The handful of flour and the jug of oil

In 1 Kings 17:7-16 an account is written about a time in Israel's history where there was a drought following 3 years without rain. Elijah, one of God's prophets, was directed to go to a widow, who would supply him with food. When he asked the widow for a piece of bread, she told him that all she has was a handful of flour and some oil. She was in the process of gathering sticks so she could make one last meal for herself and her son to eat before they died of hunger. Elijah instructed her to make something for him to eat first, then feed herself, because God had promised that the flour and the oil would not run out until God sent rain to end the drought. The widow obeyed and found that everyday there was food for her and her family.

Food ready to be distributed to hungry families

When ITNAC started our response to the vulnerable families affected by closures due to covid-19, we didn't have a big amount of donations - just $500 donated by one of our members. However, like the flour and oil, we have seen God work a miracle in replenishing our resources as we continue to give to those in need. Like the miracle that Jesus worked with the five loaves and two fishes, we have been able to use whatever little is given to meet the needs of hundreds of families over the past few weeks. As quickly as we make hampers and distribute, God moves on the hearts of persons to sow into our ministry so we have more to give as the requests continue to pour in. One of the persons who contributed was someone whose house we had helped to clean after the major floods in Trinidad in 2018 - he said we were strangers when we came to his assistance, so he wanted to pass on the blessing to others in need!

Offloading a trunk load of donations

A widowed single parent who was on her last, with rent to pay and two children to feed but no job.

A father who used to work CEPEP, supporting his daughter who is unemployed and has two children.

A single mother who had no food for her child and called us crying, desperate for help.

A single mother of four who used to sell pies by a school for a living and now only eats twice a day because her food is running out.

A single father in Tobago who used to work URP and has no other way of supporting his three children.

A mother whose alcoholic husband abandoned the family, who had not eaten anything in days.

A family who only had one pack of flour and had been making things for her family to eat from that.

A diabetic lady who has not been eating proper meals.

A man who had a stroke 3 years ago and was being supported by his mother who lives overseas but she contracted covid-19 and is now unable to work.

These are the stories of some of the people who have contacted ITNAC because they have not been able to get assistance from any other entity.

Family from the North Coast happy to receive supplies

From Wallerfield to Blanchisseuse to Diego Martin to Penal to Point Fortin to Tobago - the requests kept pouring in. God moved on the hearts of persons to assist us in meeting these needs by giving of their finances, their time to purchase and deliver hampers, and their hearts to listen to the stories of those we meet to give them hope and encouragement. This is what our founder and visionary, Avonelle Hector-Joseph, had to say on how we do what we do:

"ITNAC has always described itself as being a grass roots organization, meaning we are supported by the ‘average’ person: bank managers, grocery owners, business persons, housewives, radio personalities. Although we would love to be able to say we get $100,000 a month, because we know what we would be able to do with it, but one of the purposes of our organization is to connect the ‘average’ person with the people who are in need, allowing ourselves to be a conduit. The vision of ITNAC will be sustained by ‘average’ people who we are helping now. The children of those we are helping now will help the organization when they become professionals. The organization will be sustained because of the heart."

Two of our diligent and zealous volunteers on the road
delivering not just hampers, but help and hope

Here are some of the stories shared by our team members on their experiences:
"Tonight was different yes.....my heart been crying out since it all started but tonight was a different kind of cry.....We almost didn't find some of them [the families who requested the hampers], is either they didn't know how to use WhatsApp or no internet but we went the extra mile......I'm here still trying to process it all but God. "

"God's great hands of mercy and love was certainly seen today, He provided the overflow,  because we had 70 [hampers] for North Coast and 3 for Santa Cruz but he multiplied and provided 79 and 6 respectively... the needs are great but our God is Greater! All praise to Him 🙏🏼🙌🏼"

We are blessed to be a blessing

The outpouring of gratitude from the families we have blessed has been a great source of encouragement for us to continue the work we are doing:

"Let me hasten to expressly thank you for your good kind yeoman service. I’d be an imbecilic ingrate if I didn’t say thanks. Thank you very very much! And may the Lord, like Jabez, enlarge your territory in the name of Jesus. Amen"

"Thanks a million for what you all have done and continue to do for my family from Venezuela. Earlier this week I reached out for some assistance for my family and in no time at all I got a very quick response and they were assisted. Now I reached out asking for foodstuff for them and the most amazing thing was they did not just assist them with the foodstuff, but they also gave gifts to the children, they provided medication without me asking for medication. I really really really appreciate it. I cannot find the correct words I do not think the dictionary has sufficient words to describe my gratitude towards ITNAC. My family was truly blown away. 

It's amazing how much joy these simple toys can bring to a child in
lock down who doesn't have any other form of entertainment

ITNAC does not just see about your physical needs, but they also meet your emotional, mental, social and spiritual needs and I’m grateful to God because in the midst of the blessing, they know about Jesus and we have witnessed to them before but this has shown them even more how good God is and it is an even better opportunity for them to come to know and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Saviour. It was really mindblowing because you hear about ITNAC all the time and that they go around the world and they assist people but I never knew the depth of the assistance"

Flowers given to one of our team members
as a token of appreciation for our assistance

As we continue to practice true religion as outlined in James 1:27, we respond to the cries for help from the most vulnerable in our society. We may not have much, but every day we see the little that we get multiplied to meet the needs that are before us daily. This is certainly the Lord's doing.

If anyone would like to make a donation to the work of Is There Not A Cause to enable us to continue being God's hands and feet to those in need, our account numbers are:

First Citizens bank #1660410

Republic bank #510009446801