California church member overcomes fears as he leads ministry that serves the needy.
Second Place, Feature Article, Associated Church Press
By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle
CAMARILLO, Calif. — A few miles from the Camarillo Church of Christ, a man with a backpack and a bicycle squats at a busy intersection.
Chris Kibbe, who describes himself as between jobs and homeless, holds a cardboard sign.
“Spare a little kindness,” the handwritten message begs. “God bless.”
Not long ago, many members of the Camarillo church — which meets in a palm-tree-shaded building just off the Ventura Freeway — might have averted their eyes and driven right past Kibbe.
But now — thanks to a packet ministry started by Luke McAllister, a 20-year-old church member with autism — the congregation is equipped and eager to help.
“It’s easy to become blind to things,” preacher Alan Beard said. “But in the same way that if you have a watering can, you look for flowers to water — if you have a packet, you look for someone who’s thirsty or needs a quick meal or a couple of dollars.”
“Luke’s Packet Ministry” offers snacks, cash — and hope — to downtrodden souls.
This story appears in the September 2016 print edition of The Christian Chronicle.
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