Who is Filled?

When someone in need is served a meal, who benefits... the one serving or the one being served.

Certainly the person receiving the meal is grateful. For many of the people that find their way to Manna, the food they receive is their primary meal for the day. Without us, they may not starve, but they would undoubtedly suffer.

But for the more than 1,500 volunteers that come through our doors, it could be argued that they are the ones most satisfied by the experience. The joy of making someone's day brighter is powerful, not just in providing a meal, but in sharing a word of encouragement or leading the way to laughter. Volunteers often wait for months, just to have the opportunity to serve.

At the end of each day, everyone is filled...

Back to the Routine

Life at Manna has returned to normal (the term normal difficult to define).

Only a few weeks ago it was:

• gathering food for holiday baskets
• coordinating parties and events
• distributing Christmas gifts
  

Today, a typical day includes:

• arriving early to put on the soup and meal
• scheduling and training volunteers that want to serve
• fielding phone calls

For the people we serve, it is also a return to their "normal":

• thinking about food for the next meal
• ignoring the thermostat, because they're out of oil
• wondering if the prescription will ever be filled

The new normal is often easier for us. Less running around, consuming less food, simplifying our lives. For those in need, no necessarily so...

Unwrapping Gifts

Over the holidays, you may have had the experience of watching the opening of gifts. There are probably a numbers of ways to go about it, but with a child, there's usually just one way: tearing madly to find what is hidden beneath the wrapping.

As we move into the gift that is the New Year, we proceed with the same energy, the same excitement, tearing away the wrapping to discover what lies beneath, with the hope of finding new ways to grow in serving our community...

Body Shop

- A light dusting of snow covered the ice; the car slid across the road and hit a tree

- Distracted by the argument with a loved one, she didn't see the stop sign...

- He normally looks left and right, but was exhausted from the day's work; it was too late before he spotted the small pickup truck

And so the body shop is in business. Nature exerts it's influence, people make mistakes, and someone needs to make the repairs. This is not to discount the need for formal driver training or safety instruction, it is just the reality of the world we live in. Thankfully we have body shops.

It makes me think about the role on Manna. To a large degree, we are like a body shop. Things happen to people, sometimes beyond their control, other times well within their span of influence. No matter. When they hit a patch of ice, have life difficulties or just make poor decisions, we are there to help them.

We too, are all for preparedness, for taking responsibility for our lives, and giving people tools to plan for their future.

Still, there is always a need for a body shop...

Greatful Waiting

The line will stretch 50-60 people long; standing on the frozen ground. It's the Monday before Christmas and that means the distribution of food baskets for the holidays. Every family will receive a ham or turkey along with all the "fixin"s" for a hearty meal. In all, about 150 baskets will be given away.

What is most striking about this event is the patient, grateful waiting that takes place. Folks will stand in line for a long time, but still smile about how cold it is, saying they're thankful it's not snowing. They will clap their hands together to help keep warm, but no one grumbles. They are thankful to live in a caring community, to have a place to come to that will help care for them...

There's Always Santa

Weeks ago we concluded sign-ups for our Christmas adoption program. The parents that come to our food pantry can register their kids to receive gifts, and we pass along those gift requests to caring people to "adopt" the children. We have more then 300 children signed up that need gifts, and a waiting list as well.

One of the parents on the waiting list was particularly desperate. But her young child wasn't worried. She told her mom that Santa doesn't care that they don't have any money. He will still bring them something...

Courage

On Saturday I was helping with the Penn Suburban Chamber 5K run, stationed at about the half-way point of the race. About 10 minutes after the race started, two young men were flying by with no one else in sight. A few minutes later a couple more streamed past, then small groupings of runners, then finally the stragglers.

It was these final participants that brought the word "courage" to mind. They knew from the beginning that they were not going to win - they were just hopeful to finish. But there they were, showing up for the race, giving their all. And so it was for these few that I cheered the loudest, encouraging them on.

Their effort reminded me of the people that come to Manna on Main Street. They too are doing their best. And it takes courage to show up at a soup kitchen; to say to yourself that you know you're not winning. So too for them, we cheer and encourage them along in the race...