Monday - Food Crew: It's All a Matter of Perspective

Each year a NBYG team descends on Cosco, Walmart and Waldo's (think the Mexican version of Dollar General) at the beginning of our stay to buy cartloads of comestibles and hundreds of hotdogs to cook up and distribute among the people surrounding the church in Maneadero. While the long train of carts at the checkout counter might seem lavish, the items that make up this grocery cart are basic essentials and very humble. A bag of beans, rich, a cartoon of milk, hot sauce, sugar, etc. The hotdogs will be grilled at the church for the children in the surrounding area. The groceries will be divided into 25 food boxes that will feed a family for more than a month. Add to this bags full of Happy Meal and Sonic toys, donated clothing and hotel shampoos and soaps. There are also donations of fabric given to the women of the church who sew for those in need. 

While there is a special joy in giving, there is also an even more powerful conviction in the face of such need. We have so much -- and whether we attribute to our own hard work, the success of our economy, the work of our government, the teachings of our parents or the blessings of God -- we must acknowledge that a good deal of the opportunity we enjoy is simply a circumstance of our birth. Where we were born and to whom we were born. We are all dearly beloved children of God and yet our circumstances are so different in this life. 

And so we give with joy but also in sadness and prayer for the circumstances of others. Of course, who should be praying for whom? We for their need? Or they for our abundance and it's responsibility?

When our team emerged from the Costco loaded with groceries, a woman stood by our bus with her daughter, they asked for bus fare to go see their mother/grandmother who was in the hospital. After talking to them for a minute, Skid, gave them some money. Then he shared a story about a man in a business suit who stood in a soup kitchen line. One of the volunteers was upset thinking he was a businessman just trying to get a free lunch. While another counseled that we didn't know the man's circumstances. Yes, when you give, there are those who will take advantage of you. You do your best to get the resources to those who need them most. But, why should we be bitter or angry when someone takes advantage of the situation? Isn't God, who gives so lavishly, taken advantage of by millions of people every day and still he loves us? 

There are lessons to be learned, lives to be touched all around us here. Back at home, too. Thanks, church, family and friends, for all we were able to share with the people here. It was your gift and our honor to give it. Lord knows.

Maneadero Church of Christ, our base of operation

A project worked on by NBYG a couple of years ago - a rain water collection system with storage tank.

A welcome left for us inside the church building.

These are the items in one food box. A food box will typically feed a family for several weeks. Thanks to you, we delivered 20 boxes.

The hotel soaps and shampoos you donated from your travels.

Much of the clothing we donated was provided by local Murfreesboro schools' lost and found. It may have been lost...but it's found a good home.

Rob is tackled for his bag of toys during the distribution.