It All Adds Up: Teresa’s Story

Have you ever been part of something that was larger than the sum of its parts?  That is Feed the Need Missions.  The parts are important, and they are obvious. Feed the Need Missions provides hamburgers and hot dogs to those in need—at sites each week and in disaster areas when the need arises.  Feed the Need Missions allows many people to be part of a great work. We feed hundreds of people free hamburgers and hot dogs each week.

Many people are generous and donate to provide the supplies for the meals. Some wonderful leaders keep the vision on track and undergird everything with prayer. Some people do the administrative duties to keep everything running smoothly.  Other people go and purchase the supplies each week. Site volunteers show up every week and wash, chop, cook, wrap and bag the food. The most fortunate volunteers get to take the orders for the food, talk and pray with those who come to be served.  All that is impressive, but there is so much more!

Feed the Need Missions addresses many kinds of poverty.  The obvious financial, physical poverty, but there is also emotional, spiritual, and community poverty. Those who come, volunteers and guests, face more than one of these. The obvious provision is the food for those who are in physical or financial poverty.

But the bigger provision is for the emotional, spiritual, and community poverty. Each week, we have people who come who have recently moved into the area. They need the community that is provided when they come and talk with us. Each week we pray with those who are facing emotional trials and they need the love that soothes their emotions. We display the love of Jesus in every interaction, and we pray with each person who comes. We even get to introduce some to Jesus for the first time and some come to accept Jesus through their interactions.

The sum of the parts is much greater than the individual parts.  The volunteers become family and pray together for each other. The volunteers who are packaging the burgers and hot dogs pray as they work for those guests who will receive the food.

Oh, the joy and blessing of praying with and for the guests. To answer their “why” questions—Why do you do this?  Why would you come here?  Why would people give money for this?  Why are you here in the rain, heat, cold? To have the opportunity to pray for each family.  To see the changes in the community.  The friendships that develop among the volunteers and the guests is amazing! The excitement when someone who hasn’t come for a while comes back.  That recognition of their importance is often the only time they get validation of their importance. For some of our guests, Feed the Need Missions provides the only love and acceptance they get.

Even COVID couldn’t slow down God’s hand through Feed the Need Missions. The change from a serving line to a car line could have dampened the spirit and the connections, BUT God! How amazed we were to see prayer become so much deeper and more open. Who knew that the guests would open up so much more in the privacy of their cars! Would we have had the opportunity to pray with the man who accepted Jesus at Feed the Need Missions the week before he was shot 7 times at close range and lived to give God the glory?  To come back to thank the volunteers and ask them to pray with his wife?

Yes, the sum of the parts of Feed the Need Missions is amazing! Physical food for those in need, a place of service and an opportunity for generosity for the volunteers, a way to help in emergency situations. But there is no way to know the spiritual and emotional impact on every person involved this side of heaven. There is always room for one more, too. You can be part of all of this—just show up with a heart to serve and a smile to share.


About the Writer:
Teresa Carrol is a lead volunteer at the Stony Point site, where she has been serving for more than five years. 
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Charley: A Story of Faithfulness

What is Faithfulness?

What does faithfulness look like? While you could simply Google a definition, we have discovered that the most vibrant definition of this most excellent trait is best understood as it is lived out and witnessed by others. Faithfulness is active.

 

To grasp it, you have to understand it’s root— faith. The Bible defines faith as “being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). In other words, faith begins with trust. A trust in Jesus’ plan for you that surpasses feelings, circumstances and even understanding.

 

Faith turns in to faithfulness when a person takes that inward heart posture of trust and allows it to saturate and dictate their mindset, their words, their decisions and their attitudes. Within Feed the Need Missions, there are many people that exemplify faithfulness. Our friend Charley is one of them.

A story of faithfulness

Faithful People Deflect from Self

People who are faithful don’t do what they do because they want accolades or attention. In fact, they often downplay their impact and quickly point to the One who has given them this transformational power. Charley is a great example of this.

 

Charley has been serving with Feed the Need Missions for more than four years. Though he is a model of faithfulness to everyone around him, he has a reluctancy to share. This comes from a place of reverence for Jesus and all that He has done in his life.

 

When you ask him how and why he got involved at Feed the Need Missions, Charley is quick to deflect from himself. “I wanted to give back something to Jesus since He has given me so much. I wanted to do great things.” He simply does what he does because he is grateful for what Jesus has done for him. “I realize it’s not about me. I need to take a back seat and allow God to do great things through me.”

 

Charley also highlights the examples of other godly men who instigated his involvement. He recalls that it was an invitation of his pal John Reese that prompted him to get started serving. “Because of my schedule I couldn’t get involved until I was retired. Now I can’t imagine not being involved.”

 

faithful people reflect Jesus

 

Faithful People Reflect Jesus

If you were to encounter Charley today, you would know you are loved. Not just by Charley, but also by Jesus. That is the impact he has on others. While Charley may not highlight himself, we can look to what others observe about him to see the impact of his faithfulness. The way those who serve alongside him see him is more powerful than anything he could say about himself. Here are a few fellow volunteers who have personally experienced Charley’s lifestyle of trust.

Allen: Faithfulness is Contagious

“Charley has a quiet demeanor and likes to help people. Because of him, so do I. I learned from him not to give up on people. He is one of a kind and an honest man. He never gave up on me.”

Frank: Faithfulness Embraces Everyone

“We went to Texas Baptist men for a few years together. I was at the church and was power washing one day when a homeless man walked up to me and put his arm around me. I didn’t know how to react and was fearful of what might have happened. Then Charley came up to him. He spoke to this man with a kind and sincere heart. He showed me how to care. He’s the perfect example of a solid Christian man.”

Don: Faithfulness is Care-FULL with People

“Charley and I know each other from Calvary Baptist. I started volunteering up at the church and he always asked me how I was doing. It was his patience that drew me to him. Charley has a real Jesus-focused heart. The way he handles people is a real gift.”

Tommy: Faithfulness Brings Others Along

“When Charley was asked to pull the trailer to the Stony Point site, I decided to go with him and help him at the site. I learned so much about helping others because of Charley. He’s a great man with great faith. He is best brother-in-law I could ever have.”

 

faithful people enable others

Faithful People Enable Others

The impact of faithfulness in the lives of others is powerful. It is so important to remember that people are watching. More than our words, people remember how we make them feel. It isn’t the result of just one encounter, but an accumulation of conversations and divine appointments over time.  “I’ve realized the Lord was teaching me to allow Him to use others to reach the Gospel. As I’m serving I pray for those in line and for the servers that are reaching them,” he shares.

 

While faithfulness comes in many forms, what we learn from Charley’s story is that a deep trust in Christ allows us the freedom to let others feel seen and valued. It takes others on with open arms and without fear. It enables and activates others. Ask yourself, what is the cumulative impact you are having on others?

 

We invite you to come and experience faithfulness first hand. Come on by our Stony Point site any time. Grab a free burger, allow our team of loving volunteers to pray over you, and meet Charley. And, if you dare, take a step in faith and begin to have this kind of impact on others around you as a Feed the Need Missions volunteer. We can’t wait to meet you.

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MEET A VOLUNTEER: TONIE

Feed the Need Missions has brought Tonie and her family lots of joy. Being a mom of two little girls, one on the way, and married, her family is able to serve together. “We’ve been able to teach our girls about giving to others and also for them to not have a fear of talking and praying with people.” Tonie said.

Being involved in the community is important to Tonie, but what is most important is God and teaching her children to love others. “We are God’s children and we need to take care of each other mentally, physically and spiritually. Feed the Need Missions allows us to serve together and build relationships in the community. I love the simplicity of it.” she said.

Feed the Need Missions’ ministry is simply to feed people. We provide a hot meal on a weekly basis in communities across Texas. This weekly meal allows us to build long-lasting relationships and proclaim the love and message of Christ. Be a legacy like Tonie and get involved today!

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Impact Stories: Stony Point

From now until the end of the year we will be sharing stories from each of our sites across Texas. Every site has the same mission: to feed people physically and spiritually. We see God using our volunteers and those that come to grow and build relationships with those in Christ. Here are just a few of the stories from our sites this past year.

STONY POINTserves every Monday starting at 5:30pm at Stony Point Park located at 121 Stony Creek Drive, De Valle. TX 78617.

David

David is married to his lovely bride for 42 years and have two kids and thirteen grandkids, not to mention four great-grandchildren too. “A few years ago I started serving with Rebecca. I had to stop serving because I was not in a good spot in my own life. I struggled with who I was and I didn’t have the capacity to pour into others the way I needed too,” David said.

Currently things have changed in David’s life. He attended a training at his Church and decided he was ready to start serving again. “I really enjoy seeing the faces of those we serve and to share Gods word with them. I’m an act of service kind of person by nature and like to help people. I enjoy serving others,” he said.

“By serving I have been able to open up more and come out of my shell. I use to be a recluse person and it’s helped me do a full 180. It’s opened my eyes to learn about others and to share stories. It has also helped me open my eyes to the Holy Spirit and my walk with Christ,” David said.

Nat

“My wife heard about a school over here in Stony Point that was hiring. She came and drove around the area and saw you guys out here serving. She knew I have a servant heart and this would be something I would be interested in, that was one year ago,” Nat said.

Nat wrestled with his work schedule and being involved with his church. He had a hard time finding the time to serve with Feed the Need Missions. “You guys came to my church and did a training and I participated. I fell in love with the ministry. This is God’s work,” he said. A week or so after the training his relative, Charlie, who serves at the Bastrop location, told Nat he was needed in Stony Point. Soon after Nat came to the site.

“I’m plugged in now. I come here and do Table Talk with our guests. I translate it to them in Spanish to help them understand the gospel. It feels great to help out, and share God’s love, and it’s also helping me grow,” he said with a big smile.

 

When you give to support our communities, people’s hearts and lives are being changed.

With your help, Feed the Need Missions will continue to provide a hot meal and share the love and message of Christ to those in our communities each week.

Can you help Feed the Need Missions continue serving each week by making a generous contribution of $25, $50, or $100 today? Without your generosity, people like David and Nat, might not get to hear about the love of the gospel and what it truly means to have people who love and support you where you are.

Don’t delay, give now and make a difference in your community today.


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Site Stories: Stony Point

From now until the end of the year we will be sharing stories from each of our sites across Texas. Every site has the same mission: to feed people physically and spiritually. We see God using our volunteers and those that come to grow and build relationships with those in Christ. Here are just a few of the stories from our sites this past year.

Stony Point serves every Sunday starting at 5:30pm at Stony Point Park located at 121 Stony Creek Drive, Stony Point, TX 786017

Julia

Julia has been living in Stony Point for 48 years. She has a daughter, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She spends a lot of time taking care of her grandchildren so her daughter can work.

Julia heard about Feed the Need Missions from Gilbert, a volunteer at our Stony Point site. Julia was driving by and Gilbert stopped her to give her some food. At first, Julia was a little skeptical about staying for the fellowship so she would receive her meal and leave. Now, six months later Julia stays to enjoy her meal at the site and stays after for Table Talk.

“Feed the Need Missions has been a blessing to me. I look forward to Monday nights. Every time I go everyone is so nice. I like that we pray and study the Bible together. Seeing you guys give food to everyone and seeing the smiles on the kids faces makes my heart happy,” Julia said.

Marty

“After reaching a point in my life where my health was so bad and I received a diagnosis of a rare respiratory disorder, I basically didn’t expect to be here on earth. After several years in a wheelchair, I decided to fight against everything holding me down,” Marty said.

Marty has been serving at the Stony Point site for almost a year. He loves what Feed The Need Missions is doing. It has helped him with his recovery and helped him get involved in outreach again through a positive Christ centered environment. “My purpose here is to let each person know that no matter what has been done, no matter what is currently going on, or what will occur in the future, each of us has been extended grace and forgiveness from Christ. Feed the Need Missions has provided outreach for me to share true love and grace. I am trying to be a fisher of men,” Marty said.

DONATE NOW

When you give to support our communities, people’s hearts and lives are being changed. With your help, Feed the Need Missions will continue to provide a hot meal and share the love and message of Christ to those in our communities each week.

Can you help Feed the Need Missions continue serving each week by making a generous contribution of $25, $50, or $100 today? Without your generosity, people like John and Peggy, might not get to hear about the love of the gospel and what it truly means to have people who love and support you where you are.

Don’t delay, give now and make a difference in your community today.

 

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MEET A VOLUNTEER: ALMA

Alma is a single mom to Jacqueline, her 19 year old daughter from Stony Point. She got pregnant at the age of 22 and continues to raise her daughter on her own with the help of family. She was born in Mexico and came to Texas when she was just a year old.

In May of 2019 Feed the Need Missions will celebrate two years of serving the Stony Point community were Alma and Jacqueline reside. Alma joined us one evening for food and fellowship and three weeks later she began serving on the food line where she’s now the “line leader.” “Serving fills my heart with joy. I like seeing the people gather together,” Alma said.

Alma came to the site physically hungry, but also struggling with brokenness. Growing up in poverty and living with her parents and siblings, she was wanting to help her community but didn’t know how. “There’s a lot of crime here and kids running everywhere that are hungry,” she said. “All I wanted to do was help people, and now I can because you guys come and spend time with us when it seems like no one cares for our community.”

And then..

Just a few weeks after Alma began serving at the Stony Point site, her daddy passed away and she found herself depressed and not having anyone to talk too. “You guys were here for me,” she said. “I can come here and know that I am with people who care about me. You helped me through a tough time. Thanks for being there.”

Thank you Alma! Feed the Need Missions is proud to have you on our team.

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Community Stories: Stony Point

stony point

Every week until the end of the year we will be sharing stories from each of our six communities. Each of our communities serve anyone who stops by, but we have noticed that at each site similar stories start to pop up. We see God using our volunteers and those that come to grow and build relationships with those in Christ. Here are just a few of the stories from our location in Stony Point.

Stony Point serves on average 140+ meals every Monday at Stony Point Park. This area has been secluded by the county because of the high crime rate, but is now seeing the light in the darkness, literally and spiritually. The park now has lights, and is being mowed and cleaned up on a regular basis. Some areas are even getting new sewage put in. We have been able to bring people together and build relationships.

AC

Stony Point is a small area in Del Valle in the County of Bastrop. It’s an impoverished area with a lot of crime. AC has been a resident of Stony Point since 2005. He stumbled upon Feed the Need Missions by driving past the site a few times on his way home. Not knowing too many familiar faces and seeing “Free Burgers” on the side of our trailer, eventually gave AC the courage to stop by.

AC struggles with alcoholism and is trying to change his life, but has many negative influences. He said, “This is a positive place. A safe place. I can come get a burger and not have to worry about anything.”

“We see a lot of crime out here and it’s an encouragement to have you here. It’s a positive place to come and helps me become a positive person. One day one person gets killed and the next day it’s different. You never know what’s going to happen around here. People run Stony Point like there’s no law. They do what they want.”

Feed the Need Missions is a light in the darkness and allows a place for AC’s community to be safe and to hear the gospel. “Everyone needs Jesus, but it’s just hard when you’re in a dark place and live in crime,” he said. “You’re making it a better place.”

GILBERT

Gilbert and his wife have lived in Stony Point for many years. They both struggle with addiction and his wife recently graduated from Teen Challenge in San Antonio. She found friends at Feed the Need Missions she could confide in about her addiction to seek the help she needed to change her life.

Gilbert is building trust and relationships with a few men from Feed the Need Missions. We were the light in the darkness and now Jesus is the light in his darkness, and through building relationships Gilbert’s walk with Christ is becoming deeper.

His life is being changed. His addiction is being worked through and looks very successful.

 

DONATE NOW

This is the kind of difference you are making when you give to support our communities.  With your help, Feed the Need Missions will continue to provide a safe place people like AC and Gilbert can gather for a hot meal each week, a place where you see the love of Christ in action.

Can you help Feed the Need Missions continue serving each week by making a generous contribution of $25, $50, or $100 today? And if you give by the end of the year, thanks to a generous matching gift, your donation will be DOUBLED—up to $12,000—to make an even larger impact in the lives of so many people in our communities.

So don’t delay, give today so you can DOUBLE your gift and help even more people like Mike experience unconditional love.

 

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Thanksgiving Happenings

This year, Feed the Need Missions is partnering with individuals, churches and local businesses to help provide 600 Thanksgiving meals to families in our communities. Each boxed meals will include a frozen turkey and sides that families can prepare at home on Thanksgiving Day, and we need your help to make it a success!

If you would like to donate, please drop off the following non-perishable food items to any of our drop off locations listed here. Be sure to note the food donations are for “Feed the Need Thanksgiving Meals.”

  • Instant Mashed Potatoes
  • Canned Green Beans
  • Canned Corn
  • Instant Stuffing
  • Packets of Gravy
  • Canned Cranberry Sauce
  • Canned Sweet Potatoes
  • Nonperishable Dessert Kits (ex. cake mix with icing, brownies, cookie mix)

We also need financial donations for frozen turkeys as we will be purchasing these in bulk. Simply donate here and write “frozen turkey” in the comments section of the donation form.

Download printable pdf flyer

Donation Drop-off Locations:

  • Living Room Bookstore
  • Bastrop YMCA
  • Bastrop Christian Church
  • Bastrop Church of Christ
  • Bastrop First
  • Bastrop Christian Outreach Center
  • Good Sheperd Lutheran Church, Bastrop
  • Celebration
  • First Baptist Church, Giddings
  • Primera Baptist Church

Thanksgiving Boxed Dinner Giveaway Dates

If you or a family is in need of a Thanksgiving Dinner Giveaway Box, please register at any of our Feed the Need locations. It is important that you register so we know how many meals are needed. Deadline for registration is November 6th. 

BASTROP:

Saturday, November 18, 2017 from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Primera Baptist Church
301 Paul C Bell St. Bastrop, Texas 78602

SMITHVILLE:

Sunday, November 19, 2017 from 5:00-6:00 PM

Hearts Chapel
206 Prima St. Smithville, Texas 78957

GIDDINGS:

Sunday, November 19, 2017 from 5:00-6:00 PM

Giddings Food Pantry
190 N Harris Giddings, Texas 78942

STONY POINT:

Monday, November 20 from 5:30-6:30 PM

Stony Point Park
121 Stony Creek Dr. Del Valle, Texas 78617

 

 

If you are interested in volunteering at one of these locations for the giveaway please email Christy Beyer at christy.beyer@feedtheneed.org.

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Meet a Volunteer: Al

Al was born in a little town of south Texas where he was raised as a migrant worker. He moved to Bastrop, Texas at the age of 13 and graduated from Bastrop High School. He joined the Air Force right out of high school and served our country. When he completed his time he moved back to the area and married his wife, Debbie. Al retired from the Travis County police force after 22 years, and 2 1/2 years with the State of Texas. 

Al heard about Mission U-Too from a friend  who asked him to come and serve with him. It’s now been 2 years since Al has been serving. He went to the Bastrop North site and helped out with serving on the line and saw a really important need to reach out to folks. He said, “I had no idea what ‘Mission Youtube’ was or did. I fell in love with the needs to serve the community I was raised in.” For a while until Al became familiar with Mission U-Too’s name, he would call the ministry ‘Mission Youtube,’ as some still do. 

Al is currently serving at two sites. He’s a Site Coordinator at our Stony Point location and is currently filling in at our Bastrop North site. Al served our country well, and is now serving his community well.

Al was a bit optimistic about serving at the Stony Point site, but, unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy since he knew many of those who he serves in the capacity of a police officer. But because of the people’s change of heart in Stony Point, they are now building a trust with Al.

What stirs Al’s heart at the site is the look on some of the folks faces that come through the line. Especially the children and their excitement to know someone is cooking a hot meal for them. He mentioned, “Some of the ‘grown ups,’ the look of despair replaced by a smile, a handshake or a small prayer and being able to walk away with a little help without any questions is a beautiful sight. It’s a different atmosphere every week.”

“Mission U-Too has made me understand and realize how blessed I am. It has allowed me to share what little I have with a group of individuals that genuinely care about the community of Bastrop and Stony Point and to see the need to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Savior.” Al is continuing to learn what it means to spread the gospel and carrying out the Great Commission. Al share’s John 3:16 with those he serves “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” We should never stop understanding that God gave His only begotten Son so we may have everlasting life.  We only give of our time for Mission U-Too…He gave His Son.

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New Site Location: Stony Point

We’re excited to announce the start of a new location at Stony Point in Del Valle, Texas! This has been a site we have desired to start for a number of years, as it is an area that’s impoverished and has great needs.

Stony Point is located on the border of Bastrop and Travis Counties and is a neighborhood in Del Valle, however it is a somewhat forgotten community with lots of poverty and several gangs who call this area home.

After lots of prayer and God leading the right people to use to cultivate relationships, the ground is fertile and the community is ready to receive us. The Mission U-Too Stony Point site officially started 4 weeks ago and has been growing ever since.

New Site Location: Stony Point | Mission U-Too

Gang members in their mid teens are even stopping by to get a hot meal. They enjoyed the meal so much they came through the line three times! They asked before leaving “are you really going to be here every Monday night?”

A local that runs and owns a little convenient store on the corner in Stony Point has said “we’ve been needing this for a number of years. I’ve tried helping people out but I can’t do it by myself.” He’s grateful that we are there to help his community. Even with the little resources this store has, the owner has a huge heart to help. Every week he gives Mission U-Too bags of ice to keep our drinks cold.

New Site Location: Stony Point | Mission U-Too

Steven, a young boy who serves at this new location, waits for our arrival on Monday evenings. He serves until feeding time is over and then will take food back to his family. If there are any leftovers more food is sent to his family and he shares it with his neighbors as well. Steven has found a place that he can make a difference in his community.

Another volunteer, Gabriel, started cutting the grass and helps keep the area cleaned up. The grass has been overgrown and the park hasn’t been taken care of. It’s great to see the community coming out and helping serve with Mission U-Too but also shows care and respect of their community.

Persistence and consistency are key to our sites. Serving each location the same day every week at the same time builds trust and grows relationships. Larry White, one of our volunteers, said, “It’s been a great blessing and has refreshed my spirit to be able to serve in Stony Point. People are so grateful there and are surprised that we have kept our promise to be there.”

We are so excited to now be serving hot meals to the people who call Stony Point home. Mission U-Too will continue using the body of Christ to come together to serve communities across the country.

Stony Point meets every Monday night.

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