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.

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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.

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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.

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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!!”