The Christian Broadcasting Network


Karen
HELP IN TIME OF CRISIS

From Hungry to Helping

By Kate Coppin
Operation Blessing International

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia – Five years ago, Karen was a single mom struggling to raise her family on her own.

Then, her youngest son began suffering a series of health problems. Karen had to miss a lot of work to care for him. As a result, her employer decided to let her go.

Before long, Karen could no longer afford to feed her family. That’s when she turned to House of Blessing, the benevolence ministry of Harvest Assembly of God Church in Chesapeake.
It turned out to be a decision that took Karen’s life in a whole new direction.

Harvest Assembly is one of about 31 local ministry partners that pick up food from Operation Blessing’s Chesapeake warehouse as part of its dock ministry program. OBI also holds dock ministry pick-ups at their warehouses in Ocala, Fla. and Mira Loma, Calif., which distribute a combined monthly average of more than 1 million pounds of food and relief product.

Since becoming an OBI dock ministry partner in 2005, Harvest Assembly has distributed over 138,000 pounds of food like cereal, beans and canned soup to more than 18,000 people through its House of Blessing ministry.

In hard times, that help makes all the difference for families like Karen’s.

“I remember the first time I walked through the door…it was so hard,” Karen said. But through House of Blessing’s food and financial assistance, Karen was able to feed her children and keep her apartment.

Because she was not working at the time, Karen also began to volunteer at House of Blessing. Then, after a year of volunteering, Harvest Assembly offered Karen the position of Assistant Director of Benevolence.

“I loved it!” she says. “What an honor to be helping others who were in need just like me.”
Today Karen works with a team of dedicated volunteers at House of Blessing, packing boxes of groceries for families who are in need just like she was.

Last year, thanks to food donations from OBI and others, Karen and her staff helped over 2,000 families—a 34% increase over the previous year. They anticipate an even higher demand in 2009, and the ministry plans to move into a bigger facility late this year.

From a place of fear and uncertainty, Karen found food, financial help and the most rewarding work she’s ever done. “I would never have been offered this position if I had not been in such need. Also, I wouldn’t have the understanding that I do for the people who walk through the door.
“I can honestly say to them, ‘I’ve been there.’ And that is how I got here!”

In addition to Operation Blessing’s dock ministries, OBI’s Hunger Strike Force fleet of tractor-trailer trucks are on the road each week, delivering over 2 million pounds of food and supplies to 110 community-based partners across the U.S.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Every day, the fleet of Hunger Strike Force trucks are on the road, delivering nutritious food and essential supplies to thousands facing hunger and poverty. With your help, we can continue to impact lives and give hope to those who need it most. Consider making an online donation today.

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