Healthy Lunches, Brighter Minds: Nutritional meals for children help entire family

By Jaclyn Bonner

It is rare to find third graders who are eager to eat their fruits and vegetables, but every day 9-year-old José Chanco excitedly tells his family about the nutritious lunch he eats at the Operación San Andrés’ educational enrichment program for children in Collique, Lima, Peru.

José attends Fe y Alegría, a local primary school. He is one of about 170 children served through two OSA hunger alleviation programs.

Through the Living Water-OSA program, he is able to spend weekday mornings at OSA House. He benefits not only from healthy lunches that include fruit, vegetables, meat, and rice but also gets guidance with his homework.

In three months alone, Living Water-OSA served 1,368 lunches to children ages 8 to 12. Some mothers in the shantytown prepare the lunches and benefit from healthy meals, as well.

OSA is a ministry supported by the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering. Support from the Hunger Offering and ministry partner, South Main Baptist Church in Houston, directly helps this non-governmental organization serve children and families living in the economically unstable outskirts of the capitol city.

Founded by a Houston cardiologist, Dr. Luis A. Campos, in 2003, OSA provides medical services, hunger relief and primary education, working to enrich impoverished lives physically, academically, and spiritually.

The community development and educational services rendered by OSA address generational poverty by helping youth perform better in school, which will ultimately help them obtain better jobs and aid their families suffering from poverty.

“José now eats healthy foods which help him maintain better concentration and interest in his studies,” said his grandmother and caretaker, Norma Veramendi Huaman.

“This not only benefits my grandson, José, but also our whole family, because we are content and happy to see him growing in a healthy and wholesome way. Above all, he is being instilled with Christian principles and values.”  

Hunger Offering donations are making a difference in the lives of marginalized people in Collique.         

The next 5th Sunday Hunger Offering will be April 30, in Baptist churches across Texas, but you can give any time here.