Feeding the 5,000

A ministry takes on a challenge to feed the hungry in Washington, D.C.

We remember the day as it were yesterday. Hasting His Harvest had already begun working in a community of Washington, D.C. metro area when we received a phone call describing a very relevant and timely mission. It would require us to provide 5,000 nutritious and delicious plant-based wraps within a two-hour period for the homeless. For us, this seemed like an impossible responsibility to fulfill. The labor time required to complete and deliver 5,000 wraps from planning to shipment would require around 240 hours. Our labor team consisted of two people at the time, and we had only nine days to complete the task. We sorely needed volunteers to help conserve on costs, and to help with the preparation.

We always believed in walking by faith and not by sight, but now our faith was rising to new heights. All we could think about was our Savior’s words “…when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.

Nothing is too hard for the Lord. He blessed us with volunteers, and on the final day of production, we had a total of 20 people present to complete 1,200 wraps! When our mission to feed the 5,000 was complete, a volunteer and his family had found spiritual nourishment as well.

Among the volunteers was a non-Adventist who served as our vehicle driver. He had heard about the mission through word of mouth, and his heart was truly searching for truth. He was impressed with the fact that we were seeking to live what we professed, in life and in service. Our health food ministry also was a blessing to him and his family, as he was able to take leftover plant-based foods home to his wife and two children. At the completion of the project, he began attending our local Adventist church. I met him a few times before I felt impressed to ask him if he would be interested in Bible studies. “Would you like to know the reasons behind our faith?” I questioned. 

He responded eagerly. “I’ve been waiting for someone to ask me this.” 

Although his wife initially opposed the Sabbath truth, she later felt the Holy Spirit’s conviction on her heart too. Together, they changed their lifestyle in order to reflect the Bible’s teachings. After prayer and study, they both made the decision to be baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist church.

To think that this wonderful blessing was set in motion when we trusted God to help us provide 5,000 meals to the homeless! When we said yes to the daunting opportunity, God blessed us with more than what we could have imagined.  


Location
USA

Author
Lawrence Rykard Jr. is the director of the Hasting His Harvest, a ministry dedicated to educating people in basic biblical health.

How You Can Help
Pray for this new couple to remain faithful to the truth.

Donate
If you would like to donate to Hasting His Harvest, visit their website at:
hastinghisharvest.com