day and she was looking for help for them. After reading her post I got the family’s phone number and called them up. The mother came by the office today to pick up a box of food. Just before she arrived I printed out the last part of Matthew Ch. 6 on a card and put it in the box.

25 “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are far more important than what to eat and wear. 26 Look at the birds! They don’t worry about what to eat—they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food—for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than they are. 27 Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t He more surely care for you?

31-32 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, 33 and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.

34 “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.”

This afternoon I got a text from her thanking me again for the food, and also for the card. I didn't do much, I just shared some Bible verses I hoped would be encouraging. Her text told me that it had made a difference. They weren't just words, they were hope. It wasn't just a box of food, it was an answer to prayers. Its a blessing to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and this was by far the greatest gift I received this Christmas.