Imagine Manna

That's exactly what happened. Nearly 30 years ago, a man had a vision that there would be a place where everyone might be fed; not only in the physical sense, but in mind and spirit as well. That man, John Touchberry, passed from this earth last week, having fully lived 80 years.

Today, we're all used to having Manna around, but establishing a soup kitchen back in the early 80s entailed risks. A number of folks tried to prevent Manna from even opening, for fear of "those people" it would attract.

While it would be simple enough for us to look back on the quantity of meals served at Manna, or the tons of food distributed, or the number of families assisted in his lifetime, John would not be satisfied with sentimental reflections. Instead, he would challenge us to look beyond where we are; to look for other opportunities to learn and grow in order to serve others.

Manna is in the early stages of looking for a new facility, and it is appropriate, more than ever, for us to look forward and dream of what we might yet be. What can we imagine? Can we look beyond the edges of where we are today and dream what that might mean for this community? How can we improve our service to others? John would certainly have some ideas...