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**EMPTY BOWLS 2008**

 **Congratulations to everyone involved in the Empty Bowls event this year! It was a huge success! We raised 115,000 Lempiras!** All of the money we raised this year will again go to benefit three daycare centers in Nueva Suyapa. These daycares offer a safe, loving environment to young children who may otherwise be left home alone while their mothers work. The centers are run by //los// //Ministerios Cristianos de Mayordomia//. This is a reputable organization whose staff has been living and working in the Nueva Suyapa community for over 12 years. In addition to the three daycare centers, they run a school that serves over 700 elementary and high school children.

 My first visit to the daycares two years ago was an emotional and eye opening experience. The centers are very small and extremely basic, yet they are warm and welcoming. The walls are adorned with colorful artworks created by the children. The daycare teachers are incredibly resourceful, loving and committed to providing excellent care and stimulating activities. Each time I visit I am greeted with a lively song and dance performed by the children. It is inspirational to witness such positivity in the face of such extreme poverty.

In addition to providing excellent care, the centers also offer breakfast, lunch and a snack to the children. For some of the children, the food they recieve at the daycare could be the only food they eat all day. This is where the American School comes in. The money we raise through our Empty Bowls fundraiser goes directly towards the purchase of food for the children. Because these centers run on donations, the amount and quality of food they can provide is dependant on the contibutions they recieve. **Our donation of 115,000 Lempiras ($6,000) will allow the daycares to provide quality food for over 30 children for an entire year!**

 I would like to thank all of the students, parents, teachers, administrators, staff members, and community members who made this happen. Together we truly can make a difference.