Union United Church of Christ, Neffs, hosted Feed My Starving Children of the Lehigh Valley for a meal-packing event before the winter holidays.

Organizer Eliot Lightner commented on the effort.

“This year’s event was huge,” Lightner said. “We packed over 100,000 meals again, and now they are on their way.

“This time they have two destinations.”

He noted 69,984 meals are going to Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, to be distributed through the Global Aid Network known as GAIN.

This Christian humanitarian organization helps people in some of the toughest places on earth.

The remaining 31,104 meals are directed to Eswatini, a monarchy in southern Africa.

These will be given out by Adventures in Missions, a charity which serves meals to people in need six days a week.

Materials for the meal packs were delivered in huge parcels on pallets to the church.

Volunteers measured out the ingredients including soy, rice and vitamin powder which were weighed and placed in heat sealed bags.

Recipients will add water to the mix which becomes a stew. The food is typical for people to have in those areas of Africa.

Meal packing is already on the Union UCC schedule for 2020.

The church will have its annual tailgate lunch 11:30 a.m. Feb. 2 on the day of the Big Game.

Visitors are invited to come and share in the fellowship and food.

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Union Lutheran Church, Schnecksville, will have its annual soup cook-off 11:30 a.m. Feb. 2.

For this 10th annual event, participants are invited to bring their favorite soup or dessert for the contest.

But you don’t have to cook or bake to enjoy the luncheon!

Visitors can taste and sample the various soups and desserts prepared by church members for this Souper Bowl Sunday tradition.

The fee to participate benefits World Hunger.