A Little More Appreciation

"Everybody said Anybody could do the job. But when it was all over Nobody showed up!"

That line was written in the comment section of another blog I have. It pertains to what I was shocked to notice today...

The assistant pastor called me this morning to ask if Jr. and I could come and help him at the food pantry. Not a problem. We showed up and helped pack various bags of food to have them ready as people showed up for it. A few came while we were there. We also found out that there is only one other woman in the whole church that helps him with it...when she can. She is elderly and in not the best of health. He also told about the government truck that comes once a month to deliver food for the pantry...and he only has one other guy that helps him with that...and that guy fell on the ice and broke his leg. I guess I know what Sr. AND Jr. are going to be doing once a month.

It is just always so amazing to me that a church can have the pews full of ppl and very few show up to help out with anything. If it is some 'social event' they are there with bells on!

Our church also has a used clothing store it runs with another local church. The women in the church are asked to volunteer to help sort the clothes one to two times a month and man the cash register at various hours of operation. The more that help out with that, the more money the church gets for their other charity organizations.
Well, I guess I can put some time in on that...and Ms. Divine said she would help with the 'sorting event' when they have it in the evening.

Back to the food pantry...they rely on the government supplies each month and around the holidays there is usually an influx of food from people donating to charities that divide it up amongst the area food pantries. And in March the Boy Scouts collect food donations and divide it up among the food pantries. But what about all the other time? I was kind of shocked at the shortage of supplies and what meager supplies these ppl have to rely on. The food pantry does what it can. Sunday offerings sometimes bring money donations that are marked for the food pantry...and Pastor Jim has to spend it wisely.

I know ppl are struggling sometimes to pay their bills as it is...BELIEVE me I know. However, if each family in that church could donate $5-10 per month it really would make a difference in what the food pantry can provide!

Okay...I'm done with that.

I just know that when we got done there, and we emptied the van of the gathered up pop cans for the donation barrels for the youth center, we got home and Jr. opened the refrigerator to get something to drink. I said, "makes you appreciate even more what is in there, doesn't it?"