On Saturday, we helped out with an outreach project through our church. About 50 volunteers from the Bridge took a little road trip to Madera to one of the migrant centers. As part of a program called FEEDING THOSE WHO FEED US, we helped reach out to the 40 migrant worker families who live in this community. This is the second year we participated in this project and this time my parents joined us in serving. Doctors and dentists offered medical help to the families in the afternoon. Our church gave out bags of groceries to each of the families and backpacks to the kids with school supplies.
Other volunteers led games and story time for the kids. The water competitions were a big hit with the little ones under the hot valley sun. Meilani made some new friends at the playground. One little boy let Meilani try out his tricycle. She was also fascinated by a soccer ball that she could not quite kick but she could pick up and pass to a patient little boy who let her play with him.
Meanwhile, I was in charge of the food for our meal to feed approximately 300 people. My friend Cori and I made the Mexican rice and we had chicken, beans and tortillas from a local grocery store. We served watermelon and cookies for dessert. My parents got in on serving the food. Mom got to use some of her Spanish. I got a taste of what it would be like to be a caterer. (It was fun but I much prefer my smaller dinner parties to cooking for this quantity.)
After dinner, a dance group from a local Hispanic church did a performance and their pastor shared. My favorite moment of the day was giving out clothes to a young mother and her two daughters. Our church had collected some items and several bags of clothes and linens were left at the end of the day. The two girls came to me and politely asked in Spanish if they could look through the bags. I helped them as the laughed and squealed with delight at their new clothes and a Hawaiian print comforter for their bed. They could not believe the items were free. It felt like Christmas in August.
On Saturday, we helped out with an outreach project through our church. About 50 volunteers from the Bridge took a little road trip to Madera to one of the migrant centers. As part of a program called FEEDING THOSE WHO FEED US, we helped reach out to the 40 migrant worker families who live in this community. This is the second year we participated in this project and this time my parents joined us in serving. Doctors and dentists offered medical help to the families in the afternoon. Our church gave out bags of groceries to each of the families and backpacks to the kids with school supplies.
Other volunteers led games and story time for the kids. The water competitions were a big hit with the little ones under the hot valley sun. Meilani made some new friends at the playground. One little boy let Meilani try out his tricycle. She was also fascinated by a soccer ball that she could not quite kick but she could pick up and pass to a patient little boy who let her play with him.
Meanwhile, I was in charge of the food for our meal to feed approximately 300 people. My friend Cori and I made the Mexican rice and we had chicken, beans and tortillas from a local grocery store. We served watermelon and cookies for dessert. My parents got in on serving the food. Mom got to use some of her Spanish. I got a taste of what it would be like to be a caterer. (It was fun but I much prefer my smaller dinner parties to cooking for this quantity.)
After dinner, a dance group from a local Hispanic church did a performance and their pastor shared. My favorite moment of the day was giving out clothes to a young mother and her two daughters. Our church had collected some items and several bags of clothes and linens were left at the end of the day. The two girls came to me and politely asked in Spanish if they could look through the bags. I helped them as the laughed and squealed with delight at their new clothes and a Hawaiian print comforter for their bed. They could not believe the items were free. It felt like Christmas in August.
2 comments:
Hi Dorina,
What a cool thing to participate in! I'm sure Dinner A'La Dorina was a big hit.
I've officially stolen your "Summer Reading List" idea. My blog aspires to be as interactive and fun as yours!
Love, Jen
It was exciting to be IN your blog this time, but my favorite pictures are of Meilani on the bed. (I especially like the curled up big toe.) I also was blessed by being part of your meal serving crew last Saturday. The people we served were a delight.
Love, Nana
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