A Full Summer
When Leah Larsen volunteered for “A Full Summer,” she wanted to help people who might “starve to death” this summer without the food. On Saturday, she and 250 other volunteers sacked, rice, beans, and vitamins in just under 2 hours. Our combined efforts provided 50,000 meals for hungry children in Leon County.
Leah is a 4th grader at Sealy Elementary. On Mother’s Day, she was baptized into the fellowship of First Baptist. Today was her first mission project since her baptism. She managed the funnel while bagging beans and rice. She served beside her good friend Sarah Grace Dodson, her mom Jennifer; Sarah Grace’s mother, Laurie; and Susan Stahl. On their team were also friends from our neighbors and partner church St. John’s Episcopal. Each team of 10-12 formed an assembly line to sack, bag, weigh, seal, and box.
We partnered with Hope4Haiti, a local organization that normally prepares food for a third world country. What they normally do internationally, they equipped us to do locally. Becky Liner from First Baptist and Laurye Messer from St. John’s co-chaired the event. Second Harvest Food Bank will distribute the meals to families this summer who are in the Leon County Schools free or reduced lunch program. Since over 50% of children in public schools require meal assistance during the school year, this day multiplies quickly to need people in our community.
When Jesus fed over 5,000 hungry people in John 6, a little child brought 5 loaves and 2 fish. He brought the food to Jesus, and Jesus distributed the food. Today, First Baptist, St. John’s and Hope4Haiti brought the food, Jesus blessed it, and these disciples like Leah prepared the food for distribution. The miracle will multiply in Leon County this summer.
At First Baptist, new Christians like Leah have the chance to learn about Christ at church, and they have the opportunity to be the church by loving Tallahassee through mission experiences like these. Their hands prepare what their heart and head already believe. As Leah said on Mother’s Day and demonstrated today, “Jesus is Lord.”