A day in the life: The daily miracle of Abilene's Love and Care Ministries
Editor's note: This the seventh story in the Abilene Reporter News series, "A Day in the Life," in which we shadow local law enforcement, public figures and other people of note to catch a glimpse of all that they do for the community every day.
It was spring break week in Abilene, and many families were off on vacation to tropical places or even Europe. Some children, however, were hungry, and some people had no place to call home.
Those children came with bags under their eyes to Love and Care Ministries, looking tired and hungry. Their mothers had brought them to have a simple hot meal of fish sticks and crinkle fries. For some, that was the only meal they would have all day.
Others came through the doors that day. A 20-year-old had been walking around Abilene when someone offered her a ride to Love and Care Ministries. When she arrived, she only had a small plastic backpack with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter in it.
The 20-year-old had no extra clothing and no identification. She was jumpy and afraid.
She asked the volunteer if she could get some more clothing as the day was chilly, and all she had on was a pair of shorts and a hoodie.
The volunteer told her to choose whatever clothing she wanted and then go and have lunch. When she entered the cafeteria, new clothes in hand, the 20-year-old appeared relieved, as though she finally didn't have to worry about where her next meal would be.
An older woman entered Love and Care Ministries. In the clothing building, she asked if there was a spare tent she could have. That woman, who did not have a home, said that her tent had several holes in it, and she was worried about upcoming rain.
The volunteer behind the counter sadly said they had run out of tents the week before.
But somehow when another volunteer looked in storage, there was one tent left unnoticed. At least that night, that woman didn't have to sleep in a tent with holes in it.
These are the untold stories of another side of Abilene — a side of Abilene where children go without dinner and people sleep in tents, runaways go days without food and families go days without a hot meal.
Love and Care Ministries has made it their mission to see these people and to serve them in their time of need. They welcome everyone, regardless of their status, and give them clothing, a place to shower and a hot meal to fill their stomachs.
Love and Care serves people who might go ignored by others.
A family business
Mark Hewitt, founder of Love and Care Ministries, didn't think he would end up making a career out of feeding and clothing homeless people. He previously worked in a job with a high salary and great benefits, but he felt a bigger calling.
Zack Hewitt never dreamed he would be working with his father.
"When I went off to college, I wanted to be successful in life, and I thought that was making a lot of money," Zack said. "But I finally realized what success is. It's helping feed and clothe and love on people."
It all started with a seed that was planted when he was about 5 years old. His father had driven a homeless couple to and from the church where he was a pastor.
When Zack saw his father drop off the couple, they disappeared into the woods. It was at that moment that Zack realized they had no home to return to.
Mark recalled that God had told him, "You're not the only one called. It's your family."
Magen Pitcock, Mark's daughter, realized her path when she gave Christmas presents to a family residing in a trailer park. She had given the two children bicycles, and seeing the joy on their faces had brought tears to her eyes.
As someone who grew up with presents every Christmas, Pitcock said, "It humbles you."
Now, Pitcock works as the clothing manager, ensuring that homeless people in Abilene are clothed and other needs met.
She said, however, that it's not a job. It's a calling.
Fishes and loaves moments
Mark's ministry is nothing short of a miracle. He reminisced about moments throughout his career when he was unable to explain how he came to provide for so many people who have so little.
Mark recalled preaching in a church on a particularly rough side of the city. Afterward, he and his team set to work to feed the members of the church, which numbered 200 to 300.
At one point, he heard a volunteer say, "Whoever brought the rest of the beans needs to get them ready because my pan is half full."
There were no extra beans to be seen. But that night they continued to feed hundreds of people yet never ran out of beans.
Mark recalled another story in which volunteers were over in Four Corners, delivering Christmas presents across various trailer parks. The team had no addresses. They simply canvassed houses to see who needed gifts that Christmas Eve night.
When the trailer full of gifts began to empty out, they came to a final house in a trailer park development. The little boy there told Hewitt that all he wanted for Christmas was a bicycle.
One of volunteers told Mark they had run out of bicycles at the previous stop.
"Just double check," Mark said.
That volunteer came out of that trailer looking very surprised with a bicycle in hand for that little boy.
Then Mark said, "God provided the bike for that little boy."
Those stories are just a couple of what he called "miracle moments."
Feeding the hungry
Zack's career now is to ensure that no family goes without food by passing out large boxes of food to families within Abilene and the surrounding community every week.
Zack said they rely on donations in many forms. Love and Care Ministries receives cash donations but also food donations. Hunters for the Hungry is one of the many examples of donors. The organization donates over 5,000 pounds of processed venison meat each year.
Additionally, Love and Care Ministries feeds children from every school within Abilene and the surrounding districts, including Wylie. These children would otherwise not eat on the weekends, but now Care Pack for Kids takes care of them.
But the bread and butter of their ministry is feeding homeless people every breakfast and lunch during the week. It was easy to see how much Pitcock and the other volunteers cared for those that they fed.
Pitcock called the regulars by name and was attentive to each one of them who wanted some of her time. Other volunteers gave a smile to every person who came for lunch that day, and it seemed that was enough to brighten their days.
'God always provides'
Love and Care Ministries not only reaches out to those less fortunate in our community but even hires some of those who have benefited from the nonprofit's services.
John Bargelski is one of their success stories. Prior to receiving help from Love and Care Ministries, he had made tough choices in life. He had plans to play professional football before an accident took that chance from him.
In that accident, Bargelski said he "died and went to hell." After receiving help from Mark, however, he got his life on track. He said he is now charged with saving souls.
Bargelski is usually the first face someone sees when they walk off the street and into the clothing section at Love and Care Ministries. He greets everyone with a huge smile and credits Mark and Love and Care Ministries with turning his life around.
He summed up the entire ministry with one phrase, "God always provides."
More on Love and Care Ministries. Texas Ford hosts Thanksgiving fundraiser benefitting underprivileged youth and homeless
The previous "Day in the life" — A day in the life: Taylor County District Attorney's Office investigator
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: A day in the life: Abilene's homeless ministry
