Miracles on Wheels...

I've talked before about starting to serve with Mobile Loaves and Fishes. Well, I went out last night for the second time, but the rest of the fam came along on this trip and it was a beautiful sight! We got to the prep kitchen at Lake Hills Church at 4pm to make sandwiches and load the truck with goods. We put Payson in a high chair that attached to the table we made sandwiches on and he just watched and ate and was so happy. Porter and Piper worked hard doing anything we asked without complaint...loading chips on the truck, putting jelly on sandwiches, etc. So proud! Our only mishap was Payson pooping thru his clothes and the only clean outfit I had in my bag was from the summer...too small and did not over his legs. So, we just put on his jacket and hiked his socks up as high as they would go. He seemed to care less. Anyway...when the truck was all ready just before 6pm, we loaded up and headed to Central, East Austin to a low income apartment complex that we were told has lots of kids so it would be appropriate to take our kids. We wondered where was the best place to park and would people all come out and know we were there? Well, that thought lasted for only a second because as we pulled in, flocks of people started coming out of their doors...they must have been looking out their windows waiting for us! We jumped out, and got moving. The truck has 3 sections...a food side, a clothing side, and hot chocolate and coffee in the back. The clothes literally all went within 5 minutes. Next time we will definitely pack more! Everyone, including all the tiny kids, were mostly sockless and shoeless and dressed for summer when it was probably in the 40's outside. Everyone was very sweet and no one seemed to take more food than they needed. Little kids were standing in line to get food for their families. Everyone loved oranges which we ran out of at the end, PBJ's were a bigger hit than ham and cheese, and of course cookies and candy went fast! We will pack the truck with more knowledge next time. We were cleaned out completely with nothing left within 30 minutes. It was crazy and amazing and also very sad. I'm so glad my kids got the be there and see and participate. I hope the truth of poverty, our need to serve, and thankfulness and joy sets into their hearts. I really am speechless when I try to explain the feelings I have about it all. I think you have to do it to fully understand. It blesses us and changes us probably more than the people we served. We fed them with literal food, they fed us with so much more. God is good and will never fail to meet our needs and never fail to be glorified in serving and feeding the poor.

I took some pics of the preparation stage, but not of the serving stage. I wish I could have gotten pictures of all the beautiful faces that came out, though.