‘Blessed day of service’: Dozens accept Christ at church grocery giveaway
Dozens of people accepted Jesus Christ at an Oklahoma church's grocery giveaway event that helped hundred of people over the weekend.
Friendship Baptist Church (FBC), a small congregation based in Lawton, held its latest charitable outreach event on Saturday, giving out food supplies to people in need.
The event distributed food on a first-come, first-served basis and was scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, or until supplies ran out.
Tammi Whittman, who serves as church administrator at FBC, told The Christian Post that they ended up helping a little over 300 people, running out of supplies by noon local time.
“Our church under the leadership of Dr. Walter A. Wilson saw a need in the community and wanted to help,” Whittman said. “We had a small food pantry already. However, we soon discovered it was not enough to help those in need.”
While Friendship Baptist's past food giveaway events generally served between 200 and 225 people, Whittman said “this time we saw an increase due to the rising costs of living.”
Despite the growing need, Whittman considered the event to be “a phenomenally blessed day of service,” recounting that church volunteers “prayed for 73 people and 35 accepted Christ.”
“We hope to continue reaching those in need by inviting them to get to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” she added.
Senior Pastor Walter Wilson told KSWO 7News that the food giveaway typically takes place once a month, usually around the middle of the month.
“We try to do it once a month, usually about the middle of the month because people’s funds run out by that time — by this time every month, their funds run out,” he said. “They don’t have enough and they appreciate whatever you give.”
Wilson believes there are “a lot of hurting people right now” and those who come to the food giveaway “appreciate whatever you give.”
“We’re finding that the more we can give is better,” he continued. “And we’re not looking for members, we’re looking for souls.”
