Although I love the meaning of Christmas more, Thanksgiving became my favorite to celebrate, and here’s why.
For ten years of my life, I witnessed miracles every Thanksgiving that I will always treasure. My eyes were opened to hidden truths, the importance of celebrating it, and the generosity of mankind.
It all began in 2009 when my husband and I co-founded a feeding ministry called Word in Action Ministries. The economy was tanking and Steve, my husband, thought feeding people would help stretch their dollars, enabling them to afford their own utilities and gas for work.
Seeking God in prayer to see if this was His will or our desire, a miracle happened the next day that we believed to be confirmation. Therefore, we began feeding hot meals every weeknight for ten years at the church we were pastoring.
Based upon our research, our plan was for our family to feed approximately fifteen meals per night, but God had other plans we knew not of.
Miraculously, we grew to hosting volunteers from twelve other churches and feeding 500 per night at its peak.
Run by faith, God provided the food, finances, and volunteers for ten years. That’s right – no budget. No set donations. No definite food resources.
It was an amazing journey!
My eyes were opened to many things along the way. We quickly learned:
- How many were too proud to ask for food that truly needed it
- Food boxes don’t normally consider food for those who are living without water or utilities
- The elderly and some disabled often can’t cook for themselves and need more than what Meals on Wheels provide
- More tried on their own with what they had than I ever dreamed possible
- Abusers always exist, but need seeds planted into their lives
We named this a Community Dinner, for it provided a sense of community to all guests – one where we could get to know and meet true needs.
Believe it or not, meals fed more people for less money than food boxes. Guests could use their savings to pour in the economy, gain independence and pride, and borrow less.
When Thanksgiving rolled around, our Word in Action Ministries wanted to host Thanksgiving Dinner at noon on Thanksgiving Day. We offered dine-in, carry-out, and deliveries to those in our town.
Aiming to serve a feast rather than restaurant-size portions, our guests gobble turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, yams, corn, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, a roll, and pumpkin pie.
Since the best part of Thanksgiving food is leftovers, we allowed two meals each.
Surprised to see guests from the whole county instead of just our town, we decided to expand the same services to them next year.
Our second year, Marvin’s Grocery Store in Baxter Springs offered to order canned food for us by the pallet . . . at great discounts.
For three years, we were able to show our appreciation to local employees working, by dishing up and delivering food to them.
Going from serving 158 meals our first year to over 700 in its seventh year was exhilarating!
Thanksgiving Preparations
Ordering food by the pallet began in October. Items like stuffing and cranberry sauce are ordered when sales start. Last minute purchases include marshmallows, brown sugar, butter, rolls, pies, and whipped topping. Turkeys are donated throughout.
Some years groups made homemade rolls, stuffing, or pies.
Flyers sharing dinner details kicked off Nov. They were passed out at businesses and low-income housing apartments in the county.
When sales are found, they are purchased, collected, then temporarily stored in the foyer and hallways of our church.
Simultaneously, inspections of other kitchen appliances and knives are also completed.
Cleaning out refrigerators for storing cold items the week before Thanksgiving is a must.
A few core volunteers let us know they want to help, but most show Thanksgiving Day, without our knowing they were coming. They waltz in as if arriving right on cue in a play. It’s an awesome experience.
During Thanksgiving week turkey’s roast and are deboned. Potatoes are being peeled, the years they are cheaper than instant. Final purchases and touches are made.
I’m busy taking orders for carry-outs, dine-ins, and deliveries in several towns. I type them and give the delivery list to a special lady who organizes the routes.
I wouldn’t trade that job for the world! I learned many lonely elderly in housing projects don’t want to order until the last minute, believing someone will invite them to dinner or come see them.
Others would order for a son or daughter and themselves and be tickled to have a Thanksgiving dinner they wouldn’t have been able to offer otherwise.
I’ve never witnessed gratefulness of this magnitude. Delivery drivers echoed my sentiments and shared their experiences of words of gratitude given in the midst of tears.
Thanksgiving Day
About 5:30 a.m., Pastor Steve unlocks the church doors, fills pans with water to boil and sets items in their appropriate stations as volunteers trickle in. Let the cooking begin!
By 9:30, serving lines are set up. Volunteers place food in proper sections of carry-out containers to avoid spills or soggy food, pass it on, and a volunteer at the end sacks them for deliveries.
Another volunteer emerges carrying sacks to appropriate tables for each town. Drivers grab, load, and disappear as quickly as bags land. On their way, they stop to grab bags with desserts and rolls being filled in a nearby room.
Round two begins. The process repeats – this time for pick-up orders available by 11:00. Meanwhile, the kitchen bustles with noises of opening more cans, washing pans, and making more food.
Laughter fills the air. Stress doesn’t exist among those running to and fro. We like to call it organized chaos. Absolutely mesmerizing!
Last round. Green bean casseroles are pulled from the oven for those dining in. It’s noon and everyone is served, including volunteers. All sit down together to relax, eat, and fellowship.
After guests leave, what volunteers that haven’t left to their own Thanksgiving plans, remain to clean up.
Once home, we rest sharing the good things God did during the day that each other didn’t see, followed by meditating on how God provided fifty volunteers trickling in and out like a well-oiled machine without a human coordinator. Spectacular!
This takes longer to digest than the Thanksgiving dinner itself.
I’m so thankful for God allowing me the opportunity to serve all those years for I miss it terribly but am thankful for the treasures they hold in my heart.
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Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Robin! It’s definitely hard to explain what goes on and the feeling in the air, isn’t it? I’m assuming your whole family will be helping again this year. Until then…
Jena!
This is one of the most exciting days of the year, and to be a volunteer is such an honor! I have watched this miracle happen for several years now and those who come to help and those who come to eat are all especially blessed! Happy Thanksgiving!
Pastor Robin