Operation In As Much

Operation in As Much is a collaborative of churches that choose a particular day to blitz the community with random acts of service with the purpose of expressing the love of Christ. Our church has participated in OIAM before and we always look forward to it. This year another local church joined with us and below is a recollection of how the day went in pictures. Our God is amazing. He provides. He gathers people and opens doors we would never have imaged.

Our primary project was giving out free brand new tennis shoes to men, women and children. But we also served lunch, gave away boxes of food and had games for the kids and had several teams visiting nursing homes.

We raised money as a church months prior to the event and we were also given a grant for the shoes from Samaritan’s Feet. We partnered with International Mission Foundation (IMF) which is a liaison between churches wanting to serve and helping get the supplies needed as well as providing training in how to serve in this capacity.

People were given a wrist band, sized by a sizer and then taken to another person who would take off their old shoes, wash their feet, put on socks and the new pair of shoes. Yes, you heard that right. Wash their feet. An awkward and humbling process but such a beautiful act of love and model of Jesus when he washed his disciples feet. Every touch the person had in receiving shoes was a touch of love and personal interest. This group was not just handing shoes off to people – they were ministering to people, loving on them, praying with them and giving them shoes.

Prayer was happening all over the campus of Jaycee Park yesterday. And it was sweetly received.

The shoes were such a blessing and gift. Some kids wouldn’t play in the wet grass because they didn’t want to get their new shoes dirty. Some kids went running across the field convinced their new shoes made them run faster. The delight and joy on the faces of both adults and kids was priceless.

Gaga ball and bubbles were a hit among the kids.

Our lunch team grilled a TON of hotdogs and they were great. This ministry team worked hard and included many  hands. In addition to this was the Lemonade Stand which was perfect on a beautiful hot day.

Sharing the Gospel and loving others in word and deed. It’s why we do what we do – it’s why we are here.

Our Prayer Station included several interactive ways of praying. The prayer wall is where people would write their request on a half sheet of paper, roll it up and stick it in the prayer wall. The Sick Board allowed people to write the names of loved ones on a bandaid and put it on the board knowing our prayer team would cover them in prayer. We stopped throughout the day to pray over those names knowing God knew each one specifically. We also had a notebook where people wrote the names and addresses of people they wanted us to send a note of encouragement to and pray for. The teen girls especially seemed to connect with the Umbrella Prayers and that was fun.

It was a beautiful day of loving and serving others. It all happened because of our Providing God.