On the Monday the 1st of August 2005, the Comedor Infantil (Children's Kitchen) "Jesus de Nazaret" was officially opened (see blogspot: www.lamesacompartida.blogspot.com). The project began providing a midday meal for 25 children, a figure which has now increased to over 50. The success of this project to this point is due to the extraordinary generosity of many people from within the Diocese of Ballarat, Australia, also from Melbourne and Canberra, as well as our friends from the Primary School of Hollywood, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

Thanks to the work of our Parish Social Worker, Lucia Cuantas, the mothers of the children have been organised into working groups who are responsible for cooking, cleaning up, and the general supervision of the children while they are at the Kitchen. Those who cannot participate during the day because of work, are rostered to assist with supervision in the Library between 7:00pm and 9:00pm. This Library, which operates out of the same centre, provides an environment conducive to after school study for children whose homes are often little more than two roomed sheds with dirt floors and no electricity. There is a weekly meeting on a Thursday afternoon aimed at keeping everybody accountable, as well as discussing the general development of the Kitchen and Library.

Recently the community of Cangallo decided to hand over about 20 square meters of land to the Kitchen for the purpose of developing a vegetable garden. This will greatly assist with the cost of running the Kitchen. The final photos on this blogspot show the working bee organised by the women to begin the cleaning and clearing of the site of the garden. The terrain looks most uninviting, but the determination of these women will see the job done. I must add, that inbetween taking photos, I myself worked with pick in hand - I would have been ashamed not to.

Fr. Michael McKinnon

29th October 2005