It has been an honor serving in the Christ Church Cathedral Community Breakfast for the last year. 2020 was a very trying year for many of us, especially our community’s most vulnerable. It has been inspiring to witness the dedication of a handful of very caring people, keeping this breakfast going, no matter what.
Although it’s not something that I often share, I know what it’s like to be on the street. I’ve been out there myself with nowhere to go & no one to turn to. It’s very unpleasant, to say the least, to go without the basic necessities of life like food & shelter.
I recall the sense of total helplessness, the shaming and outright hostility I experienced. It often felt like there was nothing that could be done to change it. It’s easy for those who have never been in this situation to say and believe that being without is a matter of bad choices, and that everyone can “pull themselves up by their bootstraps if they really want to.” I absolutely believe that anyone who wants to change their life can do so, but as Maya Angelou wrote, “Nobody, I mean nobody, can make it out here alone.”
That’s why I’ve been so encouraged to see the folks at the Cathedral continue to serve throughout this pandemic, throughout riots downtown, throughout this ice cold winter, throughout whatever came our way.
Ghandi once said, “There are people in the world so hungry, That God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.”
As a chef, I love to be able to feed people a hot meal, but I have always felt that the most important part of our ministry was feeding souls with kindness, compassion, and respect. Time and time again, I see our volunteers put their hearts into their service, and go above and beyond because they genuinely care.
As a church, the body of Christ, there is no more important work than to express the love of God, especially to someone who feels most unloved, unwanted, unappreciated, unnoticed.
Thanks to my fellow volunteers for a chance to be a part of making a difference to our neighbors on the Circle. If you haven’t joined us, you’re welcome any Sunday morning to share this experience of God’s love in action.