Christmas is not called the season for giving for no reason.
It is after all a time when Christians the world over celebrate how God demonstrated His great love for mankind by giving His son, to be born on this earth, to die on the cross and then rise again to cleanse the sins of the world.
That was the ultimate example of giving, of selflessness and of love.
And it was in that same spirit of giving, spurred on by the celebration of Christ’s birth into this world that is behind the ‘Feed the Hungry’ initiative of the Vaitele Cell Group of the Apia Harvest Centre Church.
Now in its fourth year, Feed the Hungry was born out of a desire to reach out to those in need.
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And it is because of this that instead of holding the Feed the Hungry initiative at the church grounds at Togafu’afu’a, as has been the norm since it began in 2011, the organisers have decided to go out into the community.
“We feel that instead of waiting for people for people to come to us, we will go out to the people,” said Saveatama Sinapati Lio, leader of the Vaitele Cell Group.
Falelauniu, being an area of relatively new settlements, was chosen as this year’s outreach venue.
Tents and BBQ stands were set up on the grounds of the Falelauniu Assembly of God Church, where people of all ages queued up early in the morning until early afternoon. About 500 plates of food were given out along with more than 50 bags of clothes, toys and other goodies, not only to those who turned up at the venue, but also to family homes that these were delivered to. “We know how hard it is for people to move into a new area, trying to settle in, and also dealing with issues like water, electricity and general wellbeing. So this is just a small way of helping them out this season and bringing a bit of cheer to their lives,” said Saveatama.
The Vaitele Cell Group is grateful for the assistance of the following companies, organizations and individuals who donated food, money and other materials that made this year’s Feed the Hungry possible: Samoa Stationery And Books, Frankie’s Wholesale & Supermarket, SOS, BOC Gases, Papali’i Niko and Doris Lee Hang, Matafeo George and Taulapapa Brenda Latu, Polynesian Shipping Line, Westpac Bank, Youth With a Mission, OSM Consultants, Gecko and Marina Keil, Ray and Doris Wright, James Curry, Muliaga William and Velda Cafarelli, and Leata Taulapapa.
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