September 3, 2021
Food for Labourers without Labour
Daily wage labourers in some areas where GFA workers serve continue to have difficulty finding work amid pandemic-related shutdowns and, as result, struggle to feed their families. GFA pastor Sanchez and a team including Sisters of the Cross, Women’s Fellowship members and other GFA workers organized a distribution in two villages to offer aid to such labourers in their community.
“We know that many people are going through difficulties, and we have been praying for the situation to come back to normalcy,” Pastor Sanchez told recipients. “We, as a church, contributed a little so that the people in need can be helped. With our prayers and God’s blessings, we have prepared these ration kits for you.”
Forty-five labourers received food kits with rice, beans, oil and salt. These recipients and their families were overcome with joy to know the church is always ready to help the poor in their time of need.
“We have been struggling so much due to the lockdown as we are left with no source of income,” said Sayre, a food recipient. “Nobody came to ask about our condition or provide any help to us, but we are so happy today that you have visited us and provided us the dry ration.”
Fifty-year-old Bain also received food.
“Due to this pandemic and lockdown, people are not able to go to work and are struggling for food,” Bain said. “In situations like these, what you are doing is a great encouragement to us.”
Salena, a woman from the same village who received food, added that the gift made them “feel loved and cared for.”
Food for Migrant Workers
In another region, GFA pastor Lamarr and his team distributed vegetables to the families of 45 migrant workers. These workers typically depend on a nearby brick kiln for even a meagre income to meet their basic needs; they live in small huts made of sticks and plastic.
Because of the pandemic, they have been hard-pressed to earn a livelihood. In many cases, job losses have impacted migrant workers the worst, as they are more likely to work in the informal sector without job security or economic safety nets. These grateful families happily received the much-needed food.
“You are helping the poor in the community,” said Selman. “Thank you for the kind help among us.”
Acting as the hands and feet of Christ, these GFA workers—and many others—are helping provide “daily bread” to those suffering without.