Operation Grocery Delivery

When Honduras put major cities on lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Compassion child development centers in the country were forced to close. Thousands of the most vulnerable children in the sponsorship program could no longer count on getting their only meal at their centers each day.

Disaster response teams from Compassion’s partner churches sprang into action to check on desperate families. But they couldn’t reach them.

“Police officers were at the entrance of the neighborhood to block visitors. Many of our children were trapped there with no food at all,” says Rony, a Compassion center facilitator.

Help came from Honduras’ highest authority: President Juan Orlando Hernández.

“The president of Honduras met with nongovernmental organizations, including our national office,” explains Yolanda Rodas, Compassion Honduras National Director. “We let him know about the role of Compassion nationwide and our response to more than 10,900 families.”

The president gave permission for Compassion staff to deliver groceries to the families, provided they took precautions like wearing masks and gloves. The staff worked night and day to purchase and deliver enough food and hygiene supplies to last each family 15 days. It wasn’t easy — many store shelves had been picked clean, so staff had to visit several shops to collect everything they needed. But all their effort paid off when they reached the desperate families.

“One grandmother broke down in tears,” says Ninfa, a center director. “They had run out of food and had no one to turn to. If not for Compassion’s rapid response, they would have been left adrift.”

Another recipient of supplies, 6-year-old Emilson, says, “Thank you for the eggs, the beans, the cornflakes, the powdered milk and the rest of the food we received. I feel proud and grateful for the staff for bringing food to my house.”

Families like these, already struggling to find work and feed their children under the normal circumstances of poverty, are among those hit hardest by the pandemic. In a reality where missing a day of work often means missing a day of food, these special deliveries from Compassion have answered the prayers of so many families.

A gift to Compassion’s Disaster Relief fund will help our church partners get crucial food and other supplies to families affected by the new coronavirus pandemic. Learn how to donate today.