Jim Duffy
One Wednesday evening in 2005, when I visited Youth Venture in Lakeside my life changed. I went to visit my friend, Chuck Hicks, who was a volunteer Youth Venture mentor. Since I like to cook for other people, I brought my homemade salsa with chips to share with the kids. Some were eating it as if it were the only meal the had had that day. It touched my heart and I asked Chuck if I could feed them dinner the following week. After a few months, I started cooking dinner for the Youth Venture in South El Cajon, as well as for the Lakeside center. They loved it and I loved cooking for them. One night I had left over food, so I took it to the larger El Cajon center on Broadway. I remember a little boy asking me if I would be back. “Yes, I would,” I replied. Now I was bringing dinners to three centers, two on Wednesdays and one on Fridays.
Where would I get the money to fund three dinners a week? That’s when I decided to create my own business “Refining Fire” to sell my sauces and do small catering jobs. This gave me enough money to feed all these kids every week and later on to send many of them to San Diego State University athletic events. I was even able to get athletes from SDSU to visit and spend time with the kids at the centers. God provided a way for all this to happen. Normally a father would be there to do these things, except most of them do not have a father active in their lives. When these kids eat my meals its like God telling the “I love you.” When the go to an event or a game it the same. He says “I love you,” even though your home is broken, your parents are broken and you are poor. He says “I love you,” even if you have made the wrong choices.
I am deeply gratified the He uses me and the gifts He has given me to tell the kids He loves them.
Jim Duffy has been a faithful support of YV for over 3 years. He owns and operates “Refining Fire” catering business. You can find out more about how Jim helps YV at www.refiningfirechiles.com