Looking Back on a Year at the Tables
As we get ready for our last table of the year — today at 1:00 PM in St. Catharines — it felt like the right moment to pause and reflect for a bit.
Not to celebrate what we did.
But to give thanks for what God has done.
When we look back over the year, it’s honestly a little hard to believe how much ground we’ve covered — and how faithful the Lord has been along the way.
What the Year Looked Like
Between Welland and St. Catharines, we’ve been out on the streets a combined 83 nights.
By God’s grace, we haven’t had any serious security incidents. That alone feels like a gift we don’t talk about enough.
Over those nights:
- 105 different volunteers stopped by to help — some once, some often
- About 8,500 cups of hot chocolate or coffee were served
- Roughly 7,500 hotdogs
- Close to 300 pounds of cookies
- Around 1,500 chocolate bars
- And countless bags of clothing, shoes, and supplies
When you list it out like that, it sounds impressive.
But standing on the streets week after week keeps you grounded.
In the bigger picture of homelessness, addiction, and brokenness, we know these numbers are still just a small drop in a very big bucket.
And that’s okay.
What We’ve Really Seen
What we’ve seen up close is this:
The despair is real.
The brokenness is real.
The struggle is real.
But so is grace.
Grace in conversations that linger longer than expected.
Grace in trust slowly being built.
Grace in prayers whispered in the cold.
Grace in moments where hope shows up quietly, without making a scene.
This ministry didn’t start as a big plan or a polished idea.
It started as a simple response to a call we heard at the Cross Conference:
“Go out and make disciples.”
Not in theory.
Not from a distance.
But out there, where life is messy and uncomfortable.
One of the Biggest Lessons This Year
If there’s one thing this year has taught us, it’s this:
Not everyone is called to be on the front lines — and that doesn’t make their role any smaller.
Some people serve at the table every week.
Some pray faithfully from home.
Some donate food, clothes, or supplies.
Some encourage quietly.
Some show up once, and that’s all they’re able to do.
Every one of those acts matters.
The people standing at the tables are carried by a whole community of support — prayers, generosity, presence, and faithfulness that often goes unseen.
That’s how this ministry has been sustained.
A Simple Thank You
So let this last post of the year simply be a thank you.
Thank you to every volunteer who showed up.
Thank you to everyone who prayed.
Thank you to those who gave, encouraged, cooked, sorted, drove, or listened.
And above all:
Thank You, Lord.
From You comes every opportunity.
Every provision.
Every moment of protection.
Every conversation.
Every small seed planted.
As Scripture reminds us:
“From him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be glory forever.” — Romans 11:36 (ESV)
As we set up one last table today, we do so with grateful hearts and open hands.
The work continues.
God is faithful.
And all glory belongs to Him — from whom all blessings flow.
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