story.
The time is jovial while the cooks prepare the meal of the day. They hurry against the clock to make the drinks, roll the silverware into the napkins, and setting out the trays and small plates of dessert. A few early birds wait outside the door, just waiting for 11:30 a.m. when the sign is rolled out front and the serving may begin.
A call to prayer is announced, and everyone holds hands in a large circle, old and young, black and white, Hispanic and Asian. The prayer is for the meal, and for all that enters the door that day, that they are blessed to the glory of God.
The tall man wears a long coat, even in the middle of the summer. He walks a little slower now, and he is usually the last one in the door. He walks in alone, not making much eye contact with others, and signs his name carefully into the book at the table near the door.
Tray in hand, he accepts the plate of food or bowl of soup politely, and says thank you. And he means it. He gets a drink and dessert, and slowly makes his way to his seat.
This man is a regular at the Hartsville Soup Kitchen Mission, and has been coming as long as the doors opened in 1998.
He will speak if spoken to, but prefers to eat his meal quietly. Some say he is a Vietnam vet. Some say he is much older. It’s hard to place his age, as he appears to be timeless, a gentle soul.
As the noon time rush slows down, and the last people clear their trays and say their last thank you and goodbye, the tall man continues to eat slowly. His voice is low and quiet, and he smiles at you when you smile at him first. The history of his life is hidden in his kind eyes, and his large hands are scarred with years of toil.
The aging couple walks in together, and the gentleman helps the frail woman to her seat. She cannot walk very far without tiring, and the walk each day is hard on her. He gets two trays for her, and the regular Soup Kitchen workers know this and offer to take hers to her. She thanks you sweetly, and sometimes touches your hand with hers while she does so. He gets her more to drink, and another napkin if she needs it. He loves her with every fiber of his being, and it worries him when she is not hungry… as she certainly will need to eat now, as the days are long.
The young woman is heavy with child, and her pregnancy is beginning to make her weary. She enjoys her meal immensely, and rubs her stomach with her thin hand as her unborn child moves a lot when she has her lunch. She appears nervous for the upcoming birth, but says she is ready to meet her baby.
“Ma’am, would you please fill this water jug for me?” another young woman asks, and retrieves a small plastic jug from her bag. It needs a bit of cleaning, which is done for her in the kitchen and the jug is filled with cold water. She smiles at the clean jug, and holds her head up with pride as she proclaims that today has been a good day, she may be getting a new job. “It’s been hard having no work,” she explains, “it’s been really hard.”
A few groups of people look through the free clothing donated to the Clothes Closet; three free items are allowed out per person, per day. A young woman is proud to find some wonderful school clothes for her son, and proclaims, “He will be so happy when he comes home from school!”
The Soup Kitchen empties and the workers begin to sweep and clean up the kitchen for the next day. All are humble and quiet, counting their blessings. This place does this for you.
Call Pat Sadauskas at 383-9431 if you have time to spare to help serve, cook, or donate. She and her husband have devoted years of their lives coordinating the volunteers, and are quick to say this is “Hartsville’s Soup Kitchen”, not Wesley’s- everyone works together to make the program work. A hot meal each week day, and enough prayers and respect to our fellow neighbors to last a lifetime.
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