Why Do We Serve?

My four months in the Denton Baptist Association have continued to be delightful because of the joy of my morning coffee with Morgan. Recently, Morgan brought up my childhood and asked about what my family used to have for breakfast, which led to a lively conversation about rice. I joked with Morgan that you can tell you have a genuine connection with a Filipino when they discuss the varying price of a kilo of rice. But in all seriousness, perhaps more than 90% of Filipinos worry about the cost of rice and its impact on one’s daily living. My own family is not immune to this… My mother and my cousin Annabelle constantly worry. They both watch the price of rice like a seasoned Meteorologist watches the weather. If the cost of rice increases, like anything else, it directly impacts how we make ends meet. This personal connection to food insecurity makes the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) even more poignant.

A few days after our conversation, we received the report that the 226 boxes of food packed from last year’s Serve Together event finally arrived in the DRC. The food boxes, a symbol of hope and solidarity, traveled for almost a year before it arrived at its final destination. Some of us know that the DRC is currently facing a hunger crisis. A 2023 World Food Programme (WFP) report stated that 23.4 million people from the DRC were experiencing crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity. More than six million children and pregnant and breastfeeding women are considered acutely malnourished.

With the ongoing civil unrest in the country, an April 2024 stated that 6.9 million people are displaced, with the crisis having a devastating impact on the youngest, that is, 13.7 million children in need of humanitarian assistance. People no longer have access to basic services such as healthcare or safe potable water. In addition, the country is also combating several epidemics, such as mpox, which has caused approximately 27,000 cases and about 1,100 fatalities.

We cannot afford to ignore this situation because we are part of a larger community that cares and acts when others are in need. I am deeply grateful for the close to 400 volunteers, 18 churches, and the Denton Baptist Association who took the time and effort to prepare and send the 226 boxes last year. Your work has not gone unnoticed. It has made a significant difference in the lives of those in need. My prayer for the last few days is that we can do the same, if not more, this year and continue to make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need.

Hebrews 6:10 says, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Serving others together is not only a symbol of hope and solidarity. It is an expression of our faith in the Lord that we serve. When we start growing weary in our daily walk, serving others can reenergize us by reminding us that no matter what He sees us, He never forgets His promises.