Stone Soup

The following story comes from the Introduction to Gordon Cosby's book Handbook for Mission Groups. The introduction, written by Elizabeth O'Connor, gives a history of The Church of Our Saviour, of which Cosby was pastor for several decades. I encourage you to do a google search of Cosby and the church.

Here's the story of the Stone Soup.

Two travelers came into a new town one day.
"What are you doing?" a woman asked of the two travelers.
"Fixing stone soup. All you need is a little water and some stones," one replied.
"Of course, it would be better if we had just a bit of potatoes," said the other.
"I have some," she said, and going off, shortly returned with them.
Others passed and stopped to question the strangers. Each time the two travelers explained, and each time the townspeople volunteered to provide the necessary ingredient. At the end of the day every imaginable vegetable, herb, and spice had been added to the pot. That night the two travelers fed the whole town on the most delicious soup anyone had ever tasted.

O'Connor ends the story with this:

This legend is reminiscent of another story about fishes and loaves, and deep away in us is a self that knows that this is what miracle is. If it is to happen in the city and in the world we simply have to commit our own human and financial resources.