{"id":31257,"date":"2021-03-23T03:30:43","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T10:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=31257"},"modified":"2021-03-22T17:42:20","modified_gmt":"2021-03-23T00:42:20","slug":"march-23-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2021\/03\/23\/march-23-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"March 23, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cSo he answered and said, \u2018You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Luke 10:27<\/p>\n

Love God. And Love Your Neighbor.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Growing up, we said grace every evening before supper; and each time my dad included: \u201cHelp us to always remember to share with others.\u201d His simple but powerful prayer became embedded in my heart and mind and is now a part of our family\u2019s evening grace. In a challenging 2020 for many, we had the great privilege of loving our neighbors by sharing with them.<\/p>\n

It was a beautiful sunny morning in June, 2020. I had planned to walk to Kimbilio Hospice by 9 a.m. to help with Living Room\u2019s food distribution to families in our community. David was there by 8 a.m. and immediately called me with urgency in his voice: \u201cCome now. There are hundreds of people here already and we don’t want to keep them waiting.\u201d This was my first time participating in such an event; and I must say, it was an emotionally overwhelming and humbling experience.<\/p>\n

As I arrived, I passed by the hundreds of people waiting\u2014mostly women, some with babies on their backs, others so old I wondered how they would carry the 44-pound bag of food home. Our team, along with our local government leaders, organized the list of 400 families we had agreed would receive food. In order to follow COVID-19 restrictions, everyone patiently waited outside Living Room’s gate, lined up and down the dirt road. Our chaplain prayed for them and we began calling people’s names and ushering them into our site to collect their food.<\/p>\n

I stood and keenly observed, warmly greeting people as they passed by and speaking a word of blessing as they left, lugging 33 pounds of maize and 11 pounds of beans, some on their backs, others on their heads. David\u2019s distinct voice encouragingly declared over and over again: \u201cAmani. Lisha watoto<\/em>. Peace. Feed your children.\u201d His words were filled with numerous childhood memories when food was nowhere to be found. He learned to eat soil and was taught which leaves were edible. His childhood lessons included: sleep so you don\u2019t use your energy; drink lots of water (if available); and don\u2019t chew, just swallow. David understands the pangs and despair of hunger and so with conviction, continually repeated, \u201cPeace. Feed your children<\/em>.\u201d Words of gratitude flowed from their hearts, and several spoke blessings over all of us. Such sacred moments. \u201cLove God. And love your neighbor.\u201d<\/p>\n

So many thoughts and emotions churned deep within my soul during the hour it took to distribute the food, and continued as I reflected after. I have never been hungry, I mean really hungry<\/em>. There has never been a day when our children have not eaten at least three meals. I have never had to ask someone for food. As a mom, what must it feel like not to know if you will be able to feed your children even one meal today? Frightening. Helpless. Demoralizing. Hopeless. This is what I can only imagine.<\/p>\n

In the early months of the pandemic in Kenya, a story was shared on the news of a widowed mother boiling rocks in a pot of water in the hopes that her hungry children would think she was preparing food for them and fall asleep while they waited for their meal. Thank God someone shared this story; people responded, and the family was helped. I hear my Dad\u2019s prayer, \u201cHelp us to always remember to share with others.\u201d We are grateful for all who have shared with us. The challenge of hunger in our community was not fixed on that day in June. We realize that. But hopefully our neighbors were reminded of the truth that they are not alone. They are seen. May we never forget \u201cto love God and love our neighbor.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Father, we are thankful for all You give. We pray for Your abundant provision for all those who do not have enough. Show us how to help, Lord. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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