Second Mile Mission Center

I'm becoming more sensitive to those around me living in poverty. Last night we attended the Second Mile Mission dinner, and it was both surprising and encouraging to see the level of support being provided to the poor in Fort Bend County.

Surprising because Fort Bend County is generally characterized as affluent. During the last 30 years, we have experienced rapid population growth as planned communities have been developed and a flood of people have moved in. Driving around the county, one sees new homes, abundant shopping facilities and restaurants, and the look and feel of success and prosperity. Yet Second Mile served over 40,000 people in real need last year. One doesn't have to drive to inner city Houston to find poverty -- it's in plain sight if you just get outside the planned communities that shelter us from seeing it.

Encouraging because Second Mile is bringing people together to do something about poverty in Fort Bend County. This year the organization hopes to help 57,000 of our neighbors in need. One impressive statistic is that Second Mile is the largest single outlet for the Houston Food Bank, distributing over 150,000 pounds of food monthly.

In Living God's Love, Lavender and Holloway make a very relevant point. If we believe that Jesus is coming again and that when he returns he will bring an end to injustice and poverty, then we should be about his business now. That's what Second Mile is about.