Community comes together to “Feed My Starving Children”

Measuring ingredients Approximately 650 people last weekend took part in a Approximately 650 people participated in the ‘Feed My Starving Children’ event held last weekend in Staples; and thanks to their efforts, a total of 135,432 meals were boxed and will be sent to countries where there is not food enough to feed their citizens.

“We packaged enough food to feed 371 kids one meal a day for a full year,” said Dr. Ted Lelwica of Staples, who co-chaired the event along with Rynell Schock. “It was really wonderful... a real blessing.”

The initial goal of committee members had been to package and raise money for 100,000 meals. With each meal costing 17 cents, at least $17,000 was needed to conduct the FMSC event in Staples.

In the end, approximately $21,450 was raised; and more meals were packaged than the committee ever anticipated, Dr. Lelwica said.

Volunteers last weekend represented a variety of area churches, organizations and service groups. There were children, parents and grandparents on board...all working together toward a common goal.

The Twin Cities based FMSC event was made possible through a partnership between churches in Staples and Motley; and FMSC.

“It’s exciting to me that we were able to host this event at Central Lakes College,” said Thea Romann, who is on the Student Senate at CLC. “I am so glad that we are able to help these starving children... that’s the most important thing.”

Prior to their two-hour food-packing commitments, volunteers were given an orientation by FMSC staff, which included a video about children whose lives have been saved by eating just one of these nutritious meals a day.

In many countries, like Haiti and parts of Africa, starving children are often fed mud-cakes before bedtime. For a few hours, their stomach will at least have the sensation that it is full, a staff member told the group. “Imagine having to feed your child something made with dirt, just so they can sleep at night.”

Pictures were shown of children who were malnourished... whose bodies were nothing more than skin and bones. After just seven months of eating one meal a day provided by FMSC, many of these children were now at an acceptable weight and had the strength to return to school.

You are making a difference, FMSC staff supervisor D.J. Langefels told the Staples group.

Inspiring music filled the assembly room at CLC while people worked... songs like “Lean on Me” and John Mayer’s “Waiting for the World to Change.”

Cheers could also be heard at each table whenever another box was filled with its quota of 36 bags (each bag contained six meals).

Katie Benson and Kiana Thompson, elementary students at Sacred Heart Area School, led their group in an occasional cheer while they added ingredients to each food bag.

“Chicken, veggies, soy and rice. We packed a bag and it’s very nice,” they recited at least a dozen times.

Cell groups worked in assembly-line fashion. Some members carefully measured ingredients, some sealed the packages and others made sure each box contained the required 36 bags.

At the end of each shift, those that wanted to could join D.J. in a time of prayer, asking God’s blessing on each of the meals.

“Prayer has been such an important part of this event since we first started

planning it,” said committee

member Betty Starke. “We’ve been praying that

the food will be a blessing to those that receive it.”

In addition to the prayer committee, other FMSC groups for the Staples event included publicity, fundraising, facilities, set-up/ tear down and registration.

“Everything has come together far better than we ever imagined,” said Rynell during day-one of the FMSC event. “We are seeing today what we have just imagined for so long.”

Rynell said that the committee was energized by knowing that all of the details for the event had come together because of faithful people...and they were at peace knowing that goals (for food purchased and packed) would be reached.

As energizing as it may have been, Rynell hopes that people will focus on the real mission of this event: caring for the needs of starving children.

“Over the next year,” Rynell shared, “somewhere in the world, starving children will be fed and thriving because of food that volunteers packaged right here in Staples, Minnesota, on Feb. 6 and 7.

Thousands of children die each day of starvation and yet, in our community and country, we may know nothing of this pain. The reality of this fact and knowing that we have made a difference is a reminder that we are so blessed to be able to share. Every volunteer has had a direct impact on feeding starving children. God has been gracious to choose us to do this work and we are humbly thankful.”