Reflections...

The past month has been one of reflection for me. So much to remember about my time in the village of Mwika and Maring'a Juu Primary School. One of my goals for my journey to Mwika was to see observe and take part of funds that were raised to feed the many orphaned children at Maring'a Juu. My friend Roland Maanga had been doing this for several months before my visit. Orphaned children are those without any parents. Many are orphaned at birth. My original goal was to take the needs of these orphaned children at Maring'a Juu and give them that much needed meal at lunch time. What I observed when I was there is that ALL the students at this school are hungry. The children that are not orphaned face the same problem. If they have both parents they are lucky, but that does not mean that their parents work or have access to work, so they go without food just like the orphans. I had been suggesting that we take only the orphans and feed them. Roland knew better and he had been preparing food for everyone. I just couldn't understand why, but being from the USA, we look at things differently. We don't see that hunger as the same here.

So, the day we prepared the meal for the school I actively participated in stirring the meat, the vegetables and the rice. I stood in the small outdoor kitchen at the school and couldn't believe how difficult it was to dodge the smoke from the fires for all the food pots...WOW!!! So we began to serve the orphaned children first. They received their rice, vegetables and meat. As they were seated in the cafeteria, I watched how all the other kids were looking in the window. I could see that they were just as hungry and that their bellies were feeling the same. So how could I just feed the orphans???? Weren't the other children just as important??? They all were in the same school, they were all friends and yet, I could only take the orphans?

The reality struck my heart in a deep way. I now knew why Roland would continue to feed the school and not segregate. It became deeply apparent that we could "stretch" our rice to feed everyone. I saw with my own eyes, that hunger doesn' t take on a different look on any human beings face. It is simple, hunger is hunger. Whether or not you have no parents or one or two parents, everyone needs their tummies fed.

My thoughts and ideas surely have changed in how a meal program must work for this school and village. I am working with a International Food Program that will get what we need to the school for a full year. I am excited that I have the cooperation of Roland to receive this food and distribute this on a very easy level to the school. We can be sure that the mission to feed the village will be accomplished. The school has had many great opportunities already to enjoy the food that has been provided. Your kind help has gone a long way and for that they are thankful.

Until next time ~

Cheers!