San Angelo... July 11th - 14th

What a city!!

I have never spent much time in San Angelo but the team agreed that it was a quaint yet progressive and delightful city! We were all impressed by Carol Rigby Hiebert and Mary Herbert's work with the Texas Hunger Initiative in San Angelo.

Arriving the evening of Sunday July 11th, we ate and helped clean up the meal served to volunteers and families for VBS at Southland Baptist Church, San Angelo, TX. The church folks and pastor, Taylor Sandlin, greeted us with warm smiles and discussion about our trip throughout Texas as they prepared for the evening's festivities. We then headed to Baptist Memorial Retirement Home to settle in for the evening (they offered us one of their guest apartments during our duration in San Angelo, TX --- it was wonderful!!).

Early the next morning we headed to Rust Street Ministries to spend time with their Director, Bob Knox and to volunteer. I think we were prepared to do mundane tasks but we walked away full hearts. The staff allowed us to be a part of their devotional led by their director. During this devotional time a few clients came in and Bob invited them into the scripture reading and discussion. It was easy to feel like you were part of the Rust Street family. That is what impacted us the most. Under Bob's leadership and amidst the staff at Rust Street, people did not seem to feel or act like clients, rather people that came in seeking clothes, food or other types of assistance seemed to just be talking to their friends. I was deeply moved by the emphasis of dignity provided to folks through this ministry and the deep compassion and empathy shown through the staff.

Later in the day we visited a community garden with Bob Knox, located near a subsidized apartment complex for Senior Citizens and found out that 50% of the produce from the garden is donated to the Rust Street Ministries to give out to families and individuals in need. Wow!

Members from the Senior community in addition to people from all over the community have their own garden plots they oversee but on Monday nights everyone meets to get tips from a Master gardener and to share tips with one another. It's truly a community-building experience!

We also visited a summer meals site NOT connected with TDA Summer Food Program but organized by local churches in an effort to feed not just children but parents also during the months of July and August when Summer school is over.

The site takes place in one of the original buildings of Ft. Concho. Churches volunteer for various days or weeks to be the ones to provide the food and serve the food to families, in addition to providing activities for the children that come to eat with their parents.

The next morning we went with Carol Hiebert (who coordinated our whole time in San Angelo, TX for us! - thanks Carol!!!) to the local Farmer's Market to purchase fresh produce to cook a meal for dinner later that day. After this, we went straight to the Wesley United Methodist Church in order to be the staff for the day at their Daily Bread Soup Kitchen. We made the whole meal, served it and cleaned up. It was quite a task!

The team saw through the summer feeding site and serving at this soup kitchen, the various faces and ages affected by hunger in TX.

Below is a picture of Sarah and Jeremy Boucher and Kathy Waller with Water for All and most of our team. (Sarah, Jeremy & Kathy shared with us about the mission and story of Water for All, why they remain based in San Angelo and attached to Southland Baptist and how they choose to live their lives simply when back in the state -- not getting tied down by debt and payments so they they can remain free to 'go' when God calls again and they are needed. -- THANK YOU - for sharing your stories and time with us in San Angelo Jeremy, Sarah and Kathy!)

Below is the Go Now team eating the dinner they prepared with Tommy and Carol Rigby-Hiebert, members of Southland Baptist Church, San Angelo, TX. Thanks for grilling that GREAT and local Mikulik Sausage, Tommy!!