Employee Spotlight: Terrence “TJ” Blackmon, Distribution Manager
What do you enjoy most about working at Mercy Deliverance Ministries?
I enjoy the environment and my coworkers, but most importantly, I love being out on the Mobile Grocery Bus. I love serving others and seeing the smiles on people’s faces.
Can you share a memorable moment with a customer, volunteer, or coworker that has stayed with you?
There are a couple that I’ll never forget. One customer gave me a two-dollar bill that had belonged to her late husband. I still carry it in my wallet today.
Another customer asked me to pray for her upcoming knee surgery. Her surgery was scheduled for June 1, which is also my daughter’s birthday, so I knew I wouldn’t forget to pray for her. The surgery was successful, and during the procedure, doctors found a blood clot that had been causing some of her problems. That moment has always stayed with me.
What does serving our community mean to you personally?
Serving others is part of what I believe we are called to do as believers. Matthew 20:28 says, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” If Jesus came to serve, then we should have a heart to serve others, too.
One of the most meaningful parts of this work is seeing God change the lives of people I have the opportunity to see and serve week after week.
What do you hope people experience when they come to one of our distributions or visit the Mobile Grocery Bus?
I hope people feel loved and cared for and experience the presence of God through MDM. I pray that people leave knowing that someone cares about them and that they give God the glory for everything He is allowing us to do.
What’s one thing people might not realize about the work that goes into food distribution?
There is a lot of preparation behind the scenes. We have to order the food, coordinate volunteers, make sure we have enough freezer and storage space, tape and prepare boxes days in advance, and get everything ready so distribution can run smoothly.
Is there anything else you’d like people to know about you or your role at MDM?
My role at MDM is about serving and helping bring clarity and vision. Coming here was also an act of obedience for me. I left my previous contracting job with Alabama Power because I felt God calling me to MDM, even though it meant taking a financial step backward at the time.
That experience taught me the importance of listening and being obedient to where God is leading you. We can’t run from our calling and purpose. We have to have a heart that is willing to hear, listen, and act.
God truly loves us all and has a heart for those who don’t yet believe. As 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us, He is patient, “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”