Food Parcel Distribution Day – “Enkosi"

Tuesday, May 31^st

Today was food parcel distribution day, a day that has been built up for quite awhile.  For all of the money that we have raised, 250 families will be given enough food for a month.  The process began with a human chain for unloading the trucks and packed the food goods into sacks.  One food parcel consists of flour, sugar, maize, beans, rice, vegetable oil, chicken and samp.  We would gather the items in a stacked pile and make rows throughout the floor of the church.  People wait in the JL Zwane center all around in hopes for their name to be called.  Since the amount of people that needs and wants food is so high, a list is made for each food parcel distribution on who will receive the food.  The recipients are chosen based on a system that visits the home and sees how in need the family is.

Aaron gave us a task for the day to get to know at least one persons story that is receiving a food parcel.  We were in charge of carrying out people’s food parcel items with church volunteers, so we knew we would get a chance to hear a few stories.  Reverend Spiwo began to call the names after introducing and thanking our group for our contributions to make the food parcels possible for this day.

As names were called, I would follow people out of the church carrying all that I could hold.  At first, I felt awkward and slightly invasive asking about their life or whom all of the food was feeding because I did not know if they would feel ashamed for getting the aid of a food parcel.  It soon became very apparent to me that my fears were not valid and instead the recipients were more than willing to engage in conversation.  Most of them would constantly thank me for the food by saying "Enkosi" (means thank you in Xhosa) and tell me how much it would help them and their family.  I was hugged by numerous strangers and even called an angel at one point.  I couldn’t believe that what I viewed as a small amount of food (that I myself would have no idea to know how to make a meal out of) could be such a saving grace for so many families.

Some of the stories that people shared with me told of how their parents or main care providers had passed away and now they were caring for themselves and the children of the family.  Some stories told of how they know lived alone because all of their loved ones had passed away earlier in life.  Some of their stories were of their loved ones who were HIV positive and no longer able to care for themselves, so most of their money went to pay for ARV drugs.  Whichever story it was, most of the stories made me get a sick feeling in my stomach.  A feeling like something is not right and what more can I do to help.

   

In order to counteract this sinking feeling in my stomach, I revisited something that was said to us earlier that morning by Fundiswa, one of our main leaders during the week.  Fundi said, “The aim is not to feel guilt and hopeless, it is to show them that someone cares”.  In this moment of handing out food parcels, it was not my job to feel bad or selfish.  In this moment it was not about organizing another food parcel distribution.  The moment was about showing the families that someone cares.  So today I showed 250 families that I care.  It by far could go down as one of my proudest moments in life.

HUGE THANKS TO ALL WHO DONATED MONEY FOR THE FOOD PARCELS!  You made a difference to a lot of people.