Operation Blessing provides breakfast for 100 children in Zacapa, Guatemala.

Report from the field: OBI teams share their firsthand, eye-witness accounts of hunger relief efforts in Guatemala

ZACAPA, Guatemala – We left at 5:00 this morning heading to Zacapa, east of Guatemala City. The cool weather quickly turned hot as we arrived at the community where Operation Blessing is providing breakfast for 100 children.

The families in this community represent several different ethnic backgrounds, many of whom moved to this area a couple years ago when heavy floods destroyed their homes. We drove through the community and went directly to the public school to visit the children.

As the children were having breakfast, little Julie caught my attention; she has a beautiful smile. While I was taking pictures, Vivian (who is OB staff in Guatemala) told me that Julie is one of her favorites, and she began to share about her family.

Julie’s mother, Norilda, is a single mom. She doesn’t have a steady income, so every day she knocks on doors offering to do whatever chores may be available. With the little money she earns, she provides dinner for her family. She doesn’t have relatives nearby who can help her and she can’t go to her neighbors for assistance because they are poor themselves. Norilda continues to worry, not knowing how she will be able to take care of her children. Her only hope is God.

A healthy, nutritious breakfast is the highlight of the morning for these kids. It prepares them to focus on learning and participating in class.

Julie helps her mom with all the chores in the house so it is usually after midnight by the time she goes to bed. She often struggles to get out of bed in the mornings because she goes to bed so late. But Julie has to get up early to make sure her mom is up and off to work, then she helps her younger brother get ready for school.

Every morning she goes to school without any breakfast. The few times she does get something to eat, Julie gives it to her younger brother. Although she wants to study, she has a difficult time concentrating in her class because of her empty stomach.

Almost all the children in Julie’s class are poor. Most of them also come to school without having breakfast. Then, when school is over, they run to the garbage dump site looking for food.

After this situation was brought to Operation Blessing’s attention, we started a breakfast program for these kids. A donation of cereal from the United States arrived in Guatemala just in time to start the program. A healthy, nutritious breakfast is the highlight of the morning for these kids. Julie is so happy now because not only does her brother get breakfast, she gets to enjoy it too.

Just before we left the school, the children prayed for us and thanked OB for this wonderful blessing.

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HOW YOU CAN HELP
Every day, Operation Blessing brings nutritious food and essential supplies to thousands facing hunger and poverty in America and around the world. With your help, we can continue to impact lives and give hope to those who need it most. Consider making an online donation today.

 

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