Aloha,
On Holy Thursday, we celebrated Jesus instituting the Eucharist at the Last Supper. At that special liturgy, the “washing of the feet” reminded us that the Eucharist is founded and grounded in service. Jesus gathers us as one ohana to be fed by his body and blood so we can then go out and be bread broken, and wine poured out, with and for others in need.
One week later, on April 24, folks gathered at St. Jude Church in Kapolei to serve and be served at the parish’s weekly food pantry distribution. Pantry coordinator Aunty Carolyn and her team of volunteers were joined by Kami Nishimura and Sharon Fujishige of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii who presented their Nutrition Education for Wellness program.
Kami and Sharon’s participation is part of a diocese-wide effort to help parish food pantries provide nutritious sustainable food.
Kami and Sharon arrived early to learn about the pantry’s operations. While the food was distributed, they met and provided nutrition advice to more than 50 pantry visitors who represented almost 100 family members. Their lessons on eating a balanced diet were from “My Plate Guidelines” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Everybody was engaged and interested.
The Nutrition Education for Wellness program has plenty of ways to share information that is meaningful and easy to understand. Kami and Sharon are eager to help parish food pantries and ministries. We hope our parishes will contact our partners at the Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development (email bcostigan@hacbed.org) to have the Nutrition Education for Wellness program help them witness to Jesus through nutritious food ministries.
Mahalo,
Your friends at the Office for Social Ministry
