The Pinky Finger Matters
Dear Hope family,
About a year ago, I sat on a couch in front of David Speakman, lamenting the state of the world. The news – and, let’s be honest, mostly bad news –often comes at us like water from a firehose. And I was drowning in it.
Like many of you, I was (and am) deeply burdened by the suffering around me, and I felt helpless to do anything about it. I was desperate for David to give me immediate, concrete, actionable steps to ease the tension I was feeling. (And if you know our pastor at all, you know that’s not his style.) He grieved with me, prayed with me, and encouraged me not to discredit the small things we do in service of others.
1 Corinthians 12 reminds us that we are, collectively, the body of Christ: “God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.”
While I often feel the need to be an entire arm (strong and impactful), I’m beginning to realize that sometimes the pinky finger can be useful too. So, when Ginny Evans invited me to tag along with her to Sunnyside, I knew this was an answer to prayer. A chance to be the pinky finger. An opportunity to put my hands to work and tangibly care for families in our community who are experiencing food insecurity.
With a handful of staff members and a small army of volunteers, Sunnyside Ministry offers monthly food assistance, a clothing center, and financial literacy education.
Now, almost a year later, my Monday mornings at Sunnyside have become a consistent bright spot in my week. It has blessed me to hear our neighbors’ stories, gain a deeper understanding of the challenges they face, and play a small part in helping them to feel a sense of hope.
I’m so grateful for the ways Hope Church has partnered with Sunnyside. You’ve continually answered our call for donations of clothing, bedding, and hygiene products. Many of you have made private financial donations. Your gifts have put clean sheets on someone’s bed, a warm coat on someone’s body, and food on someone’s table. Please know that your generosity has not gone unnoticed. Small things really do make a large impact.
Blessings,
Kelly Heaton