Hi, I’m Wil. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you my involvement in and dreams for the food pantry at Christ Episcopal Church, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Probably like most of you, for Thanksgiving I always said that I would like to help at a soup kitchen, and even take family members to help, especially the younger ones. But year after year I never did.

A little over a year ago, we moved back to Pennsylvania and were in search of a church.  We were warmly received at Christ Episcopal and made it our home. I was curious about the food pantry, but didn’t act on it until Fr. Bruce, our pastor, asked me to go because of a language barrier; newer clients were attending who spoke only Spanish. I went and quickly found myself immersed in God’s grace as I assisted with the language and restocking shelves. Since then, the Latino/a population has exploded, many of whom only speak Spanish. I felt that God was calling me to do more.

Under the leadership of Debby Campbell, a sense of common purpose, a community, is flourishing.  In my capacity, I taught a Spanish lesson on common phrases related to the food pantry to a group of volunteers. I began to assist more Spanish speakers to the point that they feel comfortable sharing their stories with me.  I work closely with a group of volunteers in planning and bringing to fruition events for families, and I assist as well meeting individual needs.

As we hear in the Bible in both Matthew 9:37, Luke 10:2, “the need is great, and the laborers are few.”  It is my dream that the food pantry continues to grow with our community partners, that we continually strive to make our clients feel like family, and mostly, that any services these folks need can be met by us and through us. And lastly, we dream of them seeing us as Christ-like, that God’s grace fill them with the spirit to honor him in word and deed, paying forward what they have received.

I believe that all who enter the food pantry leave with an uplifted spirit made possible by God’s grace.  Join us and you too will want to come back and do more!

Author: Wil Colon