To Warm the Bellies and Souls
Order of Malta serves breakfast for dinner and warms the bellies and souls of guests.
The mouth-watering smells of four pounds of bacon, muffins, blueberry pancakes, eggs and more filled the Family House one February evening. The Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta, a Catholic auxiliary organization dedicated to serving those in need, brought ‘breakfast for dinner’.
Jim Lentz, an Order of Malta Knight, tells a story of a family they met that evening. Through his story, you can see how a simple meal brings more to the table than food.
“One of the Knights sat down with a mom, sitting alone and talked. She said her 24 year-old son was up stairs resting from his radiation treatments (he was halfway through his 30 treatments). He was six months from completing his masters degree in drone engineering at Virginia Tech University. He was diagnosed with cancer of the tongue and surrounding lymph nodes. A portion of his tongue and all the surrounding lymph nodes had been removed. A graft from his arm provided him with a new tongue and surrounding tissue.
‘Your food tonight was just what I was craving to eat’, he said…after not being able to eat for months.
He then joined his mom at the dinner table for some food. Tired, worn out and very thin after not eating for a long period! ‘Your food tonight was just what I was craving to eat’, he said…after not being able to eat for months. So, he was served his choices of food that pleased his taste buds…followed by two bowls of ice cream and three cups of blueberries and strawberries. He said he would be returning after a ACC basketball game, for another round of ice cream. He shared where his classmates were now employed. Space launching companies such as SpaceX, Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other space launch facilities. Saddened that he was not with them and beginning his career; he was offered some encouragement.
‘Think about an analogy, the Knight said. God sent his apostles out to the world to begin their work for Him. Your buddies are now checking out their career choices and can be your eyes and ears for you. They will evaluate their skill sets, their “fit” inside these giants in the industry. Just what kind of a place are these companies to actually work for? How are their medical benefits?’
From your friends’ feedback, you will be able to evaluate and determine where you want to spend your long productive life. As one learned person said…‘You can now adjust your focus…your lens’. A big smile came across his heavily bearded face. A face that had already been through so much!
His firm hand shake and the sincere and warm hug from this future space engineer (and the same from his smiling mom, with tears in her eyes) was the best thank you that the Order of Malta -Triad of NC… could ever receive…a ‘breakfast’ for God’s Children.”
— Jim Lentz, A Knight, Order of Malta – Triad
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