The report below comes from one of our Touch A Life feeding locations in Honduras.
We currently operate multiple feeding centers across Honduras, providing over a thousand meals each week. In this report, we want to highlight one of those centers, our location in Cantarranas.
Cantarranas, which translates to “Singing Frogs,” is located about an hour North of Honduras’s capital city, Tegucigalpa. Home to roughly 17,000 people, the town is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountain ranges, giving it both beauty and isolation.
Our feeding center in Cantarranas serves lunch daily, with an average attendance of about 54 children, though that number varies from day to day. From Monday through Thursday, we provide complete, balanced meals that include a variety of vegetables, along with chicken, beef, pork, beans, rice, and tortillas.
Fridays look a little different. On that day, we let the kids choose what they want, and without fail, they choose arroz con leche (rice with milk). Made with plenty of milk, rice, and cinnamon sticks for flavor, it’s their favorite. The kids absolutely love it, so we let Fridays be a special treat, kind of like taking your kids out for burgers and fries when you’d really prefer a home-cooked meal. Personally, I think it’s better as a dessert, but then again, I’m not a Honduran kid.
Meet Mario and Kevin, two brothers who have been attending the feeding center for about four or five months. Mario is 10 years old, and Kevin is 8. For them, this meal is often their only lunch of the day. If they aren’t able to come, usually because they are working with their uncle or other family members, they simply don’t eat lunch. Breakfast is also often missed, which is sadly common in Honduras.
They walk about half a mile from Las Lajitas to reach the center. Normally, their younger sister Rixi attends as well, but on this particular day, she stayed home to help with chores. The family lives in a one-room house with a detached kitchen and bathroom, shared by their parents and five children. Their father was injured while serving in the Army and now needs a cane to walk. He works as a “rapidito” bus driver. Their mother is a housewife. Mario and Kevin have two older sisters and one younger sister, Rixi.
Both boys love math (no thanks!). Kevin enjoys playing football (soccer), while Mario’s favorite game is tag. At home, they are responsible for making their beds and sweeping the floor every day. On this day, they also brought their cousin with them for the first time.
They had spent the entire week working with their uncle, which meant this was the first day all week they were able to come and eat. Days like this remind us why these feeding centers matter so much.
Thank you for your support, giving Mario and Kevin the opportunity to eat at least one good meal a day!
