JOINING FOOD FOR LIFE IN NOVEMBER 2016 MADE ME FEEL SO BLESSED. I LIVE IN GLEDHOW WARD 15 AND WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY IN GLEDHOW SOUTH VILLAGE AND KUKUWENI AREA. IN THESES AREAS LIVE MANY POOR, SICK AND UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE. THE CHILDREN IN THESE 2 AREAS ARE AFFECTED BY POVERTY. EVERY WEEK I COLLECT 2 OR 3 TUBS OF DELICIOUS BRIYANI AND SERVE TO THE COMMUNITY. WHEN THEY SEE MY SILVER GETS COMING TO THEIR AREA, YOU COULD HEAR SOMEONE MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT CALLING FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO COME COLLECT THEIR DELICIOUS MEAL WITH A HUGE SMILE ON THEIR FACES. THEY WOULD GREET YOU WITH GREAT RESPECT FROM THEIR PURE HEARTS AND SAY THE MAGIC WORDS LIKE “THANK YOU” , “GOD BLESS YOU” , “THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY”. CHILDREN AND ADULTS WOULD COME WITH THEIR 2 LITRE CONTAINERS OR SMALL LUNCH BOXES TO COLLECT THEIR MEALS. WITHIN 1 HOUR I AM DONE SERVING AND LEAVE, YOU COULD HEAR THE CHILDREN SCREAMING “COME BACK AGAIN” OR “THE BRIYANI WAS DELICIOUS”. I WOULD STOP MY CAR AND GIVE THEM MY WORD THAT I WILL COME BACK AGAIN.
IN 2016 MY WIFE AND I TOGETHER WITH 2 VOLUNTEERS STARTED COOKING AT ALL BIG FEED EVENTS. WE COOKED AN AVERAGE OF 4 TO 6 POTS OF BRIYANI. WE ALL REALLY ENJOYED COOKING AS WELL AS BEING APART OF THIS EVENT. OUR BIGGEST FEEDS WERE DONE IN GLEDHOW PRIMARY SCHOOL, 680 SCHOLARS TO 880 STUDENTS AT UMFOLOZI COLLEGE IN MANDENI. THEY WISHED US WELL AND THANKED FOOD FOR LIFE FOR THE DELICIOUS MEALS. IN 2017 MY WIFE GOT SICK AND IS STILL RECOVERING. SHE COULD NOT JOIN US ON THE 1ST APRIL FOR THE FIRST BIG FEED FOR THE YEAR. I APPROACHED MY FAMILY AND 2 OF THE FEMALES JOINED US TO PREPARE MEALS. I BRIEFED THEM ABOUT THE BIG FEED TWO DAYS EARLIER. THEY WERE EXCITED TO ATTEND AS I SHOWED THEM PICTURES OF THE PREVIOUS BIG FEED.
ON THE 1ST APRIL WE ALL GOT UP EARLY AND 2 YOUNG 14 YEAR OLD BOYS JOINED US TO ASSIST. WE ARRIVED AT 06:30 AM AT THE COOKING SITE AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE. FIRES BURNED BRIGHTLY AS THE PEOPLE PREPARED TO COOK. WE RECEIVED OUR STOCK TO COOK 4 POTS OF BREYANI AND PROCEEDED TO THE COOKING SITE AND BEGAN PREPARING. THE BOYS WERE TASKED TO BRING IN WATER WHENEVER WE NEEDED. THEY ALSO SET UP THE WOODS, LIT THE FIRE AND ENSURED THE FIRE WAS BURNING WELL. THE POTS WERE PLACED ON A TRI POT STAND AND MY COUSINS BEGAN COOKING. THEY FOLLOWED THE COOKING METHOD WHICH WAS GIVEN AND HAD NO PROBLEMS.
MY TEAM ENJOYED THE MUSIC WHILE COOKING, AS FOR ME I LOVED THE MUSIC. MANY OF MY FAVOURITE GOLDEN OLDIES WERE PLAYED AND I COULD SEE OTHER TEAMS ALSO ENJOYING THE MUSIC. THE M.C DID A FANTASTIC JOB UPDATING AND MAKING ANNOUNCEMENTS REGULARLY. AROUND 09:30 AM ALL 4 POTS OF BRIYANI WERE COOKED, WE THEN WENT TO HAVE BREAKFAST IN A WHITE MARQUEE ABOVE THE COOKING SITE. A HUGE VARIETY OF FOOD WAS PREPARED WITH A VARIETY OF FRUIT, TEA, COFFEE AND WELL AS COOL DRINK TO WASH DOWN. WE ALL ENJOYED THE BREAKFAST AND WENT TO COLLECT OUR 4 TUBS OF BRIYANI FOR DISTRIBUTION. I TOOK ONE OF THE BOYS WITH ME TO ASSIST WITH DISTRIBUTION IN OUR AREA. WITHIN 1 HOUR THE 4 TUBS OF BRIYANI WAS FINISHED. ADULTS AND CHILDREN WILL BLESS US AND THE MAGIC WORD THANK YOU COMES FROM THEIR HEART.
I INSTANTLY BECOME A MESSENGER AND BRING BACK THESE KIND WORDS TO THE FOOD FOR LIFE TEAM. TO ALL VOLUNTEERS, COOKS AS WELL AS SPONSORS “GOD BLESS”
WRITTEN BY JAYA SHANMAGUM