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Testimonies

God's unending love shines at Community Harvest. The testimonies below are powerful demonstrations of God’s goodness. The love of Jesus provides...

....Love

Coming here has helped us with more than just food. Getting help with some meals has really helped our family. We are very grateful to you for this. It has also been a very big blessing to meet the people here who have taken time to pray with us and simply carry on a conversation with us. It has really touched our hearts and blessed our week. Thank you so much for the blessed work you do here.  

....Peace

My life has changed a lot since coming to the pantry. Not only does it take away some of the worry of how my family will eat. They have brought me great peace with prayer. Sometimes in life we forget that we are not alone and the people here are constant reminders that we are not alone.    

...Triumph 

In 2001 I had 2 strokes. The doctors said I would never walk or talk again. I also suffered other hardships along the way. But now I am walking, talking, and almost back to my old self through the grace of God. 

...Mercy

A first time volunteer to Community Harvest came hoping that he wouldn’t be doing any physical labor because his back was hurting, but agreed to take grocery carts out to the guests’ cars. As he lifted the 2nd box of food that morning, his back popped into place and he continued to work for the next 2 hours without pain!

...Hope

A guest came up to a volunteer before opening time at 10:00 and asked “When do you pray for us?” This is a wonderful testimony to what the Lord is really providing for our guests!

...Joy

On Feb 27, 2010, a young girl asked Jesus Christ to come into her heart and be her Lord and Savior while she was waiting for her cart of groceries. The volunteer who took her groceries to the car was overwhelmed at the joy coming from the girl, and told her that she made his day with her joy. He didn’t know she’d received Christ, but it was obvious! Jesus brings joy into our hearts!

...Courage

A volunteer who has never been comfortable with praying out loud for people reported that she is thankful that she has come to Community Harvest and is praying for others.

...Comfort

A long-time guest of Community Harvest who would never allow anyone to pray with him before accepted prayer for the first time.

...Healing

February 2010: Don came into hard times in June of 2009. His health was declining, and he was forced to take a leave from work until his health improved. He lived on his savings for awhile, and when the savings were gone and he wondered what he was going to do next, he heard about Community Harvest from a friend. He came to get groceries, but he left with so much more.

Don said “I saw that first week the things that were happening here, and I wanted to be a part of it.”

For the last 3 months, he has volunteered here on weekdays and Saturdays. During that time he has built relationships with other guests and volunteers, been encouraged and prayed for, and witnessed God starting to heal his body.

Prior to coming to Community Harvest his health had come to a standstill in progress and doctors didn’t think it would improve any more without medication that would disqualify him from ever returning to his job. However, since volunteering and receiving regular prayer here, his condition has been improving without medication, and he is very close to being allowed to return to work. We are continuing to pray and believe for his complete healing. In the meantime, we are thankful that God has brought Don into this place and into our lives and will miss him when he goes back to work!

Update: Don’s health condition did continue to improve after this article was written and he was able to return to work at the end of February.

...Perseverence

“It’s been an awesome ride!” is an unexpected quote from someone who has suffered much, but this is how Terri Hamilton, Community Harvest guest and volunteer, describes her life.

Terri got saved in 1999 but struggled to live for God. In the years following, she grew closer to Him through some intense bible studies, and suffered through a debilitating sickness where she wasn’t able to do much but kneel by her bed and pray.

She recovered, but then in 2007 she found a lump in her breast that turned out to be cancer. Her friends from her years in bible study were there for her immediately. She went through the prescribed treatment, determined to live. She was miserable, but heard the Lord say to her “If you don’t go through this, how are you going to help someone else?” Instantly the pain stopped, and she had no problems with the rest of the treatments.

When she was finally cancer free, she found herself completely drained; physically, emotionally and spiritually. She was mad at God – wondering why He brought her through the sickness, cancer, and a divorce only to find herself feeling nothing spiritually at church or bible study. She says it was horrible knowing what kind of relationship she had shared with the Lord previously, but not knowing how to get that back.

Last year she had a divine appointment with another breast cancer survivor who prayed that Terri would find a church that would “feed” her. At the time she was a college student with little money. She had driven past the small sign for Community Harvest at Trinity many times, but couldn’t bring herself to come in. Finally, she came.

Like all new guests, Terri sat down with Susan Wagaman that first visit, and was so blessed that she felt the weight of the world come off her shoulders. She asked what she could do to help, and has been a faithful volunteer ever since.

Terri looks back now and sees how faithful God has been to her throughout her life, even when she was not living for Him. She views the cancer she had as a gift, because through the process she was set free from many things that held her captive. She is now earning her degree in Human Services so that she can be a help to others in need. She has been cancer free for 3 years, and her advice to others is: “Don’t give up on yourself. Don’t give up on God. Even when you think He’s not there, He is. He is awesome!”