In the picture below you can see some of the men who volunteer at the Food Bank gathered around a big tin tub which is full of pinto beans. The men dump out a 100 lb. sack of beans at a time into the tub and then scoop 2 pounds of those beans into small brown lunch sacks that are afterward sealed with tape. These smaller bags of beans are what we distribute each week, along with rice, fresh produce and dairy products to the families in need of food. We use 1300 pounds of beans every week so that is a lot of scooping!
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Jesus told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost."
John 6:12
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After the men fill the weekly quota of sacks, they very painstakingly pick up any stray beans that fell to the ground in the process. Dusting them off, they save those beans for next time.
Father Rick Thomas taught us how important it is to be good stewards of the gifts God gives us. He often used the example of Jesus telling his disciples to gather up all the leftovers after the multiplication of the
loaves and fishes. Food is a precious commodity that we often take for granted, but we don’t want any of the food we buy to go to waste. It may seem inconsequential to pick up a dozen or so small, dried beans, but these men take their responsibility seriously, knowing what it’s like to feel hunger.
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Volunteers prepare the fresh produce
for distribution at the Lord’s Food Bank.
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I wonder if that is one of the reasons why Jesus continues to multiply food at the Lord’s Food Bank. We have another great story to share with you about that next month.