For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink…Matthew 25:35

“Residents of a local retirement community don’t have enough to eat. Please, let me know if you would be able to donate soup to help those in need?” Carefully, I read the Facebook post.

My heart skipped-a-beat. My mind flashed back to my grandmother’s house. I was a teenager. My family was on our annual summer visit to Michigan.

I remember, I searched my grandma’s pantry for a snack to eat. Only cans of soup lined her nearly bare shelves. Even as a fourteen year old, I wondered, “were those cans of soup there because that is what she liked to eat? Or, were they the only thing she could afford?”

Then, I thought of my homeless neighbor, Maria. “What do you need? What can I do for you?” I asked through a friend who spoke spanish.

Maria answered simply, “Sopa.”

My friend translated, “She would like soup.”

My eighty-plus year old neighbor, who had lived on the streets for decades, did not want money, clothes, shoes or blankets. Just soup.

I read the Facebook post again. This was something I could do. These were neighbors who I could help. Especially, in honor of my grandmother and Maria.

This holiday season, as many of us prepare delicious feasts for family and friends, I wonder if there is someone near you who may not have enough to eat? Could I challenge you, in the midst of the holiday rush, to take a moment to ask the Lord if someone in your neighborhood might be hungry? Then, look and listen for anyone the Lord might reveal to you who has a need that you can meet.

For those of you in the San Diego area, there are residents of a retirement community who are very grateful for even a simple can of soup. Leave a comment, if you are interested in helping this community. Or, if you have suggestions of other ways to find those in need in our neighborhoods, along with simple and practical ways to help them. God bless you all!