The Real Jesus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY_1qAw1Jfk&feature=related I heard an interesting story this evening from a young man who had been to Toronto to minister to homeless people in the street. The last day he met a man who appeared to badly beaten, very thin, long hair, and was quite dirty. They offered him some food, talked to him, and learned that he had struggled with alcoholism. Upon leaving the man, he asked if they had an instrument, and he told them he was a musician and that he would like to play a song for them as thanks for their help. He then played and sang a beautiful song of worship unto God that was so powerful they asked him to sing it again so they could write down the words and learn the song to sing for themselves. According to the young man, he found Jesus exactly where He said he would be.

A tribute to one person who made a difference

Hello Food Rescuers,

I wanted to take a moment to share a story about a person who was able to share the love of God with her community. A few months ago, I received an email from Ft. Worth Texas that was not related to any advertising I had done in the area. At the time, Food Rescue was a part time service project. The email was from Pam Burkholder, and she had found Food Rescue while “Googling” basically, and she desired to become involved. After lots of scheduling issues, we found a place for Pam to pick up food, and she found a place in need that she delivered to.

I found out this week that Pam had been driving 30 miles to pick the food up from her home. Obviously with gas prices this was not ideal, but she was doing it anyway. When she told me it was getting to be too much, I found someone in Arlington, Sandy Ribinskas Johnson, to take over for Pam as the chapter president, and Sandy has been able to recruit 8 volunteers and has requested 2 addtional days at the Panera Pam was picking up that are currently being thrown in the trash can instead of feeding people. She has also involved her pastor on the opposite side of town, and he is pursuing developing a food pantry for their church, as well as the 12 Little Caesars franchises close to his area.

None of this would have happened if one person in Ft. Worth Texas had not sacrificially given her time and resources to be the hands and feet of God to people in Texas that are hungry. At Food Rescue, we want to acknowledge the incredible way that God divinely has brought us all together in His perfect timing. It doesn’t always end up the way we think it will, but ultimately, For everything there is a season and a purpose under the heaven. (Ecc. 3:1) We thank Pam for her season of service as chapter president and now Food Rescue volunteer, and for demonstrating what being obedient to God can lead to in a very short amount of time.

Blessed is he that considers the poor. The Lord will deliver him the time of trouble. Psalm 41:1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QBmqP5mk_Y NBC FoodRescue.net Story

Boomers’Food Rescue!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D9p9EHbPv4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot4sgVYCeas

In a New York Minute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QBmqP5mk_Y NBC FoodRescue.net Story

Boomers’Food Rescue!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D9p9EHbPv4

Hello Food Rescuers,

Rosalie Peck of The Open Cupboard Food Pantry in New York emailed me this week and was interested in picking up some of the food that was going int trash in her area. We were able to get her hooked up with Panera Bread to rescue food one day per week. I asked Rosalie how she found us, and she said she was just surfing the net on the topic of rescuing food. God is continually amazing us with what He has done with just a small amount of service from many people working together. What a joy it is to serve with all of you Arlington Food Rescue, Greenville Food Rescue, Charlotte Food Rescue, Muncie Food Rescue, Indianapolis Food Rescue, Naples Food Rescue, Greenwood Food Rescue, Norfolk Food Resuce, and The Twin Cities Food Rescue: Over 250 strong now around the country.

Blessed is he that considers the poor. The Lord will deliver him the time of trouble. Psalm 41:1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot4sgVYCeas

Incredible song about the people we see daily: The 21st Time

For the Twenty First Time

Today we finalized an agreement with Little Caesars in Noblesville to pick up between 15-30 pizzas daily that were being thrown away until the Lord allowed my friend Bryndon to connect with the store manager.  That’s a stunning amount of food annually, and there are going to be other opportunities with Little Caesars Pizza as we faithfully show up to deliver their food to those in need.  As God gives us these opportunities to deliver food to a distribution center such as Third Phase or others around the country, I thought these lyrics I heard today might cause us to consider if there is anything beyond the dropping off of the food the we may be called to do in His name.  I was deeply moved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot4sgVYCeas

Nowhere to live
Nowhere to fall
He used to have money
But he’s wasted it all
His face is a photograph burned in mind
But I pretend not to see him for the twenty-first time

He sleeps under stars, it’s all he can afford
His blanket’s an old coat he’s had since the war
He stands on the corner of Carter and Vine
But I pretend not to see him for the twenty-first time

He may be a drifter who’s grown old and gray
But what if it’s Jesus and I walk away
I say I’m the body and drink of the wine
But I pretend not to see him for the twenty-first time

She’s 29 but she feels 48
She can’t raise three kids on minimum wage
She’s crying in back of the welfare line
But I pretend not to see her for the twenty-first time

She may be a stranger trying to get through the day
But what if it’s Jesus and I walk away
I say I’m the body and drink of the wine
But I pretend not to see her for the twenty-first time

This is a call for a change in my heart
I realize that I’ve not been doing my part
When I needed a Savior, I found it in Him
He gave to me, now I’ll give back to them

Drifter or stranger, daughter or son
I’ll look for Jesus in everyone
‘Cause I am the body and drink of the wine
And I’m thankful there’s more than the twenty-first time

Lyrics by Monk and Neagle

Does It Matter?

Click here to watch Boomers’ Food Rescue!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D9p9EHbPv4  

 

Click Here for more information about Food Rescue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QBmqP5mk_Y  NBC FoodRescue.net Story

Yesterday I dropped my daughter off at a camp, and my wife encountered somebody she had not seen in awhile, and she began to share with her friend about Food Rescue.  A camp counselor approached us after the conversation was over, a college student, and he told me that he wanted to share with us that as a child he benefitted from the donations from Panera Bread, as the son of a single mom who had difficulties.  He said he remembered every Friday getting bread for their family, and he just wanted me to know that it made a difference in his life and his Moms’ life.

Today I also received an email from a business that I had sent an email unrelated to Food Rescue, and they responded back to me that they noticed my email jw@foodrescue.net, went to the website and wanted to know how their family could serve.  After talking with her, she said there were many people she knew that were looking for opportunities to serve and that she would be glad to send out an informational email if I would send her one.

Finally, we have found a food pantry partner in Minneapolis called the Emergency Food Shelf Network that we are going to coordinate with in Minneapolis, and via a Craigslist ad, I received a call from a person who has coordinated over 100,000 pounds of food in Minneapolis this year and was interested in how we might work together.  Pray that God opens up all the right doors.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support, and know that at the end of the day, every contribution made from everyone participating in Food Rescue is a step toward “Feeding My Lambs” as Christ told us we must do if we truly love Him. 

Many of the people we serve are fed the next day as well.  Please consider the possibility of taking the next step, which would be to meet some of the people we are serving by volunteering to distribute the food at some point.  The opportunity to share the love of God with someone directly through listening, sharing, and caring can be more valuable than the food we deliver.

Minneapolis Chapter President Added

Today we added our 7th chapter president around the country in Angela Zuniga.  Angela answered a Craigslist ad, and is going to actively seek a food pantry partner to begin filling some of the many slots in her area in Minneapolis Minnesota.  Please pray that she would be able to find an organization to work with.  As times are getting more difficult in our country, the need and the opportunities to impact the lives of people are growing every day.  Thanks again to everyone for all of your prayers and support.

Minneapolis Food Rescue/Psalms 146:7

“Who executes justice for the oppressed?  Who gives food to the hungry?  The Lord sets the prisoners free.”

Thanks to all who allow themselves to be the hands and feet of God through the generous giving of their time and resources.

Hello Food Rescuers,

Thanks for all of your kind words of encouragement as I embark on this journey.  Today I spent a great deal of time trying to coordinate Food Rescues in Minneapolis Minnesota, where there is 1.4 million dollars of retail food thrown away annually without anyone to deliver to those in need from one restauarant chain alone.  We may have developed a partnership with Second Harvest, who has trucks and drivers that go out in the mornings, but it will depend on whether or not the restaurants allow a morning pick up.  Please pray that all of these discussions go smoothly, as it would allow a more rapid development there with the help of a large partner like Second Harvest.

We continue to get a fabulous response from Craigslist for volunteers, and the Arlington TX NBC television station is apparently going to finally do their TV spot this week with our chapter president Pam Burkholder in Texas. 

God is opening doors many places nationally as well as locally.  Bryndon Preston has been trying to work out details with Little Caesars Pizza which will require more volunteers locally in Indy. 

God bless,

John Williamson

Food Rescue Full Time

Hello Food Rescuers,

I just wanted to give everyone an update that I have officially started to pursue Food Resuce full time.  Many are sharing their resources in an effort to see Food Rescue expand locally and across the country.  My wife Carol and I own a small cleaning company, and we will try to grow that business at the same time Food Rescue grows.  The cleaning is mostly after hours work, so it will not interfere with my work at Food Rescue.  Please pray that as we attempt to Feed the Lambs of God that He will send us divine appointments with willing servants across the country and locally, as well as willing food pantries that are excited about the opportunity to serve  people.   

I consider it a gift from above to be able to pursue a passion that God has placed on my heart.  Thanks to all of you for your incredible service and the blessing you are to my family.

God Bless,

John Williamson

President Food Rescue

JW@foodrescue.net

1-317-694-4006

Click here to watch Boomers’ Food Rescue!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D9p9EHbPv4  

Click Here for more information about Food Rescue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QBmqP5mk_Y  NBC FoodRescue.net Story