breakfast

I have been making a few adjustments to my schedule and office situation, one of which includes having a desk at our church, Iglesia en Transformacion. It has been a great place to work from and gives me a lot of flexibility when I need to stay late or come in early when Guillermo's schedule fluctuates. The church has started some outreach to the local community of Los Pinos, which is a slum, much like Nueva Suyapa.

On weekday mornings, they do a breakfast program for kids. 20-40 kids and youth arrive each morning for a bowl of cereal, some fruit and juice. They hang out around the church, playing soccer, ping pong, reading books or using the computers for homework or games. I am new to the scene, but on Tuesday I played ping-pong with a boy who I recognized as maybe being new.


Yesterday morning, I ran by the office to print something before a meeting. On my way out, I drove by a dumpster that is a few blocks below the church. I did a double take when I saw the same boy, waist high, going through the trash with his bare hands. What a stark contrast! I don't know what this boy was looking for- maybe food. It is sobering to know that something as simple as a breakfast program is the difference between a healthy breakfast and the dumpster. God does have compassion for those who are most vulnerable and He is asking us to be his hands.