SERVING OTHERS WITH FOOD

Food is the way God led me to serve. About 18 years ago, my husband first volunteered as a driver for a local food pantry in our home state, Alaska. Unlike most soup kitchens or food pantries, this food pantry also delivered the food right to the doors of those in need, since they usually didn’t have access to reliable transportation. This organization had two drivers who would deliver, and one person to pack the food.

While my husband enjoyed delivering the food, I was not as comfortable driving in the Alaskan winters. So I began as a volunteer food packer, and have done so ever since. My daughter was home schooled during elementary school, and she usually came along to help pack the food. Although she didn’t always love it, she has since told me that this is what taught her empathy and to have the heart of a servant.

I also worked as the cafeteria manager at a local public school. Due to the financial circumstances of the school’s neighborhood, all meals were free to the students. It gave me another way to serve others in some way through food.

My husband went to be with Jesus a bit sooner than anyone here on earth expected. That was about a year and a half ago. Thankfully, we were in a place that my finances were in order and I was able to retire early.

While I miss him daily, I know he’s having a better time now than he ever was here on earth. I can’t wait to see him again someday, and it has been amazing the peace that Jesus brought me throughout my time of grief. While I was getting the affairs in order after his passing, I paused volunteering with the food organization. Finally, I’m now in a place where I can begin serving God through serving food once again.