The young, old and young at heart were all smiles and some testified of being overwhelmed with joy as pastors, workers, students and church members across North Jamaica Conference (NJC) of Seventh-day Adventists completed a week of generosity on Wednesday.

"Our week of generosity began on October 11 and we climaxed the initiative today with a school-feeding programme and so far, the responses have been very good," Rachel Pyne, community services director for NJC, said on Wednesday.

Priory Primary blessed

At Priory Primary and Infant School, the students formed a queue as they collected their cooked meals.

"We are blessed this morning," said the principal, Beverley Black, who oversees a student population of 712. "On a daily basis, we have students coming in without breakfast and what you have done for us today was not to just silence the hunger pangs, but you have made teaching and learning easier for the rest of the day. So you have left a smile on all our faces and we wish you could come every day."

The next stop for the day was at Lime Hall Primary, where hugs of thanks were the natural response from some students after receiving their warm meal.

"It's not me you're to hug!" said acting principal Janet Haye as she redirected her students to the group of workers from the NJC headquarters who were distributing the lunchtime meals.

Haye, while saying goodbye, added: "I speak on behalf of all my students in saying thanks. They are ecstatic about what you have done for them and I am so pleased by your kindness."