BSM's love language: free food

On Wednesdays the door swings open, friendly faces create a joyful environment that is full of life. Background music plays, conversations and laughter fill the room. In between classes, students from all across campus come together to form deeper bonds. West Texas A&M University's Baptist Student Ministry serves free lunch for students every Wednesday.

“Our goal for free lunch is to provide a place for community, for people to connect,” said Staci Byrd, BSM associate director. “It's in the middle of the day, so it doesn't have some kind of time commitment outside of when you're already on campus and to provide for student’s needs, that's just something that we care, we care about students, we care about their wellness, we care about their whole person.”

Free Lunch on Wednesday, or FLOW, is an event that builds community while avoiding social barriers like money.

“Free food allows it to be kind of an even opportunity that doesn't require more of you than showing up,” Byrd said. “Though food may be the avenue, it's deeper than that when it offers opportunities to connect and build community.”

FLOW is an event that introduces students to the BSM. There is no commitment; students can show up, get food, meet a few people and leave.

“It is an open door for learning more or getting more connected, which we love because then we get to know more students, and our community grows,” Byrd said. “Some people will come to lunch and make a connection, meet friends, hear about who we are and what we do, and then get more involved, even get connected to maybe a church in town, so it helps us grow because it's a really easy first step to meet us and to hear about what we do.”

Churches in Amarillo and Canyon prepare and serve the food once a semester.