Vicky Smith
Copy Editor
@pinkwritinglady
The student organizations of Cameron Campus Ministry (CCM) and Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) provide free lunches to Cameron students once a week.
The CCM offers a lunch coined “Loaves and Fishes” from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. every Thursday in the building located at 27th and D.
Ja’lyn Yarbrough, a junior with a major in family and child studies, said many different churches prepare the food.
“We’re an ecumenical church,” Yarbrough said, “so we have every church underneath the sun, from Catholics to Unitarian Universalists to Methodists to Baptists – just basically everybody.”
The meal varies each week, depending on which church provides it.
“One day we’ll have brisket,” Yarbrough said, “and the next day we’ll have lasagna, and the next day we’ll have salads, and next time we’ll have chicken spaghetti.”
Yarbrough said it’s difficult for students to pay for food after their weekly cafe meals and flex dollars are used up.
“So many of the kids don’t have money to eat,” she said.
The “Loaves and Fishes” lunch ministers to those students. Anywhere from 75 – 125 students attend each week, Yarbrough said.
The CCM has services at 7 p.m. on Monday nights.
Yarbrough said the CCM desires to make students feel they have a place to go – a place they belong.
“Our ministry is just to be welcoming to any and everybody who comes through the doors,” she said.
Yarbrough said she met “a very wide, diverse group of people” and built friendships at the CCM.
Those new to the CCM will always be greeted with a happy face, Yarbrough said.
“We’re like family here,” she said, “and once you come in, you’re automatically family.”
Next door to the CCM, the BCM serves lunch from 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. every Wednesday in the building located at 26th and E.
Layton Harper, the worship leader of the BCM band, said the resources and the Comanche Cotton Baptist Association, as well as local Baptist churches give funding for the food.
“There’s all types [of food],” Harper said. “Sometimes they’ll have hot dogs and hamburgers; sometimes we’ll have pizza, Indian tacos, spaghetti – things like that.”
He said everyone is welcome to the lunches – both students and faculty.
The number of guests “varies from anywhere from 100 to up to 200,” Harper said. “Last week we had 150. Some of our busier times, when they know great food is gonna be here, they bring about 200 people or 300.”
The free lunches are a ministry opportunity, Harper said.
“It hopefully opens doors for us to be able to share the gospel with them,” he said, “and be able to just reach out and let them know that we love them.”
The BCM has services every Monday night: small group Bible study at 7 p.m. and worship service at 8:30 p.m.
Harper said the BCM has impacted his life in positive ways.
“[It] really helped strengthen my faith and grow more spiritually, as far as a depth, really,” he said. “I met most of my friends here at the BCM. All of my close friends go here or live here.”
Harper said students who have never been to the BCM are always invited.
It would “be a great place to just discover yourself,” he said. “Come hang out and have fun.”
Upcoming events for the organizations include an Open Mic Night at 8 p.m. on Dec. 1 at the BCM and a Thanksgiving Luncheon at 11 a.m. on Nov. 26 at the CCM.
For students who would like additional information, contact the BCM at 580-353-4197 and the CCM at 580-357-7226, or find them both on Facebook and Twitter.