When Julissa and her husband started their family, they were homeless. Julissa prayed for somewhere to live that was a safe place to raise her girls, and for years they shuffled from one unstable shanty to another. Before they received a Food For The Poor home, they lived in a house pieced together with metal, wood, and bed sheets. The children were terrified of windy rainstorms, and they lost sleep to howling winds, pounding rain, and leaky roofs.
Now, Heidi, 6, and Medelin, 11, sleep peacefully through the night. They can study for school without worrying about their beds, clothing, and school papers getting soaked. Thanks to Food For The Poor (FFTP) and its donors, the entire family has safety and peace of mind.
Calixta’s Struggles
In Guatemala, Calixta and her three grandchildren barely survived. Their home was a dilapidated, zinc room that flooded when it rained.
The water poured in through the rusted roof and seeped under the walls, turning the dirt floor into a muddy mess. The water also brought disease-carrying mosquitoes that often made the children sick. Despite her constant turmoil, Calixta’s faith in God’s love and mercy remained strong.
She prayed night and day: If God lets us, we will see a new house because he is the owner of our lives.
Thanks to God and the kind-heartedness of FFTP donors, Calixta’s prayers were answered. Their new home keeps them safe and dry.
Leaving a Legacy
Ferdinand “Ferdy” Mahfood established FFTP in Florida on February 12, 1982. The organization initially sent resources to his homeland of Jamaica, where he witnessed firsthand the plight of people suffering from poverty, disease, and the impact of natural disasters.
Today, FFTP feeds millions of hungry children and families living in poverty–primarily in the 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. They also provide emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicine, educational materials, support for vulnerable children, care for the aged, skills training, micro-enterprise development assistance, and homes to those who need them most.
Be the Answer to Prayer
Seven Saves, a new program being offered through FFTP, is a church-based initiative that feeds souls and transforms communities in the name of Jesus. Seven Saves provides you with tools and resources at no cost to the church. It’s an easy way to get involved and be an answer to prayer.
Seven Saves benefits impoverished communities but also benefits your church by creating shared goals that build community and keep congregations working together and actively invested in outcomes. Learn more about how to get involved at Sevensaves.org.
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