Rice, rice and more rice.

Our special thanks and appreciation for this exciting entry has to be extended to Westside Church of Christ in Brisbane, QLD. This amazing church of generous and kind hearted people donated 15 sacks of rice to Global Impact Davao base and left it entirely up to our discretion how we used this blessing.

Each sack has played an important role in our last few months, as we have journeyed with these sacks in an attempt to better convey the blessing of rice to our ministry and our gratitude to Westside. Rice is a staple in the diet of every Filipino I know, so this kind of a gift impacts lives all over the city, in tribal areas and in squatter communities.

4 sacks were used during our annual Catalyst Youth Leadership Academy (allowing us to scholarship a number of syudents), 2 sacks during our annual Conquest Youth Camps (188 campers attended), 2 sacks during community outreach with the Academy students, who spent a day on the streets of Davao reaching out to the poor and lonely. 2 sacks were sent to Astorga to help with schools starting for tribal children and 1 sack used to bless a friend from the Bagobo tribe whose uncle passed away. 3 sacks have been donated to the SAFE homes to help one of the single mothers open a Carendaria (an eatery). The last sack is on hold ready for the start of breakfast club next week.

The story of one sack
A funeral is a multiple day event here in the Philippines, especially if you live in one of the many tribal areas surrounding our city of Davao. Renante, a friend and this year a student in the Catalyst Academy, received the very tough news that his Uncle had died during the first week of the Academy.

As a way of blessing him and his tribe we sent a sack of rice with him to bless the Aunt who was still alive. His appreciation was obvoius when he received the gift but on his return he was ecstatic as he told the story of arriving at his Aunt's residence to discover she had no food to share with the many tribal folks and relatives who would be there for many days until the burial completed the proceedings.

Renante shared that when he presented our gift to her, she was so blessed and kept asking "but why? why would they give to someone like me who they have never met?" This opened the door for Renante to share God's love to everyone who was there. This open door was created by generous hearts and a $45 sack of rice.

Our thanks to our parnters and also to the generous gift from Westside Church of Christ.