Seven months ago on a hot June afternoon we kicked off our feeding program in the small, impoverished village of Macomb. Since then so much has changed.

I remember watching the children coming for their first meal: some were timid, many were uncertain, most looked tired and haggard, all were hungry. After eating huge plates of rice and meat covered in a spinach based vegetable sauce, those faces came to life. Then… we brought out the cake! Everyone was so excited. Yellow cake with white frosting and SPRINKLES.

Today, as a I look at the faces of the children, I’m so amazed. They look so healthy; the orange hair (a sign of malnutrition) that was so prevalent at the first meal is now difficult to find on these children. Vitamin supplements, healthy meals containing meats, fruits and vegetables . . . it seems like such a simple thing to us who live in the U.S. and often eat more than we need, but to those living in a fifth world country, it’s everything.