Bustling beacon of hope
By John Hall | 3.03.10
QUEMADO – Outside of town, a non-descript beige building silently bakes in the sun. The rare travelers on the highway in front of it rarely notice it or the small sign that rests near the road to mark the structure’s presence.
But each week, this simple shed is a bustling beacon of hope for the hungry and hurting throughout the region. On Wednesdays, droves of Texas and Mexico pastors line up their vans, trucks and cars, waiting their turn to pick up food, blankets and supplies to take back to people in their communities who need it.
More than 300 churches from both sides of the Texas-Mexico border pick up food every two weeks from Cornerstone Children’s Ranch. In a matter of days, the ministry distributes as much as 20,000 pounds of food. Annually, the ministry serves roughly 40,000 people.
“We’ve got a band aid this big and we’ve got a boo-boo that’s huge,” said Co-founder and Co-director Lori Mercer. “The children are hungry. The parents don’t have the wherewithal to do it. I’m constantly looking for quilts and blankets because the fact that a lot of our families live in pallet palaces consisting of pallets and cardboard. When it rains, the water comes down, the roof leaks and they sit in water.”
Started by a leap of faith that began with Lori and Steve Mercer feeding one child 11 years ago, Cornerstone Children’s Ranch has developed into a regional food provider for people in need, giving hope for a diverse population that includes the imprisoned, the homeless, the jobless and the impoverished by providing them food, blankets and clothes.
The Mercers’ ministry is part of Texas Baptists’ commitment to feed the hungry through Texas Hope 2010, an initiative encouraging believers to pray for others, care for people in need and share the gospel with every Texan by Easter 2010.
Cornerstone Children’s Ranch recently was awarded a $5,000 Texas Hope 2010 Care Grant through the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger.
The children touch the Mercers’ heart the most and a desire to help them drives the ministry. The thought of children going without vital sustenance visibly shakes Lori.
“These are not just my children,” Lori Mercer said. “These are your children too. I ask you, ‘Would you treat your children this way?’ This is what God calls us to do.”
Mercer said the food helps pastors feed children physically, but also empowers them to feed children spiritually. They connect with children by helping fill their stomachs. Soon children are asking the pastors why they are sharing food. Then, pastors share the gospel.
“When you’ve fed the stomach, the mind can start listening to the Scripture and the heart can be opened,” she said. “Then the pastors have the opportunity to give the Word and win souls to the Lord.”
For more information about the Children’s Ranch, visit www.childrens-relief.org. For more information about the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, visit www.texasbaptists.org/worldhunger. For more information about Texas Hope 2010, visit http://www.texashope2010.com/.