Morning at the soup kitchen

Noooooo.... NOT Soup Restaurant where they have the fabulous Samsui Chicken.

A soup kitchen, where volunteers gang up and put migrant workers at their mercy eating the food the volunteers have cooked for them. But seriously, it's really good food.

The Archdiocesan Commission for Migrants and Itinerants set up a soup kitchen a couple of years ago. They cook meals for newly arrived migrant workers who do not have money to buy food for themselves. That's because they pay a king's ransom to the agents who bring them over here to work, so the ACMI helps them save whatever meagre pay they receive by providing them with free meals for the first few months they are here.

It's also a chance for a bunch of retirees or the ungainfully half-employed like myself to get together and do a little bit of good.

Getting up at 6.45am to be ready and at the kitchen by 7.30 was awful but worth it. The work wasn't too hard as there were about 10-12 other volunteers helping. Everyone just chipped in wherever they were needed and the whole atmosphere in that kitchen was lighthearted and warm - not just from the stoves but from the fellowship as well.

I don't know how many people we cooked for today but I heard it was about 100. I suppose if the ACMI gets more financial support and volunteers, they can cook for more. They started out with twice a week, then now they are doing it 3 times a week (Tuesday to Thursday). They will be starting Monday and Friday sessions soon and I shall be helping them on Mondays and Tuesdays which are my off-days. I shall leave Thursday free for Woofy's Choice :-)

It's fun and I'm looking forward to the next session already :-D