MACON, Ga. — A free hot meal, especially on a cold day, can mean the world to some. The Macon ministry, Scrambled Eggs for Jesus, has made that their mission for almost 20 years. They just reached 1,000 weekends of serving a hot breakfast to anyone who walks through their church doors.
It all started thanks to Ray Rover trying to help his neighbors.
"Tried to come up with an idea that we could do in the community and we started with a little breakfast. And that was Labor Day weekend, 2005," Rover said.
That little breakfast has came a big way since. He said it started out with about 5- to-20-people showing up for breakfast. These days, he says it can range from 100 -to-120-people.
The ministry relies on donations and volunteers, like Matt Gray.
"It just brightens somebody's day to come in, get a nice, warm meal and you know, somebody to smile, and ask them how they are, and talk with 'em, and pray with 'em," Gray said.
Gray helps serve hot coffee to warm people up, and said it's a blessing for him to help bless others. Anyone who needs a hot meal is welcomed, no questions asked.
"The lost, the lonely, the broken, the hurting, you know. Those that people that just need a little encouragement, and that's what the fellowship is all about. You know, let's sit down, and let's hear something good," Rover said.
According to Rover, over the years they've served:
- 100,000 meals
- 10,000 dozen eggs
- 5,000 gallons of grits
- 2,000 loaves of bread
- 1,096 boxes of sausage
- 50,000 apples
They've never taken a weekend off since they started, even with natural disasters.
"Mother's day tornado, when they cut the gas off, we couldn't cook. But we handed out pop-tarts, so we kept going," Rover said.
They even kept going through COVID-19, by making to-go meals.
"Our motto here is, 'If God guides, God provides.' We've never been short of anything. You know, we're in an old building, and we got a, we got the same story. Jesus is the same today, yesterday, and forever," Rover said.
If you'd like to volunteer, make sure to come before 7:00 a.m. to lend a helping hand. They meet every Sunday at Heritage at Houston United Methodist Church at 4116 Houston Ave, Macon, GA, United States, Georgia.