Tennessee church packs over 101,000 meals for children in impoverished nations worldwide
Volunteers at a Tennessee church recently packed more than 101,000 meals to be delivered to families in need worldwide.
ChristWay Church of Ooltewah held the meal-packing event on Saturday, with around 500 volunteers packing a total of 101,088 meals in 468 boxes.
Laura Wootan, communications coordinator with ChristWay Church, told The Christian Post that the number of meals will mean that “275 children from impoverished nations will now have enough food to sustain them every day for an entire year.”
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“The driving force behind ChristWay’s decision to host this impactful event stems from our commitment to love others and ultimately making Christ's presence known globally,” said Wootan.
Wootan cited the chuch's motto: “Love is Why,” and Luke 6:20-21, in which Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.”
While ChristWay has taken part in meal-packing events hosted by Feed My Starving Children in recent years, according to Wootan, Saturday’s event held “a special significance.”
“It marks the first time in many years that we were able to host our own event, a testament to the financial support received through our gatherings' generous donations,” Wootan said. “Despite facing challenging weather conditions, our community rallied together, resulting in an incredible turnout that surpassed expectations.”
The 101,088 meals are expected to be distributed worldwide by FMSC, with boxes going to 40 nations in Africa, 16 in Asia, 14 in the Caribbean, 12 in Europe, 11 in the Middle East, and 18 in the Americas.
“Beyond the provision of meals, our overarching hope is that the children receiving these nourishing packages will not only have their physical needs met but will also feel the transformative love of Jesus and come to know Him personally,” Wootan added.
“Additionally, we aspire for the families who actively participated in the packing process to experience the profound joy that comes from selflessly serving others.”
According to its website, ChristWay traces its roots back to 1887 with a congregation known as Central Baptist Church that was based in North Brainerd before moving to Ooltewah in 2001.
