Service with a Smile

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-14

Eighteen pounds of diced potatoes!? Usually when babies are born, the neighborhood makes meals and brings adorable pink, pouffy gifts to congratulate the family. Last week, little Amelia was born to a family who is special to the dorm. Dawson and Alicia not only serve on the dorm committee but also host students, counsel/disciple students, help with maintenance and all around encourage each of us towards good works. So as a dorm we wanted to do something to congratulate the family.

We were able to service them in a unique, practical way. Many ladies up here have a summer garden in which they grow a variety of vegetables that can be canned and frozen to be eaten throughout the year: corn, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, winter squash, and more. Not only is having a garden great fun, it provides organic produce for healthy living. So, when Dawson handed over a gunny sack each of potatoes and carrots, most of the girls pitched in to “work them up” into cubes and sticks.

It was great fun sitting around the table with these gals laughing about “I don’t want to see another carrot” and when they would be able to hold little Amelia. Apparently we did cube 18 pounds of potatoes and cut 7 pounds of carrots into sticks. It is so satisfying to serve others and bless them as we have been blessed.

And then another opportunity presented itself the following day…

One ministry that has really taken off among American Christians is Operation Christmas Child through an international relief group called Samaritan’s Purse. Their mission statement is, “to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel.” One way that we as a Christian community can participate in their mission is by contributing to the Operation Christmas Child project.

Each year in October-November, individuals and churches gather goodies to fill a shoe box for a child in need: toiletries, toys, school supplies, clothes, candy. These shoe boxes are then collected by Samaritan’s Purse and shipped all over the world. The children receiving the shoebox get a special gift and they also hear about the good news of Jesus.

The EMB church has been gathering donations for the past month to fill as many of these shoeboxes as they have items. Lynette and Eileen brought the items to the dorm for our students plus a few community kids to pack these 22 boxes of fun for unknown kids around the globe.