“You don’t believe the sky is falling until a chunk of it falls on you.”
In a book I have been reading (yes, I read. I seem to have more bandwidth recently) I came across this quote. I admit that I have felt a little like the sky is falling this past month.
Things are so very different, in nearly every single way. This “reallocation” of ministry right now has been a bit disorienting to me. I miss our students dearly. But, I’m not alone in this (which is very reassuring, btw). I know most of you might feel a little like the sky is falling a bit.
This is also a feeling most of our city and neighborhoods are experiencing.
With that in mind, please allow me to update you very quickly about a population downtown. At the corner of South Sierra Madre Street and West Rio Grande sits the Salvation Army Shelter. This incredible facility houses just a portion of our homeless community … men, women and children.
At the beginning of 2020, Pulpit Rock Student Ministries agreed to serve a meal there on the 4th Saturday of each month. This, actually, was a missional project that PRC families have taken part in for years. But PRiSM accepted the challenge to take on the 4th Saturday each month. As a ministry, we were learning how to do this. So, in February, I met with a team of student volunteers (and a few family members) to serve a hot meal.
I was SO impacted by the time I was blessed to have spent serving that meal to the men, women and children at the shelter. What an amazing chance to have God help us see the unseen, serve the underserved, greet the lonely and feed the hungry. Truly incredible. The God that is pursuing me daily is pursuing each and every one of them daily. And He has compassion on them.
Then COVID 19 changed things here in our city. The latest COVID 19 developments have seen our attempts to build a pantry of food and funds slowed a bit.
A few weeks ago, in March, God made a way for us to go purchase bulk foods and a small team met here in the PRC kitchen to heat and package a meal.
Then a team of two delivered the meal to the shelter where a team of their resident volunteers carried the meal inside and served the residents. Considering many of the restrictions that have been put into place, this worked wonderfully.
Moving forward for now, we are praying to able to repeat that same process each month. And you can join us! A great way to help is to contribute funds for the purchase of bulk foods. (Please note “Salvation Army” in the text box.)
It is by far the biggest need for now.
Then in the months to come, when this all clears, and it will, there will be even more amazing opportunities for you to join in on.
Can’t wait for that day!
