The His-House Emergency Sessions
Wednesday, November 5th: His House isn’t supposed to be open, yet at 4:30 p.m. a line of cars stretches from the front of the building around to Turner Street, spilling into the north parking lot of College Church. Why?
The Causal Chain: The federal government shuts down. SNAP benefits withheld nationwide. Searcy mayor calls for local churches to help feed low wage earners who work until 5:00 p.m. Andrew Baker tells Noel Whitlock, who convenes a meeting with Andrew and the His-House leadership.
Decision: Open His House on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. for at least two weeks. Now.
Plan: Get extra supplies from Arkansas Food Bank, seek donations; mobilize HH workers and other volunteers to prepare and distribute food; announce the special event on Facebook. Pray.
Outcome: The bad: not enough food for everyone. The good: 122 families served.
On Wednesday, November 12th, a later starting time and shorter line results in a smooth operation. In back of HH, in-line recipients with children are given a kiddie gift box. In front, cars are directed to one of two stations, where drivers are greeted, checked in, and given cart-loads of food.
The carts emerge from an impressive assembly line inside, prepared hours in advance. Volunteers push full carts out and wheel empty carts back through the open doors, resulting in a clang of metal on metal that competes with shouted instructions and murmured conversation among the dozen or so helpers on hand. Vehicles get loaded with food in roughly 30 seconds.
Then it’s over. The government reopens. His House resumes its regular schedule. In the aftermath, HH team member Pat Howe reflects on the emergency sessions and the general work of the ministry.
First, there is the dependable generosity of church members and the Searcy community. In “widow’s-mite” fashion, a nearly indigent member gives $100 to the effort. And one day a stranger walks into the church office, hands Allison Ham a thousand dollars in cash, “for His House,” and walks out. “I’d have been happy to give her a receipt,” says Pat.
Then there’s the frustration involved in working with large groups of disadvantaged folks. How do you separate those in real need from the opportunists? Pat’s unscientific but common sense opinion, based on long experience, is that scattered among honest people in need are many hustlers. He says it, pauses, then adds: “And I’m good with that.” In other words, he’s willing to be taken advantage of in order to help the truly needy.
What others do is “on them.” As followers of Jesus, we heed his admonition to a rich man: “When you give a feast, invite the poor . . . You will be blessed because they cannot repay you . . . “ (Luke 14:13-14a).
His-House volunteers know we are all poor in God’s loving sight. None of us can repay Him. So we “pay it forward” under the Divine plan, believing we “will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14b).
The Causal Chain: The federal government shuts down. SNAP benefits withheld nationwide. Searcy mayor calls for local churches to help feed low wage earners who work until 5:00 p.m. Andrew Baker tells Noel Whitlock, who convenes a meeting with Andrew and the His-House leadership.
Decision: Open His House on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. for at least two weeks. Now.
Plan: Get extra supplies from Arkansas Food Bank, seek donations; mobilize HH workers and other volunteers to prepare and distribute food; announce the special event on Facebook. Pray.
Outcome: The bad: not enough food for everyone. The good: 122 families served.
On Wednesday, November 12th, a later starting time and shorter line results in a smooth operation. In back of HH, in-line recipients with children are given a kiddie gift box. In front, cars are directed to one of two stations, where drivers are greeted, checked in, and given cart-loads of food.
The carts emerge from an impressive assembly line inside, prepared hours in advance. Volunteers push full carts out and wheel empty carts back through the open doors, resulting in a clang of metal on metal that competes with shouted instructions and murmured conversation among the dozen or so helpers on hand. Vehicles get loaded with food in roughly 30 seconds.
Then it’s over. The government reopens. His House resumes its regular schedule. In the aftermath, HH team member Pat Howe reflects on the emergency sessions and the general work of the ministry.
First, there is the dependable generosity of church members and the Searcy community. In “widow’s-mite” fashion, a nearly indigent member gives $100 to the effort. And one day a stranger walks into the church office, hands Allison Ham a thousand dollars in cash, “for His House,” and walks out. “I’d have been happy to give her a receipt,” says Pat.
Then there’s the frustration involved in working with large groups of disadvantaged folks. How do you separate those in real need from the opportunists? Pat’s unscientific but common sense opinion, based on long experience, is that scattered among honest people in need are many hustlers. He says it, pauses, then adds: “And I’m good with that.” In other words, he’s willing to be taken advantage of in order to help the truly needy.
What others do is “on them.” As followers of Jesus, we heed his admonition to a rich man: “When you give a feast, invite the poor . . . You will be blessed because they cannot repay you . . . “ (Luke 14:13-14a).
His-House volunteers know we are all poor in God’s loving sight. None of us can repay Him. So we “pay it forward” under the Divine plan, believing we “will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14b).
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