Articles by Guest author

By Abby Hopkins

When a person comes to Christian Family Baptist Church for the monthly food distribution, they drive through to receive the food. However, this is changing as the ministry finalizes a weekly grocery store-type experience for the community.

Christian Family Baptist Church is a Texas Baptist Hunger Offering partner in San Antonio planning to open a new building this month. This opening is part of a larger shift in the food distribution process, where Pastor Rob Johnson said people can now have more dignified access to food.

“We will provide a more modern approach to fighting hunger and malnutrition,” Johnson said. “The plan is to continue to refine to meet new people and share Christ. We’re addressing spiritual needs and physical needs.”

In Slovakia, the Roma are a minority known for living in poverty. Education barriers create challenges for individuals to finish school and break the cycles of poverty.

By Abby Hopkins

So often, the Lord uses the testimonies of His people to impact others with similar life struggles. For Elisa Valadez, whose story includes abuse, homelessness, and heartache, she knew she wanted to serve her community in this way to offer others the same hope she found in Christ.

Valadez began Pantry of Hope through First Baptist Church Laredo in 2016. Starting with a closet, the ministry opened the second Saturday of each month with food and clothing for families in the community to receive.

Texas Baptist Hunger Offering funds are used to purchase groceries for the pantry.

“It’s a blessing to have money come in that serves the community,” Valadez said.

By Abby Hopkins

On the desert side of the Andes Mountains sits a city with more than 100,000 residents who have migrated in search of better jobs and living conditions or an escape from domestic terrorism. Still, Collique, Peru, offers harsh living conditions, including low annual rainfall and mountainous terrain.

Operación San Andrés, a Hunger Offering-supported ministry, serves this community by caring for its children. It provides nutritious meals and educational enrichment consistently to children enrolled in its programs.

On Nov. 27, the Hunger Offering is partnering with Operación San Andrés and the Texas Baptist Mission Foundation for #GivingTuesday 2018. On that day, every donation given to the Hunger Offering will go directly toward OSA.

The goal is to raise $10,000, and we want you involved! One percent of donations will be used to feed children that might otherwise experience malnourishment.

By Abby Hopkins

Hurricane Harvey destroyed Jessie’s floor. Jessie is diabetic, in a walker, and without a family. One day, she heard a knock on her door, but had to drag herself across the floor to answer.

Mission Centers of Houston was there to repair her flooring, but found her with scratched, bloody legs and sent her to the emergency room. MCH executive director Jeff Chadwick said Jessie could have died, but the hospital amputated her leg, sending her home to find new carpet and freedom.

“When you do that for someone who thinks they’re the lowest, that makes all the difference,” Chadwick said.

Since Harvey, Union Baptist Association’s MCH has served families in northeast Houston through the NE Houston Disaster Recovery Network. This summer, MCH continued to receive and deploy teams to assist in the essential long-term recovery ministry.

Chadwick said MCH ramped up its food distribution, taking a box truck of food to those in need. The flooding affected more than 40,000 homes in northeast Houston alone.

“I’ve learned how God can provide in the most creative ways,” Chadwick said. “I’m getting to the point where I just know it’s coming.”

Education is a valued process of growth and development in pivotal years of one’s life, yet it is not always accessible. As a new school year begins, many are unable to afford the costs of learning.

The Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas (WMU) hosted their Annual Meeting and Missions Celebration on April 13-14 at First Baptist Church Georgetown. The focus of this meeting was to pursue God’s Gospel-calling. The event challenged attendees to make an impact in their communities for the Kingdom through passionately telling His story, creatively empowering leaders and obediently engaging the world for Christ.

Widespread panic, fear, and uncertainty erupted in the days after Aug. 25, when Hurricane Harvey made landfall and surpassed expectations of its potential destruction in Texas. Many experienced devastating loss as the state and country were forced to face the lurking question — what next?