This was a big weekend for Missio Lux as we continue to live out our desire to see everything we do multiplied, much like when one throws a pebble into a lake and watches the ripples continue to circle out!
We had a Children of the Nations Food Assembly at our June Celebration and it was such a gift to see people of all ages and from 8 different countries come together to assemble the food. But even more exciting was that 15 different people committed themselves to host a "Party with a Purpose" for Children of the Nations in their own spheres of influence.
This weekend three of these "Parties with a Purpose" took place! Between them, we put together as much food as the June Celebration, doubling our 8,000 meals to 16,000 meals! Many more of these will take place through the rest of the summer and even into the fall as we continue to move towards our goal of 40,000 meals!
Our Missio Community did this for our weekly gathering. My neighbor Nancy and I both sent out emails to our neighbors, friends, and Missio Community. When 4 p.m. hit, families began to stream through our door, until there was 25 kids and close to that many adults. I didn't even know several of the families because they came through Nancy's friendships. Many of our neighbors would never have come to the June Celebration but because they know us as neighbors and trust us to have their best at heart, they came!
The great thing about taking them outside the building and into our homes and work places is that we can expand the ripples and keep them going. We challenge others to host the "Parties with a Purpose" so that more and more people can experience the fun and purpose that comes with serving others.
It's always fun to see who God brings as a surprise. One of the best ones last night was the parents of our Danish neighbors. They loved it and couldn't wait to go back to Denmark to tell their friends about what they got to do, and observe their grandchildren doing something so powerful to shape their hearts of compassion and bring a more expanded worldview beyond our life in Sammamish, WA!
Right as we were finishing our food assembly, the rain began to fall. (I know it, it's not supposed to rain in Seattle in the summer!) We came inside and it was mass chaos as we gathered behind the 15 boxes to get a picture of the group, as well as eat the dinner that everyone brought to share. But, it was the chaos of life together, friendships being formed, and a joy over reaching out to care about the rest of the world.
Over and over, the parents told me how grateful they were for this opportunity. It is hard to shape our children's characters in this place of great affluence and social pressure. Anytime we can do something that helps us to care for others, our heart is expanded and our lives are shaped.
I can't wait to host another one. I have a "Party with a Purpose" scheduled for August 18th, so if you are in the area, come on by and experience the joy of serving!
Here is a video of our June Celebration Packaging Event. For more information visit http://www.missiolux.org/ or The Children of the Nations Website.
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