Feeding Hungry People

Some of us at Renaissance go from time to time to a local shelter to serve some food to people who need a meal. Different people and groups prepare food for each night of the week. I always wonder what other people serve? Is it good food or is it just the thing that’s easiest to make? It seems like it would be very easy to look at people in need and just say, “well they should take what they can get.” Regardless of what other people do, the rule we’ve set up is this: If it’s good enough for us, it’s good enough for them. If it’s not good enough for us, then it’s not good enough for them. We test this in a very practical way, we eat what we serve. We eat the same meal they are eating. People in need are not second class, it bothers me when they are treated this way. So, in light of this do you guys know of any meals that are tasty, healthy and can be made easily for at least 35 people?

Blood:Water Mission

This is an excerpt from the Blood:Water Mission’s Homepage (www.bloodwatermission.com):

“When Dan Haseltine, Jars of Clay’s lead singer, visited Africa in 2002, he had to struggle to accept what he saw. Poverty and physical and social suffering in Africa shook him, challenged him, and changed him.

Haseltine returned overwhelmed by despair, transformed by hope and called to action. He came back with a vision for clean blood and clean water in Africa — blood free of the HIV virus and water free of parasites and bacteria that cause AIDS patients and others undue suffering. He and his band mates envisioned this orphaned continent to be transformed through the installation of Christ’s sacrificial symbols of blood and water.”

Here are a few questions for us to ponder:

1. How aware are we of the ongoing AIDS crisis in Africa?
2. How does faith motivate us to engage this issue?
3. Is there a particular way you are taking part in the global AIDS crisis?
4. What do you think of the approach of providing clean blood and water?

Discuss : )