Just One Meal a Day

Isabel is a single mother raising her son Marco in Iquitos, Peru, a very poor community near the Amazon River. To support him she makes and sells corn tamales on the main street of her town. Five-year-old Marco likes to help. “I help my mom to make the tamales and with housework,” said Marco. 

But the money Isabel earned working seven days a week was often not enough to restock the business and buy food for that day. “I typically only make enough for us to eat one meal a day,” recalled Isabel. There were times when Marco said they went the whole day without eating."
 
“I remember a day when I didn’t have anything to eat,” said Isabel breaking into tears. “Then a neighbor gave us some food.  I decided to give it to my son. That night I tried to make him fall asleep so that he would not ask me for food.”  
 
Then Operation Blessing came to the community and trained Isabel how to raise and sell broiler chickens. After the training, Operation Blessing built a chicken coup and gave her one hundred broiler chickens to start the poultry business. “They not only gave me a shed but feeders for food and water -- everything needed to raise the chickens!” said the grateful mother.    

“When mom sells chickens, she buys food for me! Now we eat three times a day!” declared the happy boy.   

“I have now been raising and selling chickens for two years! With the profits I am increasing the business. Thanks to God and the people who have blessed my family,” said Isabel.