Harding Group Delivers Pizza and Prayers
By: Josh Berry
Updated: November 26, 2012
Pizza and the gospel are the topics of conversation in one Searcy neighborhood every Monday night.
A group of Harding University students call themselves the "Pizza Ministry".
Their faith brought them there but the community has kept them coming back.
"Everyone's laughing, having fun, sidewalk chalk, playing games," Isaac Pannell showed us. "It's just great to build those kind of relationships."
It's a different atmosphere around there on Monday nights. This small neighborhood in Searcy cheers up a bit when this group comes to visit.
It's fair to say, they're a hit with the locals.
"I think it's a wonderful thing that they do that... I really do," said one man and his wife.
With a bible on their backs and pizza in their hands they set out on a mission.
"We're here for a relationship," Pannell explained. "Not a one time thing but every single week."
Along with Pannell, Jacob Robertson helps lead the group. He says it took a while for the people to open up to the idea of having them in their homes.
Robertson said, "The parents have started to let us trust their kids and we can run around, throw them in our arms and our shoulders and play tag."
"My two baby brothers like to play with them," said Juan Diaz. "They know most of them almost."
Through prayer and pies this group has built a relationship with some homes who might otherwise have neither.
"Sometimes they come up to us and say we don't have anything to eat," said Pannell.
They spend time with the children and families, some who don't speak English at all, reading the Bible and spreading the gospel.
It goes without saying, the group gets their own enjoyment out of these Monday nights.
Pannell said, "I love being out here as much as I think they enjoy having us out here."
With a combination of food and fellowship, the smiling faces make it clear... "Now I guess they love us," Pannell added. "It goes both ways."
They initially used their own money to buy the pizzas until they found out Little Caesar's actually throws out all the unused "Hot 'N Ready's". They hope other groups will find ways to put that to good use as well.
A group of Harding University students call themselves the "Pizza Ministry".
Their faith brought them there but the community has kept them coming back.
"Everyone's laughing, having fun, sidewalk chalk, playing games," Isaac Pannell showed us. "It's just great to build those kind of relationships."
It's a different atmosphere around there on Monday nights. This small neighborhood in Searcy cheers up a bit when this group comes to visit.
It's fair to say, they're a hit with the locals.
"I think it's a wonderful thing that they do that... I really do," said one man and his wife.
With a bible on their backs and pizza in their hands they set out on a mission.
"We're here for a relationship," Pannell explained. "Not a one time thing but every single week."
Along with Pannell, Jacob Robertson helps lead the group. He says it took a while for the people to open up to the idea of having them in their homes.
Robertson said, "The parents have started to let us trust their kids and we can run around, throw them in our arms and our shoulders and play tag."
"My two baby brothers like to play with them," said Juan Diaz. "They know most of them almost."
Through prayer and pies this group has built a relationship with some homes who might otherwise have neither.
"Sometimes they come up to us and say we don't have anything to eat," said Pannell.
They spend time with the children and families, some who don't speak English at all, reading the Bible and spreading the gospel.
It goes without saying, the group gets their own enjoyment out of these Monday nights.
Pannell said, "I love being out here as much as I think they enjoy having us out here."
With a combination of food and fellowship, the smiling faces make it clear... "Now I guess they love us," Pannell added. "It goes both ways."
They initially used their own money to buy the pizzas until they found out Little Caesar's actually throws out all the unused "Hot 'N Ready's". They hope other groups will find ways to put that to good use as well.
