Providing hope and a hot meal for those impacted by the ice storm
Eight Days of Hope mobilizes its Rapid Response feeding team
NEW ALBANY, MISS. (WCBI) – For Biff and Kristina Yelensky and their five children, a hot meal is a special treat, especially after four days with no power, and cooking off a propane grill, or a small fire outside.
“It is a good break for my wife, she has been pulling magic out of the kitchen, kids enjoy it, get out and see people, and she gets a break from the kitchen,” Biff Yelensky said.
“We are trying to save our resources, and we have little food, and I am doing all that I can to make homemade meals. You have no choice, use what you have in your pantry. The church is thankful and blessed. Our children mean a lot to us,” Kristina Yelensky said.
“It is a bit of an eye opener, makes you appreciate the things you take for granted,” said Gabriel.
Tupelo-based Eight Days of Hope, a disaster relief ministry, deployed its Rapid Response Team to serve hot meals out of Hillcrest Baptist Church. While the ministry normally uses feeding trailers, since the church had power, the meals were prepared at its national headquarters and driven to New Albany.
Gale Manning is a volunteer who is a manager with the Rapid Response Ministry. He said more than 400 meals were served at lunch, and he is blessed to be part of the work.
“I like seeing somebody smile. For Rapid Response, you go in after a disaster, and they have no hope, no smiles. You clear a tree out of their driveway, off their home, and they have a smile when you leave there, they can see light at the end of the tunnel,” Manning said.
“I got hash browns, which I am so excited about, and an apple dessert, thanks to Eight Days of Hope for feeding our community and making us feel loved and needed,” said Natalie Bullard Floyd, of New Albany.
“We are making it, but we are so thankful for Eight Days of Hope, we are thankful for one hot meal, was kind of tired of cold things,” said Sherri Bullard, of Tippah County.
Eight Days of Hope will provide meals at least throughout the week, as volunteers serve with compassion, and put their faith into action.
Meals are being served in New Albany, Corinth, Blue Mountain and Tupelo.
For more information, go to eightdaysofhope.com.
