Hunger Offering

God’s purpose and work continue to move through the hearts and hands of His people.

By Abby Hopkins

“Mommy, you did it.”

A woman who had been struggling to get her GED heard these words at graduation coming from her daughter. Now, she is taking college classes and will occasionally visit the ministry that helped her get there – Mineral Wells Center of Life.

Mineral Wells Center of Life, a Texas Baptist Hunger Offering partner ministry, began in 2011 to reach its community. Since opening, the ministry has been able to offer a variety of services from GED (high school equivalency) classes to food distribution to job training programs and more.

Executive Director Cindy Maness said the center’s ministries have recently expanded.

“You never know what the need is going to be,” Maness said.

By Abby Hopkins

When a person comes to Christian Family Baptist Church for the monthly food distribution, they drive through to receive the food. However, this is changing as the ministry finalizes a weekly grocery store-type experience for the community.

Christian Family Baptist Church is a Texas Baptist Hunger Offering partner in San Antonio planning to open a new building this month. This opening is part of a larger shift in the food distribution process, where Pastor Rob Johnson said people can now have more dignified access to food.

“We will provide a more modern approach to fighting hunger and malnutrition,” Johnson said. “The plan is to continue to refine to meet new people and share Christ. We’re addressing spiritual needs and physical needs.”

By Abby Hopkins

In Slovakia, the Roma are a minority known for living in poverty. Education barriers create challenges for individuals to finish school and break the cycles of poverty.

Roma Health & Hunger, a Texas Baptist Hunger Offering partner, is meeting this need by providing resources within the education system. From mothers to their children, the work of this ministry is helping Roma families succeed and thrive.

Hunger Offering funds are specifically used for higher education scholarship funds as well as for lunches and snacks for a preschool program. This ministry unites the body of Christ to meet the needs of Roma people and display the glory of God.

By Abby Hopkins

So often, the Lord uses the testimonies of His people to impact others with similar life struggles. For Elisa Valadez, whose story includes abuse, homelessness, and heartache, she knew she wanted to serve her community in this way to offer others the same hope she found in Christ.

Valadez began Pantry of Hope through First Baptist Church Laredo in 2016. Starting with a closet, the ministry opened the second Saturday of each month with food and clothing for families in the community to receive.

Texas Baptist Hunger Offering funds are used to purchase groceries for the pantry.

“It’s a blessing to have money come in that serves the community,” Valadez said.

By Abby Hopkins

In rural, economically depressed communities in Macedonia, one cow can go a long way.

Macedonia Cow Bank is a Texas Baptist Hunger Offering supported ministry that aims to serve these communities by providing cows to local farmers and pastors. Jeff Lee, director of the organization, began the ministry when he was introduced to a local who wanted to farm.

“The purpose of the cow bank is to help other local farmers and pastors through loaning a cow to them so that they can help their own family, sell the milk, or give the milk/cheese/butter to the congregation,” Lee said.

Lee and other staff identify potential applicants, meet with them to ensure they will work and do the job, then provide a cow when the applicant is ready. Recipients then repay the loan by giving back the first calf.

Last year, a group of local pastors approached Lee and requested help. Macedonia Cow Bank gave the pastors six cows and have seen successful results. The pastors have started selling milk and have used profits for outreach in their communities.

By Abby Hopkins

A young, single woman decided last year to answer a calling on her heart she felt since a young age. She decided to become a foster parent. This “yes” brought four placements and many struggles over the course of eight short months. To ease the stresses and anxieties, Fostering Hope in Amarillo provided for Shelby’s needs.

Fostering Hope is a Texas Baptist Hunger Offering supported ministry that seeks to serve children, families, and foster care agencies by supporting and equipping them to better adjust to new placements and fostering hardships.

“Hunger Offering funds help meet the basic needs of the children who have been taken from their homes and the families who have been enlisted to provide for them,” said Trevor Brown, associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Amarillo. Fostering Hope is a ministry of First Baptist.

The church hosted a lunch more than three years ago with the purpose of engaging those who may be interested in foster care and adoption. David and Sydney Rieff, members of the church, felt a call to partner in the work, not through fostering themselves, but by equipping those who do. They launched Fostering Hope for this purpose.

When an agency goes out to place a child with a foster family, Brown said it usually happens quickly and unexpectedly, and the families are not always equipped. Fostering Hope’s Care Closet has everything the family may need, including furniture, clothes, toys, diapers, and more.

In one day, Texas Baptists provided 1,900 meals for marginalized students in Peru. And that’s just half of it.

Together, Texas Baptists raised $3,800 -- or 1,900 meals-- for Operación San Andrés this past Giving Tuesday. Even more, an additional $3,270 was raised for the Hunger Offering general fund. That’s a total of $7,070 to feed people in need, to support families breaking the cycle of poverty, and to show people the love of Christ. Amazing!

I cannot fully express my gratitude to everyone who participated. Your gifts impact the world -- one meal at a time.

Sometimes it’s hard to remember goodness when hatred and violence abound. Richard Foster’s words remind me of God’s true heart: “Our God is not made of stone. His heart is the most sensitive and tender of all. No act goes unnoticed, no matter how insignificant or small. A cup of cold water is enough to put tears in the eyes of God. God celebrates our feeble expressions of gratitude.”

Giving Tuesday, Nov. 27, is a day dedicated to these feeble expressions by giving back. Texas Baptist Hunger Offering donations that day will purchase meals for marginalized children at Operación San Andrés in Collique, Peru. The goal is to raise $10,000 for 5,000 meals.

I love the imagery of the Creator of the universe tearing up when a cup or plate passes from hand to hand -- with a smile, no doubt. It is like celebrating communion -- an act of worship and reverence for God. Heaven seems to meet earth in the simplest of places.

By Abby Hopkins

#GivingTuesday 2018 is fast approaching, and we hope you are getting excited! Although our goal is to raise $10,000 for Operación San Andrés, we want to let you know other ways you can continue to take part in the ministry’s work.

• Knit baby blankets, stocking hats, prayer shawls, or anything else that will help people in Collique during cold and damp winters.

• Are you in college or seminary? Intern with OSA. You can spend up to 8 weeks at their mission site in Peru doing special projects, and may be able to use it for college credit.

• Do you work for a children’s mission organization? Hold a fundraiser or get your kids involved to help kids in Collique. Here are some ideas:

  • Collect school supplies and send them to OSA.

  • Contact OSA for specific names and photos of children who participate in the Educational Enrichment Program and pray for them by name with your organization.

  • Visit www.operacionsanandres.org to research more about the ministry and share what you find with the kids .

• Go to Peru and serve with OSA in April or October on a mission trip.

• Become a regular donor to the Hunger Offering or sign up for our newsletter to stay in-the-know.

• Pray!