Every Sunday, you’ll find me under the flyover, in the heart of Coventry Town Centre, feeding the broken, vulnerable, drug-addicted, alcohol-dependent, and homeless individuals in our city. Having done this for over 11 years, it still doesn’t get any easier.
Some people ask, ‘How do you know they’re homeless?’ I respond, ‘I don’t, but if someone is prepared to stand in a queue, for almost 2 hours, waiting for a sandwich, a cup of soup, and some near end-of-date food, I’d say they were desperate.’
When Jesus fed the five-thousand, he used five loafs and two fish, to take their focus off their hunger, so they would hear the truth.
Today, we have foodbanks springing up all over the country, providing food for hungry and needy people, which is really good in one sense. However, the problem is they don’t point people to the truth.
I’m not knocking foodbanks because they do a great job. But to see breakthroughs, we’re going to have to do more than give them food. We need to feed the hidden hunger by telling them the truth. The truth of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.’
Jesus is the one who can fill that hidden hunger. Yes, he wants us to be his hands and his feet and feed the hungry. But let’s not forget that when Jesus fed the five-thousand, it was so they could hear the truth. This was his purpose, and it should always be ours.
Kervin
Kervin Julien is an evangelist who is part of North Point Church in Coventry. Kervin is also the leader of a homeless outreach project in Coventry.