At Christmas, volunteers wake up early and prepare a special lunch for people in situations of social vulnerability

Marcela Leiros – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – Christmas, celebrated this Saturday, 25, is a day when families usually gather to eat what’s left from the bountiful table of suppers held, and take the opportunity to strengthen emotional bonds. However, many low-income people, such as the homeless, the homeless and refugees, cannot share the same traditions. With this in mind, a group of volunteers from the Church of the Nazarene, in Manaus, organized the “Solidary Christmas” to distribute meals to people in situations of social vulnerability.

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The distribution point is in the church itself, located on Constantino Nery Avenue, Presidente Vargas neighborhood, south zone of the capital of Amazonas. About 30 volunteers assembled 150 kentinhas with rice, beans, flour, noodles and chicken, with fruit as dessert, to distribute to the needy. The action also plans to take the meals to some points in the city known for the concentration of vulnerable people, such as the surroundings of the Arena da Amazônia and Praça do Relógio.

“We already had a social project until 2019 to make meals during the week, but because of the pandemic we had to stop. This is the first ‘Solidary Christmas’ that we do to contribute to the needy population, the refugees, that we know that in our context of Manaus there are many Haitians and Venezuelans, so we want to welcome these people”, explained Pastor Esthevam Gregory.

“We want to give this to people who cannot afford it, who cannot be with their families, and we know that our country is going through a delicate scenario. We are trying to give these people a light, a hope, so that they know that they are also being seen”, he added.

Volunteers organize meals at the Church of the Nazarene, in Manaus (Marcela Leiros/Revista Cenarium)

Organized meals at the Church of the Nazarene, in Manaus (Marcela Leiros/Revista Cenarium)

About 30 people are volunteers in the “Solidary Christmas” (Marcela Leiros/Revista Cenarium)

Volunteer work

According to the pastor of the church, Igor Souza, the ingredients for the meals were acquired through donations. He told CENARIUM that charity on this day is the real meaning of this commemorative date. “On the 25th most people will stay home, eat ‘R.O.’, reheated food, sleep late, so we invite the community to work on this day. To serve the people who are marginalized, who have no help whatsoever. Many people have fallen into poverty during this time, so we invited homeless people, refugees, to participate in this moment”, he said.

Pandemic of hunger

Data released in October by the Brazilian Research Network on Food and Nutritional Sovereignty and Security (Rede Penssan) pointed out that almost 20 million Brazilians declare spending 24 hours or more without having what to eat on some days. Another 24.5 million are not sure how they will eat on a daily basis and have already reduced the quantity and quality of what they eat. Another 74 million are unsure about whether they will end up going without.

In total, more than half (55%) of Brazilians suffered from some type of food insecurity (severe, moderate or mild) in December 2020, according to the survey. The survey was carried out in 1,662 urban and 518 rural households.