Service With a Smile

Sixteen years ago, Susan and I were appointed to The Salvation Army in Carthage, Missouri. We were told it would be a tough appointment. The Corps had no money. Our first Sunday, all three soldiers were in attendance for Morning Worship. The building was a very old Civil War era stone structure that was originally a barn for livestock and was pretty much falling apart. You dare not venture into the very dark lower level where the cows were once kept. Cobwebs everywhere.

The Salvation Army did not have any program going except Sunday Services and we wondered to ourselves, "What in the world would we do?" Sharing this with our friends, Doug and Linda Yeck, they suggested we start a Soup kitchen but I wondered who would pay for it and who would help? Would anybody come?

The next week we sent out a press release to the local media announcing that we would do this starting the next week. Doug and Linda took a weeks vacation and came to help us get i

t off the ground. My daughter, Cheryl, wanted to help and drove out all the way from New York. After the news appeared in the local paper, people came to donate the much needed funds. When my daughter arrived she ventured into the 'catacombs' on the lower level and started the cleaning up process, then painting the walls. Doug helped paint the very uneven concrete floor and we put new lights in.

On Monday morning we decided to serve Spaghetti as that was an easy meal. Hours before lunch, community volunteers began to arrive. We donned our Salvation Army aprons and a smile and greeted what was to be a full house for lunch.

The patrons were the unsightly of the community, some would say. You know them, the ones few others pay any attention to. They were not dressed very well and many were in need of some instruction in personal hygiene. They all had one thing in common, however, they each were hungry and needed a friend!

Many of the community volunteers were in it for the long haul. Some of them are friends of ours to this day, especially Danette and Rod. Wonderful people. The Soup Kitchen continues to this day (the last I heard) even though we have long since moved on from Southwest, Missouri.

Well, whats the point of all this reminiscing? It is this: The best days of our lives were those days spent in service to those who needed a friend and a meal. People who needed to know that God loved them and we did too. This Thanksgiving, many thousands will be gathering at a local Salvation Army, and many other churches, to experience a meal and a smile. Give them a call. Maybe you can help