Feeding Children in Phokeng

We have started going with Derek and Rebecca (the YWAM missionaries) to a town called Phokeng to serve a meal to about 80 children on Tuesday afternoons. Most of the children live in child-led homes, and this is most likely the only meal they get that day. Lincoln and I just started going with Derek and Rebecca, so we don't know very many of their stories, but a lot of the children have lost their parents and adult family members to AIDS. These children have no one else to take care of them, so they take care of each other. Each day they gather outside of a lady named Martha’s house and wait for food. Some days there a meal and they eat, some days there is no food and they go with out. Derek and Rebecca met Martha who reaches out to the children, and also wanted to do something to help her and the kids out. So, they committed to bringing a meal once a week. In addition to providing love and care for these children, Martha helps get grant money for the kids (all of the money goes to them directly, or into accounts for them) and uniforms for school. Schooling here is free, and open to anyone, but a child must have a uniform in order to attend school. A school uniform for one year cost about $100 US dollars, which may as well be a million dollars for these kids who have nothing.