Serving Food, Sharing Love, Spreading Joy: A Small Part in a BIG miracle!

Have you ever wondered just how much food it takes to feed over five hundred little people? I lost count of the number of plates that we dished up yesterday, but it was certainly an extraordinary number! Yesterday I had the privilege of travelling to Ministry of Hope's Feeding Centre in Mponela with a group of nine US nursing students. What we saw there would overwhelm the very bravest of us... there are few words to describe the exuberant welcome that awaited us when more than 500 children raised their voices in excitement!

And it is no wonder that the kids were excited... the Director of the Feeding Centre explained to us that some of the children walk 12-15 KILOMETRES to get to the feeding centre! I don't know about you, but I can't remember how long it has been since I have walked 12-15 kilometres to get to anywhere, let alone doing so every day simply to eat a meal! 

But for a lot of these children, there is nothing “simple” about this meal... the nsima and beans may be the only meal they eat that day. They walk all the way to school, and then walk over to the feeding centre for lunch, after which they make their long journey home. Many are orphans, and others come from incredibly poor and starving families. However, there is nothing impoverished about these children when it comes to their JOY! 

Before serving their meal, we had a chance to teach them a Bible story, sing them some songs, and introduce ourselves (see if you can spot me at the front of the room... not so easy!!) ... In case you are wondering, I have taken on a new identity... After having people stutter over the name “Laura” over and over again, and finally get excited and say, “Oh, yes, you must mean Flora!” I have realized that a name change might be in order. So, Flora it is! Such a small step of grace (one little letter of the alphabet) that goes a long ways in making me (and those introducing me) feel at home! However, remind me to respond when the Customs Officer calls me Laura when looking at my passport on my trip home!! :) 

But that was a long tangent from my original question... SO... just how much food does it take to perform what I would call the “small miracle” of feeding this many Malawian children? Let me show you the pots of nsima and the pot of beans, and then the smiles of the children who got to enjoy them. It was such a blessing, to be a part of such a blessing in Jesus' Name!