Hot chocolate anyone?

Free Hot Chocolate!!!! Get your free hot chocolate!!!! Those words will be in all of our dreams tonight I'm sure. Today we started our more structured ministries in partnership with the Salvation Army, giving out free hot chocolate and coffee. We really weren't sure what to expect, but as usual, God provided blessing upon blessing!!!

We divided into three teams and served three different transit locations. As people would come and go from the trains, buses, etc. or come from an olympic event, we would be there smiling through the cold and rain and offering the free beverages to any and all who would receive them.

At the site I was at, people were coming from watching an event at the Oval and would line up as they had to wait to cross the street. We would be there, with a large backpack on our backs, that housed a container of hot chocolate inside with a hand held spout that connected into the canister. If they made it past us without a drink, then as they crossed the street, the rest of the team were waiting at a table with more hot chocolate. One gentleman called us the choco-samaritans. I took that as a compliment!! ha,ha

As people would respond to our upbeat offer of a hot drink, one person would pull out a cup and whoever had the backpack would pull the little hand held lever and hot chocolate would fill the cup. Top it off with whipped cream and they were set to go. Sounds like fun, you say.....it was!!! Sounds like the backpack was a really cool piece of work.....it was!!! But are you sure it sounds like ministry?.....IT WAS!!!! We didn't have much time with these people, but a smile, a kind word, a cup of hot chocolate or coffee given in His name opened the door for some to have a brief conversation with us, others to ask why would you do this for us and yet others to offer a word of blessing upon us for our service to them. So many people were so very grateful and amazed that we would come all the way from South Carolina for no other reason than serving them. What made them even more amazed was the fact that while we served them the hot chocolate and smiles, we were standing in the cold, pouring rain with no cover. One gentleman even covered us with his umbrella while we poured his cup. Who knows how God, in His inifinte wisdom and love, will use those brief encounters today for His glory. As one of our volunteers told a young man today when he asked her if she thought their meeting was a coincidence, she responded.......absolutely not, it was planned by God Himself that we should meet and get an opportunity to talk and share with one another. Thank God for all three teams today and all the God moments we experienced!!!!

In closing tonight, let me point out something that we are noticing more and more everyday. Many of our encounters are continuing to happen with people from Canada who are already believers, but just need our encouragement. We are quickly coming to believe that this is one of the main reasons we are here; to encourage His people and let them know they are not alone!!! As we attempt to do this, we find ourselves being encouraged by them as well. Please pray for the people of Canada as there are so many who don't know our precious Father. And please pray for those that do know Him that they may step out with boldness and confidence knowing that they, just like us, are never alone!!!!



Serving together,



Larry