We've just had the pleasure of having one of my brothers and his family here for a stay, which means that pictures actually were taken which will help illustrate a few things.
What I want to write about today is a topic that I've probably mentioned on here before: our church's monthly Community Meal. On the last Thursday of every month, a group of us cook a big meal that is open to whomever walks in the door. The meal, which started 17 years ago, has apparently gone through many phases, but the core value has remained the same: open the doors to the church and have a cheap meal with neighbours. We all know food brings people together.I was so excited to get plugged into this outreach when we arrived in London -- many of you know that I like cooking and baking, especially in large quantities. I have not been disappointed in the opportunity to cook in the spacious church kitchen and know that (usually) if you make it, they will come.
Usually, at some point during the meal, a box is taken around by one of the youth to collect donations to help cover the costs of the meal. We typically ask adults to contribute £2 per meal. Sometimes people put in more, sometimes people put in nothing. Most months, all of our costs are covered, and we have the capital to purchase food for the next month.
This month, however, we put the box out with the food -- unintentionally, perhaps, making the donation-giving even more anonymous (assuming that the kids who normally take it around aren't keeping track of what people put in.) We came out even further ahead than normal, and it reminded me very much of the dream I've had over nearly the last decade of having a pay-what-you-will cafe. (Yes, I'm aware that many already exist.) And I realised that this is basically what we are doing, though on a more industrial scale (feeding between 60-80 people on an average month lately, though sometimes up to 100+), and on a very set occasion (1x a month). But, coming to that realisation that I'm living a variation on my long-held dream was and is incredibly rewarding. Sometimes we don't see that the things we had planned long and hard for and thought we had to put off for a time, end up happening in their own way and time.This is not to say that I hereby relinquish my hopes of having a 5-day-a-week food establishment at some point in my life -- but, rather, here I am, seeing proof that these schemes do work, and that making good food for people can inspire neighbourly generosity.
