Miracle on Themis Street

I am always amazed at how much fun it is to participate in the “food truck event” sponsored by my church, the Southeast Missouri Food Bank, and, of course, God.  Even though today was cloudy and a cool, damp wind was blowing, the smiling, hugging, laughing, and visiting crowd created a “street fair” atmosphere. People of all ages, genders, and races enjoyed each others’ company. I think I was told we gave away 6000 pounds of food today and 213 people walked through the food line.

Knowing the Salvation Army ran out of food this past week here in this Southeast Missouri town left me a bit worried about whether or not we’d have enough food to go around—-especially when it became obvious that more people than ever before had showed up this morning.  When I first arrived thirty minutes before the event was scheduled to start and saw the size of the crowd that had already lined up, I  remembered how Christ fed crowds, and I found myself praying and expecting that God would do so today. My prayer was answered. It felt like I was being given the privilege of actually watching Christ perform the miracle of feeding a huge crowd with just a limited amount of bread and fish. We even had food left over after everyone went through the line, and we were able  to send it  to Parkview State School, an institution that works with severely handicapped children.

One of the things that helps this event be special is many who have been helped in the past return to help with the event the next time it is held. Seeing people from the community being served involved in helping one another rather than just “waiting for a hand out,” as so many stereotypes portray, always reaffirms my faith in the strength of God. What “shines through” is the bit of God present in all of us along with living proof of how strong God’s love can grow when it is shared.

Many people worked long hours getting everything organized and set up. They did the leg work so that this opportunity for God’s love to be shared actually materialized. I want to say thank you to all of them. Recently retired Father Bob Towner also deserves a great deal of gratitude  for initiating this tradition several years ago. I am grateful just to be a small part of this “Miracle on Themis Street.”

I don’t often feel like I’m part of one of God’s miracles, but I did today. Please comment and share your thoughts about participating in God’s miracles. May God bless and keep you.