September 13, 2014

How 4 Pans of Lasagna Fed 100 People at My Church

Yesterday I ate the last piece of the miracle lasagna. Let
me explain.

For a friend’s funeral dinner, I had been told other people
were bringing lasagna and additional items and I was to bring only cookies. Of
course I double-checked with my husband, Pastor Nicholas Osborn, and he
confirmed — only cookies.

When we arrived at the church, I found three other women in
the kitchen: Jean Shaver, Valena Stulzman and Lois Roggow. Lois had made three
9x13 pans of lasagna, plus one 9x9 pan. There were plenty of desserts and some
bread, but that was it. It didn’t take long to realize there had been a
miscommunication.

South Dakota church member Lois Roggow with a pan of homemade lasagna. Photo: Outlook

Quickly two women left to buy juice and salad. The two of us
staying behind started buttering bread to brown in the oven. Then I slipped out
to do a headcount of guests — 80, 90, 100, and I quit counting. We clearly did
not have enough lasagna, even if only half of them stayed to eat.

When the other two women returned I told them we needed a
miracle like the multiplying of the loaves and fishes. We formed a prayer
huddle and pleaded with the Lord to do just that for the lasagna.

When the service ended, people start filing into the dining
area. Before long all 87 chairs set around the tables were filled. The blessing
was said and we started serving. The portions on the plates going by looked
huge, so I whispered that the servers needed to make smaller portions. They
complied — and yet the plates still seemed heaped with lasagna.

When we were at the end of the last pan we looked from the
hungry people standing in line to the empty pans, and one woman said she was
going to make a last check in the kitchen. To our amazement she came back with
a full 9x13 pan of lasagna!

I pointed out that we still had about 35 people left to
feed, not counting those of us who’d decided not to eat at all. Once again the
four of us sent up prayers for the Lord to please multiply the lasagna.

From that last pan, plate after plate went by with huge
portions of lasagna. Then all of a sudden everyone was seated and eating. I
peeked at the pan and was amazed to see a full third still left. How on earth?
Oh, me of little faith! I was in shock over what I had just witnessed — a bona
fide miracle!

When everyone had eaten their fill, one of the women asked
if I wanted to take the leftover lasagna home. Leftover lasagna? Of course I
said yes.

Later, a group of us circled once again in the kitchen,
joined hands, said a prayer of thanks and sang, “Praise God from whom all
blessings flow!” We were all beaming. And I have to admit, I was a little
choked up.

So that brings me to yesterday. I was in a hurry, ran into
the house and realized I was so hungry I felt faint. I opened the fridge and
what was sitting right in front? The miracle lasagna — touched by the hands of
God Himself and multiplied so much that we had leftovers to bring home.


Christina (Potter)
Osborn is the wife of Pastor Nicholas Osborn, and they serve the Hurley,
Mitchell, Platte, and Yankton churches in South Dakota, the largest district in
the Dakota Conference. This story
appeared in the September issue of the Mid-America Union Conference
Outlook magazine.


Read more first-hand accounts in news

My Tahiti Trip Finds a New Challenge in Sharing Jesus

Advertisement
Advertisement