Agape Feast Feeds Thousands

This week was the last week of school. Everything was hectic as usual, with chores to be done, food to be made and most importantly, exams to be studied for. With all of the chaos surrounding us, I came up with the idea of an Agape Feast. It seemed to be a good way to bring not only the crazy week to an end, but also the school year and of course, a peaceful way of bringing in the Sabbath.
It had been in preparation all week, different ideas churning in my head, trying to figure out the best way to attack the situation. After a interesting week, a couple shopping trips to San Pedro and a lot of time spent in the kitchen, it was time! The food was ready with a full on spread of breads, fruits, vegetables, crackers and spreads. It was exciting, something a new experience to share with my Honduran family. Everything was perfect, nothing missing. Even the tables were set up just the way I wanted!
On Friday nights it is the schedule to have vespers first with dinner following. The song service for vespers was great, the participation excellent, everything was going as planned!
While the short devotion was being given, without notice, they started coming. First one, two... that's not too bad, it's ok.... three, four, five... a little more than I would like, but no worries... six, seven, eight... hmmm we're going to have to change something... nine, ten... yikes... eleven, twelve! Twelve visitors, twelve people uncounted for. Twelve extra people that I had to figure out how to feed. In preparing for our special Agape Feast, it had never occurred to me that guests might come. Because the food was so special and more expensive than normal, an exact amount had been bought and prepared, there was no way we could feed 12 extra people!
Vespers ended and I quickly went into the kitchen, coldly calculating my next move. I started sending out trays of food, telling the kids to put one of each on each plate, starting with the guests, each time looking at the tray and knowing good and well that there was no way there was enough for 70 some people.
Then a miracle started happening! One by one the kids started coming back, but instead of telling me they had run out, they diligently reported that there were extras! I couldn't believe my eyes, I was in shock. While sitting in vespers I had counted and recounted that food, it was impossible!
In the end there was plenty to eat, so much so that there seemed to be an epidemic of fullness throughout the entire hogar after the meal was done. To say the least, the feast was a big hit and a lot was gained from experiencing it.
Reflecting on it later I realized that this was my version of the well-known two fish, five loaves story. God had created a miracle right before my very eyes! Who was I that I should deserve such an honor? So maybe the Agape Feast didn't feed thousands, not even hundereds, but the fact that a miracle took place is what's most important, the most incredible part about the whole night!
That's the second time this week that God has personally come down and worked in the kitchen with us! He sure must like to cook! haha
What's on the week next week God?...

Where did the fire come from?

One of my daily tasks is to prepare breakfast every morning. Last Friday morning, I was going through my usual, drowsy routine of getting up before light had broken to make the trek to the kitchen. Everything was going on as usual:
unlock front door - √
turn on eating area light - √
turn on kitchen light - √
unlock refrigerator door - √
bring food out of refrigerator - √
light stove -....
As I went to light the stove, there were no matches to be found. I look high and low, in the nooks and in the crannies, over and under, left and right = nothing! I looked in the storage room behind the kitchen, in the bakery, in the storage area again, in the kitchen... still nothing. What was I to do, I needed matches?! Normally such a thing would seem like such an emergency, but with such a tight schedule it was important that food for these 45 kids was ready on time, if the food wasn't ready on time, then the whole groove of the morning would be thrown off. I walked outside again, trying to figure out what it was that I was going to do. I said a quick prayer that God would help me find some matches and headed back into the kitchen again. As I looked up, a small, yellow flicker caught my eye. It was fire! But where was it coming from? The stove! But I hadn't turned on the stove, let alone lit it! I was quickly able to make up for time lost and like every morning, the food was warmly awaiting the kids as they entered the cafeteria.
Who turned the stove on? Where did the fire come from?... what do you think?
I cooked with God this morning :)

In the Hood...