Although most milk days are the same, this week’s was a little different. This week we had the honor of graduating 9 kids from our program. What their graduation signifies is that they are no longer malnourished and have reached a weight that is healthy for someone of their height and general age. It was so fulfilling to see these healthy children grinning ear to ear as they received their certificates of completion, a few prizes and a bag of oranges.
The biggest blessing came a little later in the morning though. Tressa and I walked up to the houses of the three children that were not at graduation to deliver their certificates and prizes. The first was a young girl named Arelys whose mother accepted the gifts and thanked us before we walked away. The other home we visited was a mother of twin boys who are both vibrant, healthy young men with radiant smiles and some of the best manners I have seen. She invited us into her yard as we explained that her sons were graduating and gave her the things they had earned. She handed the stuff to her sons who stood before us smiling with the pride that comes from completing a task. She then began to pour out her graciousness upon us for all that we have done to help her family. She explained to us that our program was an answered prayer in her life and the lives of her sons. She prayed specifically that they would have enough food to eat and being in our program fulfilled that need. I was fighting back tears as she told us these things just thinking of how much I was blessed to be standing right where I was in that moment. The beauty of her love for her sons shined through even the darkest of circumstances and made me believe that all things are possible. She expressed her gratefulness to us but more than that I am grateful to her for showing me what life means. I will never forget that conversation with her.
We want to express our continued appreciation to all of you, our sponsors, who make these stories possible with your giving. You are physically changing lives in La Chureca and I am so grateful to witness it firsthand.