Week: July 16 – July 22

by Mark Ragains | Jul 24, 2017 | Gleanings Stories

Volunteers always cheer with excitement when they hear the numbers: 

504,000 pounds of peaches were processed this week!

207 new stacks of peaches are drying on the field!

27,668 pounds of dried peaches are packed up and ready to ship!

Thank you so much for your dedication to feed the poor and needy! We are so grateful for all our volunteers: Dunlap Baptist Church (Dunlap, CA), Eagle Point Church on the Hill (Eagle Point, OR), San Ramon Valley UMC (Alamo, CA), Young Nak Presbyterian Church (Los Angeles, CA), Visalia Christian Reformed (Visalia, CA), the Lopez family, the Peachey group, the Antonellies, Summer Staff, full-time staff, and all our wonderful volunteers from Switzerland, Peru, Japan, Spain, China, France, Columbia, France, and Canada! 

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Psalm 28:7

LOVE FEAST SPEAKER:  ISABEL MONJE

“I went through many seasons of pain. There was a reason why. The Lord will always use that pain, that experience, because of that great testimony.”

Until age 12, Isabel only knew life in the orphanage in Bolivia. She was happy there, but she wondered why her friends were adopted and she wasn’t. When, at age 12, her father finally picked her up, she found out why she was never adopted: she had a dad, a stepmom, and brothers. But in their home, she was shunned—none of them loved or accepted her. Her dad only took her home because he was running for mayor. 

“I lived in my father’s house seven years. It was the worst seven years of my life. I experienced all the abuses you can imagine. I tried to take my life.” 

Finally, at age 19, Isabel came to the United States with her aunt. However, Isabel had to work two jobs, all hours of the day, and never saw a penny. 

At that time, a co-worker saw that Isabel was depressed, and she told her about a heavenly father who loved her. “From the moment she started praying for me, God changed everything!” Isabel said. 

The first time Isabel attended church, a missionary was preaching, explaining the freedom and peace that we find when we forgive those who have hurt us: “Forgiveness is not the benefit for them; forgiveness is the benefit for you to have the peace and joy in your heart.”

Once Isabel found Jesus, she forgave all her family members who abused her, and brought them one by one from Bolivia to the United States. She cared for her stepmother, who continued to show her rejection and hatred, up to her stepmother’s dying day.

“God created us to ask, ‘What can I do for you, Lord?’ When I learned that, the Lord opened doors for me.”

Isabel had a vision to help the poor and needy around the world. She started an organization called Transformacion Mundial. She and her husband John serve in that organization, opening the doors of orphanages and speaking on behalf of the poor.

Isabel’s life has come full circle, as she was once an orphan and is now caring for orphaned children—even calling one of the orphanages in Mexico “My Father’s House.”

“The Lord always has a plan for us to bless us!” Isabel said. “The Lord is looking for us to have the desire to say, ‘Here I am.’ No matter how old you are, God can use you, because God is seeking willing hearts.”

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:14

SHARE THE LOVE

• “Why don’t I sense God’s presence at home? . . . We can’t escape God’s presence. We have to take time to connect with God at home. God is wherever you go.”
• “He wants you more than you want him.”
• “The rejected [peaches] may be gooey, but they have so much flavor.”
• “God is weaving things within what we are doing, and we don’t even realize it. I just want to give him glory for it.”
• “I’m leaving here full of the spirit.”
• “When we show up, God shows up.” 

Exodus 14:21-22 “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.”

Week: July 9 – July 15

by Mark Ragains | Jul 18, 2017 | Gleanings Stories

We are in the middle of summer and the heat is intense. Even though it may be uncomfortable for us to work in the heat, we thank God for the hot sun that dries the peaches so we can send them to hungry people around the world!

A big thank you to volunteers from Escalade Youth Group (Fullerton, CA), Jericho Road Church (La Mirada, CA), and Refinery Kingsburg (Kingsburg, CA), Woodlake Presbyterian Church (Woodlake, CA), day groups from Radiant Visalia (Visalia, CA), the Johnson family, the Ennamorato family, Mission Builders, Summer Staff, full-time staff, and backpackers from Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, France, Peru, and Columbia!

Because of your hard work:

536,000 pounds of peaches were processed this week

37,117 pounds of dry fruit are ready to ship

150,000 servings of soup are packaged

Thank you for your obedience, perseverance, and generosity! May you be blessed by all the good fruit of the Spirit!

“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

SUMMER VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHT: KATIE NALTY

Called “Mama Nalty” by the students in the First Presbyterian Tacoma Church youth group, youth leader Katie Nalty has been coming to Gleanings almost every summer since 2005.

A kindergarten teacher and mother, Katie has always been teaching and caring for young ones, and God gave her the vision that she will watch over preschool-age kids to high school-age kids as her ministry.

“I feel a call from the Lord to be a ‘watchman on the wall’ for our youth, and for the children at our church,” Katie said.

This year marked 11 years since her first trip to Gleanings, although her church has been sending volunteers all the way from Washington for 22 years straight.

“I feel like God is calling me back [to Gleanings] every time. I like to see the kids’ spiritual growth, and I want to be consistent.”

One of her favorite things about Gleanings is how the trip has been instrumental in the lives of the students she mentors. “The students learn how to discern God’s direction,” Katie said.

Katie is proud of the fact that students who participate in the Gleanings mission trip are likely to do more outreach in the future.

“Many of the students in our youth group have come to do DTS [Discipleship Training School] because of their experience at Gleanings,” Katie said, “including Bethany [Waits], who is now on staff at Gleanings. It helps them to see that the body of Christ is bigger than just our church. It expands their vision for what is possible for them.”

To Katie, Gleanings has always felt like a home away from home. “Every time we arrive and see Rod [Lawrence], he says ‘Welcome home,’ and he gives us a big hug. Gleanings is like a home away from home, a spiritual place.” It’s a home where she can fulfill her calling to be a mama hen to her students in one of the most transformative mission experiences of their lives.

For all these reasons, Mama Nalty will continue to come back to Gleanings for as long as the Lord calls her and the Tacoma team. She is proud to serve with an organization that does what she calls First Church work: “Where you are serving the widows and orphans and the poor.” 

“Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:35

SHARE THE LOVE

On Saturday, volunteers shared the treasures they found this week at Gleanings:

• “You are here to serve. You are here to help impact people’s lives.”
• “God, your will be done. I’m here to serve you.”
• “We talk about Gleanings a lot throughout the rest of the year.”
• “It’s home here. It’s my home away from home.”
• “This work is hard. It’s OK to say this work is hard. We don’t do this work for ourselves; we do it as service to God, and that changes everything.”

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord . . . “ Colossians 3:23

Week: July 2 – July 8

by Mark Ragains | Jul 10, 2017 | Gleanings Stories

Just this week!

582,000 pounds of peaches processed and drying in the field

19,163 pounds of dried peaches packed up and ready to ship

40,214 pounds of dried peaches sent to Children’s Hunger Fund

A big thank you to all of our volunteers who made this week a success! Bible Fellowship Vancouver (Surrey, BC), East Olds Baptist Church (Libby, Montana), the Paul family, the Timonin family, the Pekary family, and all of our short and long term volunteers, staff, Summer Staff, and backpackers from Mexico, Malaysia, Japan, Columbia, France, and Peru! 

Thank You! We love each and every one of you!

LOVE FEAST SPEAKER: RICK ALONZO

Every Friday night during the summer we have a special dinner called Love Feast, where we decorate the tables and celebrate our volunteers. After dinner we listen to a guest speaker.  

This week we heard from Rick Alonzo, who shared his testimony through three paintings: 

First Painting: A boat in the storm with Jesus calming the waters

“When we go through hardships, we panic,” Rick said.

“The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.” Luke 8:24

Second Painting: An eagle soaring above the storm

“They didn’t understand who this man was, Jesus, the all-powerful who can calm the storm. This is why I painted the eagle flying through the storm,” Rick said. “The storm is still there, but the eagle flies above the storm.”

“Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:41

Third Painting: Jesus’ face looking down from the cross

“My message is this,” Rick said. “What you believe about Jesus Christ is going to affect your entire life. … If you are seeking the Lord, I promise you this: you will find him.”

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

When Rick lived in the Philippines as a child, he experienced what it’s like to have no food to eat. 

“Sometimes I would starve three to four days in the Philippines. But my parents would pray. My dad stroked my head and said, ‘I want you not to forget God.’ [My dad] said this because he knew I would face difficult times. Now, what my father did for me, I do for my son.”

Rick didn’t want to go to church as a kid because he was afraid of the statue of Jesus on the cross, the eyes of the statue always looking down at him. But now he paints that man on the cross as a part of his ministry to this “visually-minded generation.”

 “I used to think I had to be clean to come to God,” Rick said. “But God says, ‘No, you come to me just as you are and I do the rest.’”

 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

  SHARE THE LOVE

 Saturday mornings we have an open mic for our volunteers to share what God did in their hearts and lives during their time here at Gleanings:

• “You can really feel the sweet love of Jesus here.”
•  “The Lord is teaching me just have peace and don’t worry too much about the things that have passed, or the things that are coming. Focus on what’s in front of you now.”
•  “He reminded me that I need to be defined by what he says about me and not by what other people say.”
•  “We might live our whole lives not knowing how we’ve impacted someone.”
•  “All of the sudden I just had this overwhelming peace.”
•  “I cried the moment I came through the gate [because of] the overwhelming presence of the Lord.”
•  “You are world changers—you are heroes. Every single day that you are here, you are heroes.”
•  “When I see what God has done in this place, Gleanings, my heart is filled with so much hope for the world.”
•  “It is so much fun—the joy of accomplishing something together.”
•  “Thank you for not just serving Gleanings, but for serving God, and serving the poor.”

 “Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord know it completely.” Psalm 139:4

Week: June 25 – July 1

by Mark Ragains | Jul 3, 2017 | Gleanings Stories

We inspected and processed 535,000 pounds of peaches in just four days, in addition to packing 29,000 pounds of dried peaches in buckets. 

Before you visit Gleanings for the Hungry, it’s hard to wrap your mind around those kinds of numbers. But when you come here and place your hand on a peach or a handful of dried soup, and see the tremendous amounts of donated food that would otherwise be wasted, it makes so much sense that someone—everyone—would want to do something with the overabundance of food produced in California.

This food is ready to ship to hungry people around the world! Praise God for the way He provides for the poor and needy, including widows and orphans in remote places!

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

WHO WAS HERE THIS WEEK?

A small but mighty group this week, right? We lovingly call them “Tacoma”—First Presbyterian (Tacoma, WA). They were fierce workers! And with the help of Village Church (Burbank, CA), Auburn First Assembly, the Ayars family, the Van Hill Family, and many more short and long term volunteers, including backpackers from Mexico, China, Malaysia, Japan, Columbia, Peru, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, Summer Staff, and full-time staff, this week was a big success—even with a smaller group than we anticipated!

Convoy of Hope was here this week, driving away with 7,982 pounds of soup mix and 29,227 pounds of dried peaches, and The Container Ministry left with 40,115 pounds of soup mix.

Thank you!

FEEDING 30,000 DAILY IN GUATEMALA

“How do you feed 30,000 kids a day? Come on down, I’ll show ya!” Eric Rivera said, almost as a dare.

Eric and his wife Lisa, once part of the YWAM staff at Gleanings, are now living with their children in Antigua, Guatemala, distributing Gleanings food daily. The food is given to the pastors at 250 churches around the country, and the pastors make sure the people who are hungry receive the food they need.

The number of hungry children in Guatemala who are fed daily with Gleanings food is currently 30,000 per day.

“We can’t go to 250 churches every month. It’s just not possible,” Eric said. “So we go to certain villages and there will be 15 pastors waiting for us.”

Eric and his team also go into some of the most isolated areas, the roughest terrain, in order to bring food to those who need it most. “We go places no one else wants to go,” he said. “There is 90 percent unemployment in some of the villages we go into.”

Bringing food is a way to give people hope. “It seems like everyone’s forgotten them. It seems like God has forgotten them. But he hasn’t.”

“Food is a tool to share the gospel. I sincerely believe that,” Eric said. “We give food, and the people say, ‘Why are you doing this?’”

Why are we doing this? That is a good question to ask. Eric had actually decided in his heart that he never wanted to go to Guatemala. Yet that is the very place God called him to, the very place where all the doors flew open and he knew it was meant to be. “We are happy there,” he said. “We have a nice life there.”

It is was so wonderful to see the Rivera family back at Gleanings for a short visit! Praise God for your faithful ministry to the poor in Guatemala!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

SHARE THE LOVE

We enjoyed a great spirit of unity this week! Here are some of the things our volunteers shared on the open mic Saturday morning:

“Even though this group is small, it’s full of spirit.”

“This is my fourth time here, and this is the most manual labor I’ve done when I’ve been here. But it’s been in the best spirit.”

“I feel I grow up in Christ here.”

“The fear in my heart in speaking in front of people is gone.”

“I did not expect backpack traveling could change my life tremendously, but God used the traveling experience—all the things together—to show lots of his glory to me.”

“I encourage you to bring this spirit of Gleanings into all areas of your life.”

“I learned what a gift it is to be able to serve.” 

“I feel like I’ve been ignoring God for a long time. I feel like I want to give back in that relationship with him.”

“God is chasing you all the time, and whatever you need is there.”

“I had a heart full of stones, almost. I came here and it’s been so great.”

“We are a greater family.”

“Literally, the fruit of your hard work is here.”

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God …” John 1:12

Week: June 18 – June 24

by Mark Ragains | Jun 26, 2017 | Gleanings Stories

In one week, we processed 617,000 pounds of fresh fruit and 700,000 servings of soup!

Let’s be honest—it’s difficult to sit in 110-degree weather, crouching in the field to make sure each half-peach is face-up so it will dry properly in the sun.

It’s difficult to have a good attitude and a servant’s heart when you are inspecting a batch of rotten peaches in order to find the good fruit.

It’s difficult to find the energy to mop floors after hours of working in the extreme heat.

This work, and so much more, is what our teams did this week. Why? Because God called them to serve the poor and needy. Because God did miraculous work in their hearts to make them so ready to do whatever it takes to give back.

Thank you, Gateway Bible Church, from Scotts Valley, CA!
Thank you, Global Passion Ministries groups!
Thank you, Sutherlin Family Church, all the way from Oregon!
Thank you, Pekary, Wilson, and Thornquest families!
Thank you, Israel Food Outreach!
Thank you, backpackers, short and long-term volunteers, staff, summer staff, and every single person who gave their time energy to serve with us this week!

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHT: KEKE WANG

A former professional volleyball player in China, Keke Wang came to Gleanings because she decided it was time stop living a selfish life.

“I was a cheap person,” Keke said. “I finally asked God to change me. I didn’t like myself … I always asked [God] to do things for me … maybe it’s time for me to ask him what I can do for him,” Keke said.

After checking out helpx.net, Keke chose organizations that would challenge her. “I can do that!” she thought. “I will spend three weeks at Gleanings for the Hungry, then three weeks at an organic farm. Now, this is something that will completely not benefit me at all, I thought. I really wanted to practice to give without return.”

But before she got here, during her half-year trip in South America, her bag was stolen, and Keke was stranded in Peru for three weeks. Finally, she got her passport replaced. But it did not have her precious stamps she had been collecting, which was her most prized possession, representing all her travels and adventures around the world.

It was after this loss that she showed up at Gleanings and began to serve with truly no intent to gain anything in return. “Now I like myself more. I know God more. God is so good to me. It’s like the woman who gave all she had. It doesn’t matter how much it is. God really just cares about our heart.”

Keke joined us for three weeks, served at the organic farm, and then came back to Gleanings to serve for a longer period of time. We are so overjoyed to have her here—her smile and energy is such a blessing to everyone she meets!

God bless you Keke! We love you! – “They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:44

SHARE THE LOVE

The theme this week seemed to be a call to leadership, authenticity, and hope after losing loved ones.

“I have learned that God was protecting me and I accepted Christ as my savior!”

“I realized I want to be a leader. I want to help other people that are going through stuff.”

“I am blessed because of all of you.”

“I feel like it’s a huge family here.”

“All my life I have wanted to give back to others. I think I’ve found my calling—I want to do missions.”

“It’s a miracle, what goes on here.”

“I’m shaking cuz I’m scared to give myself to someone.”

“I heard the words, ‘Thank you for feeding my children.’”

“Every year I come here, it just gets better and better.”

What an awesome God we serve!

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

Week: June 11 – June 17

by Mark Ragains | Jun 17, 2017 | Gleanings Stories

With 580,000 pounds of fresh fruit processed, and 6,273 pounds of dried fruit ready to ship, our first full week of peach production was a success, thanks to the hard work of many volunteers from Big Valley Grace Community Church (Modesto, CA), Messiah Lutheran Church (Lincoln, NE), and Pacific Christian Center (Santa Maria, CA)—not to mention the Gleanings staff and their families, Summer Staff, long-term volunteers, and backpackers from Singapore, India, Taiwan, Germany, Peru, Columbia, Japan, and China!

We accomplish great things with the generosity of so many wonderful people–food donors, volunteers, staff–and of course, with the love and strength that comes from our good, good Father in heaven!

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10

LOVE FEAST MESSAGE: God Chooses the Rejected One

“What you have experienced in your life was not meant to take you out, but it was meant to push you forward.” —Chris Scoz

Chris Scoz’s energy and insight was powerful at Gleanings for the Hungry’s “Love Feast” Friday night! Chris shared the story of David, an unlovely and unworthy shepherd boy, either forgotten or dismissed by his earthly father, yet chosen by God to be king of Israel.

David went from being a nobody, a disregarded shepherd boy who no one wanted, to a champion over Goliath, to king of God’s people, to Bible-famous King David—in the family lineage of Jesus himself.

Chris shared how he, the son of two poor, drug addicted parents from East LA gang life, was just as unlikely as David to be chosen by God to serve as a leader of God’s people. However, “God does not care where you come from. God cares about the calling he has put on your life,” Chris said.

“When no one knows you exist, God knows where you are. When God says Yes, that’s all you need,” Chris said. “ … God can do something with your life. God can do amazing things with people who you didn’t think he could do amazing things with. It doesn’t matter what your present circumstance is. God will not let you stay stuck if you go after him!”

Truth!

Thank you, Chris, for your humility and honesty, and for paving the path for so many young people to encounter Jesus, even when they are feeling overcome with burdens or discouraged by their circumstances.

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7

SHARE THE LOVE

Today’s share time went overtime, but God was working overtime in our hearts this week. Here are some of the sweet moments from devotions:

“God has changed my life completely [this week]. I can’t even explain the peace and the calmness. I’m coming back to Gleanings.” 

“All of this week has been a big God-moment.”

“Thank you, Lord, for the air I breathe.” 

“It’s OK to be yourself.” 

“When I sing, I finally get the lyrics.”

“I felt something powerful change. It hit me Monday night.”

“When you are comfortable with who you are—man, you’ve been healed.”

“Who is my Father? My father is a good, good Father, and he’s living right up there.”

“The guy or girl to your right or your left—don’t be them. Just be you.” 

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8