BELIZE CITY, Tues. Dec. 11, 2018– This morning, a small group of people gathered outside in the yard of St John’s Church Soup Kitchen, on Albert Street West, a short distance from the historic cathedral. On a Tuesday morning, it’s not strange to see people in the church’s soup kitchen yard. Every Tuesday, hundreds of people are certain they will be fed. Inside the small concrete structure, which serves as the kitchen, about a dozen volunteer workers are busy, putting the finishing touches to the day’s meal, which is not the usual serving of soup, but hearty portions of the Church’s annual Christmas dinner that is now in its tenth year.
Around 11:00 a.m., the Anglican Bishop, Philip Wright, and Reverend Lloyd Taylor, arrive and prayers are said, as the day’s work of feeding begins in earnest. For the next three to four hours, around 500 persons will walk through the gate of the soup kitchen and walk out with a plate of food and drink, in this year’s season of goodwill.
We asked Bishop Wright to outline how important the feeding program is in terms of the church’s feeding mission.
“This is something that is done practically every week throughout the year, by the faithful here at the cathedral, thanks to many of the ladies who come out to put this food together. This Christmas dinner has become a special. As we give back again, we show our gratitude for God’s goodness to us by sharing with others,” Bishop Wright replied.
Reverend Taylor said the ladies who are involved in the work of the soup kitchen know exactly how to get the job done. “What we do as the church is to give them financial support,” Reverend Taylor said.
Reverend Taylor added that some of the financial support comes from the church’s budget, as well as contributions that are given to the church from community members who believe in the cause.
Bishop Wright said the feeding program is now in its tenth year, and they do it every week, except for a couple months in the summer when they take a break. The bishop said that they usually feed around 400 people, but on a day like today they cater to 500.
“Given the season in which we celebrate God’s gift to us, I would say to folks out there, be a gift to someone or at least take a gift to a friend,” Bishop Wright replied when asked for his final thought.
“Thank God for bringing us together so that we can be of benefit, not only to these people out here, but to the whole nation,” Reverend Taylor remarked.