Another Day, Another Dinner
October 18, 2006 On Monday we opened our public meal program. The electrician arrived to wire in the steam-table, but was at a loss to fix the dish-machine - I had to call in an authorized repairman. So... we're washing dishes by hand. Okay. When he wired in the steam-table, however, I lost all power to the outlets in my office. Poof - no computer, no phone. Then, at one o'clock in the afternoon I began preparing dinner - for the public meal program plus our shelters - and discover there's no gas in the ovens. No pilot lights, nothing. I called the administrator of the company who previously occupied the building (at the heart of every organization is a woman who gets stuff done) and she called her former maintenance man. Then - oh precious gift!- she came over to the kitchen and we figured it out together. There's a reset button that I didn't know about but we did eventually figure it out. I did, however, lose well over an hour of oven time dealing with that.
Although the repairman did get the walk-in fridge running on Monday morning, all our food was still in the other building, so I was trucking it all back and forth.
There was also the typical opening night 'hectic-ness' - volunteers who needed to learn the ropes, a reporter taking photographs in the middle of the kitchen, guests needing attention and me pouring water into the steam-table only to have it gush out onto the floor. You know, the usual stuff.
The opening night dinner? Well, it came off beautifully in the end. There was nothing but love and gratitude in the dining room. Everyone at the Mission has been moving heaven and earth to make this work and their hearts are shining through. We have already seen expressions of pain amongst our guests, but it is our lot at the Mission to live and work amidst both broken-ness and joy.
Yet despite how beautiful this is, and despite the joy that leaps in my heart, there is still a battle raging. There is extraordinary opposition to what we are doing, and it is extraordinarily ugly, vile and mean-spirited. Today I wondered aloud how it was that we became the enemy, and Persephone assured me it has always been this way. We became 'the enemy', I suppose, the moment the Mission decided to follow God.
And I'm okay with that, too.
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Reader Comments (12)
Serving the poor is a labour of love for your organization. You'd think that would be enough. Thank God for those who are just thankful for the help and they are there!
May the Lord bless you and keep you! May His face shine upon you and give you PEACE!
be blessed
All I have to say to those who do oppose you is GOOD LUCK STOPPING GOD.
Love,
Jennelle
Psalm 46 - Thank you for the blessing! (I've taken to reading your namesake psalm in the mornings)
my sister - Be nice to me - Christmas is coming!
lorna - Nothing better, indeed.
HeyJules - 'Fooey' is a word you don't hear every day. It is, however, entirely appropriate. FOOEY! (There, I feel better already!)
Jenelle - We're all pretty happy here, too!
God bless
Maria
www.inhishands.co.uk
Maria - Welcome!
John Lunt - Have you ever wondered why this work - this particular type of ministry - is so close to God's heart?