By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
ISRAEL (LBM) – Mike and Suzanne Shumock watched in disbelief at footage from news outlets detailing the atrocities committed by Hamas forces against the Israeli people and knew they could not sit idle.
They boarded a plane and arrived in the country in early October to serve on a Texas Baptist Men feeding team in southern Israel. Since then, the Shumocks have helped prepare thousands of meals and seen first-hand the need to be a shining light for Christ amid darkness.
Shumock is the former Louisiana Baptist Mission Builders coordinator and now resides with his wife, Suzanne, in Mississippi.
“We have not been around many Israelis other than the few volunteers who were preparing meals when we arrived,” Shumock told the Baptist Message. “They are heartbroken and devastated to hear about the horrific events carried out by Hamas.
According to John Hall, director of communications for Texas Baptist Men, the Shumocks are among 20 members of a Texas Baptist Men feeding team who are preparing meals that are delivered by Israeli volunteer teams to rocket-ravaged neighborhoods and a hospital in southern Israel. The team arrived in Israel on Oct. 10 and the next day prepared 2,000 meals. By Oct. 12, that number had increased to 5,000.
Hall said they have four mobile kitchens that TBM designed and built for responses in Israel. For the past two years, they have sent teams to the country to understand the culture and how to cook Kosher meals.
The team will remain in Israel until Oct. 24, when another team of 20 members will arrive and continue the work. Additional states may be activated to assist TBM in the near future, Hall said.
