Ok, so we didn't feed 5000. But, by the grace of God, we were able to take bags of groceries to some 60 of our families and feeding about 200. (Make sure you scroll and click the link to the video). SFS missionary and administrative assistant, Lily (upper right photo), was able to combine some of your donations with food contributed from Community Health Outreach to provide for some of our families during this difficult time.
While we cannot meet with groups of children on-site right now, we continue to search for, and see, ways for us to continue to represent Christ to these communities. Our traditional way of ministry has had to be adjusted for the moment but we can see God has started working differently in this situation.
We yearn to be on-site again with the kids - parking our red van , switching on our TV, cranking up the volume on the speakers, and drawing the kids to a time of fellowship and worship. But, God is using us in a different way right now during this difficult time in our country. As you can see by the caption, Lily likes to liken it to using the five loaves of bread and the two fish. What we do know is that the Lord multiplied donations to SFS because we were able to distribute 20 bags of food at Valencia Way. This was followed by 20 bags at Desert Winds and, God willing, by the time you read this 20 bags, or so, at Calloway Cove.
Remarkably, as many of you may know, reaching inside the apartments to the parents has always proven challenging. During this time, we have seen those doors more open and have received more welcoming smiles and we have been able to develop relationships with some of those parents. (In fact, we have a family at Valencia Way who is wanting to attend church now and if you would be interested in providing transportation, please let us know.)
The gist of it is that right now we recognize there are physical needs and while a bag of groceries may not go a long way, it still goes a little way and it reminds our communities that we care for them. So, we used this time to help set up and make aware of our social media so we could keep in touch with the kids. Also, with the groceries, we distributed to the children 4 lessons, hoping and praying they will review these as a family. Lily said "We are deeply thankful to the Lord for what he has allowed us to do even with recent limitations. We are driven by faith, not by fear."
We ask you to:
Pray for our volunteers, to feel God’s presence as they knock at the doors of these children.
Pray for the children and their families who will receive the food and the word of God.
Pray that the mission will be carried out safely and for His Glory. #FundaySchoolJax
“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” Mathew 25:40