November 25, 2010: Our First Thanksgiving Party!

Today marks a hallmark for what we have been doing for two years. Since the beginning my wife and I desired for the ministry to be completely mobile. We work out of our cars and meet the homeless at their stations and their places to feed them. We enjoyed getting our family and others involved in serving the community by moving our feet. This year was different. We decided that we will plant in the middle of Hemphill community. With Southside Church of Christ and Steve Cloer (preaching minister) to help we were able to allocate a home base. We set the date to be November 25,2010 at 4:30p. We decided that dinner would start with the football game.

The numbers came slowly at first. We were able to hit around 10-15 before 4:30pm. From 4:30-6:30p we got close to 30. The numbers were coming in, but the donations and help we had were immense. With well over 50 volunteers and more than enough food, we decided we'd go back to our roots. We went ahead and launched several vehicles into Hemphill. Our first few stops included feeding families of 8, 7, and then 4. Several families couldn't get out of the cold and several did not want to enter the building. We served them anyway. We're glad that Suzanne and her husband came. Her husband had a slight seizure but nothing to worry about.

Our last stop was to head to Lancaster St. There we helped round 25-30 more homeless guys get clothes and food. We had alot of leftover food. Here we took the food the next day to Union Gospel Mission so they could use it. Overall we fed close to 70-80 people. It was a grand success, because God used us all to do something for the needy. I am glad we have been able to be the hands and feet God wants us to be, and how His Son modeled to us on this earth. There is no greater movement than that of the Holy Spirit who guides us and gives us the peace we need.

I'll leave this blog with a post from Shannon, who was one of our volunteers, "While the homeless were eating their meal and watching the Cowboys game, I was asked, "what difference are you making here?" My answer is that honestly, I don't know. But I do know that Jesus said that when I serve the least of these, I am serving Him. And I get no greater joy than looking into the eyes of the homeless people I come in contact with and knowing that by loving on them, I am serving my Jesus. It's not for me to know what difference I'm making. I only need to be obedient to my God and leave the results in His capable hands." - Shannon Ely.