ALL THE HUNGRY PEOPLE (Lisa)

We started a new little free food pantry at our church this month, I had thought excitedly of all the people this could potentially help. I pictured them hungry and in need but what I found was the first person it helped was me. I am not a person in need, in that way, but I have been in a slump and I needed a happy hook, a feel good activity and this proved to be just that.

But then… I could see it helped my husband Pat. It was a happy challenge to build this cupboard. We both held thoughts in our hearts of our daughter Claire, who lived almost 27 years but could only eat by mouth for the first six years of life. She loved to eat and we loved to feed her. Helping with this food pantry project felt like a fitting endeavor to continue honoring our girl as well. So, this project helped us both – two decidedly NOT hungry people.

But then… our grandson Mikey went shopping for the hungry people. All of 4 years old, he went to the grocery store with a Home Depot apron tied around his waist, its pockets filled with a shop list and pen, a calculator and a ten dollar bill. We had asked him what he thought hungry people would want to eat if they were very, VERY HUNGRY and he beamed a huge smile and said, Well…first of all they gotta have some fruit snacks!

His list grew from there as we casually guided him to some other options. Carefully he checked each item off on his list as he went on this scavenger hunt, excited and proud of his efforts navigating the aisles of Shoprite. Mikey practiced reading, counting and learned about dollar bills in this plastic card age but mostly he learned the joy of giving and receiving. What a gift this pantry was for him!

But then… the elderly shoppers in the grocery store who watched this excited little boy smiled so joyfully when they heard him shout out, Hungry people are gonna love this one!

But then… as we stuffed the free pantry with our goodies, we saw a sleeping hungry man on the bench and made a bag of food for him. Seeing the face of Jesus in someone who is in need and being able to be a good Samaritan to him was the greatest gift of all…

But then… I bet you can add to this story… giving IS receiving!