‘Feed my sheep’: food pantry serves God and neighbor

02-03-2012

‘Feed my sheep’: food pantry serves God and neighbor

By Mike Daniel
Special Contributor

It began with a desire to serve, and became a portrait of genuine mission.

Two members of Magnolia’s Asbury United Methodist Church saw a community need for food security in Magnolia. They sought ways to address this need, driven by the spiritual wisdom of James’ admonition to the Church:

“If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food ... but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” (James 2:15-16)

Church leaders researched available resources as well as the experiences of others in the community, and in 2002, the Body and Soul Cupboard food pantry came to life.

In its early days, the ministry struggled to adequately feed even 35 persons, but through private and corporate donations, it has grown even as need has increased. Body and Soul now serves approximately 240 families each month.

Donations include goods from food drives at various schools—including nearby Southern Arkansas University—and regular distributions from the Arkansas Rice Depot. The numbers served fluctuate monthly because many recipients come only when their need has become acute due to family emergencies, sudden unexpected expenses or job loss.

Many of Asbury’s members, as well as friends from outside the congregation, help by sorting, rotating, stacking and bagging most of the food the day before distribution. Frozen meats and refrigerated items are pulled on the day of distribution (the second and fourth Thursdays of each month). Recipients may visit only once per month, but having two distribution days facilitates a more orderly process.

Each sack is filled with several cans of various food items; bags of rice, beans, flour and sugar; meat, cheese, pasta, soups and cereals. In addition to these staples, recipients receive a copy of The Upper Room devotional guide, and also enjoy the warm reception and fellowship of the volunteers who serve them and assist them in carrying the groceries to their vehicles.

The recipients are predominantly elderly women on fixed incomes who helped to build a nation even before the Civil Rights era. Stop for a chat and you’ll find they can tell inspirational stories from years past: of faithfully enduring adversity in a culture of discrimination, of a willful determination to make a better way for subsequent generations. Many look forward to the fellowship they find from the familiar faces at Body and Soul Cupboard.

All express their gratitude for the blessing they receive. They are proud people who have found themselves in challenging circumstances after spending a lifetime making a home; working two and sometimes three jobs to feed, clothe and educate their children (including college!); and trying to make ends meet with very little left to save for the inevitable “rainy day.” They persevered with the knowledge and faith that the Lord would see them through.

Body and Soul typically operates under USDA eligibility guidelines, which include certain income restrictions. Because of USDA support, Body and Soul is required to restrict distribution according to these eligibility requirements on certain food items.

However, because of generous local support and private contributions of food items and cash, Body and Soul will let no one go away empty-handed. After all, we are not a government agency; we are the Body of Christ. We can do no less.

The Rev. Daniel is a licensed local pastor who serves at Asbury UMC Magnolia.