by Monica and Rupert Preddie
Violet Hernandez from Frostproof Company partnered with Dolly Woodley in formulating an idea to provide fresh fruits and vegetables as an outreach to the community. They visited packing houses within a 50-mile radius to request their excess supplies to give people in need.
Early on, members would distribute fruits and vegetables directly to homes and identify themselves as members of Frostproof Seventh-day Adventist Church. Now, a giveaway center on the church property is open, depending on supplies, Monday through Thursday and sometimes Friday afternoon.
Potatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupes, collard greens, and tomatoes have been distributed. In 90 minutes, more than 400 cantaloupes were given away one afternoon. One week, 1,500 pounds of potatoes were passed out. In any given week, more than 1,000 items are distributed with tracts and health literature included in each package.
One neighboring church in the community sent their van, along with two members, to help. When they saw the amount of work needing to be accomplished, they brought two more volunteers. That evening, they delivered packages to 40 homes. Members of this friendly church have continued to be a valuable part of the program, while another church has sent individuals to help assemble packages. On many occasions, three loads of produce are collected and distributed in one day.
A Department of Agriculture employee who grew up in the Frostproof area has never seen the community so united. “It’s because of you people making a difference,” he says. As a result, many community folk are inquiring about the church and have attended church services.
The book Evangelism has been used in prayer meetings for some time, and the following passage has become the objective of the church:
Let every worker in the Master’s vineyard, study, plan, devise methods, to reach the people where they are. We must do something out of the common course of things. We must arrest the attention. We must be deadly in earnest.
—Evangelism, page 122–123.
Photos: Rupert Preddie