“When I grow up, I want to be a policeman and protect people from bad guys.” At just ten years old, Emmanuel Bustillo had already witnessed plenty of violence in Honduras before his family immigrated to San Antonio, Texas. Having a safe place for his family to live is very important to Emmanuel.
He also has a dream of owning a pet rabbit someday.
Emmanuel’s mother has slightly different goals—mainly, to provide food for her three children to eat each day. When Alina and Jorge Bustillo came to America, they had dreams of a better future for their family, and, for a while, they did. They found a home to rent, and Jorge’s job as a roofer provided them with a decent income. The situation changed when Jorge got himself in trouble and ended up with a 22-month jail sentence.
Alina’s brother came up from Honduras along with his seven-year-old son. The pair moved in with Alina’s family to help them make ends meet, but the jobs he is able to take are limited by his lack of education and understanding of the English language. Temporary jobs help but don’t cover the cost of their basic needs.
Pastor Villastrigo and his wife first met Alina’s family when introduced by a member of his church. They began delivering Food Paks and have started to form a friendship with members of the family.
The food has brought relief to Alina’s tight budget and offered stability. Now that summer is over and the older children are able to receive two meals from the school’s free and reduced meal program, she can stretch their resources even further. Diapers for her one-year-old are expensive, but the church has been able to help with that, as well.
Much has changed for the Bustillo family. Alina has started to care for other children in her home to contribute to the family income and her brother continues to look for better work. Alina and the children have visited Pastor Villastrigo’s church a couple of times and are open and receptive to hearing about the gospel.
The gifts you send make it possible for church partners like Pastor Villastrigo to expand the reach of his church to minister to his community. Because of your gifts, Emmanuel, his sisters, and his cousin are able to receive Food Paks and hear that they are beloved children of a loving God. Thanks to you, hope is being delivered.
