Feeding the kids

This week I have been helping serve food at a soup kitchen for children.  The feeding program is sponsored by the Salesian fathers and it provides a free meal every day except for Sundays. Between 150 to 200 children come to eat at the feeding center every day. The children range from as little as one year to around 14 years old.  Grandmothers as well as mothers with their newborns also come to the feeding center for their meal.  

The feeding center is operated by five women who prepare and serve the food, as well as try to maintain discipline in a room filled with more than 100 children.  They serve a hearty meal of broth with potatoes and macaroni (some days they include meat) along with a plate of maize.  Some days the kids bring avocados that they would mash into the maize to create a green ball of mash to go with their soup.  The broth and maize are prepared separately in large cauldrons over a glowing fire that somewhat resembles a sorcerer’s kitchen. 

The children wait outside until they get the signal to come and in and take their seats but not without washing their hands first.  Then before every meal, one of the children will go to the front and recite the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary’ while everyone joins in chorus.  One day they recited the “Our Father” in English and it sounded beautiful; I’ve never heard it sung in that chanting manner before. 

After the prayers, three ladies dish out the food from the front of the dining hall while some of the older children play the role of waiters and bring the food to their eager diners.  The children behave well and stay seated while the food is served to them.  After everyone is served, they can come up for seconds which can sometimes turn into chaos as they are eager to eat more so I have had to stringently implement a queue so as not to overwhelm the server.

After the meal is over, a small group of children will stay behind to collect the plates, bowls, spoons, etc. and clean up the tables.  All in all, the whole process takes about one hour after which the children merrily leave on their way to do whatever small kids in Dilla do.

I have always enjoyed volunteering at soup kitchens but I have enjoyed this one the most.  I find it truly amazing to see these children, in the conditions that they are in, but it is a real delight to come here every day to see the smiles on their faces as they enjoy their meal. I’m not sure if it is the only meal they get but I have been told that they do not usually get 3 meals a day.  

They typically sustain themselves throughout the day by eating mangoes or other fruit that grow around here. However,  I can’t imagine how they would sustain themselves without this feeding program but somehow they find a way to survive.

School’s out for summer….

One of two dance skits for the ceremony

No event is complete without a coffee ceremony

Well almost. We celebrated the last day of the semester yesterday with a ceremony that involved a couple of drama skits, a dance contest, and several farewell speeches for the graduating class. It was the last time that the whole school would be together before exams start. Today, the level IV students will take their exams while the level II students take their exams next Friday.  For the level IV students, it will be a culmination of two years of studies at Mary Help College (“MHC”). After passing the exam, they will receive a Certificate of Competence (“COC”) which will allow them to apply for university as well as get decent paid jobs.  The level IV students won’t re-unite until graduation day which is three weeks away. For those students who don’t pass the exam, they will get one more try in two weeks so that they can make it for graduation. Meanwhile, the level II students will need to pass the exam in order to continue to their second year (or level III) of studies at MHC. 

Classmates dance off the last day of school.

Level IV IT students dressed to impress on exam day

Many of these students come from villages and other remote areas to attend MHC. Their dedication and commitment to improve their standing and prospects for a better future for themselves and their family is very remarkable and inspiring.   It has been a difficult semester for many these students; several lost close family members while a couple of students gave birth. But somehow their adversity shines through and they continue to finish their schooling so that they can obtain the CoC.  Some students are forced to stop their studies mid-way in order to find a job to support their families who depend on them.  Nevertheless, these students represent a bright future, not just for themselves and their families but also for the continuous development of their country.

Final instructions prior to starting the exam