On a recent call with Theresa, we discussed the remarkable group of individuals who support the day-to-day activities of the property. Each day, 1,000 children are fed! That is quite a feat. Here’s a short breakdown of how this happens.
The 27 women of the cooperative split into two groups. The first group does the cooking the first week, while the second group does all the maintenance work around the property. The following week, they switch. Older Foster and Eugenia are in charge of supervising the children while they eat. If a child has missed several meals consecutively, they make a home visit to find out what might be the issue. Usually, the cause is some kind of illness, in which case, the cooperative home-delivers a meal so children don’t go hungry. Often, this is the only meal a child gets to have.
The cooperative staff come together over their meal in the middle of an intense day of cooking, serving, washing up, property maintenance and classes. Sometimes the staff will bring in extra vegetables from home and will cook them and add them to the meal, sharing with all. As Theresa told us, “It’s nice sharing food at the property. We open up, eat together, tell stories, because of the love we have with each other. It’s the joy of sharing.”
I project this is what we all experience as a Sangha when we are practicing together. The joy of being together as a community, the joy of practice.
As we head into this new year, it is with deep gratitude for the Living Compassion Kantolomba community, and our Living Compassion community worldwide, that we are looking forward to another year of joy in feeding these children, being together, and ending suffering.
In Gasshō,
Sreedevi
