On Saturday, June 12th, Convoy of Hope is holding an event for the people of Kansas City. The event is being held at Swope Park, and they are still looking for volunteers to help staff the many positions required to do something of this magnitude. You can go to the Kansas City Convoy of Hope website to learn more about the event and to volunteer or join in on supporting the event.

In 2009, at the Vineyard National Conference in Galveston, Texas, I got the joy of being part of what Convoy of Hope is doing. Galveston had been ravaged by Hurricane Ike in September 2008, and one year later the clean-up was still in progress. I remember Bert Waggoner, the National Director of Vineyard USA, saying how beautiful, lush and green Galveston Island had been prior to Ike. What we saw while we were there was a stripped landscape, yellowed by the sun.

The devastation left the people in need. Many had simply abandoned their homes and walked away. Others who remained were suffering through the beginning of the economic downturn paired with the slow rebuilding of the Galveston infrastructure.

Vineyard USA leaders determined to hold a Convoy of Hope event during the national conference to bring relief. The entire city of Galveston was invited, and all of the Vineyard USA pastors and staff attending the conference were asked to volunteer to serve.

I chose to be part of the food distribution team. Convoy of Hope brought in skids - literally hundreds of skids of food. We blocked in an area with two rows of skids and people walked through with bags. As they passed, I took my item and dropped it into the bag. Each person at each skid did the same, and, as the people walked, they ended with a full bag of groceries. We did this over and over again for hours until all the food bags had been filled. It was good, hard work.

But food distribution was only one of the services offered that day. There was a tent where hundreds of pounds of food was being prepared and served. Another tent offered free clothing, while another was a place where the attendees could receive prayer. Thousands of people were blessed that day.

Now we are doing the same thing here in Kansas City. It is exciting to see over forty Kansas City churches and many private businesses join in serving and supporting this effort. Kansas City will truly be blessed. If you are able to join in, please prayerfully consider what role you should play in supporting the Kansas City Convoy of Hope.

As the outreach pastor, I am aware that Vineyard OP is also going to Hope Faith that same day. As we considered what to do with this "conflict", we determined more opportunities to serve was better than fewer, and so we decided to keep both on the calendar. We know God will direct us to serve where He sees best.

God bless you,

David