On Saturday November 13 volunteers from CLM (Christian Life Ministries) Church Coventry and the local community gathered at the headquarters of international aid charity Feed the Hungry in order to pack and seal 20,500 food parcels containing soya, lentils, rice and micronutrients. The food is destined for children and families in Lebanon, where over 1.5 million Syrian refugees currently reside, many of whom struggle to feed themselves and their families, a situation expected to get worse with the coming winter and the ongoing pandemic.
Esther Storey, Co-Senior Pasto of CLM Church Coventry said, “We already partner with a church in Lebanon which, for some years, has been providing extraordinary support to thousands of Syrian refugees. The recent economic crisis in the country has made the situation extremely difficult, plunging many Lebanese nationals also into crisis and food poverty. To be able to work with Feed the Hungry, to help provide food for both Syrian Refugees and our Lebanese friends has facilitated a very practical and simple way for us to help to make a difference.
“The food packing experience itself was brilliantly organised and led by the Feed the Hungry Team. It was great to be so practically involved and was fun to do alongside others – the sense of team together in what we were doing was very special.”
Gwyn Williams, International Operations Director of Feed the Hungry, emphasised the central role volunteering, often by people of faith, plays in enabling international aid organisations to operate: “Over the last year, we have seen many individuals step up and help those most in need locally. As a charity, we are acutely aware of the devastating impact COVID continues to have in communities across the world. We couldn’t support those communities without the army of local volunteers here in the UK willing to give up their time to help pack up meals to feed vulnerable children across the world. It’s humbling to know that the congregation of CLM and their local community can make a difference to a child somewhere who’s struggling.”
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