Last fall we were discussing service projects that we could get our kids involved in so that they could experience serving others as scripture says we should. We found very few opportunities for kids our kids' ages. The one that we finally agreed upon was Operation Backpack. This is a division under Operation Food Search that sends food home with underprivileged students on Fridays so that they have something to eat on the weekends. The majority of students effected by Operation Backpack live in the downtown St. Louis area but they have, in recent years, brought it out to St. Charles County.
As we talked my friend, Leigh, spoke several times that she wished that we could help the kids at John Weldon that might have parents who are struggling to feed them. While I agreed, it wasn't until someone talked about how OFS also sends home cake mixes and party plates for the kids' birthdays that I was really broken. You see, many might look at the financial state that I grew up in and say that it was "underprivileged" but I NEVER went a birthday without a cake... or a meal for that matter! Yes, of course, I realize that having food every weekend is critically more necessary but the thought of a child sitting at home on their birthday, not feeling special and celebrated opened my eyes, broke my heart and popped the bubble in which I lived.
I began to pray that God would move someone to bring the program to JWE because the thought of kids that my kids knew, sat next to at lunch and played with at recess being hungry and not feeling celebrated made me want to melt into a heap of tears. One morning at breakfast I was sharing my prayer with Madeline and Gavin when Gavin said "Mom, why don't we just feed them?"
My prayers changed. "God, I don't want to do this just because it needs to be done or just because it's a good thing. I only want to do this if YOU are calling ME to do it." I spoke to no one about it but God for weeks. One day as I was praying about it and reading in Titus I came across these words:
Our people must learn to commit themselves to doing what is good. Then they will be able to provide for the daily needs of others. If they do that, their lives won't turn out to be useless.
Titus 3:14 (Gavin's NIRV Bible)
Titus 3:14 (Gavin's NIRV Bible)
What could be a more daily need than that kids have food?! Finally, I felt led to meet with the principal, Mrs. Crigler. Pretty quickly a meeting was set and I was on my way to the principal's office! I'm certain that I was more nervous and sweaty that day than any other time I've gone to the principal's office. I called my friend, Leigh, and asked her to pray. I shared my concern for student hunger with Mrs. Crigler, along with the district statistics that I'm sure she already knew. In our district the percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunch has been low but it is increasing with the current economy. According to the data at that time, JWE could have had somewhere around 50 I think. I told her that I believed that these were God's kids and I believed that He wanted to feed them. I told her that I had absolutely no idea how it would work but that I would promise to pray over every bag of food that went home whether it was 2 or 100. She agreed to talk to the "higher ups" about it. I must say that Mrs. Crigler was delightful and not at all as scary as on might think a principal would be. ;)
A few months later I was told that the "higher ups" approved and Mrs. Crigler asked that I create something to go home in the school newsletter. This meant that I had to come up with a name... and a logo... and some way to explain to parents what this was! Ok. I probably didn't HAVE to have all of that but it's just how I am. As I was thinking about it I remembered the word that God spoke to my heart a few months earlier... necessities. These kids need their daily necessities... or as Baloo the bear would say their "bear necessities."
My meeting with Mrs. Crigler was nine months ago. Yesterday, applications for Bear Necessities went home for the first time. Before school began this morning I received a call that there are already two students that have signed up to receive services from Bear Necessities!!! I can only wonder how many we'll have by the end of the day!
I do have an idea of how this whole thing will work now. The information I will receive from the counselor, Mr. Marion, will be nameless. I will get information on if there are food allergies and how many students and that's it. I will be praying that food is donated for this from other John Weldon parents. You see, I believe that one of the things that our fast-paced, technology driven, far traveling world has created is a lack of community. My prayer is that God will use Bear Necessities to bring more than food to children, but also a feeling of community to those who participate and all the families with kids at John Weldon Elementary. This community type lifestyle was one of the critical "glues" that held the first century church together and enabled them to show Christ's love to one another and to those around them. In Acts 2:44-45 it says, "And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need." The first Christ-followers depended upon one another for their bear necessities. They shared and provided for one another.
I have been waiting for months to share this request. I need food. Will you help me provide for the daily needs of others? The food needs to be stuff that kids can fix themselves and that doesn't need to be refrigerated. The following is a list of what I'll need to fill bags for the first three weeks:
hot chocolate mix
individual boxes of cereal
instant oatmeal
peanut butter
jelly (no glass please)
crackers
mac n cheese
canned green beans
canned corn
canned peas
canned ravioli
canned beefaroni
chilli
soup
fruit cup
applesauce
cheez its
granola bars
pudding cups
peanut butter crackers
raisins
fruit snacks
Thank you, in advance, to all who donate and pray for this community of people that God loves. May He bless you and keep you!
UPDATE: Bear Necessities has its own blog-
www.bearnecessities-titus314.blogspot.com
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