Convoy of Hope | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Convoy of Hope | Previous Challenge Entry
By Bonnie Bradlee
08/25/16
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The day dawned dark and foreboding as rain clouds gathered. But that didn't stop the people in line from laughing and singing along with the music coming from the stage in the volunteer staging area inside the park. Anticipation of the coming fun held internal clouds at bay.

Hundreds of volunteers rallied around the stage, awaiting assignments throughout the park, ready to serve the honored guests. Prayers went up, asking to stave off the rain, and for each and every guest to receive whatever they needed from this event.

As rain began to fall, the gates were opened early in hopes of getting people under cover of the tents set up for each of the giveaways. There was a tent for haircuts. There were tents for women's shoes, children's shoes, health and dental checkups, backpacks and school supplies for kids, job services, veterans services, and even breast cancer awareness information for adults.

One of the tents provided family portraits for families who rarely, if ever, had enough disposable income to do professional pictures. For one family, Mom, Dad, and their five kids, ages 10 through 18, it was a first time experience, to get a family portrait. And although the rule was only one photo per family, sometimes rules need to be broken. It was one very happy mother who walked out of the tent with an individual photo of each of her kids, as well as the whole family.

As the morning progressed, the rain fell harder, at times coming down in torrents. The grassy park turned to mid, and still families came. Umbrellas popped open, garbage bag ponchos appeared, and still there were smiles. Flip flops came off of feet as they squished and squelshed through the mud. Kids jumped and splashed in mud puddles, slipping, sliding, and dancing, happy that they weren't getting in trouble. Parents laughed, delighting in their children's joy, knowing that this morning they were all in the same boat (pun unintentional) and there was no staying dry.

Slowly but steadily, the clouds cleared and the sun came out. As the afternoon progressed, the crowds thinned, products ran out, folks headed toward home to check out their loot.

The final tent, strategically placed on the way out of the event, was the prayer tent. Specially trained volunteers were available to pray for the needs of the guests. They prayed for healing, provision, jobs, family members, restoration, all manner of needs. Many received salvation, having seen just how good our God is and realizing how great it is to be alive. Some simply passed through the tent without stopping, not realizing they still received prayer as they passed through the thick presence of God.

Then, as they exited the tent, thinking all was done, there was one more gift. Each adult, on the way out of the venue, received a bag of groceries, food for the belly after food for the soul.

This was my first experience with Convoy of Hope, bringing much needed resources to impoverished communities, but it won't be my last. The guests are not the only ones who received during this event. As so often happens, the givers receive back so much more than they give. If you want to renew your joy for living by giving to others, check out Convoy of Hope, coming soon to a city near you.

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