WORLD HUNGER OFFERING DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO EVANGELISM
FORT WORTH – Anchorless, Danny was drifting. He coasted into a debilitating drug addiction that cost him jobs, his home and ultimately time in jail. Upon his release, he wandered the streets not knowing where he would find his next meal, safe place to sleep or a solitary member of society who cared about.  Drugs may have driven him to the streets, but trying to survive there killed his will to live.

“It’s like you don’t have any dreams anymore,” Danny Evans said of living on the street. “Society has just sucked you in and taken everything from you. You don’t dream, you don’t set goals, you don’t have no ambition anymore. It’s just about trying to make it day-by-day on the street.”

Having lost everything, Evans found himself at the front door of Union Gospel Mission, a Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger-supported ministry that serves roughly 75 percent of the city’s homeless through a variety of aid programs.

“They’re breathing life into you here,” he said. “They’re letting you know there is hope, there is life out there if you want it. Go out there and apply yourself and take the next step, there is a chance for you to make it no matter what you’ve been through in your past.”

He became one of the mission’s 325 residents, each of whom are attempting to get on their feet after falling flat for one reason or another. Through the mission’s connections, he entered a narcotics anonymous program and accepted a part-time job on the premises. Workers and fellow residents have pushed him to examine his life, make needed changes while encouraging him and keeping him accountable.

Danny’s enrolled in Tarrant County Community College and will begin taking classes this fall – one of several small goals he’s set for himself as he seeks to turn his life around.

“Without this mission, I don’t know where I’d be. Being out on the street is a tough thing for someone who’s never been there before. It’s stressful. And it can break you if you’re not strong minded.”

But Danny’s change is more than quitting drugs and going back to school. He credits this drastic change in outlook to a new relationship with Christ.

Sitting in the mission’s daily chapel service, Danny heard a minister preach on Psalm 40: “I wait patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”

The man couldn’t have been talking about Danny more if he’d called him by name. God placed Danny at the mission, he said. There, Danny found God and embraced a relationship with Him, forever altering the way he viewed life.

“This was my rock,” Danny said. “I was just out there. When I got here, my life began to get stable. I began looking at life a different way.”

Danny admits he still has many steps before him until his life is how he would like. But when times get tough, he knows he has two places where he can turn – the loving people at Union Gospel Mission and a God who cared enough about him to send him there.

In 2009, Union Gospel Mission served about 247,000 meals. Leaders expect that number to increase 20 percent in 2010. For more information about the diverse ministries that are supported by the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, visit www.texasbaptists.org/worldhunger, where people can also find promotion materials such as videos that can be used during services. To give online to the offering, visit www.texasbaptists.org/give.

Because you give, we are able to give back to those in need.

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NEW DOWNLOADABLE VIDEO FOR YOUR 5TH SUNDAY PROMOTION

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Community Care in Advocacy Care is working with the Texas Hunger Initiative, Dallas Baptist Association and the Dallas Food Planning Association to assist in Summer Feeding of the children in Dallas.

Here is some information of an opportunity in a local missions project to work with their mobile distribution endeavors through Central Dallas Ministries.  They need groups that will commit to a week at a time – a schedule is at the bottom – they will do trainings on Monday mornings for the groups.

The Nurture, Knowledge, & Nutrition Department at Central Dallas Ministries seeks to improve the quality and quantity of meals consumed by children under the age of 18 throughout various urban areas in the city of Dallas. Our goal is to strengthen our connection to the community, which positions us to make a significant change in the lives of thousands of children each day. Through three distinctive program aspects, NKN works directly with both Texas and United States Departments of Agriculture to implement meal service programming that is suitable according to the guidelines and regulation implemented by these entities. Volunteer positions are designed for assisting staff members with the NKN Mobile Summer Food Service program operations and services through many supporting roles.

The Nurture, Knowledge, & Nutrition department is seeking out qualified individuals partake in a 9 week mobile summer food program beginning June 14, 2010.  The program will allow students to interact with various community outreach programs for children while incorporating the fundamental values and beliefs of true mission work. Mileage reimbursement of $0.50 per mile in mileage obtained through travel occurred as related to the program (one mileage reimbursement per group 4 individuals) in addition to a daily lunch reimbursement will be provided for each participating individual. The following areas list the primary responsibilities and required standards for each candidate who participates in the program:

1. Assist site supervisors in controlling and maintaining lines for participating children.
2. Assist with passing out meals to participating children.
3. Assistance with controlling and eliminating any leftover trash and/or meals from each location.
4. Assisting site supervisors with crowd control.

In addition to these responsibilities, the following requirements are necessary for each group of candidates who are seeking to participate:

1. A minimum of one full week (Mon.- Fri 8:30am-5:00pm) of participation
2. Reliable transportation and ability to travel frequently throughout the city of Dallas and surrounding areas. (1 car and driver per each route)
3. Ability to work in a fast paced environment that requires a lot of one on one interaction
4. Basic communication skills including interaction with children, crowd control, etc.

As noted in the requirements, is group is asked to dedicate a MINIMUM of 1 FULL week (Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm). Please choose from the following weeks:

• June 14- June 18
• June 21- June 25
• June 28- July 2
• July 5- July 9
• July 12- July 16
• July 19- July 23
• July 26- July 30
• August 2- August 6
• August 9- August 13

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ashley Douglas, Program Manager
Nurture, Knowledge, & Nutrition
Central Dallas Ministries
409 N. Haskell Ave.
Dallas, TX 75246
P: 214-828-1085 Ext. 140
F: 214-828-6392
www.centraldallasministries.org

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

1. Assist site supervisors in controlling and maintaining lines for participating children.
2. Assist with passing out meals to participating children.
3. Assistance with controlling and eliminating any leftover trash and/or meals from each location.
4. Assisting site supervisors with crowd control.

In addition to these responsibilities, the following requirements are necessary for each group of candidates who are seeking to participate:

1. A minimum of one full week (Mon.- Fri 8:30am-5:00pm) of participation
2. Reliable transportation and ability to travel frequently throughout the city of Dallas and surrounding areas. (1 car and driver per each route)
3. Ability to work in a fast paced environment that requires a lot of one on one interaction
4. Basic communication skills including interaction with children, crowd control, etc.

Reimbursements:

• Mileage reimbursement of $0.50 per mile in mileage obtained through travel occurred as related to the program (one mileage reimbursement per group 4 individuals)
• A daily lunch reimbursement will be provided for each participating individual.

The program will allow students to interact with various community outreach programs for children while incorporating the fundamental values and beliefs of true mission work. As noted in the requirements, is group is asked to dedicate a MINIMUM of 1 FULL week (Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm). Please choose from the following weeks:

• June 14- June 18
• June 21- June 25
• June 28- July 2
• July 5- July 9
• July 12- July 16
• July 19- July 23
• July 26- July 30
• August 2- August 6
• August 9- August 13

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ashley Douglas, Program Manager
Nurture, Knowledge, & Nutrition
Central Dallas Ministries
409 N. Haskell Ave.
Dallas, TX 75246
P: 214-828-1085 Ext. 140
F: 214-828-6392
www.centraldallasministries.org

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

Day 6:

Bike Out Hunger Ryan Musser and Morgan Woodard:

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Cyclists riding to end hunger in Texas!

Rider’s impressions of Bike Out Hunger:

Rene Maciel, President/BUA: 40% of the students at Baptist University of the Americas live below the poverty line.  We serve these students with a small food pantry that runs out of food every month.  I’m riding for them.

Rand Jenkins, Director/Communications BGCT: The only time I am food insecure is when I cannot decide where to go out to eat!  I can’t imagine not having food to give my 3-1/2 year-old son.  It would be devastating to me to not be able to provide food for my family.

Gary Singleton, Pastor/Heights BC: I love to ride and I love this cause.  What motivates me is that this could be the beginning of a tsunami by 2015 as we really address hunger in Texas.  I want to be a part of this movement.

Job Gonzalez, Worship Leader/Baptist Temple, McAllen: This ride to end hunger really hits home.  I live in Hidalgo county, one of the poorest counties in the U.S.  I ride my bike through rural areas and see communities without running water or sewage and it breaks my heart.  I drove 13 hours to get to the starting point of this ride just to be a part of doing something for hungry people in Texas.

Steve Norris, Surgeon/Gatesville: I am the oldest rider here and I’ve been bike riding many years.  My cycle group got older and I decided to get in shape and ride with these younger guys.  I didn’t think I could make it, but here I am (at the finish line) doing something positive for this state!  Great feeling.

John Hall, Communications/BGCT, Dallas: Riding with these guys and encountering people along the way has been so great.  People want to help people…They have seen our jerseys and handed us a $20 at the Dairy Queen.  Awareness is being raised all along the route and it’s great to be a part of it.

Ryan Musser, Youth Minister/FBC Hewitt: My friend Morgan and I decided to try to give up the use of our cars for Lent this year…to see what it would be like to walk or ride a bike for 40 days.  It was tough.  Just as we finished, we heard about BikeOut and it was an answer to our prayers to finish our fast.  At mile 42 at the top of a difficult hill, I was reminded that we are called to take up our cross and do the right thing for something as big as World Hunger.  As the church, we must do a better job of living sacrificially.

Morgan Woodard, Pastor/FBC Golinda: I’ve never ridden 70.5 miles on a bike in my life!  Keeping up with these guys was hard but I kept thinking about the hunger stories we heard along the way, the fact that Texas is number one with hungry children in the nation, and it kept me going.  This ride has been a powerful expression of doing something for people in need!

Brad Russell, Baptist Standard, Dallas: What a tremendous experience!  I had so much time to think while I was riding…to think about the hunger needs in Texas.  The facts we learned along the way have really helped me to understand the needs better and how we must be energized to do something about hunger and poverty in our state.

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

We Have No Hunger in Whitehouse, Texas!

Ray Davis, pastor of First Baptist Church Whitehouse, Texas, a predominantly upper middle class city close to Tyler, was like most of his church members and neighbors when asked the question, “Where do you find hungry children in Whitehouse?”  Until recently, his answer would likely have been, “Hungry children??”  “In Whitehouse??”

Until the day when one of his congregants, a third-grade teacher at Higgins Elementary, said to him, “You won’t believe what happened to me today at school!  Something I would have never guessed would have happened at MY school in Whitehouse, Texas!”

It was Monday morning and this teacher had her lunch sitting on her desk.  One of her third-grade boys came up and asked her, “Is that your lunch?”  She replied that it was as she continued to write on the board.  About that time, the little boy grabbed the sack and ran out into the hall.  When the teacher found him, he was stuffing the contents of the lunch into his mouth as fast as he could choke it down.
“Why did you take my lunch?” she asked him as she walked him to the principal’s office.  He said, “I haven’t had much to eat all weekend, and I’m hungry.”  The little 9-year old boy considered the cost and decided it was worth it…grab what you can, get a few bites, even if you do get in trouble.

This story was so disturbing to this teacher, her pastor, and other members of First Baptist, that it compelled them to answer the serious question, “Does Whitehouse have children who come to school on Monday morning and are hungry from eating very little all weekend??”

The result has been a wonderful project coordinated and funded by First Baptist Whitehouse and, as of now, the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger.  Using the East Texas Food Bank model, volunteers from the church sent letters to all the children in Higgins on the free lunch program explaining the Backpack Kids program they were starting.  They then bought backpacks from the Food Bank and now fill them every Thursday with non-perishable food to be sent home with children who have a signed permission slip on Fridays.

Out of 287 children on free lunch in Higgins Elementary, 90-100 children go home every weekend with a backpack full of food.

Ray Davis and members for First Baptist Church Whitehouse decided to stare into the face of hunger in their community rather than looking away and make a difference in the lives of precious children in need.  These volunteers admitted there are indeed hungry children in Whitehouse, and it is unacceptable when we have resources to do something about it!

If you are interested in starting a backpack program in your school, please contact Joyce Gilbreath, joyce.gilbreath@texasbaptists.org, 214-828-5190.

Because you give, we are able to give back to those in need.

Donate now!

NEW DOWNLOADABLE VIDEO FOR YOUR 5TH SUNDAY PROMOTION

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

Community Care in Advocacy Care is working with the Texas Hunger Initiative, Dallas Baptist Association and the Dallas Food Planning Association to assist in Summer Feeding of the children in Dallas.

Here is some information of an opportunity in a local missions project to work with their mobile distribution endeavors through Central Dallas Ministries.  They need groups that will commit to a week at a time – a schedule is at the bottom – they will do trainings on Monday mornings for the groups.

The Nurture, Knowledge, & Nutrition Department at Central Dallas Ministries seeks to improve the quality and quantity of meals consumed by children under the age of 18 throughout various urban areas in the city of Dallas. Our goal is to strengthen our connection to the community, which positions us to make a significant change in the lives of thousands of children each day. Through three distinctive program aspects, NKN works directly with both Texas and United States Departments of Agriculture to implement meal service programming that is suitable according to the guidelines and regulation implemented by these entities. Volunteer positions are designed for assisting staff members with the NKN Mobile Summer Food Service program operations and services through many supporting roles.

The Nurture, Knowledge, & Nutrition department is seeking out qualified individuals partake in a 9 week mobile summer food program beginning June 14, 2010.  The program will allow students to interact with various community outreach programs for children while incorporating the fundamental values and beliefs of true mission work. Mileage reimbursement of $0.50 per mile in mileage obtained through travel occurred as related to the program (one mileage reimbursement per group 4 individuals) in addition to a daily lunch reimbursement will be provided for each participating individual. The following areas list the primary responsibilities and required standards for each candidate who participates in the program:

1. Assist site supervisors in controlling and maintaining lines for participating children.
2. Assist with passing out meals to participating children.
3. Assistance with controlling and eliminating any leftover trash and/or meals from each location.
4. Assisting site supervisors with crowd control.

In addition to these responsibilities, the following requirements are necessary for each group of candidates who are seeking to participate:

1. A minimum of one full week (Mon.- Fri 8:30am-5:00pm) of participation
2. Reliable transportation and ability to travel frequently throughout the city of Dallas and surrounding areas. (1 car and driver per each route)
3. Ability to work in a fast paced environment that requires a lot of one on one interaction
4. Basic communication skills including interaction with children, crowd control, etc.

As noted in the requirements, is group is asked to dedicate a MINIMUM of 1 FULL week (Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm). Please choose from the following weeks:

• June 14- June 18
• June 21- June 25
• June 28- July 2
• July 5- July 9
• July 12- July 16
• July 19- July 23
• July 26- July 30
• August 2- August 6
• August 9- August 13

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ashley Douglas, Program Manager
Nurture, Knowledge, & Nutrition
Central Dallas Ministries
409 N. Haskell Ave.
Dallas, TX 75246
P: 214-828-1085 Ext. 140
F: 214-828-6392
www.centraldallasministries.org

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

http://texasbaptists.com/bikeout/

Can’t ride but want to be a part of this event? Just because it has already started, doesn’t mean you can’t participate. If you want to ride find out where we’ll be, e-mail Rand (rand.jenkins@texasbaptists.org) so we know to expect you, then just join up.

It’s also not too late to join financially either. Sponsor a specific rider or simply help the cause.

Cyclists riding to end hunger in Texas!

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

Bike Out Hunger – Texas Baptists Not Just Spinning Their Wheels

Bike riders from all over Texas… ride to raise awareness and fight against hunger in Texas and around the world.

On Monday, April 19, Bike Out Hunger, a 450-mile bike ride to end hunger, will kick off in Ballinger, Texas, ride east through Brownwood, Hamilton, Gatesville, many towns in between, and in Waco, turn south to end on Saturday, April 24, in San Antonio. See BikeOut daily map routes here.

Hunger rallies along the way include Sunday morning kickoff/FBC Ballinger, Monday evening/Howard Payne University, Tuesday lunch/FBC Hamilton, Wednesday lunch/Truett Seminary, Thursday lunch/University of Mary Hardin Baylor, Friday lunch/Bee Cave, and Saturday lunch and celebration/The Fellowship of San Antonio.
Riders are signing up now to ride the full distance or come-and-go at any stop along the way. Proceeds for Bike Out Hunger will go to the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, sending aid for hunger relief and development to many countries around the globe, but also to many places in our own state of Texas.

Bike Out Hunger Rider Registration (pdf)

If riding isn’t your thing…support a rider. (pdf)

Churches…please pledge $5 – $10 (or more!) per mile to support a rider(s).  They deserve it!  Hungry children in Texas deserve it! Print this poster for promotion in your church (pdf).

With 1.3 million Texans unsure where their next meal will come from, Texas Baptists are mounting up, pushing forward, rolling over hunger in our beloved state.  Everyone can be a part…join us!

Your questions/comments are welcomed at joyce.gilbreath@texasbaptists.org.

More Information for Riders:

• For you full-time riders, all breakfasts, lunches and hotels are taken care of and not your expense.
• For you daily riders, all lunches are taken care of and are not your expense.
• We will have various snacks and drinks at the stretch points.
• We will ride out at 8 am each morning and end at/around 5:30 pm.
• We’ll have basic bike repair tools and equipment. For major repairs, we have identified the bike shops along the route.
• There will be numerous sag wagons and vans for safety and for necessary transportation.
• Each rider, please fill out the Rider Registration form (pdf) and send/e-mail it to rand.jenkins@texasbaptists.org.

Because you give, we are able to give back to those in need.

Donate now!

NEW DOWNLOADABLE VIDEO FOR YOUR 5TH SUNDAY PROMOTION

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

The 2009 final numbers are in!!! $901,401 total receipts for the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger! This number reflects a $162,123 increase over 2008. Well done good and faithful Texas Baptists!  Needy people all over the world have been helped because of you.

One of the examples of this help comes from Redeeming Grace Baptist Church in San Antonio where World Hunger funds were sent to their food pantry this year. Marion Thomas, a member of Redeeming Grace, told us, “After suffering a neck injury, I thought I had nothing left to give. I couldn’t sit in one place for extended periods, nor could I stand on my feet for long. I took 12 pills a day simply to make it through the pain.”

Marion decided that what she could give, she’d offer up to God by volunteering at Redeeming Grace Baptist Church. There she discovered she had much more left than she ever imagined.  What began as short periods of helping in various efforts around the church evolved into full days of activity. Then it became several days a week of ministry as she started the congregation’s food distribution effort. She took small steps of faith, and she says God rewarded her for being obedient.

The first year of the outreach, the congregation provided food for about 2,000 people. As Thomas worked, she felt herself growing stronger, able to work harder and longer without pain. Two years later and pain free as the congregation’s administrator, Thomas coordinates one of the largest hunger ministries in South Central Texas, providing food for more than 35,000 people this year.

“I’m just a living witness when you give yourself to Christ and you help other people, He will help you,” she said of the healing she has experienced as she has served others.

For thousands across South Central Texas, Thomas’ commitment to serve was a God-send before they knew they’d need it. When the economy crashed this year and more people became down on their luck, Redeeming Grace Baptist Church’s volunteer base and financial resources already had to grown to the point that the congregation was there for them.

Some people drive more than 50 miles to get food from the church. Individuals who line up an hour before food is distributed tell stories of losing their jobs, of working but not being able to support their families or of being homeless. One person came to church after not eating for three days, begging volunteers for anything to eat, even cat food. Many who come to the church for sustenance are elderly. Many others are single parents who come to the church with young children in tow.

The congregation’s desire to feed the hungry embodies the spirit of Texas Hope 2010, an initiative of Texas Baptists to pray for others, care for people in need and share the gospel with every Texan by Easter 2010. Redeeming Grace Christian Church recently was selected to receive a $10,000 Texas Hope 2010 Care Grant through the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger.

“It’s a very difficult time for people,” said Bishop Brent Bryant, Sr., the church’s senior pastor. “I’m hearing all kinds of stories, all kinds of issues that are happening. I understand that because of our economy. People are hungry, so we’re doing the very best we can by offering them food.”

The first 5th Sunday Observance for World Hunger will be January 31.  New video clip highlighting water wells in Peru available for free download.
Download Video

Take an offering at your church on January 31…many will live because you do.
Donate now!

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Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.