A Glorious Day!

Thick, angry clouds gathered in the gray, dripping sky.  It was a bleak and bleary morning that threatened to make its despair my own. 

I fought against a deep weariness that came from several nights of only a 3 or 4 hours of sleep followed by several days of battling my pre-schooler's high fever. 

As I beheld the less than glorious morning I felt joy and strength begin to well up on the inside of me.  I glanced over at Francisco and we shared a smile as the Lord whispered to our hearts that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.  We had certainly been waiting upon the Lord.  In fact, we had been waiting for a very long time.


Suddenly I knew that I could soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint (Is. 40:31) because the Lord was with us.  His hand of favor was upon us.  And I knew that it was a glorious morning despite the weather and weariness.  This day was the day when a long awaited dream was becoming a reality.  This was the day we would serve our first meal at the ABA feeding center.

Our first meal, as we called it, was a success.  We held the inauguration of the feeding center on a Sunday so that students from the Mariano Galvez University that have been helping us could be present.  They brought with them a group of volunteers called the Fabrica de Sonrisas (Smile Factory) who go to hospitals, orphanages, etc to bring smiles and cheer to children and adults alike.

The volunteers from the University were hard at work in the kitchen.

Francisco was hard at work doing odd jobs like helping to organize the flow of people traffic and entertain the boys!

While the food was simmering away and the volunteers setting up the activities room I was busy putting names on each plate and water bottle.

 

 

And of course I had help!  my helpers are never far behind....

 Finally the plates were all set and just waiting to be filled.

Meanwhile the kids were having fun with Smile Factory.

And we were busy filling plates and getting ready to hand out the meal. 

As the children left they were each given the plate and water bottle that corresponded to them.  Because of space limitations we have decided to handle the feeding center in this manner- giving the children the food to go.  The will be responsible to bring back their dishes each week to be filled again.

A well deserved break after the kids left and before the clean-up

 a future attendee---

All of us at CrossCulture Jesus and Brazos Abiertos want to sincerely thank each and every person who has been a part of making this dream come true- not only for us but for the many families who will benefit from this feeding program.  Years of trusting God have brought us to this point and you have all had a vital role to play.  

May the Lord bless you and keep you!!!!!!