God Provides the Manna, Again!

God Provides Manna, Again!

In a quaint little neighborhood on the outskirts of Lynden Washington, sits a brown wooden table, some ice chests, a wooden crate, a brown utility cabinet with double doors and a fruit stand. It is located on the curb without any thing to restrict access. It is known as the Lynden Community Food Pantry. The caretaker of this amazing community service is Brenna Clancy Sebens and her husband. This is her story of how the pantry came into existence and her hopes of its future.

She and her husband of 13 years previously lived in Bellingham, WA., but moved to Lynden 5 years ago. Her husband is a Cardiology RN and a boat builder, while Brenna is a business consultant and Taekwondo instructor. They have 2 boys (8 and almost 4) and they enjoy family time boating, hiking, traveling and even Taekwondo.

Over the last 13 years, Brenna and her husband have been through many career changes. During the 2008 construction crash they faced economic changes when her husband went from working in the construction and welding industry to becoming a nurse, which was his dream career. It was not easy to obtain his position as a nurse; it came with a lot of schooling. They had to rethink their life plan and which direction to take the family. After this change, Brenna and her husband were called to international adoption; which was a long and expensive endeavor. They knew what it was to have lean times and they have felt stability be pulled out from under them. This happened more than once. Yet, through each time, God provided. God has shown them how He brings new life and growth out of tough situations. They have been on the receiving end of friends bringing them meals. They realized how a community helped their community. It is through this that they are blessed to have a front row seat to God’s fingerprints all over the Community Food Pantry.

The Lynden Community Food Pantry

The pantry started off as an idea from a group of local moms for which Brenna volunteered to host at her house since it is centrally located. Based on the premise of the “community libraries,” the pantry began to take shape. The group quickly realized that the need for this was great. In August, the pantry began and then during the holidays, there was a greater influx of needs. The following December and January, the river began to flood the area due to all the rain, and this affected the local neighborhoods and towns. People lined up-outside the Sebens home because the food pantries in their areas had flooded. A local church did a food drive around the holidays and the garage was filled with formula, noodles and many other supplies. The pantry was able to meet the need for mothers who were waiting on WIC when the local physician’s offices began sending moms to the pantry for assistance. The pantry also met the need for those who needed diapers, so the pantry also became a hub of assistance to moms in the area. There were moms who were donating unneeded diapers just so they would benefit someone in need.

When the standard of staying safe began, so many people began reaching out not only to receive assistance, but to donate as well. The food pantry quickly became the coordination hub of the receiving and giving. As the items came in, they were cleaned and sanitized and within a few hours, they were on the shelves waiting to be picked-up by those in need. Those who couldn’t find the WIC products on the shelves of the stores, found them at the pantry. Local grocery stores were donating milk, cheese, bread, and peanut butter, all of which are common items on WIC vouchers. There was a local nursing group that banded together to ensure that the pantry could provide mac and cheese as a meal option for these families. Brenna and her husband were in complete awe of the community and its response to the pantry.

Brenna recalls a particular story of a mother who had called in tears because she was in need of size 6 diapers for her child. She remembers the sad feeling of not having what the lady on the phone was needing. Still on the phone, Brenna heard a knock at the door. She told the lady, “Hold on, I have someone at the door.” She lay down the phone and answered the door to find a woman who was “donating some size 6 diapers.” Of course, she returned to the phone to let the mother know that she did indeed have the diapers. Brenna says that there are many more stories such as this, that came from this community assistance mission.

Because of the actions of other churches and/or groups of people, the pantry is able to do food giveaways. For instance, one day they may have 60+ Costco rotisserie chickens that are gone in 12 minutes and the next week its 53 pizzas disappearing in just 10 minutes. One time, 30 dozen eggs from a local chicken farmers Facebook group, was gone in 30 minutes. And during a different week, 60 gallons of milk were claimed in an hour. People were in need and each of them were so thankful. Some families could only receive, while others did both giving and receiving. The stories of God’s incredible timing goes on and on, and the phrase “we are all in this together” has resonated so incredibly loud within this project.

When asked if she felt that other neighborhoods would follow suit with food pantries, Brenna replied that she was not even expecting this to develop into the pantry that it has become. She gives God the credit for facilitating the growth and ability of the pantry to provide all who come seeking assistance. Brenna stated that it started with a small cabinet and a “take something, leave something, or both” idea; similar to the neighborhood libraries. There are recommendations that people can follow to set up a pantry with the most important one being that you should first contact your local city or neighborhood group to ensure that there are not ordinances or rules that might be broken. For instance, living in a cul-de-sac could possibly pose a problem with other neighbors. There should be rules that are followed concerning the food items, such as no expired items, no opened items, and store bought only. Because it is such a huge pantry, they try to stay away from the “grandma’s homemade canned jam.”  When you have 30-50 families coming through, the liability has to be put first. Also, you need to consider the weather for your location and make sure you have the proper storage/holding areas that will keep the food protected from the elements. Be prepared to have a place for toiletries such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soaps, feminine hygiene products and other similar items. Some families tend to come at night and a solar powered light inside the pantry works well so they can see the choices; which often leads to them leaving a note of thanks.

There is a separate area for drop-offs. This keeps these items away from those that are ready to be picked-up after being sanitized due to Covid-19. This does take time, but it does conquer three tasks at once. While the items are sanitized, they can be organized and inventory can be taken. The costliest aspect is the whole pantry itself. Not just the items for storage, but the food and supplies, especially the formula would have been a huge expense had God not provided for every need that has been met through this pantry.

Brenna says she is inspired when others in the community step forward and deliver meals or bring boxes to families who are not able to get out of the house. She is also inspired by those who have taken to Zoom to help her translate Spanish, Russian, and East Indian just so she can communicate with those who are in need of the pantry assistance.

She shared a story that is truly inspiring about a woman who frequents the pantry. This woman, who is possibly homeless, wanted to donate to the pantry because she was so thankful. Even though she was told that it wasn’t necessary, this woman picked an arrangement of flowers, used twine to decorate them into bundles and left them for people to take. As Brenna watched, these beautiful bouquets were taken and became blessings to others in the form of a luxury that was not available at the time.

Through the pantry, Brenna and her husband have come to realize that “need” looks different on everyone. For some, it is as simple as needing food because there is no income, It could also be a momma of six who has spent the day homeschooling and working from home who wants to fix a quick and healthy dinner with minimal costs. Maybe it’s the pastor who is exhausted by the rigorous schedule that has now consumed his life since there is no way to personally visit his church members, but he can pick up most of the items needed for a chicken dinner and deliver it to a family. A perfect example is a new mother whose husband is deployed. She just had a baby and fell, breaking her femur. Because of this, she is unable to get out of the house. Consequently, she donates items including formula, through Amazon prime. A good point that Brenna shared was this, “Need- it looks so different for everyone. It has been amazing to see that God is in every detail. He doesn’t seem to prioritize by who has the greatest need. Even the smallest of needs he sees.”

Brenna’s reaction to the situation of Covid-19 is one the comes from her faith. She knows that God can bring beauty and growth from ashes, even after immense hurt and despair. She also knows that there is no way to know the full extent of the impact of this crisis until years later. Brenna stated, “All we can do is speculate and plan; or we can pray and trust. The first option leaves us feeling powerless. The second option connects us with the power source, who has already figured it out.” When Brenna finds herself overwhelmed with the new future, she takes a moment to reconnect with God and then moves forward. She then chooses to do the next right thing. “This is our only real option,” she said.

Brenna has known times of quarantine and bed rest for medical reasons, and believes the battle is 80% mental. She describes finding her peace of mind in this way:

“Depending on your personality type, most of us are wired (to some degree or another) for human contact and community. This is a hard time. Acknowledging it, and then planning for survival is crucial. My favorite verse is ‘Hope anchors the soul’ (Hebrews 6:19). Well, how do we pull out of a downward spiral when hope seems to be taken from us? It is hard to function when we don’t know if this will be the last quarantine for Covid; when or if the kids will go back to school; or when you will see Grandma and Grandpa again. You get proactive about your own social outlook and your own health. For me, I need my daily workout times. I need to listen to loud music (thank goodness for headphones) and move my body and joints and get my lungs working. I will FEEL better during the day. And at the end of the evening, I need to spend some time in devotions. When things are especially overwhelming, I find great benefit in Mindful Meditation. Many great, voice led meditations can be found on YouTube. I need to plan something to look forward to in my week. Date nights look different without restaurants open and without access to babysitters. However, s’mores on the patio after the kids are asleep has been just as fun. Get creative.”

Exploring what you need and moving forward is how she keeps herself focused on the next right thing. Someone told her “We are all in this big ocean together, but we are in different boats.” What works for your neighbor may not work for you. Get proactive and become an expert on how YOU will pull out of this.

Even when we do not understand what is going on, God has the plan and knows the outcome. He has promised to be our refuge and provider. During this time of uncertainty, we find one neighborhood stepping out as a source for God to provide as we take shelter in His promise. This is God providing Manna to His children.