Greer Soup Kitchen

We had to wait until 3:55PM before opening the doors to the Greer Soup Kitchen last Sunday. The food was hot, our spoons were ready to dish out 100 plates. There was a line at the door, a small crowd awaiting Sunday dinner. They shuffled in quietly, took their plates, thanked us, and sat down, hunched over long cafeteria tables. Could they feel my bewildered stares as I struggled to imagine myself on the other side of the counter with them? Have I ever appreciated what a blessing it is to have a warm meal everyday? Throughout the hour, a variety of people made their way to us; men, women, young, and old. The elderly were clean and well-dressed, attempting to maintain a sense of dignity in their position. Others wore their struggles on their clothes, in their eyes. Young men without hope, women who cannot feed their children. They came to us for their most basic need. We fed them and watched them go, unable to fully comprehend what we were witnessing, a strange kind of banquet. A beautiful little girl, maybe 8 years old, walked straight up to the counter, peaked her blonde head of curls over the edge and stated in a very matter-of-fact way, "one kid's plate please." She understood the routine. We tried in vain to dish out smaller portions for a child. She took her "kids' plate" and a cupcake, then smiled at us before joining her family at the back of the room. One Sunday, every three months, the Vine serves a meal at the Greer Soup Kitchen. It is a privilege and a blessing to serve those in need in our own community. Anyone is welcome to join. "When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed." Lk 14:13-14
-Ingrid Kinnunen