Feeding-Jan07

Community Feeding Program
January 20, 2006
St. Thomas, USVI

Summary of Event

As the sun rose at high noon on Saturday, January 20, 2007 members of God’s House International Inc were
busy preparing for the monthly feeding for the homeless. One by one they came and waited for the tables to
be set up and the food to be served. “Alton”, was the first to arrive, but he verbalized he was not ready to eat
yet. He watched as we went through the task of preparing for the meal. Several others arrived and stood at
the table but we instructed them to have a seat until we set up, and they did so.

This was a day full of surprises and blessings. We fed approximately 60 people in total. One of the highlights
of the day was seeing one of our regulars, “Andy”, come back. Andy was the young man that I spoke with only
a month ago about getting his self together, not drinking and taking care of his health. Both Lauris and I
commented on how well he looked. His clothing was clean, face bright and he brought with him a good
appetite. He said to Mrs. Turay on that beautiful Saturday, “I haven’t been drinking and I feel good. I want to
keep it this way.” The God's House volunteers were so elated to hear this. Another man came for his second
plate of food and asked if he could give us his last forty cents. I replied, “God will bless you for this because
you are giving from your heart.” He smiled and took his food.

Finally, the last meal of the day was served to a young child who was walking with her mother and her sister.
As we were closing down the table her mother asked, “What are you selling?”. We informed her we were
feeding the homeless. She replied o.k. and kept walking. The child had a disappointed look on her face so I
asked her, “What’s wrong, are you hungry?”, she said, “Yes.” In her hand she was holding some change so I
asked “how much do you have to give?” She opened her hand and in it was four quarters. I said o.k. give me
what you want. At first she placed one quarter in my hand and then another. I then bid her to go and take a
plate of food. A great smile came to her face.

These occurrences may seem small in the eyes of many people but I thank God for the privilege of serving him
through these feedings. Isaiah 58:5-7 says:

”Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to
set the oppressed free break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor
wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and
blood?”

What a blessing to do the work of the Lord. What an honor. Slowly, but surely, the yokes are being broken.
Will you help God’s House International with the fast that has been ordained? Each and every one of you can
be a vessel of honor if we choose to. Many in the world would not have if it were not for those of us with a heart
to give. Take some time. Think about it. What do you have to loose?

Yvonne Washington-Turay MSN,FNP,APRN-BC
President/Founder
God’s House International Inc.