Father God, maker of the heavens, today I spent the day cooking in the kitchen trying my best to lead an elderly gentleman to Your side.
It all started one day when I walked to the trailer park’s main office to check our mail. In the distance, I saw a gray-haired man of advanced years sitting in a wheelchair patiently waiting for something or someone. I smiled at him as I walked on by.
Upon my exit from the office, I noticed that the man was still lingering in the same shady spot. A desire to approach the man came over me. So, I walked over to where he sat. When I neared his side, I held out my hand and said, “Hi, I am Donna. Do you live here too?”
The man’s face instantly lit up. Someone to talk to. “Yes,” he kindly replied. Then, I asked him what he was waiting for, as I unintentionally fiddled with my mail. He said, “Every day, I sit in this same spot waiting for the food truck to bring a hot meal.” For a moment, I thought about my to-do list. Then, I decided to wait with the man. It took some time for the food truck to arrive. So we had time enough to speak about our lives with one another. I learned that he had been hit by a drunk driver several years back and that he had lost his leg to the car accident. He was aging now, and as a result had undergone eye surgery. His wife of 50 years was living in a nursing facility and he was living alone. By the time he had finished sharing his story; my heart was filled with compassion.
“You know,” I replied. “I can cook and I wouldn’t mind cooking you a hot meal sometimes if that would be okay?” The man just looked up me with surprise a wonder. He said, “Can you cook gumbo? I would really like some home cooked gumbo.” I paused. “Gumbo?!” I thought silently to myself. “I am white, raised in California. I don’t know how to make gumbo.” But out loud I replied, “I’ll try my best. When would you like me to stop by?” We made a date to share his favorite food.
This past week, I researched Gumbo recipes over the computer and asked every person I knew how to make this man’s special dish. I spoke to a grocery store clerk from Louisiana who shared with me how to make the roux. Then, I found a video on an internet site where the chef made the dish in front of viewers. Today, I went to the grocery store to purchase the ingredients. Amazingly, several store associates quickly became involved in racing around the store, helping me pick out just the right crab legs, Aidells sausage, and many different kitchen spices. By the time I brought my groceries to the checkout stand, the group of store associates and I were all hugging. They wished me luck and seemed eager for me to return with a sample of the home-cooked southern bayou delight.
Once home, I strewed all the handpicked ingredients about our trailer’s kitchen area. Then, I carefully began unwrapping each item. I called a longtime friend who was currently living in Louisiana. She walked me through the recipe. It took six hours to create a very special edition of Gumbo for this complete stranger. With each item I tossed into the pot, I prayed that they’d be used to bring You glory.
The meal had a surprising influence in my home. While a savory aroma filled our trailer, my husband began to comment. “That smells so good honey.” He said with a smile. “I hope so. I don’t know what I am doing.” I replied as I wipe the sweat from my brow.
From our small kitchen window, I noticed that the sweet old man was circling our trailer in his wheelchair. He seemed excited. Finally, the six hours were up. I emerged from our trailer with a masterpiece! Filled with enthusiasm, I marched over to where the stranger had been living for the past 20 years. I was surprised to see another car parked in the driveway. Apparently, the aging man was so enthusiastic to receive his gift that he invited his grown son to attend the tasting event.
“Knock, knock, knock,” I said as I thumped on the rickety screen door. “Come in,” he hungrily replied. Once inside, I greeted the man and his son and placed my favorite glassware bowl on the kitchen table. The smile on his face let me know that he was filled with joy.
I returned home with a smile on my face and prayer in my heart. “Father God, healer of the broken, You never let us feel alone. Thank You for counting me worthy to serve You today. Thank You for allowing me to be Your hands and feet. Thank You for providing the means to remind this man how special he is to You. Please let this meal bring hope and healing to his heart. May he thank and praise You and bring glory to Your name today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
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