Prior to Christmas the LORD put it on Brian Anderson’s heart to focus and love on HIS children of this Englewood community. We have always LOVED them, but the LORD wants it to be our main focus for 2016 and beyond. The LORD wants to show HIS LOVE to the youth and teens of this community. By talking to the people we serve and through the research of others we are finding out that the youth and teens in this community don’t eat on a regular basis and the food that they eat at home and in school is very nutrient deficient. The LORD has placed on the hearts of our Shepherd’s HOPE staff and the board of directors to start an afterschool program feeding hot meals to the youth and teens of Englewood on 3 days a week. This would take place at the Family Feeding Center from 4-6 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We have tentatively worked out the arrangements to get the food donated, but just like the feeding programs we operate from 12:00-2:00 pm for 2 days a week, we have to pay for the plates, cups, napkins, forks, aluminum pans, foil, seasonings, head cook, building rental etc. To operate a feeding program for 300 youth and teens 3 days a week will cost us $24,000 per year. $0.53 per meal is a small price to pay to make sure the young people of this community get at least 3 nutritional meals a week and most of all it gives us the opportunity to develop relationships and trust needed to share the saving grace of JESUS and really LOVE these kids and young adults the way GOD designed it. This will call for a team effort again. We will be trusting in GOD again to supply the food and volunteers. Our goal as the Shepherd’s HOPE team will be to supply the oversight, transportation, guidance and leadership, the extra finances and most of all the LOVE of JESUS that the youth and teens of this community so badly need.
Our prayer is that GOD would bless this endeavor and have it operational by the beginning of August, 2016. It is all in GOD’s hands. HE will give us the discernment; HE will supply the food and volunteers; HE will tap the team members on the shoulder who HE wants to provide the financial resources needed to make this program a reality. Like GOD said to me on the corner of 57th and Lowe when I was praying to HIM about even joining HIM on this journey, “All you have to do is be obedient to my will and I will take care of all the rest.” After watching all that HE has accomplished in the last 6 years, my faith and trust in HIM is so much greater today than it was back then. I hope all of you who have been blessed to be on this journey with me feel the same way.
What a great opportunity to LOVE this community like never before and be the catalyst that starts the next generation on their journey with our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST. I don’t know about you, but the thought of that gives me goose bumps!