The Mustard Seed

This week we pray for The Mustard Seed, is a non-profit fighting hunger and restoring faith to hurting souls in Greater Victoria. Here is an update from them:

Ensuring people are properly fed is one of the major aspects of our ministry. Demand has increased in recent months and God has enabled us to provide for it. We are grateful for that, but an overall prayer would be that demand will be reduced, as people are able again to afford food and necessities.

Food bank demand is up by 20%. Whatever the causes, rising grocery prices are driving more people to come to us for help. There are likely many others (an estimated 45,000 people in the Victoria area are regarded as "food-insecure"), but there appears to be a stigma to using food banks. Please pray for that stigma to be wiped away and that people will reach out for help.

Each month, we serve over 2,700 hot meals to our community.

Some very good news, for which we give God the glory, is that we are able to "rescue" and redistribute food that would otherwise go to waste. In all, we redistribute over 10,000 pounds of food each weekday to more than 60 community groups.

Hope Farm, our addictions recovery facility near Duncan, is back open on an outpatient basis (for now). As well as recovery coaching, the farm produces food locally and supports Indigenous youth.

As well, please pray for the continued growth of the Mustard Seed as a church, with its Sunday services to connect the street community and others who are looking for a church "home" with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

And please pray for the continued health and strength of the leadership, staff and volunteers who make this operation go.