Pennies from Heaven--To find loose change unexpectedly on the ground always brings a joyful smile to my face. To some, loose change is meaningless, for others it is worthless, but to our family, loose change is priceless. My father used to always say, "I am not too proud to pick up a penny." He taught us the value of a penny. He found such joy in stumbling across loose change. To my father, every penny mattered, and it all added up.
He loved to save his change in large, blue, 5-gallon water containers and watch it slowly add up. In fact, I still have one of the containers and save change myself. My kids save change. And, my husband saves change. My father was even known to never use the very change in his pocket, but preferred to break another bill so he had change to throw in his well-worn, scratched up, blue, foggy jug. Every night as he emptied the tattered pockets of his worked for stone-washed jeans with the pungent fresh farm aroma, he would proudly walk to his change jar and add to the ever rising level of coins.
Fun fact: I remember a time oh so well when my sister walked in front of my dad throwing change on the ground intentionally knowing he was behind her picking it up! Dad picked up every single coin...then finally caught on as we were all laughing! Then, we got the lesson of the value of a penny...AGAIN and had to make sure we picked up every penny that was dropped!
Ever since Dad went to be with the Lord, whenever our family finds change on the ground, we say, "pennies from Heaven", smile and bend over and pick it up to keep it in a special stash of "pennies from Heaven"! I often explain to the people that may be around that my dad always taught me the value of a penny.
Pennies from Heaven has taken on a new meaning in my heart this year, as I have watched so many people give sacrificially to Carl's Kitchen. It has taken me months to digest what all God is doing. The pennies have added up as Dad faithfully promised they would.
As you may know, Carl's Kitchen is a $35,000 endeavor--renovating property that Cathedral of Faith Church has had vacant waiting for a God opportunity to start an outreach and future church. The construction of the kitchen required a $15,000 investment. In addition we committed to Latin Equip Ministries to fully fund the operation of Carl's Kitchen for the next five years, until the church can successfully oversee the operation. The meals will cost $4,000 per year to feed 100 children weekly. So, our commitment for the meals over five years is $25,000--making our total commitment with Carl's Kitchen and meals $35,000.
We have had many generous donors give over $21,000 cumulatively to date toward Carl's Kitchen since we started this endeavor in October 2017--that is OVER 2 MILLION, 1 HUNDRED THOUSAND PENNIES. There have been so many heart felt stories behind every penny. At Christmas we had a family donate on behalf of their children who have went to be with the Lord, so many people reached out during the holidays wanting to sponsor tables and chairs on behalf of their families, people donated on behalf of #theEliEffect, #LovewithNoRegrets and #BeJoeyful supporting intentional acts of kindness in loving memory of two beautiful baby boys. We have had approximately 15 tables and 50 chairs sponsored through our "seat at the table" campaign. In addition, we have had a family generously step up and commit to making a monthly donation to cover 1 year's worth of meals; a family commit to an upcoming $500 donation, and another to give an ongoing monthly donation. We are estimating at this point we have just less than $10,000 to raise over the next 4 years. God is so faithful.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS PRAYING, DONATING AND ENCOURAGING THIS JOURNEY. WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND THE LEGACY YOU ARE LEAVING!
There are still so many ways you can take part. Please continue to keep this ministry in your prayers as we construct the kitchen, open weekly for sandwiches and community awareness in the short-term and prepare for the Grand Opening in June. You can also give financially with a tax deductible donation and sponsor a table for $50 or a chair for $25, sponsor a weeks worth of meals to feed 100 people for approximately $80, sponsor a months worth of meals for approximately $325 or sponsor one year's worth of meals for $4,000. Donations can be made directly through Latin Equip Ministries.
Please be sure to specify “Carl’s Kitchen” on the drop down menu, “choose which fund to give to”. All gifts are tax-deductible.
Thank you for your consideration!
Carl's Girls