“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat….”
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” – Matthew 25:35
The path that led me to St. Anne’s Winter Relief ministry is a long and circuitous one – thanks to God. I was guided by my parents instilling a belief in me and my siblings that to whom much has been given, much is expected. Our parents led by an example that my brothers and sisters still live into today. My family has been truly blessed.
My journey began on my bicycle which I used to raise funds to support research into a cure for AIDS and to feed underserved people in Washington D.C. who are living with the effects of AIDS. It turns out that fostered my love of bicycle riding and eventually racing to the point where over 20 years ago, a friend of mine and I started the Ride for the Feast which raises funds to support underserved people in Baltimore who are facing similar challenges. The Ride has raised millions of dollars and continues today. It is a largest source of funding for Moveable Feast where their mission is to “Feed People - Fortify Health – Foster Hope”.
My journey continued with another friend when we started a Warm Nights program at my previous church, Holy Trinity, Bowie, where for years we provided a week’s shelter and meals for underserved people who make their homes outdoors.
When Vicki and I became members of the St. Anne’s family I learned of a similar program here called Winter Relief so my journey continues today. With affordable housing being so scarce in Anne Arundel County the lack of indoor shelters becomes especially critical during the harshest months of the year. The congregations from St. Anne’s and First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis team with the Arundel House of Hope to provide shelter and meals to underserved men for a week each February.
My faith has grown as I’ve taken this journey. As a straight man I was “different” on each of the 1-week AIDS Rides. God’s calling gave me a more welcoming perspective as I learned what it felt like for my gay and lesbian friends who were “different” the other 51 weeks of the year.
This welcoming perspective and my faith grew more as I encountered people who didn’t experience the same blessings in life that I did. Through the Warm Nights and Winter Relief programs God provides me with a way to help them stay warm and well fed when the weather conditions make that difficult. This has also renewed my faith in humanity as my St. Anne’s and First Presbyterian families work so hard together in so many ways to pull all of this off each year.
God knows where my journey will continue next and how my faith will grow. Although I’m less certain, I do look forward to that.
- Steve Esmacher