FEEDING PROGRAM

DAVID & BEVERLEY SUMRALL, PASTORS OF CATHEDRAL OF PRAISE

Daily Manna: Making a Difference

Branching out from one stable, central location has made a huge difference in the daily feeding program. Now 2000 children are fed every single day, rain, shine, storm or cloudless skies. The children learn a memory verse and learn to pray. The daily, consistent presence in the area has received the attention of some local businesses, schools and hospitals. Some hospital s are now partnering to provide medical services and some businesses doing special things for the children as part of their social responsibility program.

Five year old Cindy lives in Happy Land, near the break water, and is a recipient of the daily manna feeding program. Her mother, Michelle, works as a house helper and is seldom at home during the day. Her stepfather is a fisherman and is able to stretch his money just enough to buy milk for the children. Cindy cares for her 2 year old sister and 1 year old brother, bathing and feeding them. There isn't always food in the house and sometimes the neighbour will bring food to her. Cindy always feeds her brother and sister first and then herself, if there is enough. With the daily feeding, a nutritious meal now comes to her house each day. She knows that each day there will be food and this puts a smile on her little face.

Thankful to be a Part of God's Compassionate Outreach: "One-half day of our life can help a child forever"

Volunteers of Cathedral of Praise claim that they soon become addicted to the few, special hours they spend with the children during the feeding program. Once you arrive, kids will take you by the hand, they know the routine; they know what to do. Young Rose, for example, a deaf mute, always carries her school card to the feeding so she can communicate her name with the volunteers. She loves to help distribute the food and see the joy on the kid's faces that are lined up and waiting.

Jonas found out that not all the children in the neighbourhood are happy and running to the feeding. On the floor of one of the buildings, under his grandmother's care, he found 2 year old Justin despondent and laying on the floor. He had been sick for 2 weeks. Jonas prayed for him, gave him food and watched the strength begin to creep back into his body.

David, a volunteer from one of the singing groups, commented, "It is a reality check. All the poverty stories could come from here: streets completely covered with muddy garbage, sacks of plastic, refuse tied to the walls and waiting for collection, parents separating leftovers from soggy cardboard boxes, kids too weak and too sick to run to go to the feeding." Yet, these are the ones Jesus loves. The ones he was looking at when he told the disciples to feed the 5000; the ones who moved Him with compassion.

Blessed to be a Blessing

Pastor Bev with children

David Sumrall, pastor of Cathedral of Praise, Manila, recently had a birthday. He decided to treat a thousand children to a local restaurant similar to McDonalds. It was very special that the food was distributed to them. Most of the children had never had fried chicken before! They live on scraps gathered from garbage dumps and re-fry whatever meat is left on the bones in the dump. After the meal, the mascot from the restaurant came and pictures were taken of the children. The problem was that many were naked. So, as they filed through the container van to get their photo, the workers had an assortment of clothes they put on the children and then reused for the next group. It is important to not give something to the children that the adults can steal and then sell. But this food in their tummies was something that no one could take away!