Every mealtime, Joan Tamang, 26, was always having difficulty feeding her children, resulting in their stunted growth. So she was overjoyed when she learned that their local church, Faith In Christ Alone, partnered with Operation Blessing to provide daily feeding for the children in their community in Sitio Kabuhuan in Barangay Puray, Rodriguez, Rizal through the Bless-A-Child (BAC) project.
Three of her four children, Kevin, 7, Hannah Micah, 6, and Janea, 4, were among the BAC beneficiaries. Since then, Joan noticed that her children’s appetite and vigor improved.
“Whenever they hear the bell that signals the start of feeding, the kids would immediately get their plates and fall in line. The feeding is really of great help to my children because here, they could eat delicious and nutritious meals. Sometimes there is meat, too. On our own, we cannot afford to buy meat. Our usual meals are just blanched vegetables like camote tops,” shares Joan.
Her husband sells charcoal for a living. In a month, he could sell about 60 sacks of charcoal for about ₱9,000 ($175). But most of the time, the money he earns is only enough to pay for the debt they had in the store accumulated in a month. They also plant rice and corn yearly through kaingin system. This year, however, Joan’s husband got sick during the planting season so they did not earn additional income from planting.
With this, Joan is grateful that despite their reduced family income, her children can eat nutritious and delicious meals every day in the church. Joan is one of the most active parents who volunteers in peeling and chopping ingredients, and she, too, had learned how to cook sautéed vegetables and adobo. The recipes she had learned, she now also cooks at home instead of just blanching vegetables.
Joan’s only prayer is for her family to be healthy and safe from any sickness, and she is thankful every day to see her children growing healthier because of the feeding program.
—
Operation Blessing’s Bless-A-Child project addresses the health needs of malnourished pre-school children through nutritionally balanced meals, monthly healthcare, and free education. Let’s give our future generation a new hope to live the life they deserve. Donate at www.operationblessing.ph/give. #Happy25YearsOB #MssionYouCanBelieveIn
DSWD-SB-SP-000061-2021-Nationwide. Valid until November 23, 2022.