Our Trip to the Food Bank

I can't believe it is now Wednesday! I am finally just emerging from the backlog of routine chores and tasks that resulted from not being able to do much at home during the long weekend. All in all though, we had a good Thanksgiving weekend.

As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, we did something new this year for Thanksgiving. We donated food items to the Daily Bread Food Bank. I am quite embarrassed to admit that this is our first experience doing this! I can't believe that it took us this long to find out about this huge need and it is right here --- locally, literally right outside our doorstep. Not to offer an excuse or anything, but I think this is the drawback of living in the suburbs. We are less aware of the poverty that surrounds us because we are so far removed from it all.

So, on Saturday, we headed off to the grocery store. While I shopped for groceries for the family, my hubby and the kids ventured off to do the shopping for the food bank. Pushing a cart and armed with the list, the three of them was quite a sight to behold! :-) You see, the three of them do not have much experience with grocery shopping as I grocery shop mostly on Monday mornings while the kids are in school and while hubby is working. Despite of the lack of experience, they did manage to get everything that was on the list. Quite impressive!

On Thanksgivig Day, we headed off to the food bank's main drop-off and sorting centre in the city's west end. The whole experience wouldn't have been as complete if not for the person who accepted our donation that day. When this staff member saw us walk in with the children, he immediately approached us. He wanted to make sure that it was the kids who dropped the food items into the huge box, and not us. He also took the time to show us the food sorting area and told us about opportunities to volunteer there four times each year.

I love it when people are passionate about what they do. It is contagious! I truly believe that it is because this man was so enthusiastic that my kids now see why we need to volunteer and donate. We are now looking into the possibility of volunteering to sort food items this Christmas season, not to mention now donating each time there is a food drive. Awesome!

I must say that this was a positive experience, not only for us, but most especially for the kids --- it was most definitely one of those teachable moments!

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'."
---Acts 20:35 NIV