Hiding in the Kitchen

Often there are new groups that come in to serve a meal at Manna. Sometimes the group will provide the food, other times, Manna will take care of the meal. It is always interesting to see the dynamics of a new team of volunteers. They are excited to have the opportunity to serve, but there can be a hesitancy in interacting with the guests that come to eat. We encourage our volunteers to not hide in the kitchen, but to talk with the people they serve. While some guests prefer to eat then leave, most of them are more than willing to share their stories or just chat about every day events.

For many of us, we spend too much time hiding in the kitchen. There are risks to putting ourselves out there, in the middle of conversations; voicing opinions, asking important questions. Not only at this time of year, but continually, we are challenged to reach out, to make a difference, to let our voices (and our service) be heard...