Monday, 16 May 2016

My Personal Experience with Five Loaves and Two Fish


The highlight of our third day in this northern community was a communal dinner at the Youth Centre. Due to our packed schedule for the day we didn’t have time to stop for lunch.
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We were starving! As soon as we got back to the Youth Centre after the afternoon activities, we got busy and helped L. and Y.Y.  to prepare for our lunch/ dinner at around 4pm.  The lunch menu was mixed vegetables, fried rice, mushroom and eggs. 

 Just when we were about finishing the preparation, we were told that about twenty youths be joining us for dinner.  We welcome the youths eating with us and the opportunity of getting to know them! ( We were briefed beforehand about the youth in the after school program and were mentally prepared for it, therefore, it did not come as a total surprise to us.)

We scrambled to cook more food to feed thirty plus people ( many of whom were hungry teens!) Finding whatever we could in the fridge, we worked as a team efficiently chopping and cooking more vegetables and eggs and tomatoes to feed our guests.

Would we have enough food for everyone? This meal was supposed to be our lunch and dinner and we were starving! Our team alone could have wolfed down tons of food. What happened if there was not enough food for everyone?  As we were happily slicing more vegetables, we were a bit worried. However, the picture of how Jesus fed the five thousand with only five loaves and two fish came into our mind and we used that story to encourage each other in the kitchen.

We took a peek at the dining hall. What a beautiful picture!
 All the youths and our team members (except for those who were cooking and serving ) were sitting down enjoying a meal together! My Polynesian coconut palm seed salad was a hit!!!! Everyone loved it and many asked for second.

I was glad that the young people enjoyed our food and we were able to interact with them. What a polite and gentle group of students! They  all took a little bit of food to start with making sure everyone had something to eat, then they would ask for second after everyone had something. There was no loud talking, or rude comments or complaints of any sort. Some came into the kitchen, thanked us and told us how much they enjoyed the food. The youth guests were simply delightful!

We did have enough to eat for everyone!  After everyone ate, the few responsible for cooking sat and enjoyed our food in the kitchen. The eggs and tomatoes dish I had was the most delicious food I have ever tasted in my life!!!

Praise God! We had our very personal encounter of five loaves and two fish at this northern reserve!

R.T.
Alberta
May ,2016

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