So… this week we officially hit one year of Neighbors Table.
And honestly, it feels a little unreal writing that.
When we set up our very first table, we had hotdogs, hot chocolate, a couple of folding tables… and no real idea what we were walking into. We knew we wanted to obey a simple call — go and make disciples — but we definitely didn’t have a master plan.
What we didn’t expect was how quickly faces would become familiar… and how fast strangers would start feeling like neighbors.
From “Outreach” to… Just People Hanging Out
Somewhere along the way, things shifted.
It stopped feeling like “us serving them” and started feeling more like people just… showing up for each other.
Like the nights when:
- guests were waiting for us before we even parked
- kids ran up yelling “the hotdog guys are here!”
- people stayed after the food was gone just to talk
- someone asked for prayer, and suddenly half the table was in a circle
There were nights that felt heavy.
There were nights that felt awkward.
And then there were nights that felt strangely joyful — right in the middle of hard circumstances.
And through it all, God kept showing up.
A Few Things We Definitely Didn’t Plan For
We didn’t plan on:
- learning how serious Canadian winters really are at 9 PM on a sidewalk
- having deep conversations about faith while handing out candy
- watching kids open Christmas gifts right at the table
- or realizing that some of our quietest guests were carrying the heaviest stories
We also didn’t plan on:
- police showing up at Tim Hortons while half our regulars hid in the bathroom to stay warm
- realizing how complicated “help” actually is
- or learning how much brokenness exists just a few blocks from where we live
But we did plan on showing up.
And sometimes, that seems to be exactly what God uses.
About Those Numbers…
Over the year, we’ve been out on the streets 83 nights between Welland and St. Catharines.
105 volunteers have helped along the way.
We’ve served:
- about 8,500 hot drinks
- 7,500 hotdogs
- a mountain of cookies
- and more socks than we can count
But if we’re honest — the numbers don’t really tell the story.
Because what stays with us isn’t the food.
It’s the conversations.
The prayers.
The trust that slowly builds.
The moments when someone finally says, “Can you pray for me?”
That’s where the real work happens.
Some Hard Truths Too
We’ve seen some beautiful moments this year.
But we’ve also seen:
- addiction
- mental illness
- violence
- court dates
- family breakdown
- people who are kind one week and struggling the next
There are times when we honestly don’t know what the right answer is.
Are we helping enough?
Are we doing the right thing?
Can hotdogs and prayers really matter in problems this big?
And then God reminds us — again and again — that we were never asked to fix everything.
We were asked to be faithful.
The Biggest Lesson This Year
One of the biggest lessons for us has been this:
Not everyone is meant to stand at the table every week.
And that’s okay.
Some of the most important work happens behind the scenes:
- people praying
- people cooking
- people donating
- people encouraging
- people checking in when it gets heavy
The front line only exists because someone is holding the line behind it.
And we’ve felt that support all year long.
So… Thank You
Thank you to every volunteer who froze with us, laughed with us, prayed with us, and served with us.
Thank you to everyone who brought food, clothes, supplies, or just showed up to listen.
Thank you to our guests — who trusted us, shared their stories, and let us be part of their lives, even when life is messy.
And above all — thank you, Lord.
For protection.
For provision.
For grace when we mess up.
For strength when it feels heavy.
And for reminding us that you are already at work long before we arrive.
We don’t know exactly what Year Two will look like.
But we do know this:
We’ll keep showing up.
We’ll keep learning.
We’ll keep trusting.
And we’ll keep walking where God leads — one table at a time.
Here’s to another year of Neighbors Table. ❤️
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