At every Feed the Need Missions site, we meet people right where they are. Sometimes at a folding table or under a canopy, sometimes in a drive-thru line, and sometimes with a quiet prayer through a rolled-down window. No matter how people show up —walking up with kids in tow or pulling up in the front seat of an old Lincoln —our team is there, ready to serve more than just food.
One evening at our La Grange site, a woman in her 80s pulled up for a meal. From the outside, she looked like she had everything together — a nice car, a warm smile, and polite conversation. But as she began to open up, a deeper story surfaced. She shared about her grown children and grandchildren, her longing to see the next generation turn to God. She asked for prayer for her family, her neighbor, and herself. Living on a fixed income, unexpected expenses had made things tight. She even asked if she could take an extra meal for someone next door.
That moment — the ask, the honesty, the vulnerability — was not about the food. It was about community. About being seen. About hope.
Kelli, a longtime volunteer at the site, was there that night. She is someone who shows up week after week, not just to serve meals, but to be present. She brings her kids to help, teaching them that ministry often looks like simply listening, playing with other children, or carrying a plate of food to a car. Her presence reminds our guests and us that people matter.
Jenny, another volunteer who joined us for the first time that evening, listened intently to this guest. Jenny and her family are exploring the possibility of starting a site in Schulenburg — an answer to prayer in itself. But that night, the guest who came to receive ended up doing some of the giving — ministering to Jenny’s heart, prompting her to think more intentionally about praying for her own extended family and encouraging others to do the same.
Moments like this remind us of something important: not all brokenness looks the same. We are often tempted to think these meals are just for the visibly struggling: the homeless, the jobless, or the hurting. But the truth is, we all carry burdens. We all have stories, needs, and wounds that do not always show on the outside.
Feed the Need Missions is not just about meals. It is about meeting people in their real-life mess, showing up with food, a smile, a conversation, and a prayer. It is about reminding people — guests and volunteers alike — that Jesus came for all of us. His love is deep, His grace is sufficient, and His presence changes everything.
Jesus said in John 13:34–35,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
That is the kind of love we want to live out — not just in words, but in actions.
And why do we love like this? Because “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) That is the heartbeat behind everything we do.