A Social Mission, from Kristen Base

From your neighbor living next door, to the woman on the streets in Africa, God’s children are all loved equally. Sometimes, we find it a nobler deed to reach out to the person in Africa, while those living in our very neighborhoods are ignored. Those struggling to make ends meet in Southeast Fresno matter, and we should be doing something to help. This is something I have felt God trying to teach me for a while, but I could not pinpoint it. I felt a growing compassion in my soul, but I did not know for what purpose. In response, I switched my major over to Social Work with an Intercultural Studies minor in order to gain practical skills to serve the poor in other countries. “Where do you want me to go, Lord? I’ll go! But how can I when I am going to school?” I felt like I needed to be doing something now, but did not see how that was possible in the university bubble.

The reality is, it does not take much to extend hands full of grace. Surrounding us are people who are hungry for physical and spiritual food. We can satisfy both of those needs very easily. Food is tangible. It shows that we care about their well-being. As we share meals and conversation, it also opens the opportunity to talk about God’s love. We can pray for people from far away and throw fliers at them inviting them to church, but what really opens up a person’s heart is sitting down next to them and sharing their burdens. In that way, we can provide for their physical needs and show them where to fill their souls.

Just as Jesus went out to the poorest of the poor, so should we. Jesus did not sit inside a house and wait for people to come figure out that He was their Savior – He went out and showed them! As followers of Christ, we should be doing the same. We should not sit inside our churches and wait for people to realize who Christ is. We cannot sit in our houses and hope people will come ask us why we care. They will not know that Jesus, and His church, wants to satisfy their needs unless we show them. “Feed Our Streets” is a way for the body of Christ to do exactly that – feed the needs of the hungry.