Food for a community
The porch stacked high with 26 tons of flour, rice and beans.
Last weekend was Placentia Presbyterian Church’s (PPC) biannual food distribution at the Orphanage. Twice a year, PPC raises money to buy staples - rice, flour and beans. The food is purchased in Mexico, because it is difficult to bring this much food across the border without complications. Members of PPC donated $13,000, enough for 26 tons of food.
What started as a desire to bring staples to the Orphanage has grown. Now the food feeds not only the Orphanage, but also the little pueblo of San Antonio de las Minas, and two poor indigenous communities, the local Nequa and the Mixteco Indian reservations.
Members of PPC hauling 100 pound bags of food, including El Sauzal Foundation board member, Kim Roudebush on the right.
The food distribution itself is impressive - a large organizational job requiring many helpers. Espinoza family members make lists of families in the community who need help, assigning how much food they need by family size. Members of PPC and the local church Iglesia del Banquete deliver the food to the grateful recipients. It is enough food for most families to last about six months, when PPC will be back.
The Orphanage staff prepares a large, delicious meal of fried chicken, fresh tortillas and salsa for the volunteers. It is a hot, dusty, tiring day delivering heavy bags of food. But that doesn’t stop Placentia Presbyterian. They will be back in December to feed the Orphanage, and three communities.
Loading up a truck to distribute food to the community.