“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’” — Ellen White, Ministry of Healing, p.143
“Hurry,” Mary Nell Ellingsen, principal of Mission Creek Christian School in South Bend, Washington, calls to students scrambling to get the rest of their stuff together before jumping into the van for their weekly community outreach activity. They are headed to the church to participate in Soup Kitchen.
Soup Kitchen started back in February 2020 with a vision from the community service director, who had been reading in Matthew 25 about feeding the hungry. She realized the Willapa Harbor Adventist Church in Raymond, Washington, wasn’t doing as much as they could for their community. Thus began Soup Kitchen, which is still feeding the community today.
The Mission Creek students had high hopes for helping with a new outreach project. A small ad was placed in the local newspaper for a local free meal at the Willapa Harbor Church. But no one came.
Determined not to be discouraged, the church and students decided to try again the next week. This time an ad with pictures was put on the front page of the local newspaper. Much to their delight, three people came the next week.
From that small beginning, Soup Kitchen is still going strong. Today, more than 60 local residents receive free meals every Thursday. The church now delivers to homes due to COVID-19 restrictions. In the bags of food, members add a small piece of literature and a cheery note. “The soup kitchen is so much fun," says one student. "I look forward to it every week.”
The teams that go out every week connect with and talk to the residents. Some community members have shown interest in Bible studies and Vacation Bible School. One of the contacts is now attending church and starting Bible studies. The first week he came to church he said, “This is the first in a long time and the start of many more times.” He enjoyed attending church again and now comes weekly. Children from the community are also attending a VBS held by the school every other week.
This outreach has grown tremendously, and the Mission Creek Christian School students are able to get personal and practical outreach experience. They are reaching their community with something as simple as a free meal for those who need it the most. Learn more about Mission Creek at missioncreekchristianschool.com.
