We just received a wonderful letter from one of our Community partners who came to our reaching farther challenge weekend a few weekends ago, and we wanted to share it with you:
Dear Christ The Rock,
Participating in the Reaching Farther Challenge Weekend was an uplifting experience for everyone from Double Portion. Everyone who worked at the booth was overflowing with enthusiasm and joy in describing their experiences. They talked about being blessed by the church service with the understanding gained from the goats and sitting on the floor, and they were touched and gained insight by visiting the booths of other missions. Everyone considered it a blessing to be a part of the Reaching Farther Challenge Weekend.
The connections and relationships made at the booth have breathed a new life into Double Portion. Our volunteers who met the “Rockers”, as they called themselves, were impressed that those who came to the booth didn’t have to be persuaded to serve the needy. The Rockers just wanted to know what they could do, how they could help and where to sign up. They were decisive. Fifteen new volunteers are working on a weekly basis and another ten are bringing items for the meals and pantry. Their enthusiasm has been a blessing for us.
The most amazing thing about the new volunteers from Christ the Rock who have come to work on serving days is that they didn’t say they could come one day a week or a couple of days a month. Nearly all have been coming every day we are serving unless they have a conflicting engagement elsewhere. Then they apologize that they can’t be there every day. Their presence has a huge influence on getting the jobs done. It is amazing!
Another remarkable and unique behavior we have seen in the Rocker volunteers is that they are assertive and not passive. Our experience is that new volunteers wait to be told what to do and are not assertive about seeing a task and starting it. The Rockers jump right in and are wonderfully assertive in getting the job done really well without requiring coaxing or waiting to be told. They take over like unlike anything we have ever seen. One volunteer doing dishes learned that one of our ovens isn’t functioning properly. He is an electrician and is going to repair the oven. On the other hand, they show God’s desired quality of obedience because they follow directions precisely. The new volunteers’ approach is fantastic and we appreciate it. None of this is meant to detract from our other volunteers. It is to point out that we see distinctive Rocker servant enthusiasm, and it is contagious!
Praise God for the unemployed from Christ the Rock who are spending their time waiting for calls from prospective employers to work for the Lord; many Rockers unemployed themselves are serving the needy at Double Portion. One man, in-between jobs himself, is using his years of experience working in human resource departments to counsel Double Portion guests on resume writing and job interviewing skills. He also began a Bible study group on Mondays. Awesome.
New Rocker volunteers include a married retired couple, a mom and her 7th grade daughter and friend, numerous individual adults of all ages, and one man has committed to providing the dessert for our guests for every second Thursday of every month. One small group is considering providing a monthly meal as well.
The Stone Soup meal on April 22 was entirely provided by Rockers who signed up at the Reaching Farther weekend. The meal was very successful and over one hundred meals were provided. All who signed up showed up and many stayed to work. They were very helpful and all had a good time. All the food was eaten with some carry outs taken home for another meal. Altogether 28 families provided food that day. Several donors have asked about doing it again. I plan on contacting everyone in the next month to ask if they would like to bring items for another meal.
Sixty three placemats were completed by children of all ages with the direction to draw pictures of God’s love for us or their favorite Bible story. The placemats the children made had such precious art work and messages that one of our board members is laminating them so we can use them again and again. Many excited children came to the booth and asked questions to complete their treasure maps.
The Reaching Farther Challenge Weekend has had a great impact on the guests and on other volunteers. It breathed a new life into Double Portion. Thank you for the blessing of participating.
To His glory,
Sally Covyeau
Board Member
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