THE LEAST OF THESE

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES


Today took me back to Perry County, where I spent time working alongside my friend Kate Clemons and the team at Roscoe’s Daughter Inc. Their work in disaster recovery focuses on restoring hope and making sure families know they are not forgotten in the long, hard road ahead.


Later this evening, I made my way to Buckhorn Lake State Park, where families are staying as they try to piece their lives back together. Children laugh and play, parents hold onto hope, and neighbors continue to check on one another. Even in the midst of uncertainty, love remains.


As I reflect on today, I cannot help but think of Jesus’ words in Matthew 25: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you took care of me; I was in prison, and you visited me.”


This work is about showing up for those who are hungry, thirsty, displaced, and hurting. It is about reminding them that they are not alone, that they are seen, and that they are loved.


Tomorrow, we will continue. There are more families to check on, more needs to meet, and more hands needed to do the work. And as long as there is work to be done, we will keep showing up because that is what we are called to do.


I love you all!

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