Take This Bread By Sara Miles Analysis

To serve is to give and receive. That being one of the many lessons I’ve learned over the course of my service experience. Through the act of serving others, you receive new appreciations on life, new friendships, new memories, new experiences, and new perspectives, all through the simple gift of service. My time at the Jacksonville Food Center was one of the many projects I’ve been involved in that has touched my heart. Service not only had an impact on me, but on Sara Miles and Adam Davis as well. In Sara Miles book, Take This Bread, she describes how her transition to Christianity brought along a desire to enrich the lives of the impoverished in her community through food. Adam Davis, in his article, “What We Don’t Talk About When We Don’t

It is run completely by donations from individuals and businesses in the community. It is utilized for emergency purposes only, being that everyone couldn’t possibly return every week for a large amount of food or else the pantry’s supply would be scarce. There is a two-month waiting period for clients, and some of those clients can barely make it by with that time frame. The fact that people in a community like Jacksonville or Bethalto, my home town with an even smaller population, still struggle to get by with the basic necessities is astonishing. Over the course of the three times I was there, I helped package cups of sugar and flour in separate zip lock bags, folded mounds of plastic bags, recounted all of the items on the shelves for inventory, and did some basic cleaning. All the while, I was able to meet the many faces of the Center that keep it up and running. Coming in with prior experience to serving a variety of communities across the Midwest, one thing still holds true: every worker and volunteer is there out of the love in their hearts and to nourish people’s lives. They clearly are not there for any financial gain, but rather to make a difference and affect change. The people being served are also so appreciatory, whether they express it or not and whether you interact with them or not, your hard work does not go unnoticed. My time at the Jacksonville Food Center will forever be a beneficial experience for me as I worked to better the lives of the community I now call