Beans, Rice and Tortillas

Today was the first day to serve hot food at the dump. There was a lot of logistics in doing this.

God is so good. In February, we received a container with medicines and food and all sorts of good stuff on it, including two really big pots. God knew we would need those two pots before we knew we would. Before Trey raised $11,000.00 for the dump. Before we started to do a better menu than bologna sandwiches. Well, at least that was one detail with which we did not have to worry.

A lady in our church cooked the beans and rice in these huge pots. Another neighbor made 600 tortillas. I bought beans and rice last week. Yesterday, I bought plastic bowls and spoons and fruit juice.

Our food had been promised at 9:00 this morning and it was ready as promised. We left for the dump. I had been anxious about this all morning and had prayed more than usual about our trip to the dump this morning.

At first, everyone lined up as our team began to serve the food. They had quite a serving line going. After receiving food, everyone walked over to the other truck and got a drink. All was well, into the people in the food line all rushed over for drinks. For a couple of minutes, there was pushing and shoving and grabbing. And then all the drinks were gone, with many not receiving one. It was not suppose to happen that way. Unfortunately, a few of the men got three or four drinks and some of the women and children got none. All the while, the food line continued to move perfectly.

Later, my dear husband prayed for us all to have compassion and not be judgemental. Not one of us know about living in survival mode. It was hot and we were thirsty and we all had had plenty to drink before we left the house this morning. Most of those people had not had anything to drink today and maybe even yesterday. We really don't know what we would do in the same circumstances. Things like this happen once in a while and we have to learn from it and improve the situation.

Everyone was grateful for hot beans and rice and tortillas. We definitely will feed hot food again, possibly in two more weeks, but it is clear a few more logistics have to be worked out. And Marc and I will not be able to serve the hot food by ourselves.

Again, I want to thank everyone that donated to the dump ministry. We need your prayers for this ministry and for ourselves as we continue to work out the details.

Terri