Christian Ministries

 

In our Wednesday morning bible study at Waverly church a few weeks ago, we were discussing people along the road holding up “Homeless will work for food” signs. I admitted that I had given them some money but I really didn’t feel that money was the best contribution I could make for their situation. It has always weighed heavy on my heart that I will have to answer someday for every time I have thoughtlessly driven by someone asking for help. Some at the bible study that morning mentioned that Kim a few weeks earlier had led a devotion at the Senior Thursday luncheon. In that devotion was a suggestion of keeping a sack lunch in the car for needy people holding a homeless sign. I thought it was a wonderful idea and remarked that I was definitely going to follow through with that idea.

 

At my next trip to the grocery store, I filled my sack lunch and placed it on the backseat of my car. It was only a week or so later when underneath the Belpre Bridge I came upon a young lady around 30 or so, holding a homeless sign. I asked her if she would like some food and she immediately and enthusiastically said, “yes.” As I handed her the bag lunch, she told me, “God bless you.” I filled another lunch and a week or so later I came upon a man beside Marietta’s Wal-Mart, also holding a sign. His reply to the question of the food was the same as the lady’s. The next day I came upon the same man on the same street corner and asked him if he enjoyed the food the day before and he replied that it was great, so I gave him another lunch. With both lunches, he said “God love you.” Each time I pulled away from these people I choked up, thinking that could be my daughter or my brother.

 

The lunches were very plain not much to offer someone in great need but I feel they were received with much gratitude. If you would be interested in keeping a grace bag in your backseat, here’s what I include in mine. I place in the bag a can of fruit, a small can of vienna sausages, a lunch-to-go kit of chicken salad and crackers, a coke, (which is probably not great as it is warm in the summer, but at least its liquid) a napkin, and a plastic fork. I place the food in one of the brown paper Blue Bunny ice cream bags you get at the grocer, as the bag is sturdier than lunch bags you buy and can survive grandchildren climbing in and out of the backseat. And don’t forget to buy all pop-top lids for easy opening. God bless you and good luck with your grace bags.