Peanut Butter Drive

The past two night while praying, God has laid upon my heart “Peanut butter drives.” While in Cincinnati I received an email from one of the missionaries in Haiti that the mission was completely out of peanut butter. The thought of a peanut butter drive crossed my mind but I pushed it away, I was too busy and so far from home. But the thought came back up about a week ago but Truthfully in the back of my head I questioned God, “God, I am working with the Miriam Center I want to fundraise for them” God’s response “no you are working for me and this semester I have different plans.” Ouch! Well, I guess I deserved that slap So, all this said, is this something you think is a good idea. I know God has placed this on my heart this next semester to collect as much peanut butter as I can to be used during Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) this summer. Peanut butter to me is very important outreach tool. Ever since my first trip into Haiti, I feel that every time a VBS is done that snack should be provided. We should not only feed these children spiritually but physically as well. They will grasp more spiritually if they are physically in a state to receive it. I know When I do not eat before church I do not grasp as much or worship God to my best ability. I would love to collect enough peanut butter that every group that comes in this summer and does VBS peanut butter would be there and hopefully I can raise enough money that groups that don’t have the money for bread the money would be there for that as well. Peanut butter and feed my hungry children meals are 2 of the top foods the mission uses to combat malnutrition and hunger in their programs. One of the mission’s biggest and oldest initiatives is to fight malnutrition and hunger. They provide meals to: •over a 1,000 children daily in the schools the mission sponsors •over 100 kids in their nutritional program for children with 3rd-4th degree malnutrition •over 27 kids in our For Jonathan Sake Program- disability outreach program •over 24 kids in Miriam Home- disabilities orphanage •over 38 elderly in the Gran Moon •over 10 elderly threw meals on wheels •over 100 kids in the older kids orphanage •over 20 kids in the baby orphanage Most of these programs receive feed my starving children meals. Feed My Starving Children is a Christian non-profit organization. A single meal costs only 17 cents to produce, and 94 percent of total donations goes directly toward the food program. Without these meals most of the programs would not be running to their full potential. Peanut Butter is a big outreach to children of the community especially during the summer during VBS’s. The mission has mission teams that come in all throughout the summer and also different times throughout the year that perform vacation Bible schools 3-4x a week. VBS’s in Haiti are not like here in America. When word gets out there is going to be a VBS 200-300 kids show up and kids actually have to be turned away. Often groups give a lesson, have a craft, and sing songs. All this is great, but I am a huge advocate for providing these children who probably have not eaten all day and will not eat with a peanut butter sandwich. If we fill these children’s physical needs then their spiritual needs will be better filled. My goal is to collect as much peanut butter as I can and deliver it to the mission warehouse in Kentucky by April. How awesome would it be if every child that goes to VBS this summer will get their physical needs met as well as their spiritual needs met. In the summer the school feedings do not occur and this is the missions chance to reach many of these children and those who are not in their school system and provide them with physical and spiritual food. Let me know if you are interested in donating peanut butter or helping do a peanut butter drive at your church.