My youngest son met a girl (we will call her Suzy, to protect the privacy of her & her family), some years ago in Elementary school. They became fast friends, both sharing a love of video games, pizza & other things preteen & teen. Suzy would come over every day after school & would stay with us for weeks on end during summer vacation. We would even take her along on trips to Disneyland, Pismo Beach, etc. I came to view her as just another of my kids.
Over the years my wife & I met & became friends with her parents (mainly the mother, because her father worked a lot). I thought how great it was that we had found another couple who have been married 20+ years, and of all my sons’ friends, Suzy & himself were the only ones who had both parents in the home.
Over the years I noticed that Suzy ate as much as my son (who is a bottomless pit). She is something of a tomboy, so I didn’t think much about it. Just thinking to myself that when she hit’s the teen years, she would become more conscious of it, and I prayed that she would not fall prey to the many eating disorders that can affect young girls at that age (thank God that she has not fallen prey to them).
One day I came home and Suzy & my son were in the kitchen, both making sandwiches that even Dagwood would have been proud of. She hadn’t been to the house in a few days, and I jokingly told her “looks like you haven’t eaten in a week”, she looked up at me and with the innocence of a child (even though she is now 12), said, “well I have only had 2 packages of Top Ramen in the last 2 days”. I was thunderstruck, but played it off. Things now fell into place, and I suspected that the reason she always ate so much when she was at my house was because she did not have anything to eat at hers.
When her mom came to pick her up later that night, my suspicions were confirmed. I went out of the house to talk to Suzy’s mother before she came inside to get her. I told Lily (again, name changed), what Suzy had said, & ask her if it was true & what was going on. Lily broke down that day & in tears told me that she & her husband had not eaten anything in 2 days because they were saving what little food they had for the kids.
I told her to come inside, and I packed up several bags with food and loaded them into her car before Suzy or anyone else could see. Walking them out to the car, Suzy saw the bags of food and was very happy, but wanted to know where it came from. I spoke up before Lily could & said “well, looks like your mom went shopping”.
Throughout the time we had been friends, Lily knew that we have a food bank. But embarrassment & pride kept her from asking. In talking to Lily after that day, I found out that she gets food from other food banks, but never wanted to ask us. I have thought many times since then, what could I have done better? What are the signs I could have recognized? How many times had Suzy gone to bed hungry, when I had stores of food ready to be given away in my house & garage?
Since the day that their little secret came out, they are doing better, but still have to ask for food sometimes. Now they have no problem asking, and I am more than happy to give.
I say all this not to bring praise or accolades on myself (the praise belongs to God for allowing me to be able to minister in this way), but to make a point. There can be need all around you, even in places where you would not think to look. We as Ministers of Christ, must be able to look for and recognize that need, and stand ready to meet it. Yes there is a lot of need in the world and even in our own cities/towns, but there is also need that is right in front of you. A lot of Ministers want to minister to the World, and that can be a fine goal, but you need to start in your own yard………
Matthew 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
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