Christmas Feeding and Gift Giving at the Village

Psalm 41:1 Blessed is he who considers the weak and the poor, the Lord will deliver him.

Feeding and gift giving the indigent children at GK Sooc Village in Arevalo, Iloilo City, Philippines last Christmas, December 25, 2013. Our sponsors are  Sabine Defant and her German friends for the cash donation which we bought food and toys. Part of their donation goes to the islands stricken by Yolanda in Estancia and Carles. 

 Rey Aranador, my brother, donated the  the books and toys sent from Canada. Cash came from my sister Roela Hilker in the USA.

 Thank you Wawa PJ Aranador staff for helping us out--instead of our Christmas party my staff offered their time to serve the community. 

God will bless all your hearts for caring for the poor. 

Our cook Taling preparing our Christmas porridge called "Linugaw" or :Ginataan" made of grounded aromatic sticky rice, fresh coconut milk, banana, sweet potato, "palawan" ( local tuber), cassava, all colors and sizes of tapioca and "muscovado" sugar and some vanilla. 

On our way to the village. Typical transport is tricycle decorated with humanity all over it. I take it too when I don't bring my vehicle. It is fun--like Mad Max. 

Entering the village. Glad it is now cemented.

Families waiting for our arrival.

Our little Wawa multicab with Wawa staff delivering the food to the village.

Time to line up. Just few kids in the beginning.

Line is getting longer as the little ones line -up properly. They are well-behaved.

The "Nanays'' ( mothers ) in the village started to serve the kids with the help of Wawa staff.

Some boys getting impatient.

Two lines, the little ones and the other the very little ones.

Giving some bread.

Pots and pots of porridge can easily go quick.

Partaking the food.

Our cook Taling taking one of the girls with her food to her mat.

A mother coaching her daughter how to line up.

It is amazing how they line up in perfect meal formation on top of the used tarpaulin. These young people impressed us with their discipline.

Attending to each kid making sure each has his share of the eats.

These kids know how to pose for the camera.

In silence, they eat.

A young boy playing with the stick bread.

Telling stories while enjoying the meal.

It seems the boys wanted to separate themselves.

A mother feeding her child amid the others.

One bog bowl for this little girl.

One of my favorite girls, Angel, enjoying her porridge.

Nanay enjoyed serving the kids.

Peace

They stopped for picture whenever they saw a camera.

Brothers sharing the food.

Awesome smile. All in red shirts to celebrate Christmas.

All gone. Finished.

There were over 60 kids to feed.

Helping the kids with extra bread.

  A baby with sister was one of our special guests.

A boy helping out the sister and baby brother.

Ready with his empty bowl was fun.

Few of the others in the village.

Oooppps. Just scraping the bowl for one for one of the last boys to come.

My staff are amused with kids.

This was the most touching. A young boy running to have his share. He was the last to arrive and my staff guided him. Luckily he had some left..

Marjorie, one of our women leaders, helping one of the last kids with his bread.

Asking me to take their photos.

Mother and child. The color pink was their theme.

Moments to capture.

Kids were so well behaved.

Parents and kids waiting for their turn for food.

Playing while eating.

The average age in the village for kids is 6-7 years old. 

Most children are not as malnourished, actually.

Happy to be with all of us today.

Background is the GK Sooc houses in the village.

Amazing how kids love books. They have few nice ones and suddenly they all read and shared the stories in the book.

"0nce upon a time...there was a princess named...". Books for Christmas. Thank you Rey Aranador for the donation of books to kids at Sooc.

He can't play with them because the car toys we brought were not enough for the so many kids in Sooc.

ANGEL--that is her name. All she can open for Christmas is a tiny gift from us today. But it does not matter. She is happy to receive one today. God provides more than what is seen and touched.

Sharing some toy cars. Doesn't matter if boys share their toys for boys with girls.

 enjoying their Christmas toys.

Boys will be boys. Trying to figure out among themselves to assemble toy puzzles

They came too late All toys and food were gone. Sob. I said sorry and promised something for them next time. She said " Wala kaso sir "( it's alright sir). Heart breaking.