A Crying Child

Stonebriar Community Church just hosted the 2020 Frisco Big Pack. It’s now an annual tradition where we pack over a million meals to be sent out to impoverished folks somewhere in the world.

At this point the people at Feed My Starving Children don’t even know where the food we packed today (as I write this on Saturday) is going. But it will make a huge difference somewhere.

I’ve been involved for the past three years. Each time I end up strapping the finished pallets. Each pallet had thirty six boxes filled with thirty six packets of rice, soy, vitamins and minerals.

It’s a lot of hard work but well worth it.

At one point I was about to call it a day before it was over to be totally honest with y’all.

I signed up to work the entire day Saturday since I wasn’t able to work Friday because I woke up in Memphis, Tennessee that morning. I got home after 10:00pm. That made for a short night of sleep going into this event.

There were three shifts of volunteers scooping ingredients into bags. Sealing the packets. Counting them into boxes and then taping the boxes shut before I had my turn at preparing these labors of love.

The first shift went along smoothly. Mostly because I had a helper. He needed a bit more help than he actually helped sometimes, but it helped.

The second shift was the most difficult for me for many reasons. I did practically all of the strapping by myself that go around. The sleep deprivation was kicking in making the noise of the whole building annoying to the max.

They pipe music into the place designed to keep everyone’s energy levels up while they work. They also encourage cheering and yelling by the packers to get their needs met so they don’t run out of ingredients. At times like that I realize I must be somewhere on the Autism spectrum because I wanted out of there so I could collect my thoughts.

For some reason the straps decided to fight against me as I was attempting to do my assigned task.

I closed my eyes to pray for strength to go on and I saw a little child with a different skin tone than me. She was crying from hunger. I also heard Jesus’ voice saying, “bring the little children to me.”

When I opened my eyes the strap was still twisted. The music was still louder than the yelling and cheering. The next pallet was ready to be strapped before I was ready for it. But my resolve had returned.

I remembered why I signed up to work harder than I did any day that week for no pay.

I tithed this day so this Christian organization can take these meals to hungry kids while introducing them to the love of Jesus Christ.

I had one step in this process. Colossians 3:23 came to mind.

Whatever you do work at it with all you heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

I was working for my Lord at that moment. It was hard work but well worth it.

I had friends there from church. Christian brothers and sisters were working alongside me so we could help feed these kids we will likely never meet this side of heaven.

Hopefully we will meet them in Heaven someday.

That’s what I live for.

How about you?

I’ll see you later. Wade