Why I Want to Feed the Streets, from Kelsey Ryska

I feel very convicted about how and what I give to those who are less fortunate than I.  When close friends or family members find themselves in a tough situation, the first thing I think of as a way to help is food.  I make them a meal that could feed an army or buy them nutritious, healthy groceries to power them through the week. But when I give to those who are less fortunate, what do I do?  I give less money than I would spend on groceries or donate food that I wouldn’t eat.  Something is terribly wrong here.

Think about the ministry of a food pantry.  We go to the store, buy foods we love for ourselves and buy whatever is on sale for them. This isn’t a slam on food pantries – they are a great ministry – this is shame on me.  We are called to treat the least of these as we would Jesus himself.  If Jesus came to my home for dinner, we would have steak!  I would buy the best of the best for him. Why?  Because he is worth it.  And so are they.

Obviously we’re supposed to treat the “least of these” well, but I want to do more than just give food. When I see the ministry of Jesus, I see Him delivering spiritual and physical food. I think both are important, which begs the question, “How can I use my gifts to minister like Jesus did?” If I can crunch numbers, then that’s what I’ll do. If I can give my time, energy, and money, then I will. But most of all, I just want to care for the needs of Southeast Fresno. And, that’s why I want to feed these streets.