By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – The Louisiana State University Baptist Collegiate Ministry has implemented a
“Meals to Go” program that provides international students with rice, noodles, cans of vegetables, cans of canned meat, peanut butter, jelly and snacks, to help them during the COVID-19 ordeal.
“There are over a million international students attending colleges and universities in the US, including 1,500 at LSU, and many were unable to go home, are stuck in their apartments and are facing financial hardships,” BCM Director Steve Masters told the Baptist Message. “We feel like we should try to help them and are asking other people to join us. We are providing them with food.”
The effort began when an international student texted Masters with a plea for help. While the BCM did not have funding to assist individual students, Masters found money to place in an envelope that was picked up eight minutes later outside the BCM building.
Masters, his wife, Pam, Associate Director Haley Spell and Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge Director of Missions Tommy Middleton then came up with a plan.
Since the effort began on April 7, the feedback has been overwhelmingly appreciative:
— “I am Rosalie from the Philippines. A ‘Food To Go’ bag will help me and my three children during this hard time.”
— “Thank you so much for this help,” international student Harshini wrote. “It is difficult to travel to get stuff.”
— “I am Nevitan from Brazil. I would like a bag. Thank you for being God’s instrument in taking care of us.”
Middleton noted that the program is another innovative way the LSU BCM has found to meet a need and open the door to share the Gospel.
“This is a great ministry and rightly discerning the needs of the international students that most are not thinking about,” Middleton said. “But Steve [Masters] is! [Associate BCM Director] Haley Spell has a great heart and burden for the international students there at LSU as well. They have seen the need and are joining God to meet the need, which will give an opening to share the message of hope found in Jesus. I am so grateful for such outstanding servants of Christ at LSU.”
To donate, mail personal checks to: BCM, 101 LSU Student Union Building, LSU Box 25118, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. Money also can be transferred through PayPal (search for lsubcm@eatel.net as the e-mail recipient), or, Venmo (search for Steve Masters, or use @BCM-LSU as the recipient).
