Have any of you ever had a lazy Sunday where the Holy Spirit “nudged” you in a direction different than you wanted to go? Well, that happened on a mid-September Sunday to the directors of the Hope Center Food Pantry. Here’s how it unfolded, as told by Directors Chris and Janice.
Refreshing Water for the Thirsty
This particular Sunday, it was HOT! Plus, it was sticky HUMID! We got done with church, and all we wanted to do was head home to our comfortable air conditioning. But we had done some grocery shopping the previous day and decided to swing by Hope Center Pantry to unload it. No sooner had we backed up to the delivery door than a gentleman appeared around the corner and asked us if we could spare a bottle of water for him. We told him to give us a minute, and we’d bring it around to the client delivery door. We keep water in the refrigerator at the pantry for our volunteers, and we were so happy that we had something cool and refreshing to offer him. When we brought it out, we realized that he was with two other guys who asked for water. They were obviously homeless.
Pre-Packed Bag of Food for the Hungry
After we delivered water to all of three of them, they asked us if we had any food that we could share with them. They were SO HUNGRY! It seemed wrong to tell them to return the next day at 1pm when the pantry was officially open. We just came from church, and it didn’t seem very Christian-like to turn them away! So, we registered them as new pantry clients and gave them each a pre-packed bag that we have ready for our non-sheltered clients. They were beyond ecstatic as they rifled through their bags and saw so many great food options. They joked around that all they needed was a picnic table. We told them they were welcome to stay and eat at the pantry. They did just that. They situated themselves under a tree in the berm and enjoyed their feast!
Assisting Those Experiencing Homelessness
We may have taken a detour to the pantry at the last minute, but there was no doubt the Holy Spirit made sure we were just where we were needed most! Hope Center Pantry serves people who have varied needs, including those experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. To assist Hope Center Pantry in its mission to serve, guide, empower and support those in need, please consider donating money, nonperishable food, garden produce, or personal hygiene supplies. Check out our Wish List for ideas.