I am contento
Today’s blog is written by bill yoh, who has helped distribute SWH meals in Nicaragua, and written a book (unvarnished faith) about his experience
I remember the smell in the air and the shock in my bones when I saw Nicaraguan families living in a trash dump because they had nowhere else to go. I remember the way the Spirit pushed on my chest when a woman living in that dump said she was contenta.
She was happy. And grateful . . . grateful for God sending us to deliver food to feed her hungry children.
Coming out of this past weekend in North Carolina, where I got to connect with family and participate in two packing events for Servants With A Heart, the same ministry that brought me to that trash dump, I, too, am contento.
I am happy. And also grateful . . . for the chance to contribute to the food supply that helps nourish those in need, both locally and abroad.
My first mission trip with Servants With A Heart sparked a ton of unexpected changes in my life. Fast forward a few years, I now have a Master’s in Ministry and Theology, a bestselling book, Unvarnished Faith, about that trip, and I am giving talks about the importance of loving others with a servant’s heart.
It’s not often that people get to see both sides of a mission, the food preparation and delivery. But since my brother Jeff and his wife Suzanne founded Servants With A Heart, I had an “in.” When Jeff posed the idea of combining a packing event with a book talk, it was a no brainer to say, “Heck yeah!
Speaking in a YMCA gym outside of Charlotte was a sweet reminder of the power and importance of loving people with a servant’s heart. I’d been to Nicaragua to deliver the same food we were packaging on the gym floor. I’d seen hungry faces light up at the sight of a warm meal, a warm hug, and a willing prayer from a stranger. In that gym, I watched dozens of families give up their precious Saturday to fill bags with nutrient-dense food.
Between packing shifts, I got to share about my experience delivering the food and about the importance of living with unvarnished faith. Most movingly, a few others who had been on these missions shared their most meaningful memories as well.
As we packed the food and the music blared, I watched strangers become friends and I sensed hearts fill with immense joy. Nobody was there to brag about what we were doing; they were there to love with a servant’s heart, to love one another regardless of kin or creed or nation of origin. They were there to do as Jesus would do.
So yes, I am contento.
When the day came to a close, we had packed over 30,000 meals for the food insecure! Servants With A Heart created a space for people to give their time, talents, and treasures, while receiving lasting joy in the process. The experience showed how it is truly better to give than to receive . . . and that by giving, we receive as well!
If you want to experience a joy like this, please consider attending a Servants With A Heart packing event near you or partner with a local organization doing similar work. It’s powerful and it is important. God bless.
