A glass of milk, a smile, a hope

In Southern Madagascar, where the earth thirsts and children walk for miles through the hot dust to get to school, our Church does not only build walls and roofs. It builds souls. It builds a future, offers dignity, and above all, spreads love.

In places forgotten by people but blessed by God, our Diocese, with the power and providence of the Lord, has managed to establish ten schools; ten spiritual beacons in the darkness of poverty and abandonment. In these schools, thousands of children receive free education every day, not only in letters, but above all, in humanity, in solidarity, in faith in Christ.

They are children ignored in statistics, but God knows their name. They are the least of our brothers, those little ones that Christ gave us as teachers, as fathers and mothers. With their bare little feet, their ragged clothes and their eyes full of light. They come to our schools every morning holding a notebook in their hand and a hope in their heart. And we await them; with a silent prayer, with a kind word, with a smile; and perhaps, most importantly, with a glass of milk and some cookies.

Because how can you talk to a soul about Heaven when its stomach is empty? How can you lead a child to the illumination of knowledge when it is struggling with hunger? This is why in our schools we distribute milk and cookies to all the children every day. It is their first breakfast and often their only meal. This is a simple act, but one that hides within it all the care of the Church; a silent embrace, an expression of love from Christ in the form of food.

This is definitely not luxury. It is a necessity. It is not charity. It is justice. It is the Word of God put into practice in the schoolyards, through the Church that is not limited to the Sanctuary, but goes down to the street, bends with affection, teaches, feeds, covers, lives and loves.

Every time I look at the children’s little hands respectfully holding the glass of milk, every time I see their faces light up from the first sip, I feel like I am standing before a sacred mystery. This is so because He who was born in a manger is now being born again in the hearts of these little brothers.Christ is there, present: in the smile, in the crumb, in the look. It is He Who blesses the little and makes it much. It is He Who blesses the minimum and transforms it into eternal value.

Undoubtedly, we cannot change the whole world. After all, it is not our own power which can achieve that. However, we change the world of these children, and this is our usefulness. And when a child is fed and educated, it feels happy and smiles, then all of heaven rejoices.

With deep gratitude to those who silently and humbly support this struggle,

With faith that God’s love has no limits.

Bishop Prodromos of Toliara and Southern Madagascar