Knox Area Rescue Ministry

www.karm.org

Today Darrin & I with several members of our small group went to KARM to help serve the lunch. There were nine of us that went.

When we arrived at 11:15am we went into the kitchen and there was one guy in there, Mo, getting the food ready. Today the lunch menu was pizza, chicken strips, mozzarella sticks, corn and cinnamon rolls with kool-aid and water to drink.

Mo immediately put us to work. Making kool-aid, cutting pizza, icing cinnamon rolls, etc. There were very few moments that someone was standing around with nothing to do.
Mo explained to us that normally there is only 1 person in there working during lunch on Sundays. The reason for this is because people who would normally volunteer are busy with church. So, that leaves the one person preparing food not only for lunch on Sunday but also getting the dinner ready for Sunday evening.

During lunch on Sunday they only serve to the people who are living there at KARM in the New Life Inn, the Lazarus program, Serenity Shelter and the Senior Citizens home. We had around 30 people come for lunch today. That doesn't include the shelter people or the senior citizens home. That isn't very many. When he told us that was all that would be there I asked Darrin "why do they not let the other homeless in for lunch".

It didn't take long for me to answer that question myself. There is A LOT of work that has to go into preparing a meal for even the few people that we had today. With only one person working on Sunday for lunch there is no way they would be able to handle the crowd. Mo told us in the evenings on Sunday they would serve around 350 people dinner! With the colder months approaching the number will increase.

Today Mo was running around getting things ready while our group helped with whatever he needed, we served the food and the drinks. Normally only one person does everything that Mo was doing plus what we were doing! I can't even imagine how busy they must be.

Mo said something today that really hit home with me. He said "there is no other job in the world that you work for more than a paycheck. Here I work knowing that I am doing God's will". I think that about sums it up.

If you are reading and live in the Knoxville area...would you consider giving 1 Sunday a month to help the lunch hour at KARM? We were there from 11:15am-1pm. It was such a blessing. Our small group has signed up to work the 1st Sunday every month. What can you do to help them?

Please click on the link above to learn more about KARM and the many things that they offer the people in our community and find out how you can volunteer and help them.