CLAY AND WATTLES

BCM (BAPTIST COLLEGIATE MINISTRIES)

It was my privilege yesterday to get to go to Arkansas State University in Jonesboro with eight other people to prepare and serve a meal to students at the Baptist Collegiate Ministries (a name change from Baptist Student Union, at least in Arkansas). Sondra drove the van and six of us other ladies rode with her - she's a great "chauffeur!" Sam and Don took Don's car and carried most of the food including cakes we had baked. Those who were were Polly and Sam Fisher, Don and Sondra Dowdle, Ermaline Eans, Vona Taylor, Joyce Andrews, Marilyn Holt, and me.

After we arrived, everyone knew just what to do, having done this ministry many times before. (This was Joyce's and my first time.) The spaghetti was made in the BCM building's kitchen, downstairs, salad prepared and cakes cut and set out on tables. It was a neat experience to just put rolls on the plates and hand them to each person as he/she came through the line. (We had two serving lines.) There were a few who were vegetarians and wanted only salad and bread and one young man couldn't quite comprehend "spaghetti" until Sam told him "noodles!" The student body is diverse - we asked many where they were from and they were local as well as all over the state and beyond - China and other Asian countries. Many, many students thanked us; several volunteered for kitchen clean-up afterward. This ministry happens each week, with a different church providing the meal. Students only pay $1 for the lunch. The BCM has a sign-in each week to keep up with numbers - we had between 245 and 260 yesterday.

Afterward we stopped at the mall for an hour and some of us shopped a little. Of course, I made a beeline for the bookstore; Joyce went with me. On the road again, we made one other stop at Sonic for cold drinks, and it was Happy Hour, so half-price.

A very enjoyable day - great company and we were blessed for having gone. I think our turn again is in February.