San Nicolas and Comedor Pan y Vida

Today I traveled south, just past the outskirts of Bogota to San Nicolas, yes, Saint Nicholas, as in Christmas.  There I visited the Comedor pan y vida, Iglesia Cristiana Menonita, Comunidad de Amor. This loosely translates into “a bread and life lunchtime food program sponsored by the Menonite Church, a community of love.

When we got there the volunteer crew was setting up for a lunch program that feeds approximately 140 students, Monday through Friday.  The town is considered economically poor by Bogota standards, with no police or medical and one public school that runs in two shifts.  The older students attend in the morning and the grade school after lunch. 

The small children attend a sort of preschool in the morning with a variety of activities, something different each day.  They have their lunch and then go to school.  The older students are fewer in number and come by for lunch after morning classes let out.  Of the many that eat there, this might be there only meal of the day.

The food itself is very simple, a type of stew with vegetables and some meat and probably lentils served with rice.  I have had this meal a few times now with varying amounts of broth, depending I suppose, on how many one needs to feed. On Sunday, the second floor becomes a Menonite church.

 The children, of course are adorable, but it is the stories of the women who volunteer in the kitchen that feeds me.  Rosalba, Judy, Patricia and the caretaker, Ruth are examples of the strength and grit, faith and love that never gives up.  The hope that their lives and the lives of those that they love will get better.

Rosalba is in her sixties.  She volunteers at the comedor.  Just yesterday, she graduated from high school.  Her dream is to go to the university and study psychology.  In the past, she has raised and donated money for others to attend school.  Now it is her time.

Her daughter, Yolanda, lives with her, as well as Yolanda's three daughters. Yolanda’s two oldest daughters have three children between them and both are pregnant at this time.  Yolanda’s youngest daughter is still in high school.  Money was given to them to add a second floor to the house since everyone was living on one floor. 

Rosalba now lives downstairs and her daughter, granddaughters and great grandchildren live on the second floor.  The second floor also houses two professional sewing machines, their own maquila where Yolanda and Rosalba do piecework for a very small amount of money. This is how they survive.  There are no men in the household.

 

Judy lives in a dangerous area of town.  Her home used to be made of bricks and wood. The wood in the front of the house was falling apart. Rodents, mice and even people could easily access her home.  She did not feel safe. Money was given to help build a proper brick wall on two sides of her home, enclosing the front part of her house. 

  

She lives there with her husband and grown son.  Life has been difficult for her and her family.  For the past six years, she has found the support and love that she needs through the Menonite church.  She volunteers during the week in the lunch program and on the weekends, she makes pizza from a street cart to provide for her family.  She dreams of converting the newly bricked in front room into a permanent pizza restaurant and a nail salon.

Patricia, her husband, seven children and grandchildren live in a house that is located in the Invasion. The thirteen of them and the others in their neighborhood are squatters.  Patricia and her daughter volunteer at the comedor.  All of the children eat there as well.

They want to renovate the enclosed back portion of their house to create a living room.  They will need some cement and a roof. They already have some bricks.  Patricia’s husband can do the work if the supplies were made available. 
This too will soon become a reality.

These are the "two" Ruths.  The Ruth on the left is a volunteer from Java.

Ruth is the caretaker of the building.  She has three daughters.  Two of her daughters are grown and live in the towns nearby.  Her third daughter is in grade school and she lives with one of Ruth’s other daughters.  She comes to stay with Ruth on the weekends and during school holidays. 

Ruth manages everything that needs to be managed since Leticia lives in Bogota.  Leticia comes to the comedor everyday Monday through Friday to be with the children and discuss details with Ruth.   

Together with all of the other volunteers they are feeding the body and the spirit. This feeds my soul.