Week: August 8th – 13th

by Souper | Aug 13, 2016 | Summer Staff

Saturday morning sharing time was amazing. People shared their hearts about forgiveness, that they have been able to forgive and how freeing it is. They have shared how crazy it is that God speaks through little things like work and peaches. They have heard God speaking to them this week and we have seen dreams being birthed into people hearts.

I’d like to share two of the stories from this morning:

“As I was on my walk with Jesus this week, He showed me a beautiful picture, how we are the little kids in the kitchen wanting to help with cooking, and God is the parent. He doesn’t need our help, and we might make a mess and ruin the whole recipe, but He still allows us to be part of His plan, and allows us to work alongside with Him. He is patient and kind, and very gracious, and encouraging. And with our willingness and His help the Kingdom is brought down to earth.”

“I saw a picture that we are on a relay race, and some of the runners are fast and strong and some not so much, but they have the same mission to get the baton to the finish lane and do it as best as they can. And I saw Wally Wenge and his dream; he had nothing to achieve it, but he said ‘YES’ to God, because he believed that he can do all things through Christ. And he might not have seen all the parts of the race coming together but many years later we see the fruit of Wally’s obedience to say ‘YES’ to God.”

There is blessing in obedience. Obedience comes long before we understand. And it’s ok because we are not supposed to lean on our own understanding. Looking forward to hearing about the fruit that will come from saying YES this week.

God will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! Through His mighty power at work within us, He will outdo them all. – Ephesians 3:20

I hope you all are encouraged, because we all are!

Week: August 1st-6th

by Souper | Aug 6, 2016 | Summer Staff

It’s hard to believe that we have already entered the last month of peach season.

Even though, everyone is very encouraging, building each other up with a kind word, smile or helping hand there is a sense of tiredness all around. And again a scripture comes to mind:

Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. -Exodus 17:12

We need your prayers as much as the hands who come to work, you are the Aaron and Hur to us, to lift us up, to hold us in your prayers, so we can finish the Summer race without weariness and burden, but with joy and rest in the Lord.

Through it all, we saw and experienced abundance of encouragement and blessing this week. We had a barber to come and cut hair for the staff and summer staff. We were able to pray over and sent a truckload of goodies to our partner ministry Hope of the Nations in Guatemala. And praying over us a scripture from Philippians 4:13 “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and being reminded that it’s not us but Christ in us, together we processed 633,000 Lbs. of fresh fruit and 43,682 Lbs. of dried fruit, that’s full truckload of hope for the hungry.

Week: July 25th-30th

by Souper | Jul 29, 2016 | Summer Staff

You all probably have read the story about 5000 hungry people that Jesus fed. And in the story there is this little boy, who had five loaves and two fish. It wasn’t much- not nearly enough- but it was all he had. Jesus friends laughed when they saw his little lunch. But Jesus knew it didn’t matter how much the little boy had. God would make it enough, more than enough. It’s what God had been doing from the beginning. Taking the nothing and making it everything. Taking the darkness and making it light.

I’ve seen this little boy’s heart in people here this week. They might have felt that they don’t have much to offer, but their hearts have been willing to give their all. They may not see the impact that their time of turning peaches has on the world, where the need is so overwhelming. But Jesus smiles, winks his eye and whispers “Watch!” and He makes miracle out of it – He makes it more than enough. And we hear stories how lives have been changed, because they chose to come and give their all.

Attitude is everything, so pick a good one, says sign in our mission builder lounge. I would like to thank you for choosing a good one this week, and giving your all, it’s been such an honor to work alongside with all of you.

Can’t wait to see how God will multiply the love that was given here this week.

If you would like to read more about what difference your work, prayers and financial support does, sign up for our monthly newsletter here https://gleanings.org/?page_id=56.

Week: 18th-23rd

by Souper | Jul 23, 2016 | Summer Staff

We are half way through Summer, and this week has been a week of celebration. I feel like Psalm 145:13-19 is a perfect reflection, to sum up, God’s work here at Gleanings for this first part of Summer.

“You are the Lord that reigns over your never-ending kingdom,
You are faithful to fulfill every promise You’ve made.
You manifest Yourself as “Kindness” in all You do!
Weak and feeble ones, You will sustain.
Those bent over with burdens of shame, You will lift up.
You have captured our attention, and the eyes of all look to You.
You give what they hunger for, at just the right time!
When You open Your generous hand, it’s full of blessings,
Satisfying the longings of every living thing!
You are right in everything You do;
And Your love is wrapped into all Your works.
You draw near to those who call out to You,
Listening ever closely.
Every one of Your godly lovers receives
Even more than what they ask for!
For You hear what their hearts really long for
And You bring them Your saving strength!”

Over and over again we’ve been surprised how God can use a simple little peach and do things beyond or understanding. We have processed 2,951,000 Lbs. of fresh fruit, which made 1,936,75 Lbs. dried fruit.  We also made 34,761 Lbs. of soup this Summer, or 871,047 servings.

It’s been incredible to be that little puzzle piece in God’s bigger picture. But not only that, not only will that little peach be saving hungry people all over the world, but it has already touched every heart who worked with it here at Gleanings.  People have been experiencing God’s realness and were encouraged to be used by Him in all their imperfection.

Here are two summer stories I’d like to share:

“Upon arriving, I realized very rapidly just how unqualified and unprepared I am to be a peach plant manager. I still sometimes wake up and think that I have absolutely nothing to give or offer today. But God has been faithful to remind me each day that He has given me everything I need for to handle any situation what may come up and that I can do everything through Christ. And as I stand on that truth, I have never once felt helpless or without a support. The way he has cared for my emotional, spiritual and physical well-being has blown my socks off.” -Noey

“Most of the time to receive peaches from farmers is more like a business. But this Summer one of the packers called me and almost begged that we would take their peaches, otherwise he would be heartbroken to have to throw them away. I haven’t had that happen before, it was encouraging to feel the heart behind it.” -Fritz

I hope you all are encouraged and we can’t wait to see what kind of story God is writing for the next half of the Summer. Stay tuned!

Week: July 11th-16th

by Souper | Jul 16, 2016 | Summer Staff

This week has been very unique and special. Starting with morning sharing time, to having a group of people with disabilities to come and serve with us at the end of week, we were reminded of one of the most common lies the devil tries to get us all believe ‘something is wrong with you. You lack in some way!’ He made each of us unique and there is no one created exactly like us in the whole world. Sometimes, we may feel like a peach who was labeled ‘NO GOOD’ in the eyes of the world, but in God’s eyes we are labeled ‘MOST EXCELLENT IN EVERY WAY’, the very best to be used by Him.

Our brothers and sisters from Young Nak church taught us how to have joy in simple things, oh, and I have to tell you, the joy this week was not only great but very contagious.

We are so thankful for weeks and moments like these, because like our love feast speaker Sysco said, we are like gold in the Master’s hands, and He purifies, and purifies, and purifies us until He sees his reflection in us. This week felt like a lot like that in some or other way.

Yes, work also got done, but I think the work on hearts was far greater!

In the pictures you will not be able to find a lot of group photos, because I think God was highlighting the individual beauty, inside and out, this week.

You are altogether beautiful, beautiful in every way, there is no flaw in you! – Song of Songs 4:7

Week: July 4th- 9th

by Souper | Jul 8, 2016 | Summer Staff

American, Canadian, Swiss, British, Latvian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Chinese, Brazilian, German/Norwegian- all these nationalities have been represented here at Gleanings this week.

First thought that came to my mind was the tower of Babel. I was wondering how this week will turn out.

In the Bible the story goes like this: Then God gave them different languages, so they wouldn’t understand each other, because their hearts were selfish and sought their own fame and power.

This week it was so opposite here. I have to tell you, it was wonderful. It wasn’t chaotic, it was peaceful. It felt like FAMILY. God loves people so He sent all these nationalities to be here, work together, and accomplish great things. The purpose was not to seek our own fame and glory, or to prove our differences, beliefs and rights, but we worked together, loved, helped and encouraged each other, and did it all to give God the glory.

As a result, another Thursday summer record was broken by processing 200,000 Lbs. of fresh fruit, that is 200 bins of peaches processed in one day.

All I have to say, God is GOOD and He works in wondrous ways. This week have been a proof of it. Yes, He is GOOD!