December 15, 2012 at the Santa Monica Pier

It was a most beautiful, God-filled, blue-skied/sunny day for our project — sandwiched between 2 days of rain! I’d given John-Roger and John Morton the hours of the project needing protection – 11am-3pm. The skies were clear up to 2:59 pm, and at EXACTLY 3:00, the wind came up and brought in fog, clouds, cold, and a portent of rain! The project was officially over, and my heart marveled at the amazing Grace of the Travelers and Father/Mother God in caring for their children.

This was Heartfelt’s largest project ever, as we served about 4,000 people! 3,000 children came from the east, west, north, and south of LA city and county; not including their parents, as well as more than 175 volunteers. From toys, Santa, games, petting zoo, and fun activities — to tacos, hot dogs, popcorn, cookies and candy — the Loaves and the Fishes were in full effect all day. So much so that children ended up receiving 2 toys each, when we only started the project with 3,000 toys. And as always, we brought toys back to the 2101 building to share with agencies pouring in on the Monday after the Christmas project, to get needed toys for the children they help. The toys never gave out until the last group was served.

Heartfelt also held another sweet project at a local Nursing Home, led by the Pepper family. This group visited 99 residents of the home and gave out beautiful blankets, candy, gifts for the staff, and holiday loving cheer. They were led in caroling by the joyful piano playing of Barb Wieland, and the residents were delighted further by the impromptu ballroom dancing of Morgan Pepper and his partner Asumi.

My personal and deeply held belief has always been that each person touched by Heartfelt’s service is touched by the Traveler and connected to his Heart. Sometimes it’s almost visible, sometimes not. But the transformations that are undergone in such a short time, move and touch each one of us blessed to witness them. I am grateful to be a part of this holy work,
Patti

And from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Heartfelt is alive and well. Janet Graham shares the joy:
Dear Patti,

Janet Graham here with an update of Heartfelt action from Kalamazoo:

During this season of Love, Light and Gratitude, Kalamazoo Michigan ministers experienced the joy of service both in organized public projects and all the private, even secret, ways of the heart. After our December ministers meeting, Barry Nobles, Michael Kudlas, Scott Steurer, Jane Emanuel, Cheryl Tiernan, Irene and Bob Skylis, Larry and Kay Stolsonburg, Leslie Crowell, Lorraine Andrew and Janet Graham assembled 180 plastic quart zip-lock bags of “party favors” for guests at Michael Kudlas’ upcoming birthday party at Ministry with Community. MwC is the only day shelter for homeless, hungry, under-served and hard to serve people in Kalamazoo. Each bag had another bag folded inside along with a travel pack of tissues, a lip gloss, hand lotion, three cough drops and three foil-wrapped chocolate kisses with individual blessings from the minister who put them in the bag.

Since late last winter for one day each month I’ve been providing most of the food and heading a volunteer team that helps prepare and serve lunch to every member at Ministry with Community. No one is turned away at MwC. The service teams have included the county sheriff, labor leaders, a local head start founder, political campaign workers, college students and retired factory workers, teachers and college professors. Believe me, when we volunteer, we really WORK and we leave with eyes and hearts opened to a new level of awareness and loving action.

I suggested that they consider offering people “an opportunity to be of service” (the Heartfelt Model) by setting up a donation program to sponsor a meal. People could chip in to honor a pastor, a family member, a special day, an anniversary. The kitchen staff already works miracles. Every single day somehow they come up with a hot breakfast and a hot lunch for anywhere from 100 – 250 or more people. Kalamazoo is a very generous community and thanks to donations from bakeries, restaurants and caterers plus the local food pantry and their meager budget, they manage to come up with something to serve. They figured if they could count on $250 – oh my gosh – they could go all out. It would be wonderful. Oh the meal they could prepare! (Yes, $1/person.)

By late November the Sponsor a Meal plan was ready to go and I asked Michael if he’d like his birthday gift and birthday celebration to be one of the pioneer events in the program and he thought it was a great idea. Way better than getting another tie! However, instead of having me just write a check, he wanted people to have a special meal and to have some MSIA ministers help on the serving team. So working with the kitchen manager and chef we planned a suitable celebration meal: spaghetti (rotini) and meatballs, homemade sauce with actual seasoning, garlic bread, parmesan cheese, fresh salad with fresh tomatoes and shredded cheese, buttermilk ranch dressing (members’ all-time favorite). Having meat is a treat, having 6 meatballs per serving is unheard of, having fresh salad is a rare pleasure but the real deal was dessert: ICE CREAM with a mini-fresh-baked cupcake. The word got out on the street that there was a great meal at MwC and there were 275 people served – with love and respect – for Michael’s birthday. We ran out of the party favors, but nobody went away hungry.

And yes, this was way over the $1/meal budget but it lifted a lot of spirits and that moment of joy on an otherwise bleak day was a blessing for all.

The ministers and dear friends who were able to join the volunteer serving team were: Jane Emanuel, Bob Skylis, Michael Kudlas and me. And then Kay and Larry Stolsonburg spent a day the following week delivering food boxes in an impoverished rural area. This experience has opened the way to other possibilities of gathering in service. Thanks for the ongoing inspiration! Keep shining,
Janet Graham