Yesterday was the second free lunch of the semester, and there were new people who came! There were definitely more people than last week, which is great, because it can be a bummer when there aren't a lot of students visiting. I look forward to working out some ideas I have about bringing more attention to Tuesday Lunch and its supporting churches, so that more people can enjoy the food and conversations.
Soup, veggies, cheese and crackers created a light, but filling meal.
The food choice on Tuesday was soup, again, but it started to get chilly, so soup was the perfect way to warm up. The chicken tortilla soup was gone by 12:30 p.m. It was clearly the favorite soup of the day. Grandview Christian Church brought broccoli cheddar and potato soup as well (and that broccoli soup hit the spot!). Supporting churches have learned that many students do not eat meat and that some students have dietary restrictions. The picture to the left is just one example of the food options the churches try to provide. They'll even bring two or three kinds of lasagnas to make sure everyone can eat something.
The most exciting aspect of Free Lunch is how many international students come. I've met friends from Nigeria, India, Japan and beyond because of the atmosphere during lunch. Plus, it gives everyone a chance to have more personal conversations and to get to know the new faces. It's amazing to see the friendships that come out of these conversations.
Conversations happen at the tables AND in the kitchen.
Smiles are not hard to find when free food is available.
I look forward to meeting those folks who come next week as well as to learning which church provides lunch! See ya!
Sydney Graham
Here's a video of one of our gracious supporters: