By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A Friend of Tembari Children
IT’S A GOOD feeling to receive something that you actually expected beforehand because you believe people are generous, but did not know from whom it would be this time.
A troika of friends had chipped in their extra pocket money and bought the Tembari children 13 bags (10kg) of Roots Rice. Costing nearly K500 (US$170), the foodstuff was delivered to me last week.
I did not expect such donation to come from them. But I knew they read my blog (www.tembari.blogspot.com) on the prospect of food shortage at The Center, which had worried me quite a bit.
And they responded generously.
Our new benefactors – Filipino expats Tony, Dhes and Jocelyn – all from HiTron, the cable-TV provider – said in an email the food would help relieve the pressure from low rice stock at The Center, which was the case until yesterday when I delivered the goodies to The Center.
Tony said in his email: “We know this is just a small thing ... how we wish we could have sent more …!”
But as I had said in my earlier blog, in the spirit of helping, nothing is too small to help. Coming from the heart, any amount or quantity will always assume a great bulk, a great volume.
Over the last eight months, a number of people sent small, but became big somehow because it assured our beneficiary children of food in their tummy everyday.
And even without them saying it, I knew they really appreciated it, based on the looks in their faces every after burp they made after every meal.
The 13 bags of rice will cover 13 feeding days, just long enough to connect to the next food delivery this month from donors.
The Center cooks rice for the 97 beneficiary children at the rate of 10kg a day.
But since we have seven volunteer parents who work at The Center to look after the daily feeding session, an extra two kilos is usually cooked for them.
As I have said on occasions, we also have to take care of those who take care of us. So, the extra 2kgs -- equivalent to a bag of 10kg every week, for a total of four bags in a month.
Of course, this goes with a side dish of say, tinned fish or veggies, which is also an expense as far as The Center’s finances are concerned.
But on cases like this, we try to think in the positive.
We know God always provides and donors always send.
Like our friends Tony, Dhes and Jocelyn.
Email the writer: alfredophernandez@thenational.com.pg
jrahdz500@online.net.pg
feddiephernandez@yahoo.com
THE Tembari Children's Care (TCC) Inc is a day care facility at ATS Oro Settlement, 7-Mile, outside of Port Moresby, PNG. To date, it takes care of more than 200 former street children - orphans, abandoned and the unfortunate - by serving them meals twice a day, and providing them early education. Assistance - food and money - is sent by supporters who find merit in the services we provide to these children. At The Center, they are family. For all of these, we need support that is sustainable.
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