Meeting Seraphina and her sisters, Timotheme and Joyce, gave us a glimpse of the diverse experiences that they, as 11-, 8-, and 6-year-olds, have already seen and hope for. They’ve experienced life on two continents, in two states, and in two Kentucky communities with their family from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Along with stories about their “B.F.Fs” and dreams of being like Olympian Simone Biles, came their aspirations to “get rich and buy all the Takis in the world” and become fluent in Korean. Like other Kentucky kids, they like Doritos to go along with their favorite fruits and vegetables like broccoli and dragon fruit, they enjoy classic summertime activities like swimming, and they look up to their heroes.
Timotheme looks up to her friends who are always by her side to help. For Seraphina, “[I look up to] my parents because they support me; they pay the bills, and they put food on the table. I do not have a job. They have a job, and they have 12 hours of work.” The grown-ups in her hardworking family work hard to provide nourishment, safety, and fun for their children, and when school is out and meal gaps are not covered, they get support to ensure nourishment still makes it to their table. “When you are hungry,” Seraphina told us, “you are crying. And when you are crying, you just go to sleep, like I do. And then you go to the kitchen, and you are angry, and you shout.”
Thankfully, with the help of a God’s Pantry Food Bank partner pantry, Seraphina’s family makes sure their girls never have this heartbreaking experience with hunger again. Now, these sisters can fill each day with experiences that bring them joy like “dancing,” “cooking food,” and “eating chicken on the 4th of July.” They can look forward to their favorite days like “my birthday and the last day of school!” as Timotheme excitedly shared with us. And they can continue to get to know a world with community, one that includes parents, best friends, and neighbors who are always there when you need them most.
Together with our neighbors, God’s Pantry Food Bank is working toward a future where the 1 in 4 kids and teens facing hunger in Central and Eastern Kentucky have the food they need to thrive and pursue their greatest joys, just like Seraphina, Timotheme, and Joyce. Having you in this movement to end hunger truly makes a difference and impacts families across our 50-county service area. We’re so glad you’re here, and we can’t thank you enough!
