"Serving Our Lord One Hotdog at a Time" is announced on the tee shirts of the volunteers handing out free lunch at the Christian Church of North Kansas City. The program was originally started to help the poor and homeless in this mostly industrial town but it wasn't long before the students at the local high school heard about free lunch on Wednesdays. Nothing brings kids running like free food.

Did the church chase them away telling them they were not the intended recipients of these free meals? No way! They took it all on. Their first week, in 2004, they served about 40 people. Now it they have more than 900 students each week ... and anyone else who walks in. With an active membership of about 250 they took on the cost of the annual $19,000 to cover it.

They have over 20 dedicated volunteers, mostly retired folk, who show up each week to dole out the hotdogs and a dose of love requiring only a bit of manners; the removal of their hats in the church and a thank you.

I graduated from NKC High over 30 years ago. The buildings were ancient even then and landlocked. I had gone to a modern high school the year before and found the old stone buildings beautiful and filled with character. The cafeteria just couldn't accomodate the number of students so, out of neccessity, we were given some freedom. We could leave the building at lunch time, on our own, and go wherever we wanted to go... so long as we didn't go in a car and we were back for our next class. We were heady with this freedom. There were no fast food places within walking distance and you really cut it close if you tried to eat at one of the few restaurants, so kids mostly just wandered, went to the park or the convenience store. There was nothing to do, no place to eat but we could leave... so we did.

I try to think back and imagine how wonderful it would have been to have a safe place to hang out for awhile and to feel welcomed and loved on top of that! I work in a Middle School now and I know for sure that most of the kids that are walking on the edge could be pulled back if they just had anyone who cared, someone who made them feel valued.

I heap my blessings on this church and its ministry of love. They started a program and it went in God's direction instead of the way they thought it would go. And they let it; they let God. They trusted and were servants and it grew. They took a chance. So many of us don't.

What is it Mother Teresa said? ~Something about preaching without preaching...