Feeding Center Up! :)

As I mentioned in a previous post, our church has been in the works starting a new children's feeding center in the community.  After 2 children from our church passed away from malnutrition, our pastor decided to start putting the center up without any funds to do it, working on faith alone.  Many of our Haitian church members have been working everyday on a volunteer budget (and by that I don't mean the $65 a month that I used to make).  Their pay is not monetary, but in the future promise for their children, children with smiling faces and full bellies.  Here in the DR, it is estimated that over 8% of the children will have irreparable retardation because of the hunger they suffer.  The number of Dominicans across the country who are living in hunger surpasses 2 million, and that number grows by approximately 2,500 people each year.  And while that statistic is nothing compared to our neighboring Haiti who continues to suffer beyond belief, that number does include many beautiful faces that faithfully attend my Oansa class each Saturday, showering me with hugs and kisses, giggling at my stories, singing their hearts out to each praise song, and flashing their beautiful smiles regardless of what great obstacles they might have against them outside the church walls.  For that reason, this feeding center has me overjoyed and I just had to share with each of you.

View of the feeding center from the outside

View from the inside - hopefully Dave will be alongside some of our high school students doing a service project to get this place ready very soon!

Since some of the students from my class at school are from middle to upper class families, I have them participate in service and giving projects integrated into our Bible curriculum as often as possible.  This past week, I taught about Jesus teaching us to help widows and orphans, and children who were able to brought in canned foods, beans, and rice to donate to the new feeding center.  Even at six years old, I am so proud of their willingness to serve and give.  

 Though the details are yet to be determined, for around $50 US dollars per month, you can sponsor one of the children from the community who are living under the poverty line and may otherwise suffer from malnutrition.  They will be provided with 2-3 meals a day for the whole month.  Please let me know if you're interested in helping! :)

How could you turn down a smile like that?

Hope all is going well back in Michigan and all the other places this is being read from, and hope to see you in a couple of months when I come home for summer.  And please let me know if anyone can use a teacher, tutor, nanny, or any type of worker this summer, I promise I work hard - our bank account is dwindling and we need to save up money to make it through another year of service next year in the DR! :) Have a great week!

Love, peace, and prayers,
Kristin