The Burrito Blessing!

I spent the morning making 50 burritos. What a blessing. Yes, a bit of work, and my back is a little stiff from standing at the counter for a couple of hours, but it is with a sense of satisfaction that I stacked the little foil papooses five across and two high in our baking pans.

Tony picked up most of the ingredients—tortillas, cheese, rice, re-fried beans and cooked frozen chicken — from the Eugene Mission . This morning, he got up early and steamed a pot of rice. My job was assembly, and I got a real rhythm going: sheet of foil, tortilla, beans/green chilies, rice, chicken, cheese, fold, wrap, REPEAT!

What is it about the humble burrito that brings a smile to people world-wide? It is a perfect package of both carbs and protein. Even without adding chicken, the rice and beans alone can fill a gnawing tummy and sustain someone running a half-marathon (not that I would know!). Is it the melty cheese? The soft tortilla? The Mexican spices? The sum of all parts certainly puts the burrito near the top of the comfort food list! Tony and my hope is that our little burrito effort will bring a smile (and maybe a little comfort) to the homeless teens who will consume them at Hosea Youth Services, where Tony serves a couple times a month as part of his Delta Rotary Club’s volunteer project.

While I was assembling the burritos this morning, my very-busy-guy Tony was delivering food to home-bound elderly folks on behalf of Meals on Wheels. He usually does this once a week. He loves it. Is is a simple task, really. He shows up at the Willamalane Adult Activity Center to pick up food that has already been prepared, wrapped, boxed and bagged by a cadre of volunteers. Tony loads up, drives to residences, knocks on doors, hands over the boxes of prepared meals, and briefly visits with the recipients. He ALWAYS comes home humbled and glad for this experience.

I remember when I worked for the Eugene Mission, the favorite volunteer role filled by retired men was driving a Mission box van to pick up literally tons of donated food from places like Trader Joe’s, Albertson’s, Market of Choice and numerous other generous stores and businesses. That food was then stored on the shelves of the Mission’s pantries, warehouses, and massive freezers. Later, ingredients would be selected to be prepared and served by staff and numerous volunteers to feed upwards of 300-400 people each day, three times a day. In the past few years, the Mission has branched out, donating some of their food supply to several other charitable organizations including Tony’s Delta Rotary Club, which in turn, prepares meals for Hosea Youth Services! Such a WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN! Here’s who wins!

• The grocery stores, restaurant, food wholesalers (and individual donors) feel great about unloading their almost pull-dated food, knowing that it will feed those in need rather than end up in a garbage heap.
• The volunteers who pick up the food have the blessing of conversing with Mission guests, and being a part of something bigger than themselves.
• The Mission is blessed because it has food to prepare for its own guests, as well as an abundance with which to be generous in providing meals for other organizations around Lane County.
• Volunteers who prepare the food (at the Mission, at Meals on Wheels, or in a little kitchen at home) are blessed to use their hands and time, knowing that the food they have prepared will make it into the mouths and stomachs of those who are truly hungry — physically, but also perhaps emotionally and spiritually.
• Those who get to finally EAT the bodacious and bulging burritos (or whatever the meal-of-the-moment might be), will not only receive much needed nutrition and physical sustenance, but equally important, they will feel that someone cares.

Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.

Alan D. Wolfelt

Tony and I also participate in another little foodie volunteer project with our Gospel Community Church. A church-wide effort —Foster the County—was established last year with the goal of providing support to several foster care “Resource Families” in Eugene/Springfield. We have 7-8 small “Gospel Community” (GC) groups that meet in homes throughout the week to encourage one another and to live out the gospel together. Each GC group is assigned a Resource Family to support throughout the year. Our Wednesday GC Group is assigned to a family of five that consists of a couple who are fostering two teenagers (one of whom is diabetic) and a 2 1/2 year old toddler whose mother is one of the teens.

Weekly, one person/couple in our GC group prepares and delivers a meal for our Resource Family. Multiply that across our entire congregation, and probably 40 people each week are being nourished and blessed. The Resource Moms and Dads get a night off from cooking, and we all know it’s so much more fun to eat dinner when we don’t have to cook it! 😋. And, for those who prepared the meals? What an Easy-Peasy way of quietly and humbly serving others. No fanfare —just a quick drop-off and the reward of contented satisfaction from extending our love and God’s love in such a simple but tangible way!

Cooking is at once child’s play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love.

Craig Claiborne

While finishing up this food-centric blog entry, Tony is at Hosea serving meals to 15-21 y/o kids — some who are runaways, some who are fleeing abusive homes, some who are addicts, some who are mentally ill, some who have experienced horrific trauma of some sort, and some who may be just plain rebellious. We don’t know their stories, nor do we need to, as that was not our task for the day. Our task was filling the bellies of those who will be huddled up in a blanket or sleeping bag on the streets tonight. As others are ministering to their emotional and spiritual needs, we breath a deep sigh knowing that despite the myriad of issues faced by these homeless young people, being hungry tonight will not be one of them.

I didn’t write this blog post to get a pat on the back for our efforts. That’s the LAST thing we need or deserve. We are doing a very small service in the very big scheme of things. We could, and perhaps should, do more. But today at least, we did SOMETHING! We all can do SOMETHING!

If you are reading this and find yourself with time on your hands and like to drive, cook, or could see yourself packaging up food, there’s a place for you out there!! If you live in Lane County, any of the wonderful agencies mentioned above need volunteers. Many tummies and hearts will be filled and warmed by your service, guaranteed! (Your heart included!)

If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.

Mother Teresa

P.S. And, with a cup of left over rice, a bit of extra chicken, and black beans from my pantry, I made my daughter’s favorite rice and bean dish. She’s a busy working mom, and she’ll have a ready-made meal for tonight. What the hey, it’s cooking day!! 😅 Tony and I are eating yummy squash/apple curried soup that I made yesterday. Lord, how thankful I am for the gift of food — cooking, serving, eating, and giving it away!