Sunday

This morning we'll be worshipping with the local Impacto team. They have been/are our coordinators for the trip.

Then we'll pile back on the bus and go shopping. Of course, there's a story behind the shopping trip! There is a couple here for 3 months from Canada. They do a lot of things but they are currently helping to create a new Happy Tummies.

Happy. Tummies is a program that Impacto created a few years ago. Some of the neediest children are nominated by local teachers and pastors to be in the program. The children go to their local school in the morning and the come to the Happy Tummies site to have a nutritious lunch, tutoring, games, crafts and love. The parents contribute, either through a minimal monetary contribution or by volunteering their time.

The program was so successful and the need was so great that Impacto is opening another Happy Tummies site. Last Monday, they had home visits with prospective families, who are some of the poorest in the area.

One family, who has 5 children, already lost two of their children to malnutrition. The mother is so malnourished that her body can't even produce milk for their new baby. They're feeding the baby a bit of sugar dipped in water.

Someone from the Canadian couple's home church donated money specifically to be used for food for the new Happy Tummies families. So our team gets to go to a local store and get groceries for these 15 families and then deliver them. We'll have time to visit and connect with each kid & their family.

I already know that it's going to be a very emotional day, both for us and the families. We aren't really any different than these families. We all want to do the best for our families. Just because we were born into a prosperous country, we sometimes think we're entitled and that tends to make us condescending. Pray that we connect with these people on a much deeper level than just handing over food.