Hunger Offering

"...we were facing a crisis within a crisis: hunger."

"I want to see in every village, a church."

Have you ever lived in a city that has given a boil-water notice? Have you ever noticed that the taste of your tap water has changed? You might think it's odd to notice the taste of water or that there would be a boil-water notice in the United States. But during July of 2020, the city of Laredo, TX had to advise citizens living along highway 359 to boil their water due to low chlorine levels.

As Christians, we have a duty to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).

God’s purpose and work continue to move through the hearts and hands of His people.

“Mommy, you did it.”A woman who had been struggling to get her GED heard these words at graduation coming from her daughter. Now, she is taking college classes and will occasionally visit the ministry that helped her get there – Mineral Wells Center of Life.

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.

In rural, economically depressed communities in Macedonia, one cow can go a long way.

A young, single woman decided last year to answer a calling on her heart she felt since a young age. She decided to become a foster parent. This “yes” brought four placements and many struggles over the course of eight short months. To ease the stresses and anxieties, Fostering Hope in Amarillo provided for Shelby’s needs.

In one day, Texas Baptists provided 1,900 meals for marginalized students in Peru. And that’s just half of it.

Sometimes it’s hard to remember goodness when hatred and violence abound. Richard Foster’s words remind me of God’s true heart: “Our God is not made of stone. His heart is the most sensitive and tender of all. No act goes unnoticed, no matter how insignificant or small. A cup of cold water is enough to put tears in the eyes of God. God celebrates our feeble expressions of gratitude.”

#GivingTuesday 2018 is fast approaching, and we hope you are getting excited! Although our goal is to raise $10,000 for Operación San Andrés, we want to let you know other ways you can continue to take part in the ministry’s work.

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.”

When Elizabeth Mejía Laguna first came to the Buckner Family Hope Center, a Texas Baptist Hunger Offering recipient, she was shy and kept to herself. She often stayed in her home and did not interact with her neighbors.

Millions of people lack access to safe water in one country of sub-Saharan Africa. Within rural areas, many women and children walk more than three hours to collect water.