It’s one of my favorite parts of the Packathon shift. It comes at the end, after we have tallied the final meal count and we get to announce it to all those who participated. Everyone gets quiet, ready for you to announce that number. After the number has been declared, smiles and applause fill the room as the weight of what two hours of their time had accomplished for someone else in need.
Summertime for Feed the Hunger is traditionally a time when we don’t have many Packathon events going on. This July, however, we are in the midst of our All-American Packathon campaign, where we plan to pack nearly 300,000 meals for needy families in America.
We’ve had groups come all the way from Kentucky (left) and right here in Alamance County (right) to help with the All-American Packathon this week!
With not as many events during the summer months, we get a chance to step back and evaluate our Packathons. I spent time last week looking at the 2016 totals so far and how they relate to our cumulative ministry totals. It’s a great encouragement to see the breadth of what God has accomplished through your many prayers and your partnership.
In June of 2016, FtH surpassed 13,000,000 meals packed for needy people around the world! Thanks be to God! How do we start to comprehend 13,000,000 of anything? 13,000,000 seconds is equal to 21 weeks, 3 days, 11 hours, 6 minutes, and 40 seconds. To count aloud to 13,000,000 would take you almost 32 weeks. (I haven’t tried it, but you can if you want to verify it!) That’s over 1.3 million pounds of rice and over 2.1 million bags of food!
These meals have been packed over the course of at least 248 events and have helped hungry people in at least 13 countries, including the US, where food has been distributed in at least 11 states.
Our first Packathon at Ole Miss University (left) and our first Packathon EVER! (right)
For those of you who are not “numbers” people, the above figures may have left you mildly dizzy. But here is the main idea that we can all understand and celebrate: those 13,000,000 meals have been packed with the love of Christ and shared in Christ’s Name.
We will not know this side of heaven the full impact of these meals in the hearts of those who received them. But we know that God is using your giving and serving to answer many people’s cries of “Give us, O Lord, food for today!”
We thank you for your selfless help in sharing God’s love to those in need through packing nutritious meals. Join us in giving glory to God for the great things He has done!
Scott Hahn | Packathon Director