My mini-sabbatical all started with Mark Hewitt and his mission at Love and Care Ministries. Mark recently became our new bi-vocational pastor at First Baptist Church in Baird, where my husband and I live. Dennis has been the Worship/Music Pastor there for 16 years. So, I decided that since I enjoy cooking and preparing food that they could use me to help serve at Love and Care. I had already met Janet McGee who runs the kitchen. She has helped us with some special services on the street in Baird. She’s simply amazing and tough. Plus, you must know that I have a heart for the poor and less fortunate. When I freelanced from home between 1998 and 2008, I volunteered every Thursday at the food pantry in Baird. It was a blessing to serve those people and the staff. It was a ministry I understood.
I worked from Monday through Friday the week of September 19th. Janet put me to work with Maxine. Maxine is 74 and has been working the kitchen for 13 years. She is also Mark’s aunt. I have never cut up so many potatoes and tomatoes in my life in one day. It was refreshing and exhausting all at the same time. Love and Care serves hot meals to the homeless and less fortunate every morning and at lunch. They also have food from the pantry next door for those that need a dinner or snacks, or boxed food for families.
But my job this week was to work the kitchen. It was a blessing to serve the people, loving on them and making sure they were well taken care of and respected. But the real blessing came from the crew that I worked with in the kitchen. In the kitchen there is a rotation of employees, volunteers, and those doing community service. Most were there every day. We had quite a mix of all. As I got to know each person individually, the conversations with each of them were broad and varied. We talked about God first. Then came each person’s story. All different. All intense. In the mix of all of my new friends we talked about personal trials, redeemed hearts, broken bodies, prison time, homelessness, alcoholism, drugs, homosexuality, prostitution, abusive parents, abusive spouses, death, crime, demons, hate, love, recovery, relationships, frustration, and anger. There is a lot of brokenness being repaired in this place. My love for each one of them had me in tears when I left on Friday afternoon. Missing them. My new family.
Janet, our fearless leader. She has been with the mission for 9 years.
Maxine
My kitchen peeps.
Thursday was chapel day. Mark prayed for us and gave a devotional. All who can come are invited. Blessing upon blessing in this room.
The highlight of my week was on Tuesday when I headed out with Janet and Zack Hewitt, Mark’s son. Zack is a very busy guy at Love and Care. Janet and I had prepared 75 meals in “to go” containers of baked chicken and potatoes with vegetables. The containers were packed with food. It made me happy to know we were heading out for their street ministry. Mark showed up and prayed for us before we left and told me this ride would be a blessing. The food was loaded in the truck along with 200 iced down water bottles. It was 97 degrees that day. It was 2:00 and hot. We hit the streets in their Love and Care delivery truck and headed towards the bus stop in downtown Abilene. People came in droves. Love and Care visits here often. The need is great. Everyone was appreciative, thanking us many times, blessing us. One woman came up to us hysterical, asking for pray. Janet asked me to take care of her while she kept handing out food and water. I jumped out of the truck and wrapped my arms around her. She kept yelling and crying, “Pray for me! Please pray for me! I have no purpose!” I held her head against my shoulder, whispered pray in her ear and in a couple of minutes between the shaking and crying she calmed down, looked at me, smiled and asked for a bottle of water. I thought to myself, Oh Lord what else can I do? We got her some food from the truck and she went on her way, smiling and thankful. I wanted to do more. And God’s whisper in my heart said, “You just did it.”
There are many needs on the streets. Housing. Food. Clothing. Counseling. Love. Support. Love. Love. Love. Thank you, FD, for allowing me to be a part of your mission too, because I know this ministry is also dear to your heart. I am a blessed human being to be here working for this company. Love you all. Go be the love someone needs.