Waiting on Who

It’s been five years. A relatively fast five years, although a lot has happened. But here we are again. School closing because of circumstances out of our control. That’s what happened in 2015. It was as cold a winter as I can remember. And as fate would have it, Jennifer had signed up to sponsor SGA...because she had to sign up for something. I was coaching basketball and that kept us busy enough. I wish either one of us could even remember why she was led to start a food pantry...cabinet is probably a more fitting word. A food cabinet. Like the one we have plates in at our house. It may have held 12 jars of peanut butter and 12 bags of rice. But it was a food pantry nonetheless. 

One of the students that was a really big part of sorting, organizing, and stocking (which didn’t take long at the time), now works at the Kroger down the road from our house. We see her a couple of times a week. She’s moving a little more food now. 

So, for whatever reason, Jennifer was moved to start a food pantry...cabinet. It wasn’t long into that crazy cold winter that we realized that there were more children needing food than that cabinet could hold. Every time we got news of school being out, more and more kids were coming by for food. It really blew my mind. All we had to do was tell a few people we needed help. It came from all over. It started with us reaching in our own wallets, then the teachers at SMS, then the Light church. It wasn’t long before the Manna House came alongside us. The hanging cabinet became a standing cabinet...with two doors. We thought we had arrived. Boxes of food were sitting on the floor around it when our boss gave us an empty classroom. 

The Light church met in that classroom and packed food boxes and delivered them to front porches every Wednesday night for maybe six months. That’s when the Harvest Fire Department gave us their building. Six months from a cabinet to 4,000 square feet. Fascinating story really. I take it for granted most of the time. 

Five years later and here we are again. School closed. Kids needing food. I am amazed to see how many people all over are coming together to meet the needs of our community. I am proud to be a part of a school system that has chosen to continue to provide meals. We served over 300 meals at MXR yesterday. Other systems are doing the same. A coach from Madison Academy called me and said, “How can our kids help get food to your kids?” That’s really cool. I hope people tell that story about Madison Academy. All these organizations out there are working to help...and don’t forget the individuals. Countless individuals. 

No more tiny food cabinets our way. Jennifer and I have a basement full of mac and cheese boxes and a garage freezer full of hot dogs. Our extra is more than our supply was when this thing started. There has been a whole lot of food that has gone through all the hands at House of the Harvest. And we are glad to be here again, helping to feed kids who need it during a time of struggle. 

But there is something way better than the food. Don’t get me wrong, the food is good. It’s necessary. It’s important. But the best part...is watching God continue to make it all happen. That’s what I really hope people see. It’s amazing what our community does each week. People everywhere are responding. It’s come a long, long way from 2015. And, to be honest, neither of us really had a vision for it. I would imagine some of these other people didn’t either. They were just being faithful to fulfill a need that God put heavy on their heart. 

So in the middle of 2020 coronavirus panic and all the fallout that is in front of us, there is a message that stands the test of time. God’s got the how figured out already. He is just waiting on the who. You don’t have to have the answers. You just have to move when it is time to move. What happens next  is already written. 

Somebody out there needs you to be their “who” today. God will open the door for you to walk through. One foot in front of the other, even when you can’t see what’s next. But, I will say this, if you are faithful,  I bet you have a really cool story to tell one day.