There are many around the world who suffer from great poverty, and all of the heartbreaking side effects.
The destitute compete with dogs to eat garbage. Children go to bed with the misery of starvation gnawing at their ribs. The harsh winter weather forces the homeless to crowd into filthy, stinking train stations for protection from exposure. Employment is impossible to obtain. Families are estranged by addictions.
From somewhere deep within, we all groan: "It shouldn't be this way!" And it shouldn't.
But we don't always know how to go about doing something about it.
ITMI partner, Richard Nungesser, had the same reaction when he saw the plight of the homeless in a train station taking refuge from a bitter Poland winter in the city of Poznan. Through his years of faithfulness and service, now the rest of us have a way to do something about the suffering we see around us in Jesus' name.
Bread of Life, founded by Richard and Brooke Nungesser, intentionally shares the love of Jesus with the homeless, helpless and the hungry.
Bread of Life empowers, encourages, and equips people around the world to live for something bigger than themselves through acts of service that create opportunities to demonstrate and declare the Good News.
American Bread of Life founders, Richard and Brooke Nungesser have equipped nationals to operate Bread of Life, as well as providing opportunities for many nationals to serve by volunteering in and advocating for Bread of Life programs.
Richard Nungesser shares the story of Bread of Life's humble beginning...
It's just past 10:00pm, after all the commuters have returned home. I sat alone with 80 homeless strangers in the Central Train Station of Poznan, Poland. A frigid, smelly, dank train station full of forgotten faces and empty eyes.
I see them slouched over in chairs, laying on the windowsills or congregated in the hallways. Their smells permeate the air with a stench so rancid it churns my stomach.
To this day I can vividly remember and identify the pungent aroma - urine, alcohol, and body odor. I am simultaneously frightened and exhilarated. A rustling sound is heard by the nearest trash can.
A man’s blistered, red and dirty hands are digging through the bin in search of something. I watch intently focused on what he would produce and knowingly eat. He pulls out a McDonald’s cup with a swallow of tepid liquid left. He proceeds to remove the lid and greedily gulp the remainder.
Nauseated by the extremes - and the decisions, choices and actions of the people here, I produce a thermos with enough tea for 3. I scrounge in my own pockets and pull out 2 granola bars and a small bag of trail mix.
Before I proceed, I sit in the waiting room and pray, “Lord, please make this like the multiplying of the loaves and the fish.”
I pray confidently, knowing that with God all things are possible.
The Lord gave me enough strength to approach them that night and I was able to minister to three individuals. Nine months later, with the help of my wife and our Polish friends, God has multiplied the tea and snacks.
