The e’Pap Children’s Feeding Project has been serving since 2003 now and this last year has been a year like no other. So many things have changed. The scale of of food delivery has changed, in many cases the way we deliver has changed and new partnerships and collaboration opportunities have evolved. But one thing has not changed – the heart of the project. Since the inception, our goal was to serve in a way that built relationships between individuals and communities. This has not changed.
In the last few newsletters we have focused on how we needed to change so that we could respond to the new circumstances resulting from COVID, but in this one we want to share a few individual stories that describe the heart of our initiative – building relationships.
I asked a number of volunteers to write to us describing what for them was important about their role. The response has been so encouraging. If this was our annual heart checkup, we could report that the heart of the e’Pap Children’s Feeding project is in excellent shape. We are so grateful to our volunteers for their diligent work and are delighted with the joy it brings them. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the letters from volunteers that have warmed our hearts
We serve over 100 schools and if all of them were stories of happy partnerships, that would be wonderful. It would also be a miracle! For some of our volunteers their experience with the principal and staff has not been happy and rewarding. But despite this they have carried on delivering the e’Pap so that the children get fed regularly with a food that builds healthy bodies and strong immune systems. Our special thanks to those volunteers. It requires more dedication to continue serving in situations like these.
You can read a number of lovely letters in the full newsletter when you click the link below which inspire us all to keep serving. One volunteer summarized it well by saying :
“The joyfully “MolwenI Sharon” when I arrive to deliver the very heavy bags of ePap warms my heart no end. The chatter and bright eyes that were once so dull, sparkle in the sunlight as they tuck into their breakfast.
The grateful “Nkosi” thank you when I leave lifts my spirits. Too often we look around us and say; what could little me possibly do to make any difference to this world.
My contribution is so miniscule yet when I am amongst our future generation and watch their thirst for knowledge, I remind myself that no act of kindness no matter how small is wasted. ”
This and the letters that follow illustrate not only the excellent condition of our heart but also radiate a song of joy.
And on this happy note we send our deep thanks to every volunteer who serves and every donor who supports our work.
Shelley