Miracle Feeding at Bass Memorial Academy

This past Sabbath, Pastor Edsel relayed to us a story from Bass Memorial Academy which experienced the eye of hurricane Katrina on August 30, 2005. This academy in Mississippi lost roofs of most buildings on campus. But the cafeteria/kitchen survived intact.

Because this was the only surviving kitchen facility in the area, the cook at the academy was asked if he could provide meals for the community. He answered, "I have food for 1200 meals."

So he began preparations and after feeding 4,500 people he took inventory and found that he still had food supplies to feed 1200 meals!

This is a modern day miracle feeding like that when Jesus feed the 5000 from the loaves a fishes  (  John 6:5-13 (NIV)  ). And like the feeding of the 4000 ( Matthew 15:32-37 (NIV) ). Interestingly, 4500 is a number between the Biblical numbers. And interestingly, the number 12 appears in the amount left over.

Bass Memorial went on to feed others that day and did empty its pantry. They prayed for the next day. And next morning a food delivery truck with food intended for supermarkets unreachable drove up and told the staff they had food they could not deliver. "Could you take it?" the driver were asked.

And so the miracle continued for days. Subsequent trucks loaded with food, failing to deliver as scheduled and learning of this feeding station, delivered their supplies to the Bass Memorial Academy kitchen. And God continued feeding the survivors from hurricane Katrina.

The setting was not a three day campmeeting as it was 2000 years ago. This miracle occurred following a natural disaster. But God again said, as he did 2000 years ago, "I have compassion for these people." ( Matthew 15:32 (NIV) ) And he again fed them. God does not change. God knew 2000 years ago that most of the crowd would fall away. Even the disciples did not share this compassion of love ( Mark 6:52 (NIV)  ). But God feeds all! Even today in the United States.

Pictures of damage at Bass Memorial Academy: http://www.andrews.edu/news/katrina/bass_damage.html