Somewhere on the order of twenty four inches of rain fell on the great state of Louisiana last week and thousands were affected. I can’t even begin to imagine how many people lost everything in the flooding. Here we are nine days later and the water has finally receded from the only road to my house. We had to get creative to get to and from home because of this. I only had some minor flooding in the living room and I think we cut the pad out in time to rescue the carpet. My problems pale in comparison to those we are serving this week in Monroe, LA.
As a Mercy Chef, I serve alongside many talented chefs to provide restaurant quality food to victims, volunteers, and first responders. Our numbers have been increasing daily. As I headed home today, I was advised we prepared 1000 meals at lunchtime. The hours are long and the work is strenuous–over two and a half days I worked nearly 40 hours.
As I lay in bed reflecting on the past few days my body, my swollen hands, aching back, and angry feet remind me that I’m going to pay for it. But I’m in my bed. I’m not cramped in a Motel 6 relying on the kindness of strangers to meet my basic needs. I’m in my warm home listening to my sixteen year old daughter practice her piccolo solo.
My friends are still serving in Monroe as the need is great. We don’t do anything special. In comparison to other disaster relief ministries one might think we don’t do much at all. And they would be right. We provide a meal. It’s intransient, yet a hot meal brings comfort in crisis.
“When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.”
TJ, I love reading your posts and this one, in particular. You remind us that we each have something to offer others in their time of need. Though in human eyes it may not seem like much, in the eyes (and in your case, stomachs) of those being served, it is huge! I am so proud to call you my friend and to witness you giving back, even though your body might tell you to stop. You, Heather and the girls are truly an inspiration to me.
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Thank you so much, Maribeth! I’m just recouping until the next one for now👍🏻
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Amen. Blessed are the Mercy Chefs.
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Shelia, if one listened to the alarmists and the contrarians you would never believe the majority of Americans are caring people. Two thumbs down for the mainstream media. It hardly ever mentioned the tireless work of the good Samaritan. But, glory is to God Almighty. When the media turned a blind eye, He takes note.
Your tireless work is not in vain, my friend. God blesses.
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As cramped as M3 is, it looks like it’s a big improvement over M1! We’ll have to meet one of these days, Ted, Lord willing.
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