God knows our needs before we even ask. Adora Palmer witnessed that Bible lesson in action five years ago when she volunteered to rekindle the dormant Mariners Meal Ministry.
“I got tapped on the shoulder by God and thought, ‘You know, there’s a place for a food ministry. There’s a need,’” Adora recalls. “So, I made an appointment with Paul, and he said ‘yes.’ I put out a big email and a dozen people showed up to go over the ground rules. Two weeks later I found out my husband, Alan, was dying, and I was the first recipient of the new food ministry.”
Linda Petty, who co-leads the ministry with Adora, got involved after she received meal support while recovering from several surgeries.
“I felt so loved and cared for when meals were brought to me last year,” Linda said. “The meals helped out tremendously, but I think what really meant so much to me was when women would bring me meals and would sit and visit with me. It made me feel loved and cared for. It made me feel very much like I was part of the body of Christ.
The meal ministry serves anyone who needs support with hot meals during a crisis or difficult time, ranging from death to the birth of a baby. When the team gets a call, they figure out how many days food will be needed and ask about dietary restrictions or strong food likes or dislikes. Then they divvy up meal preparation and delivery assignments.
You don’t need to be a church attendee to receive assistance. Church members are welcome to refer friends and family in need, giving the ministry a community outreach component. Adora and Linda both feel very blessed by the opportunity to serve God and the Mariners community way in this way.
“Each time a new person is going to receive the meals, whoever takes the first meal really gets to see the love of God because the recipient is so grateful,” Adora said. “It’s very fulfilling and heartwarming, and we make sure that our basic ingredient in what we cook is love.”
It’s such a blessing to be able to bless people,” Linda added. “When we bless people, we get blessed.”
If you would like to volunteer for the Mariners Meal Ministry or need meal support while going through a difficult time, text Adora at 650-544-5929 or Linda at 650-575-3959.
By Dan Page, Volunteer Storyteller
