Mercy Network Countries

Separated by poverty, a family in rural Madagascar finds hope, reunification, and resilience through church visits, Food Paks, and the transforming power of the gospel.

Micaela’s small home clings to the eroding ravine edge on the outskirts of Guatemala City, where volcanic soil, heavy rains, and earthquakes constantly threaten to undo what little stability her family possesses. Yet in this precarious place in Guatemala, month after month, believers from Moriah Christian Church climb the steep path to her door, bringing Food Paks, prayer, and the gospel that has transformed her fear into a living confession that “Jesus Christ is everything to me.”

Seven-year-old Nelson Ponce lives in the remote highlands of Pachaconas, Peru, where his family once struggled with poverty, alcohol abuse, and instability. Through the regular visits of Dina Rojas Cusi, who brings Food Paks and shares the gospel, Nelson’s parents, Justo and Marcelina, came to faith in Christ and left their old habits behind. Now their home is marked by prayer, Bible study, and active involvement in their local church, as God uses simple acts of mercy to bring deep spiritual and family transformation.

On the outskirts of Lilongwe City, Malawi, lies a densely populated township called Chinsapo, where Rhoda takes on whatever small jobs she can find to earn a modest wage. At their age, Rhoda and her husband should only worry about taking care of themselves, but instead they are responsible for feeding not only their adult children but also their grandchildren. When Pastor Denis Banda of Narrow Way Bible Church learned about Rhoda and her family, he reached out to them with Food Paks provided by donations from Children’s Hunger Fund, and over time, Rhoda’s heart softened toward him and the message he shared. Despite her Muslim background, Rhoda identifies as a Christian and believes that Jesus is the only way, regularly attending church with two of her grandchildren as church members volunteer to translate services from English into Chichewa so that families like hers can better understand what is being taught.

Around the world, millions of children face a daily struggle most of us can barely imagine—simply getting enough to eat, especially in the first five years of life when a child’s brain develops more rapidly than at any other period. Without consistent, nourishing food—enough calories along with essential protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals—children risk permanent cognitive impairments, weakened immune systems, stunted growth, and emotional delays, but through Food Paks delivered by local churches, Children’s Hunger Fund helps kids grow, learn, and thrive with both physical nourishment and the life-giving power of the gospel.