Celebration of Christmas

Last Tuesday was our Christmas celebration at Food for Life. Of course, celebrating Christ's birth was the primary focus of the teaching time and singing. Angie Gould sang "Emmanuel, God With Us." It was a beautiful song talking about the call upon Christians to live out the love of God to a hurting world at Christmas time. Then Paul read the passage from Luke about Christ's birth.

The gospel message was clearly presented, and a young lady named Wynn prayed a prayer of salvation. She is on the street and is a drug addict. She started talking to Angie after the teaching time about her struggles, and when asked if she would like to call out to God for salvation, she responded positively and prayed. Our hope is that her conversion was genuine and that God will deliver her from her addiction and provide her with a home.

After dinner, many Christmas presents and raffle prizes were given out. A couple of local, Christian businessman as well as FFL provided funds to pay for three homeless people to be able to stay in hotel rooms for one week. What a Christmas blessing for those people! Rico actually won a hotel room, but since he is not homeless he generously gave the room to another man living on the streets. Rico's face beamed with delight at the opportunity to be a blessing to another person. He personally thanked us for giving him the opportunity to give his raffle prize away. FFL was also able to give $10 gift cards to Bi-Lo, McDonalds, and Arby's as raffle prizes, and a couple of kind ladies prepared gift bags for everyone.

Precious children and their mother were also with us for the yummy, Christmas dinner, and we were able to give them Christmas gifts since their mother shared that the family was struggling to provide gifts for the children this year. Apparently her husband is on disability, and she stays home with her three children, so money is extremely scarce.

It was a wonderful Christmas celebration. We had lots of new volunteers from a local church, over 30 volunteers in all. We were also able to give out 130 plates full of ham, potatoes, green beans, and more.

Because of Christmas and New Years Day being on Tuesdays, we will not be meeting for Food for Life again until January 8.

~Charity

Make a Joyful Noise

The Bible tells us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Psalm 100). Singing is a way to show praise and gratitude for all God has done for us. David, aka "Know Body", (that is the name he insisted we use) has his own way of expressing that joyful noise.

We were all encouraged this week by answered prayers for the fragile lady that we had mentioned in two previous posts. On two separate occasions we tried to help her but at the last minute she rejected our help. She seemed to be influenced by her husband who kept her from making better choices. This week she came in sober and informed us that she was staying at the Salvation Army and was on the road to recovery. It seems that her husband was in jail which allowed her to seek physical and Spiritual help. Praise God.

Again this week we were blessed to have 44 volunteers of which 32 were from Word of Life Ministries in Simpsonville. It was so rewarding to see how friendly our volunteers were to all of our friends as they served 77 meals. Word of Life again provided bags of necessities for each person as they left at the end of the night. Many said that they were especially thankful for the clean socks in each packet. It is very difficult to keep your feet warm and dry on the street.

I gave one of my homeless friends a ride to where he sleeps under a bridge. He said he was so tired, he didn't feel like he could walk the 3 miles from Triune Mercy Center. Please continue to pray for him and others who are under the heavy bondage of sin and that God would supernaturally change their hearts and lives for His glory.

Each week we can make a joyful noise to the Lord for answered prayers and thankfulness for what God is doing in changing each of us as we minister to our homeless friends in Greenville.

~Marc

Making Connections

It has been Paul's dream since the conception of Food for Life for the ministry to one day have a building of its own and to have partnerships with local churches that share our biblical beliefs and heart for ministry. God alone knows when the ministry will have a building of its own, but during the last few months we have been able to make some connections with churches that did not previously know of the ministry.

A few weeks ago Brookwood Community Church brought their youth group and provided special music. The next week the youth group from North Hills came and ministered. North Hills has eagerly partnered with us as a church body, which is an answer to the prayer of Paul's heart. This past week Word of Life Ministry from Simpsonville came and brought kids of all ages to help serve, and even though Word of Life is a relatively small church, they were able to collect 60 coats to give to those in need. I considered that to be a stunning number of coats brought in just one week. They also put together little baggies filled with gloves, hats, soap, and cards that the children had made themselves. The cards were the most special gifts of all, in my opinion. This time of year is my most favorite time of year, as it is for so many Americans who have friends and family surrounding them with lovingkindness. However, for most people, if it is not their most favorite time of year, it is because it is actually their least favorite time of year. For many, it is a time in which they remember the loved ones which they have lost to broken relationships or to death. They see families all around them building memories and creating traditions, and it is as if they are looking through a window, and they are on the outside. When we reach out to them in personal ways, it is in a small way an opportunity to invite them into our world so that they are not just on the outside looking in.

We have also had sprinklings of volunteers from other local churches, which is helping us to make other connections. We have in fact had so many volunteers in this Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season that it has been hard to make sure that they have all felt connected. It is our desire that volunteers will realize that even if there is not a need for them to help prepare or serve the food, there is always a need for them to take a plate of food and sit down and share their lives with the homeless or destitute. It would be wonderful if we had 60 volunteers and 60 homeless people, because that would be an opportunity for every volunteer to make a connection with at least one individual in need on a personal level. God can use those relationships built to change the lives of those who have never experienced mentorship or positive role models.

We are thankful to have served 80 meals this week with the help of about 35 volunteers. Our prayer is that God will bless the relationships being built.

~Charity

On the Road to Romans

The crucifixion, the greatest sacrifice ever made for those in need, was the theme this week at Food for Life. In conjunction with Paul's teachings from Romans 12, it was decided that portions of the crucifixion as portrayed in "The Passion of Christ" would be shown instead of having a time of teaching.

Christ's brutal death on the cross must be at the forefront of our minds as we ponder Romans 12:1, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." We must see with understanding the crucifixion, in all its gore and glory, to be able to stand "in view of God's mercy." As we understand the great sacrifice of Christ, which not only paid the price for our sin but continues to be the power that can deliver us from our daily trappings, we realize that the power of the crucifixion is necessary in all of our lives. It is the power that will deliver those who cry out to God in faith for deliverance from their addictions. It is the power that will enable an irresponsible, lazy, unmotivated street-dweller to become a hard-working, self-supporting citizen with great faith. It is also the power that will enable those of us who have been so richly blessed with earthly comforts and spiritual enlightenment to reach out to the unlovelies of the world with an outstretched hand of kindness, a hand that will not be withdrawn because of mistakes made, but one that will to continue to reach out in kindness and mercy because of the call on our lives to "share with God's people who are in need" and "practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13).

Following the heart-piercing portrayal of the sacrifice of Christ, the crowd was led in the singing of "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus." It is interesting to think about how eager we as Christians can sometimes be to move away from the old hymns and be drawn to songs that are new and fresh, assuming that the words of old cannot speak to our hearts. Yet we often find words of great depth in those old hymns, written by writers whose hearts were full of a love for Scripture and the sacrifice of Christ. "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh! precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus."

The fragile lady that I wrote about last week came back this week. Once again she seemed broken and desperate for help. She cried and spoke of her need to get off of the street, but once again her husband, the one that should be her protector, was hovering over her shoulder, intimidating her from making helpful choices. Sandy sat with her during the showing of the movie, hoping to provide some comfort and to later share words of understanding. Last week, help had been offered, and she had rejected that help. This week, Sandy had hopes that this helpless lady would be ready to enter rehab and break free from her chains, welded together by unhealthy relationships. Yet, those chains were stronger than the hope for freedom. Before help could be given, she was gone, led astray and drawn into darkness, the darkness of the night and the darkness of sin. Please pray for her chains to be broken and for the light of Christ to shine brightly in her life. Pray that she realizes that the only relationship that she can rely upon is a relationship with Christ.

We were blessed to have many volunteers again, nearly 30, and we were able to serve 109 warm meals as an act of kindness.
~Charity

Thanksgiving, A Time to Be a Blessing

Thanksgiving is a time to ponder all of the blessings in our lives with grateful hearts, but it is also a time to think of ways that we can be a blessing to others. Last night we were surprised to have many volunteers that had never come to Food for Life before, along with many volunteers from our very own church, North Hills Community Church. Our volunteers numbered 40 in all.

It was interesting to hear how some of last night's volunteers came to hear about Food for Life's ministry. Two ladies whom I met are taking a class on understanding poverty, and a fellow classmate of theirs, a lady I recently met, had told them about Food for Life. These two ladies came for the very first time to lend a helping hand. We also had a variety of people from North Hills, including some of the members of the youth group, who volunteered to provide some special music and share a couple of testimonies. In addition, Paul's aunt and uncle came and participated, and it was lovely having them, as we are always thankful to share the experience with our family members.

The kitchen volunteers prepared a lovely, Thanksgiving meal. We had a turkey dinner, complete with all the trimmings and dessert. In all we were able to serve 120 meals. Many volunteers were able to grab a turkey dinner and share the meal with the homeless and impoverished partakers.

It is sometimes stunning when the strength of addiction and unhealthy relationships is realized. A woman with tears in her eyes and a worn out appearance came to hear the Bible study and partake in the Thanksgiving meal. She has been to Food for Life many times before. At one time she actually worked at the Triune Mercy Center and had a place to live off of the street. However, because of reasons that I am not currently aware of, she lost her job, and consequently, her home. As it turns out, when she was doing so well, her husband was in prison. When he got out and she was reunited with him, she became influenced negatively. Upon losing her job, she turned to alcohol for comfort.

As she sat and shared her story, she could hardly hold back the tears. She shared that she has recently been sick and that staying on the street has been making her weary. She seemed to desperately desire to have a dry, warm place to stay, and her story and sad eyes tugged at the heartstrings of those who listened. Paul and I discussed what we could do for her and decided that we would offer to put her up for the night in a hotel. When I shared this news with her, she could hardly speak, the tears filled her eyes and words could not be found.

Paul decided to try to find out a little bit about her situation, and after asking some questions became very convicted that she is being badly influenced and possibly even placed in dangerous situations because of her husband and her brother, who apparently are addicts as well. He felt the need to warn her of the the dangers of these detrimental influences before he took her to the hotel. She stood and listened to everything that he said, admitting that his statements were true. Denial was not a part of her response, but instead she was in agreement that she was placing herself in some unhealthy and dangerous situations.

After his talk with her, he left her standing outside, where he thought she would continue waiting for us to finish cleaning up so that he could take her to the hotel. To our surprise, when we walked outside ready to take her, she was gone. Without a word, she had disappeared with those two men, her family members, who somehow drew her into the darkness to chase the cravings of their souls, cravings that will one day destroy their lives if the light of Christ does not lift them from the abyss in which they choose to dwell.

Please pray for a miracle, one that only God can do.

We would like to say a special word of thanks to all those who helped to make last night special. Most importantly, thanks be to God for saving all of us from darkness and shining His light into our lives.

~Charity

A Caring Community

Deborah Reading Ps 25:4-6


This week at Food for Life we had several touching experiences. A youth group came and ministered, a man far from home was able to get a bus ticket, a woman in need of kerosene for heat experienced provision, and a birthday celebration took place.

We were pleased to have the youth group from Brookwood Church come and spend time getting to know those who attend Food for Life's weekly Bible study, and they also came early and set up their sound equipment so that the youth band could provide the music for worship. In addition to providing the music, one of the youth shared his testimony. Paul and I were touched by the sweet spirits of the young men and women in the Brookwood youth group. They were not shy about sitting down and sharing a meal and their lives with the homeless or poor, something many people struggle to feel comfortable doing.

A new face graced us this week, someone who Paul felt led to help. A man with a story of addiction and prison came with a heavy heart, expecting little more than a plate of food, but pleased to also find a listening ear. As Paul heard his story about how he had been gripped by addiction and lost so much due to his own negative choices, Paul's heart was touched as he heard the man share about how long it had been since he had been home to Arizona and about how he longed to find a way to get back there again some day. Paul shared with a few of the volunteers that he felt led to provide a bus ticket to Arizona for this man as an act of kindness, and only moments later, one dear, faithful volunteer walked up and gave a $100 bill to provide the means for the ticket. The look on the man's face when he heard the joyful news revealed a heart of a gratitude for an act of kindness he had not expected.

Soon after the meals had been served, a woman who is often referred to as CoCo revealed a need for some kerosene to keep her heater running. It was touching how the volunteers stepped in to make sure that her needs were met. Paul's parents volunteered to go get the kerosene, a task that proved more difficult than they had expected. Marc and Bonnie had to go to several places in search of a container, and as they entered Lowes, which was to be the last place that they would try, the store was closing, and Bonnie got left outside as Marc made it through the door by the skin of his teeth. They quickly left with the container to go fill it with kerosene, and when the container was full, the price came to the exact amount of money given by another volunteer, ten dollars.

Lastly, I wish to share the story of a beautiful, birthday celebration. Deborah is someone who has attended the Bible study for years, and I have personally spent a good deal of time getting to know her during my time at Food for Life. She shared with me a couple of weeks ago that her 45th birthday was going to be on November 12, so I eagerly considered what I could do to show her how much we care and make this a special birthday memory. When I saw her on Tuesday, the day after her birthday, I asked her what she had done or if anything special had happened. She said that she made herself a cake. When I asked if she had received any gifts, she said no, that even the card that she had received from her church in years past had not come this year. After her tutoring session, we gathered all of the volunteers upstairs, which numbered 32 in all, and invited Deborah to join us. As we broke into song, wishing her a "Happy Birthday," and gave her the gift of a new coat, tears filled her eyes. She looked as if her heart was overwhelmed, but what she did not know was that our hearts were overwhelmed as well.

This Thanksgiving season, we have much to be thankful for, and seeing their faces each Tuesday reminds us of our blessings and the need to be a blessing to others.

We were pleased to serve 120 meals with the help of 32 volunteers for which we were deeply thankful.

Next week we look forward to serving a yummy turkey dinner.:)

Please continue to pray that in God's timing we will have a building of our own from which to serve.

~Charity

K5 Help Homeless

Jesus said unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3).

I think children naturally have a compassionate heart for the less fortunate. Last week God used Anthony to help the K5 children of North Hills Community Church share their compassion for the homeless of Greenville.

Anthony has been a faithful volunteer for Food for Life on Tuesday nights. He has a heart to help people in need and encourage others do the same thing. He started a Homeless on Tuesday group on facebook to develop more interest and support for the ministry. This group has 80 members and refers about 60% of the traffic to our weekly blog.

*

A couple of week ago, I shared with him a comment by a homeless guy how even a child could perform a simple act of kindness that could mean so much to the homeless. He thought it was a great idea and decided to get the 5 year old children from our church involved in this ministry. The following is how Anthony enlisted the children to minister to the homeless of Greenville.

.

~Marc

.
As written by Anthony,

.
Two weeks ago the K5 children of North Hills Community Church were pleased to be involved in Food for Life’s weekly ministry. A friend of mine and his wife teach the K5 junior church service there. Through conversations about the ministry it eventually came up that it would be fun to get the children involved somehow. After reading in a blog run by a homeless man in Nashville about how receiving a bag filled with simple things that we take for granted can have a great impact on someone who has nothing. These simple things included items like toothbrushes, soap, razors, and other mundane items, the kinds of things that we can’t function without but think absolutely nothing about how easy it is for us to buy them. These bags are inexpensive and simple to put together.

As always, God is fully in control and had a plan for the children as well. It just so happened that the lessons in the junior church classes had been focusing on simple basics like home, family, and school and how God is related to each one. This week’s lesson was on Food. The passage was from Exodus 16 where the children of Israel are complaining about being in the wilderness and were willing to go back into bondage because they didn’t think their needs were being provided for adequately. How God showed His love and patience for the children of Israel by providing for their basic needs in the form of manna and quail. The children were able to have the opportunity to not only see how God provides, but how by providing for someone in need we can show the Love of Christ to someone else. Most children do not realize that there are people right here in Greenville that don’t have the basic necessities of life we so often take for granted. The children were able to see how caring for the homeless is showing the love of Christ, just as God was showing his love and protection for the children of Israel in the wilderness. Each child packed his/her own bag and wrote a personal message (or picture) for whoever would receive it. It was such a blessing to see children learning the joys of serving and caring for someone less fortunate at such an early age. My hope is that this brief exposure to such a great need will yield softer hearts later in life.

.

~Anthony

*

This Tuesday we were privileged to serve 80 meals with the help of 20 volunteers.

Wayne's World

For about two years, a clean-cut gentlemen with a colorful personality named Wayne has been attending Food for Life and building a relationship with Paul. On Tuesday night I spent some time getting to know a little bit about Wayne's World.

Alabama is the place Wayne called home prior to coming to Greenville. His childhood was a difficult one, with parents who struggled with addictions and a father who was abusive, primarily to his mother. While living in Alabama as an adult, he maintained a full-time job and had a small home and a wife. His job involved working for a family who hired him to be a household assistant, a jack of all trades. His wife came to the Greenville area because her family lived here and wanted her with them, and Wayne left Alabama to follow her with hopes that he could keep his marriage together, even though he saw it drawing to a close. He soon realized that his marriage was not going to be salvaged, and during the process of walking through his divorce, he lost his job and his home. He then found himself living on the streets, with hopes of one day getting off of the streets and back in a home.

Wayne has been homeless for as long as Paul has known him. He finds employment on a day by day basis at Labor Finders. This is a temp agency that employs by the day and pays by the day. The daily payment appeals to many street dwellers who feel a sense of fear about having to wait for a paycheck that will take two weeks to acquire, which is the case with all new full-time jobs. This the is the cycle in which most homeless people live their lives. People, like Wayne, will make just enough money after working for eight hours at Labor Finders to pay for an evening meal and a hotel room. However, because Labor Finders provides only temporary work, he may find himself the very next day "without a ticket," unable to work, and consequently back on the street without money or food.

When I asked Wayne if he had a prayer request, he shared that he fervently desires for Christians to pray that he will be able to get enough work to stay off of the street and eventually have the ability to live in a house rather than a hotel room.

My personal prayer request on Wayne's behalf is that he will be convicted and delivered from all sin that keeps him in bondage and that Wayne will become connected to a good church and a mentor family.

An additional prayer request that is of great importance is for a woman named Donnis. She is separated from her husband and expecting a baby in six weeks. She makes very little money and has two other children. She is currently living with her brother and has almost none of the items necessary for caring for her new baby girl. She has plenty of clothes, but apparently has little else. She is in need of a crib, bottles, diapers, wipes, and all baby items other than clothes.

We were pleased to serve 70 meals this week with the help of 18 volunteers.

~Charity

Street Stories

I guess I have known him for about 3 years. I don’t see him every week but maybe once or twice a month. He started coming on Tuesday nights when we held our meetings downtown at the Carpenter’s Cellar. He had a full time job and came each week to volunteer. One night he proudly made a $50.00 donation to our ministry. He told me stories of eating out of trash cans when he was homeless. It was hard to believe. Now it is not hard to believe. Tonight he asked me if I could spare 25 cents. I am thinking, "What can you get for that amount of money?" It broke my heart. Two weeks ago he told me he had quit drinking. He was very proud. This week he was back to his old habits. He told me that he had been through so many programs that he could teach them. I told him to cry out to God for mercy and turn his life over to the One that can satisfy all our needs.

At the same table another person was listening to us. I had never met him, but he seemed interested in our conversation. He told me he was using and selling drugs but he knew it was destroying him. I had an opportunity spend some time talking and praying with him. I encouraged him to get some type of accountability if he is really serious about changing his lifestyle. I think he realized he could become like my other friend in a few short years.

A few weeks ago, I posted a picture and an interview of Rico. Rico had requested a copy of the picture that I posted. I enlarged the picture for him and gave it to him Tuesday night. He was delighted and ordered 5 more prints. He wanted to mail them to some of his family. I am thankful for capabilities to print photos on home computers or otherwise I would be running to the store and ordering more prints.

There are as many stories as there are homeless. Most each Tuesday night just need someone to talk with them and show them that someone cares. They don’t receive this care in the community and not even among themselves. We are privileged to serve them by showing some act of kindness. Sometimes it is listening to their stories and other times it may be providing a picture. Jesus said if you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me.

We were pleased to spend time with our friends last Tuesday night and provide 82 meals with the assistance of 16 volunteers. May God through Jesus Christ get all the glory.
~Marc

Getting Families Connected

Brad Fulton and I met about a year ago, when he began working with me. Because of working together, he had heard me speak frequently of all that was happening at Food for Life prior to his decision to begin volunteering. Brad's heart for people stirred in him the desire to begin volunteering at Food for Life around two months ago. He quickly got plugged into the ministry opportunities at FFLM, and in a very short amount of time he met Brandon, thus beginning a friendship that has caused many of us to be greatly encouraged. The following is a picture of Brandon and Brad's account of what has been transpiring over the past few weeks with regards to his friendship with Brandon, and subsequently Brandon's family.
~Charity

"I met Brandon September 11, 2007 at Food For Life ministry to the homeless. Chris, a neighbor who frequently attends, invited Brandon to the ministry. Brandon did not attend that night to meet any sort of physical need, but to seek to satisfy his spiritual appetites. In God's providence, I sat down next to him to share a meal and conversation that night, and we've been good friends ever since.

Currently, he's a member of our church care group and a weekly attender at our church. Our conversation at FFL was so deep and heart-felt that he quickly accepted my invitation to attend our church despite his 15 year absence from church. I met April (his wife) and Jaden (his son) at Community Bible Church that next Sunday following our first encounter at Food For Life. I believe firmly that the quick connection at our church that Sunday led to them desiring to join our College and Career Care Group I am leading. (One highlight that I will share quickly is that April left Jaden alone for the FIRST TIME at our church nursery that Sunday!)

Brandon and I have enjoyed activities like golf, Sunday afternoon meals, and a Six Flags day trip thus far. Our conversations usually entail him asking questions about the Bible and me seeking to answer him. He has been working his way through the Old Testament while writing questions down as he goes.

One immediate prayer request for Brandon and April is that God would give peace to April's heart about leaving Jaden with Michelle (a girl from our Care Group who has volunteered) so that they may attend our Marriage Retreat at CBC the weekend of Nov. 16-18th. Funds, babysitting, and hospitable couples are already waiting open-handed...but leaving Jaden is the last understandable hurdle for April."
~Brad

Our Mission

The following was written by my son Jason Blumer who assisted us in applying for a grant a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, the ministry did not receive any funding but I thought this would give our readers a good understanding of our mission for the homeless in Greenville.

Ministry Mission, Year Founded and Background
The stated mission of Food For Life Ministries, Inc., as agreed on by the Board of Directors, is:

Teach men to be a blessing to God and man through relationships.
More specifically,
(1) Restore men’s lives by presenting role models.
(2) Rebuild wrong thinking by the Word of God.
(3) Plant seeds of hope to bring forth fruit.

Food For Life Ministries Inc is a 501(C)(3) ministry which was started on June 1, 2002 by the President, Paul Blumer. Paul has known the plight of the homeless and their various addictions because he lived their life for many years. Paul started abusing drugs and alcohol in high school. Then after high school, that lifestyle escalated into heavier use and experimentation with more addictive drugs (crack). And as is the usual stories from those we serve each week, this heavy drug use led to the loss of jobs, housing, family relationships, etc. And this process is not simply a one-time event. He entered into a cycle of these devastating events, one always leading to and affecting the other. But on October 1, 2000, Paul Blumer was delivered from these horrible addictions when he received Christ as his Savior, and realized God’s plan for his life. From that very night, Paul has been free from all drugs and the hopeless situation of being without a home. Also, there are other devastations that come with this lifestyle (no driver’s license, distance from family members, inability to remain employed, etc.). Paul, along with an average of 12 other volunteers runs this ministry with a mission – to “teach men to be a blessing to God and man through relationships”.

Community Need
“Charles, where do you stay in Greenville?” asked a volunteer of a homeless man at a recent Tuesday Night Meeting and a Meal.
“I stay close to the bus station and sometimes in the Mission if they’ll let me in,” replied Charles.

Conversations like this one happen every Tuesday night at The Triune Mercy Center in Greenville. It seems unlikely that anyone in Greenville County is unaware of the homeless population, and the urgent need for assistance. It has been reported that there are an average of 1,600 homeless people on the streets each night, but only 1,000 beds available to them in Greenville. A lot of these people come from prison, broken home situations, drug abuse, mental illness conditions, etc. Since the Tuesday Night Meeting and a Meal was started, the meals being served have exponentially grown in a short period of time. There are now an average of 50 to 95 people being served by this ministry each week. And it continues to grow. We WILL outgrow our current location soon as the “homeless network” continues to spread the word of “free food”. And Food For Life Ministries, Inc. is responding to this need out of past experience with a heart to love those in need. The birth of this ministry is from one who was formerly homeless and on drugs.

Meeting and a Meal needs no advertising. The homeless continually spread the word where meals are being served in the Greenville community.

~Marc

Valuable Volunteers

Small pillows and blankets were made by a volunteer friend of the ministry for those who live on the street. She heard of our ministry through her son Shane, who is employed by Paul Blumer. This shows that a thoughtful contribution by someone who is interested in the ministry can have an impact on the people we minister to in Greenville. In effect, she is donating her time for the benefit of others. We are grateful. We know that cold weather is coming and many suffer greatly so we hope to collect more gifts such as blankets, socks, hats, and even sleeping bags (very popular for someone who has no bed). We distribute these items weekly as they are received because there are always new faces and new needs.

We are grateful for the many young volunteers that join us each week to assist us in cooking, cleaning, and serving food. It is wonderful to see that they receive joy by serving others who are less fortunate. We are all making many new friends.

Many of our friends who we minister to are so appreciative that they want to volunteer to help clean and serve. Usually after the meal many will immediately start sweeping, mopping, and wiping the tables, and taking out the trash. We all work together to accomplish a big task. Chris helps me by getting the ice and serving the tea.

We thank God for the help of 13 great volunteers and good friends that allowed us to complete another successful Tuesday night dinner by serving 65 meals at Food for Life.

Let each of us not only look out for our own interests, but also for the interest of others (Philippians 2:4).

Also, thanks to Brad for a great message.
~Marc

Follow the Food

Actually Tuesday night begins on Monday night. Two of our volunteers pick up donated bread and sweets from Panera Bread in Greer between 9:30pm to 10:00pm. Panera Bread bakes their entire product daily and donates at the end of each day what is not sold. We use the bread and the sweets to augment the hot meal we serve on Tuesday night. Some of the bread is available for anyone who wants to eat immediately. Many will heat up the bread in a microwave and snack on this until we serve the hot meal after the Bible study.

.

We always get plenty of help unloading the food from our vehicle which is taken to the kitchen. Assignments are given to volunteers for preparing the food. Generally the preparation involves chopping, peeling, cutting, and cooking. One volunteer takes charge of directing everyone based on the recipe for the meal. It is important that everything is timed properly so that we can serve the meal without delay at the end of the Bible study.

The actual food that is prepared for the hot meal is donated by StreetSide Catering Inc. This business is owned by Paul Blumer. He started his business the same year as the ministry was birthed and it was understood that his business would always donate the food for the weekly Bible study. This allows us to use all donated funds for meeting the needs of the homeless and poor in Greenville.

We serve the food cafeteria style. We make sure everyone gets plenty of food. Many will prepare a plate to go for the next day. After everyone is served, many of our volunteers will prepare a meal and eat with the homeless. This is an important time to make friends and develop relationships for sharing the Gospel and showing everyone that we genuinely care. It gives us a chance to share our lives with each other which is an important part of the ministry. This time is a blessing to our friends on the street and to our volunteers. We leave each night truly counting our blessings. This week we were privileged to provide 80 meals with the help of 14 volunteers.

~Marc

What's Happening at Food for Life

This week we would like to inform the reader of the various ministries that Food for Life Ministries makes available for the homeless and impoverished community in Greenville. Even though Paul and his parents have been committed to this ministry for several years, God has grown the ministry slowly but surely, and now there are a variety of ministry opportunities that are available at various times throughout the year.

Every Tuesday night a Bible study is offered and a meal is served. For the last couple of years Paul has slowly been working his way through the book of Romans. Verse by verse Paul has been teaching the message of Romans, integrating the gospel as often as he can, and continuously challenging the listeners to demonstrate their faith by a walk with Christ that the world can see. Many of those who regularly attend the Bible study know much about the teachings of Scripture and can engage actively in conversations about biblical teachings, but often they struggle with the same repetitive sins, and do not understand that the faith that is prompted by the workings of the Holy Spirit should be alive and at work in the heart of a true believer. Paul's desire is that they would understand the message of saving faith during this study of the book of Romans.

Following the Bible study an average of about 10 - 15 volunteers serve a hot meal that everyone present can enjoy. This week we had 15 volunteers and served 90 meals. Usually volunteers start preparing the meal in the kitchen around 6:30 and make sure that everything is hot and ready when Paul has finished the Bible study. A variety of foods are served each week, usually including a meat, pasta or rice, fruit, bread, and dessert.

Most weeks, Deborah receives her tutoring lesson from 6:45 to 7:30, and slowly but surely she is learning to read.

During the winter months a ministry called Coats and Covers takes place. The purpose of Coats and Covers is to get individuals from local churches to donate coats, blankets, and sleeping bags that can be given out during the cold, winter months. It is especially fun to have these types of gifts to distribute during the Christmas holiday season.

One of the most important ministry opportunities, is the ministry of Encouragement. Often when volunteers first start coming to FFLM, they are ready and willing to cook, serve, and clean, but experience some discomfort in the area of sharing their lives with the homeless people. It often takes time for them to feel at ease letting the homeless people into their comfort zone while sitting and talking over a meal about their personal lives. The greatest need that these individuals have is to talk to someone who genuinely cares about the things that are happening in their lives, and to share a relationship with a Christian who is walking according to the teachings of Scripture. There is much those who are trapped by addiction or poverty have not seen, such as what it is like to have a successful marriage, how a husband and wife should treat each other, how Christians handle discouragement, how to budget and pay bills, and how to be dependable men and women of their word. These are things that can only be learned through the experience of ongoing relationships.

This week my mom, Angie Gould, had a unique opportunity to bless Deborah with a haircut. Deborah spoke of wanting to get a haircut, and when she heard that my mom knew how to do it and would be willing, she was quite pleased.

In the future, we would love to be able to distribute large print Bibles and toiletries to those who are in need. This may be a ministry opportunity in which small groups from local churches would enjoy contributing in addition to the coats and covers that will be donated. We are thankful for the ministry opportunities that are currently available, and we patiently anticipate the ministries that will be birthed in the future.

~Charity

My Friend Rico

One of my favorite Tuesday night friends is Rico. I thought it would be interesting to find out more about him. So last Tuesday night I sat down with him over a plate of spaghetti and asked him for this interview.

*

Marc: Rico, thank you for allowing me and the readers of our blog to get to know a little more about you. I guess my first question is about your name. Is Rico a nickname?

Rico: Yes, my real name is David. I never did like that name. I had a nickname of Roscoe when I was young but I didn’t like that name either because that is slang for a gun. I met someone from Puerto Rico that I had the nickname of Rico and I decided to use the same nickname.

Marc: Tell me about your background.

Rico: I grew up in Abbeville, SC. I never knew my parents but my sister raised me. She was 18 years old when I started living with her. She worked in a mill to support me. I got into some trouble and finally was sent to my brother in Atlanta. I ran away from home when I was 13 years old and got into drugs and alcohol. I was in and out of jail for almost 20 years. You know many people are in jail in their heart even though they are free on the outside and many that are in jail are free on the inside.

Marc: That is true which leads me to my next question; tell me about your relationship with the Lord.

Rico: When I was in jail there were some people that came in to minister to us and share the gospel. That is probably first time I heard the gospel. When I got out of jail I went back to drugs and alcohol but I hated it. Many times I would go to a church and look inside but I would sit outside and cry. Back then churches were always open. I was afraid to go in because I thought something would happen to me because of my sin. I decided to end my life because I couldn’t quit drugs and alcohol. I found an abandoned building and decided not to eat or drink anything until I died. I did drink some water after a couple of days. Every morning I would wake up and ask God why I didn’t die during the night. One day I woke up and got on my knees in that building and cried out to Lord and told Him that I couldn’t take it any more and asked Him to save me. When I got up off my knees I never desired alcohol and drugs again. I have followed Jesus ever since.

Marc: Thank you for your testimony. What do you like about Food for Life?

Rico: What I like the most is that all of you accept me just way I am. Also, I enjoy the food and preaching each week. I heard someone in the bathroom say “I can’t get into that preacher”, but you know the problem is not the preacher. The problem is that the person is not willing to listen and respond. I appreciate everything that everyone does each week for us.

Marc: Is there anything we as a body of Believers can pray for you?

Rico: Yes, I am having heart problems and I ask that everyone pray that I will not have any pain. I am going to a doctor and they are treating me.

Marc: All of us in Food for Life and many of the readers of this blog will pray for you this week. I want to thank you again for the interview and I will see you next Tuesday.

*

This Tuesday we were pleased to serve 72 meals with the assistance of 16 volunteers. Paul preached on Romans chapter 10, which is the SPIRITUAL FOOD for life.

~Marc

Smiling Faces, Serving Hands

We are so blessed at Food for Life Ministries to have wonderful volunteers that donate their time every week. The ministry started with Paul and his parents giving of themselves to those in need, but due to God’s blessings being bestowed upon the ministry, and because of the contagious nature of the passion of Paul for the homeless and impoverished community, the volunteer ministry has grown to the point that presently there is an average of ten to twenty volunteers who contribute to FFLM on a weekly basis. We would like to periodically high light specific volunteers that have given of their time to the ministry on a regular basis because it is so meaningful to be able to get to know their motivation for giving their time, energy, emotion, and prayers to these people that are in such great need each week at FFLM. We would like to high light Ann Brewton and Sandy Scaringi who along with 12 other volunteers served 72 meals this week.

~ Charity

As written by Ann Brewton,

“I first heard of FFLM from my son, Mark. He came home and shared with us Paul's vision for the ministry and it just rang a bell. I had wanted to be involved in some sort of ministry for quite some time, but in many ministries it's hard when you work during the day, and up until this point in my life I've been pretty busy being a mom. I took care of my own mother for over twenty years until the Lord called her home ten years ago, and of course I have cared for my own three children. Even though my heart desired ministry, my plate was full. I'm still pretty busy, but I just knew this was the time. The amazing thing is that many nights I am very tired and everything in me says stay home, but I go anyway and somehow the Lord just re-energizes me, and when we're all finished for the night I'm always glad I went.

Also there is a personal reason I come. I have a sister who is basically living the same kind of life as those we minister to at FFLM. She is in jail right now, but I pray that somehow the Lord will use this jail experience in her life to draw her to Himself. I also know that but for the grace of God any of us could be in the same situation as so many of the men and women who attend FFLM..... slaves to alcohol, drugs, etc., and I pray that the Lord will begin a revival there among those attending, but also in all of our hearts.

I love Paul's philosophy regarding the ministry.....the Word of God is much more important than the food that is served. I know they are hearing the Word preached each Tuesday before they are served a meal. I also know many are hungry (for the Word of God and the food), but the Word of God is what is going to change them, because it is the only thing that has ever changed us......it is certainly not our own works.”

I have been impacted most during my volunteer experience by “how precious the body of Christ is. It is a blessing to see so many different volunteers, young and old (me), from different churches, and with different personalities all working together.

Another thing I love observing is watching the men interact with the homeless men. I love to see them sitting with the homeless men, eating with them and talking to them, working on friendships....that's what it's going to take for them to trust.”

As written by Sandy Scaringi,

“I first heard about Food for Life almost two years ago when another family in our shepherding group met Paul and was volunteering. We were looking for a fall mission project and decided that we would offer to do a special Thanksgiving dinner the week before Thanksgiving (2005). It was so exciting and such a special blessing for me to be involved because at that point, Adam, our oldest son was living on the streets on the West Coast. I knew that he was eating at places like Food for Life some days. I believe that God has given me the spiritual gift of helping those in need, and it gives me great joy in serving others...God gets all the credit and praise for this!! God taught me long ago that except for God's grace I could be anywhere and capable of any sin...going each week is such a wonderful reminder of this important truth!

I receive more of the blessings on Tuesday nights than I give! It has been exciting to see how God opens people's hearts as we meet physical needs...and how He supplies the resources to meet those physical needs. One of my favorite things each week is to be able to speak encouraging words to our guests and give a big smile...reminding them of how happy we are to see them and how much God loves them! Many of them remind me of those things! It has also been so encouraging to serve along other brothers and sisters in Christ and see everyone's joy in serving! I have especially enjoyed getting to serve along with two of my sons and husband on many occasions! It has been an encouragement to watch other families serving together too! I thank God each week for the grace and mercy that He shows me in allowing me to participate in this wonderful ministry!!”

Charter Member

When Paul started his ministry downtown at the Carpenter’s Cellar, many of the homeless told him that this was their church. Paul was quick to remind them that it was a ministry but not a church. He always encouraged them to become connected to a body of believers for fellowship and accountability.

But if our ministry had been a church, Eric Hall would be a charter member. As Paul mentioned in his last post, Eric was the first person that we met downtown. We called him our “street evangelist” because he would go on the street during the week and invite people to come on Tuesday. His motive may have been to let everyone know there was an alternative to soup kitchen food. He was our eyes and ears for downtown information. Many times if we had a concern about someone we could check them out with Eric. He could tell us if this person was a potential problem or not. Also, often people would ask us about other services that were available in Greenville for the homeless. Again we would turn to Eric and he could provide information such as where to get your clothes washed, how and when to get medical care, and any other organizations that was available.

We learned a great deal about living on the street from Eric. For instance, many carry all their clothes in a back pack. Others hide their clothes in different places and just retrieve them when they want to change clothes. This method prevents their things from getting stolen. We have a dresser to put our clothes into different drawers; they put theirs in different locations for storage.

Eric also taught us some of the slang on street. A “cat hole” is an abandoned building where one could stay for shelter. Another term used is “the Sally” which is the Salvation Army. We leaned that people predominately use nicknames such as “cornbread’ (Eric), “spirit” (not sure what spirit), “tiny’ who is not tiny, and many call Paul “Rev” which is short for Reverend.

Eric has shown himself very resourceful on finding places to stay. Many people have allowed him to stay in their home for short periods of time. This could be an actual room or he could sleep on the couch or even on the front porch. In between these short stays he may stay at the downtown mission in the winter or in a “cat hole” weather permitting. At times because of our relationship with him, Food for Life has provided short term housing for him as funds were available.

Eric earns money mostly from working at Labor Finders, which pays at the end of each work day. This seems to be the only option to earn money on the street. Applying for a job is not easy when you have no address or telephone number. Some even resort to selling their blood plasma to get money. It takes about 2 hours and you can earn about $25.00. The amount is doubled if you return the same week.

Eric gets along with everyone because he is so friendly. He hugs everyone. He loves to talk and eat sweets. We continually try to get him to attend our Bible study but he prefers to be in the kitchen for socializing and checking out what kind of food we are preparing.

He is as much a part of our ministry as anyone because we have developed a real relationship with him. He helps us and we help him. Each week we teach God’s Word and provide food for the hungry and pray for our downtown friends. I would like ask anyone reading this post to pray for Eric this week.

Because of Paul’s desire to help the less fortunate downtown and Eric’s continuous assistance during the week we served 92 meals with the assistance of 14 volunteers. We are very grateful for all who help each week and pray God’s blessings on them and their family. Without their help we could not proclaim the glorious gospel to those downtown. May God though Jesus Christ get all the glory.

~Marc

Humble Beginning

What would it feel like to be given a life sentence in prison and then be set free? On October 1, 2000, I was set free from prison. For 31 years, I was imprisoned by a sin nature. This is the story of God's grace.

I remember walking the streets one night with nowhere to go. None of my friends trusted me, and because of that no one would give me a place to stay. I was ashamed to call my family because of my bad choices and bad track record. My car was in the shop, and I had no money, so I just walked with nowhere to go.

One day in a park in Rock Hill, SC, I met Jesus, and He changed my life. I knew from the moment I prayed that I had become right with God. As a result of being free from sin, I went on a mission trip to Romania where I saw great need for the basic essentials of life, a tooth brush, soap, a hair brush, etc.

Soon after, God gave me the idea for "The Back Pack Minister." It was a backpack filled with all the basic essentials to minister to the physical needs of a person. I called it "a preacher on your back." As a result, a ministry was birthed.

I started a Bible study at the Carpenter Cellar Coffee Shop not knowing what the outcome would be. I only had a passion to serve people and read God's Word. It was a miracle how many people didn't come. I was a zealous man with very little knowledge, but God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. There were times that it was just me, my mom, and my dad, but I felt called to remain faithful.

One summer evening, I met a guy named Eric. Eric and I sat and talked that night in the back of the Carpenter Cellar at a round table and ate pizza. Little did I know that the next week Eric would bring fifteen homeless people off the street to the Bible study. The moment they walked in we were scrambling. We didn't have enough food or coffee, so we ran around trying to meet their needs. Mom went out to get pizza and I made coffee while Dad kept them busy. That night the homeless community became aware that we were there to serve on Tuesday nights. Within two years of that humble beginning, the Carpenter Cellar became overcrowded with the homeless, impoverished, and hungry. We fed up to 80 people a week in a space meant to hold 50. At that point we began to pray for a venue with more space, and God provided the Triune Mercy Center.

The first book of the Bible we walked through was Ephesians. We are now walking through Romans and have been serving the homeless and impoverished for the last two years at the Triune Mercy Center. Oh, the stories we could tell, the people we have met, and the needs God has fulfilled. God has given the means to not only provide physical and spiritual food, but also coats, blankets, sleeping bags, toiletries, and help with payments for bus tickets or occasional power bills, but most importantly, God has given us new relationships and the ability to see His grace upon our own lives. Whether it be the homeless, the impoverished, or the volunteers, we have made many friends and love each one. We will continue to serve God with a heart of gratitude. Where He leads we will follow.

We invite others to come and experience Food for Life Ministry. For if we sacrifice this life, our treasures will be found in heaven, where moth and rust cannot destroy.

I want to say a special thanks to anyone that God has used to further this cause. No gift has been too small. Because of the gifts given, Food for Life's 16 volunteers were able to put chicken enchiladas and fruit salad on 82 plates this week. A special thanks to God for the hot sauce on the tables.

~Paul

First Time Reader

Deborah Camp has been attending the Bible studies at Food for Life Ministries for about three years. She has had a very supportive attitude toward Paul and the ministry during the years that she has attended.

About two years ago, I met Deborah for the first time, which was actually the first evening that I started volunteering at Food for Life. I began spending a little bit of time talking to her every week. A few weeks after I met her, she asked me what I did for a job, and I told her that I teach abstinence education now but that I had taught students with learning disabilities how to read and write for several years.

As soon as she realized that I had taught reading to kids with learning struggles, she said, "You could teach me." I really did not believe that she was serious, so I just shrugged it off as a passing comment. Every week after that for about six weeks Deborah asked me if I would teach her how to read. After about the sixth request I told her that I would teach her if she would come an extra hour early every week. Once again, I did not believe that she would be consistent about coming early, because she obviously does not drive since she cannot read and write. Starting the very next week, which was exactly one year ago, she made sure she was there an hour early unless she called in advance to tell us that she could not be there.

The first week I gave her an assessment and discovered that she could not even put the alphabet in order. She has six children, none of which she has custody of, and she was told that she could not keep her children because of the fact that she cannot read and write. Her greatest reason for learning to read is her desire to be able to see her children again.

Paul and I soon realized that one of her greatest hindrances was the fact that she could not see the words on the pages well because of poor eyesight. We were able to get her some glasses, which was a noticeable help to her.

One year later, she has now learned all of the letters in the alphabet and the sounds that each letter makes. She has learned how to spell many words and read and write sentences that follow basic phonics rules. She has a long way to go, but using the Wilson Reading and Writing program is going to be so helpful to her in the long run.

One day we hope to be able to have a tutoring program for Deborah and others which would be available more than once a week and would help her to move forward at a much faster pace. We are praying that God will give us a building that will have the capacity to host dinners, Bible studies, and a tutoring room. We will see what God will do!

This week we had ten volunteers, all of which also attend North Hills Community Church. We served 92 meals, and the individuals eating the food seemed to really enjoy it. We are thankful for what is happening and hopeful for what will happen in the future.

~Charity

Call 911

Every Tuesday night a group of volunteers from different walks of life go downtown Greenville to prepare food for the homeless and poor. The goal is to not only feed the body but give everyone spiritual food. The volunteers arrive about 7:00pm to start preparing the food and have it ready for serving about 8:00pm. During the food preparation time Paul Blumer continues with the weekly study of the book of Romans. We started studying this amazing book in the Bible over a year ago and God's Spirit has not only convicted our guests but also the volunteers. We are currently studying Chapter 9 verse by verse. This particular night we had 9 volunteers and we served 62 meals. It is very difficult to plan the evening. Do we have enough food? Our attendance has ranged as low as 35 to as high as 92. The worst thing you can do is run out of food. Many depend on a good supply in order wrap up a plate to take with them. Some have low paying jobs but many actually live on the street. There are men and woman of varying ages. Most are respectful and very appreciative of our ministry to body and soul. There are times when it can be difficult especially when someone is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Last night someone got into an argument during the gospel message and would not be quiet. Since these things can escalate quickly into a fight it is necessary to remove that individual as quickly as possible. In this particular case he didn't want to leave after being asked so we had to call 911. He finally left and we continued with the service. After this disturbance we had music by some very talented young people from North Hills Community Church. Everyone enjoyed the music and the food. After the meal you could see various volunteers ministering to the people. An older gentleman who was living on the street asked for prayer to be released from the bondage of alcohol that is killing him. Some seeking bus transportation home hoping to start a new life. Every one helps clean up before we leave at about 9:30pm. You never know what will happen but we are depending on God's mercy for us as volunteers and for the homeless of Greenville.

-Marc