The Vineyard Pantry

A local mission field

by Gwyneth Bledsoe

“If I give all I possess to the poor, 
and surrender my body to the flames, 
but have not love, I gain nothing.” 
(1. Cor. 13:3)

What is your first thought or emotion when you see a homeless person? Are you filled with compassion or are you judgmental? Tom Armstrong posed these questions in a newsletter to the volunteers at The Pantry, a benevolence ministry of Vineyard Boise. Tom went on to describe how God was challenging him to see people the way God sees them.

Since their teens, Tom and Charlotte Armstrong have sensed a call to serve the underprivileged. Early in their marriage, they were struck by a ministry in Mexico, where Christians were feeding and praying for the homeless and hopeless who lived in the refuse dumps. Over time they felt increasingly drawn to the ministry of providing “church in the dump” wherever God intended.

Fresh from a Vineyard church plant in Kansas, the Armstrongs arrived in Boise almost three years ago. They were soon overtaken by financial difficulty, with six children and the challenge of making ends meet. Tom arrived at the Vineyard Pantry for a food box and was overwhelmed by the number of people like him, seeking assistance. He was prayed for, and, near to tears, felt blessed that his needs were met. Hearing God’s call, he and his entire family soon committed to volunteer in The Pantry. 

For two years, Tom, Char and their six children - Joshua (12), Katrina (11), Elias (8), Cherish (7), and twin boys Chase & Cody (4) - have pitched in by packing boxes, stocking shelves and ministering to the physically and spiritually hungry. Amy Kusin, the director of The Pantry, has been mentoring them in a leadership role for the last six months. This experience is proving to be a training ground for their ultimate goal - to feed the poor as a full-time ministry. In Char’s words: “It’s all about giving out God’s unconditional love, based on the belief that we have a Biblical mandate to minister to the poor and to show His love.”

Tom and Char both agree that the coolest part is praying with people, not just feeding them, but nourishing them spiritually as well. They have witnessed spiritual conversions and physical healing and brought several of the people they helped to church. “It is an opportunity to touch unchurched people, whose lives would never be reached otherwise. Because they have a need they come to us,” Char points out. The Armstrongs faithfully pray that this ministry will get more people connected with the family of God, to grow and become mature disciples.

Char’s face lights up when she talks about the ministry. “My favorite part is to minister to people and pray with them. God’s presence comes and many of them start to weep, not because I’m eloquent, but because He is touching them in their time of need. We are often given words of knowledge and wisdom from the Lord. One volunteer has a particular anointing for praying for people to be healed. The Armstrongs have a wealth of stories about healing and answered prayer. Here are some examples:

So where does all the food come from that is given away by The Pantry? There is a wide range of sources. Local merchants donate their surplus, their damaged goods, and soon-to-expire items to the Idaho Food Bank. The Vineyard purchases food supplies from the Food Bank with a small amount of allocated funds from the Sunday offerings. While Food Bank supplies have been depleted since the September 11th attacks, the number of people asking for assistance in Boise has risen, due to job cuts and sky-rocketing power bills.

Suppliers also include large companies who donate food, like potato and dairy products. Generous farmers donate whole sides of beef that are turned into frozen hamburger patties. Groups go out to the fields and glean potatoes and other products. On the church property next to the Barnabas Center fresh fruit and vegetables are grown in the Vineyard’s “Garden O’ Feedin” (peppers, tomatoes and carrots, to name a few). Pantry volunteers look out for discounted goods in local supermarkets, and church members drop off grocery items in the lobby bin. 

In spite of this broad range of suppliers, The Pantry leadership is always looking for new sources of food. If you have any suggestions, call the church office or fill out a V-Mail in the bulletin.

A typical day at The Pantry starts with team prayer before the doors open at 10am. Each client signs in describing their need on a “Request for Assistance” form. Requests cover the whole gamut, including food; finances (utilities/rent); legal, medical, family planning counseling; repairs; furniture and clothing. A mentor prays with the client, files their prayer requests, and provides them with a food box. The client may be directed to the on-site legal, medical, and counseling services, or they are referred to other agencies and organizations in the area that are better equipped to meet their needs. No money is given directly.

Behind the scenes, volunteers are breaking down bulk food, organizing food in the warehouse, packing boxes, stocking shelves, or collecting vegetables from the church garden. Others are busy stocking the walk-in cooler and freezer, making coffee, running the front desk, or managing files. The last task of the morning is clean up.

Volunteers are church members and their families, youth from the YMCA, and people doing community service. There are 8 team leaders, 3-10 people per team, totaling 45 regular volunteers. They serve a variety of clients: low-income families, migrant workers, refugees, jobless, homeless people, seniors, the mentally handicapped, and ex-offenders. No less than 83 families were served this October (400-900 people a month). Families can request a food box once a month and the elderly on a fixed income receive additional help.

No task is too small or insignificant, according to Char. “I believe that whatever task you have, even if it’s packing boxes, it is part of the ministry.” A food box consists of toiletries and dried, fresh, canned, or frozen foods, and is expected to feed a family for a week. “We pray over the boxes, ask God to give us a word of wisdom and bless the family.” Each box is unique and the items are often exactly what a client needs. An elderly lady remarked: “You gave me ice cream mix and that really blessed me to know that God cared.”

Children are an integral part of the ministry. Driving around one Saturday, the Armstrongs asked their family what they wanted to do. With one voice, the children voted to come to the Barnabas Center and help with The Pantry. When asked why they came, Katrina said: “To help people that don’t have much food.” Four-year old Cody piped up: “We gotta feed people.” Children can bag beans, pack boxes and carry food to cars. They can fill the waiting room with their innocent joy in the Lord and bring cheer to the lonely and brokenhearted. 

And don’t expect to be worn out after a morning’s work. Char says: “When we come home from here, even if we’ve worked hard, we feel energized.”

You might wonder how you could help with this valuable work? Ask God in prayer what your unique contribution might be and take action through one of the suggested “Ways to Help”. Above all, pray that God’s love will be revealed to these people in need. After all, you never know when you might need a food box…

Ways to Help