Hope Community of Shalom feeds needy with food, the Word

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal  - Tuesday, September 1, 2009

By Josh Hull
 

It was already 5:30 p.m. and the food was nowhere to be found.

With a room full of more than 100 hungry people waiting, Debby Roddy ran back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room Sunday in the basement of Asbury United Methodist Church. The chicken was late.

With her curly, red hair bouncing like an extension of her vibrant personality, Roddy points out the calmness of the crowd. For those who come to the Hope Community of Shalom's weekly Fiesta Domingo celebration, it's more about family than food.

"We are really trying to form a community of people - not a church - a community of people that love each other and love God," she said. "We've got

Merissa Ferguson/ A-J Photo

Sharissa McMeans, left, David Barr, center, and Esther Moses, right, prepare plates Sunday evening for people in need at the Hope Community of Shalom, 2005 Avenue T, made up of members of various churches. Worshipping also takes place during the meal.

 several moms that are working, several dads that are working, that just aren't making it."

That's why Roddy and her crew of volunteers offer to serve between 100 and 120 members of their hope community each week.

Many come before the meal to use the food pantry and clothes closet. Others come for the time of worship and the sense of community provided by the group.

Different churches and groups offer their services to help put on the meal each Sunday, Roddy said, but the core group of volunteers has grown close with those they serve, who often serve with them.

"We hope to make each child's future a little brighter and easier by helping each one become a stronger reader," Clopton said.

Leon Benniey was homeless and sick 20 years ago when he first came and met Steve Rogers, director of the group. Suffering from diabetes and on crutches, Benniey said he was drawn in by the free meal.

He ended up finding much more than that, he said.

"You can go to different areas and different soup kitchens," he said. "Here they have real prayer warriors and people who care."

Merissa Ferguson/ A-J Photo

The Hope Community of Shalom, 2005 Avenue T, made up of members of various churches, serves meals to about 100 people in need each Sunday night along with worshipping together.

Benniey now helps out in the clothes pantry, keeping the lines calm when they build up with people hoping to find something for their families.

With an infectious smile, Raymond Johnson sits and waits for the meal to begin until he is called to help the kitchen staff.

He started coming for the food, but now he volunteers and even delivers the message when time allows. Johnson said volunteering is his gift.

"They're like a family to me," he said of the crowd. "Like, in Christ."

Even first-timers aren't shy about helping out, said Tom Nystel, Roddy's husband and fellow volunteer. He points to a woman who was recruited to roll napkins and silverware that night, though she'd never been before.

"This is actually a faith community here," he said. "Nobody's turned away here."

The chicken showed up about 6 p.m., much to the relief of everyone. Roddy delivered a quick prayer before disappearing in the back to help get all the food as quickly as possible.

The doors open for volunteers at 4:30 p.m. each Sunday, she said, and anyone is encouraged to attend.

"We have a real sense of family here," she said. "We can always use help serving."