There were many challenges during 2020, and here at Midwest Food Bank Morton, it was no exception. However, as we look back on last year, God kept reminding us that He had it handled.
"If I just stayed out of the way and didn't allow myself to get stressed, I could enjoy watching how God is always in control," says Gail Thorson, Tender Mercies Coordinator for MFB.
The TM meal program is centered in the Morton location, and Gail documented several ways that God kept reminding MFB that he handles the details, big and small. Here are a few examples:
God is always on time. In 2020 MFB ordered four times the amount of raw ingredients (rice, beans, soy protein, and fortified chicken seasoning), boxes, and the film used for the plastic bags so Tender Mercies could be produced. In a year with shipping disruptions and uncertainty, items arrived on time and sometimes ahead of schedule. With all those components coming from different parts of the United States, that's unprecedented.
God's timing is always right. Due to new FDA standards that start in 2021, the plastic bags for Tender Mercies needed to be updated. Guess what? On Dec. 21, 2020, the last old version bag ran off the Tender Mercies machine. Not one bag of the previous order was wasted.
God provides. MFB Morton supports the other MFB locations with Tender Mercies and can use the machine to produce bags of rice. Will Garner, executive director of MFB Georgia, placed an order for $5,000 of bagged rice. Will felt a nudge to order this staple food item. A couple of days later, he felt like God was asking him to spend $10,000 instead. He stepped out in faith and placed the order. The day he placed the order a check for $10,000 arrived from a new donor!
It was a record year for the Tender Mercies meal program. We couldn't have done it without the almighty hand of God. Here are a few additional facts to illustrate 2020:
• 4 million Tender Mercies meals produced
• 172 miles of film (bags) used in production
•231 tons of rice ran through the machine
As we start 2021, we are confident that God has great things planned for Tender Mercies. We need to continue to stay out of His way.
