It started 9 months ago - word of a drought in The Horn of Africa devastating the food source, directly impacting life....

We gave money and checked it off our list... 

Then we did a Radical study with a small group and on the first night we prayed for relief (that was 6 months ago)

The study ended - we were all effected by what it means to live counter to the american dream - what it really means to live out loud for Jesus.

We talked

and talked and talked and prayed and prayed and prayed to hear God's wish for us.

Do you want to know what we heard?

God told us to love one another

He told us to be like Jesus and feed the poor

be a father to the fatherless

support the widow in her time of need

love one another

always.

We don't know what to do so we're paralyzed... 

(we - meaning me.)

I have a good job that is sucking the life out of me

that supports our family, provides medical benefits,

and has a healthy amount of time off for family!

We (meaning the hubs and I and friends who'll have this conversation) dream about moving some place to serve in far off places to people who don't know the luxuries of running water, free education, shoes.

In the meantime - while trying to 'figure it all out' our friends Heather and Kevin planned an event for our church to host.  (We do an 'On the Move' event during the 5th Sunday of the month. There are 4 a year - no formal service (hard for some to embrace) and no 'church clothes' just comfy work clothes - and requires an open heart to LOVE ALL and serve!  We've done car washes, nursing home visits, created valentines for single moms, cleaned yards, worked on cleaning roads, provided a carnival for another church to bring in the area neighborhood kids....)

Today we packed food

25cents

feeds 1 person

1 meal

we packed food!

enough to feed 252,000 people!

Heather spear-headed our community connection with 

feedingchildreneverywhere   and they heard

and came

part of the delivery

then the people came

they signed in,

they cleaned their hands and received their hair nets

there were hourly shifts so that people could make a small commitment of time and not go to far out of their comfort zone...... (some had to be told to share their spots, others wanted to volunteer!)There were hourly notices on how we were doing; 40,000 meals were packed in the first hour!

we poured the ingredients in the proper order

Himalayan salt

veggies with minerals added 

Lentils for protein

Rice

measured it out and added or subtracted if needed

These two ladies have been friends FOR-EVER!  (at least 50 years) 

friends from school came to help

Major family EVENT!

Children of all ages helped 

at all of the jobs

even if they're perfectionists

they were working to serve others

and to feed people in Kenya

Three Generations!

we started brainstorming what we could use the empty rice bags for.... tents? roof coverings?  Seriously though in a third world country these bags would not have been thrown in the dumpster, they would have been valuable for protection

boxes were being decorated and loved on

people had a chance to try out many jobs during the day

there was work for everyone to do

another perfectionist taking his work seriously

so many smiles

so many helpers, so many jobs

Listening to Kile from Feeding Children Everywhere explaining what our day means to others

Hula for Happiness stopped by and spread Joy!

UCONN and UNIV of HARTFORD students helped all day!
We were able to sample the food that we were packing and sending - it was yummy.  

many muscles were used

We finished filling enough packets to feed 252,000 people - and we were filled
filled with the warmth and love that comes when we come together to serve as God tells us  we ought to
serve the widow in her time of need
serve the poor when they are hungry

we went out to eat afterwards and Jack pulled out his hairnet

As soon has Jack pulled his hairnet out the others grabbed theirs!  They were excited to have the memento in their pocket reminding them of their day of serving!