There were no balcony people at the Church on Saturday morning. None of us even went into the sanctuary. We were busy in the kitchen baking biscuits and brewing coffee to take to a park downtown for distribution to the homeless.
Loading the hot cheese stuffed biscuits and coffee into the van, we made the short trek to Moore Square, only to be surprised that most of the park had been fenced off for a beer festival that afternoon. I wondered if the beer venders thought we might be bringing them biscuits and coffee, which would be okay if they were hungry, or if those passing by might think we were enticing them to come inside to the beer fest. We did find a space between the beer garden gate and the sidewalk to set up our one table. Hardly before we could get the table upright, people began coming from every direction. Hungry men, women, and children gathered around us on this unusually chilly and cloudy April morning, grateful for a warm cheese biscuit and some coffee. I suspected most were homeless. All were hungry.
One hundred and fifty biscuits were gone in no time. The coffee lasted a few minutes longer. I felt guilty we had not baked more biscuits. I wondered where the hundreds of homeless people had come from. Our offerings seemed far too little.
Some of the people lingered with their biscuits, just to talk and say “thank you.” Most everyone gave us smiles of gratitude. Some asked if we had some clothing to give away. Fortunately, another group was helping distribute clothing at the Church building, so some were directed there for assistance.
The name of this annual mission emphasis is “Touching Raleigh with Love.” As I loaded the empty cups and boxes into our warm and dry van, I wondered just who was being touched most with love on this gray April morning.
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