After two months of serving the community of La Gloria and two weeks of partnership
with Outside the Bowl, “Hechos 2:42” or “Acts 2:42” is already seeing great results
and the power of love in their feeding program. Acts 2:42 is a name well chosen to represent the feeding ministry that these volunteers take on each day at La Gloria. They seek, as in the days of Christ, to devote “themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer”. They are feeding the children of the community but Rosaelia Rivas, the head volunteer at “Hechos 2:42” says she knows it’s a good place to start and eventually reach entire families with the message of Christ. She speaks about their experience these past two weeks:
Rosaelia Rivas - head volunteer at Hechos 2:42
“The community has a great need for love and nourishment, nourishment of the soul that goes beyond breaking bread together. You can see it and feel it in the children. They are in desperate need for support, encouragement and someone to tell them they are loved and valued. The word is spreading fast, we've had 57 kids show up at once. They come and they are hungry. Hungry for food and attention. Some because they have nothing to eat at home, others because they are not cared for by their parents, left to their own fortune. Others simply because they like the fellowship here. But regardless, we challenge them to invite others for the chance to hear about God’s love. We teach them bible stories and about Jesus before each meal. We also pray together. The kids seem motivated, many have even memorized the Bible verses we teach them each day."
"Opening the feeding program in this community is key, I believe, to bringing together the people of La Gloria. It is a divided community with many rivalries. But here we have even begun to see the kids from the soccer club, engage with the kids from the church. Something we didn’t see before. My greatest hope is to see the word of God, (what the kids are being taught here) be the vessel by which their lives are not only changed but rescued from their doomed futures; rescued from a life of delinquency
and addiction, which is what we see here - child after child. This is what we hope, and I
believe is possible, I have faith we will see this."
"For me it has been a challenge, because I am not very outspoken, but I get encouraged when I see the kids show up, ready for our time together, with stories to share about their day. Today some of the kids stayed to help after our class was over. They say they prefer to spend their day here, then elsewhere. I am glad! Especially if their parents are not home and instead of being on the streets, at least they are here - protected and cared for."
"I thank the people who made the decision to support us in this ministry. For believing like we believed, in the need for feeding the community and investing in it. We believed that they felt the burden for the families of La Gloria, like we feel it and that they too believe in the impact at it will have. Thank You.”
written by Vianney A. E.