Far From Flashy, But Doing Important Work - the Montanita Feeding Center

Almost two years ago, we published this blog post with a handy-dandy list of some of the smaller feeding centers that people could sponsor for a year. Ian and Jan Westcott did just that. They sponsored the feeding center in Montanita, run by Pastor Felipe, which feeds more than 50 children a nutritious meal once a week. We don't normally share the names of donors and their donations, but the Westcotts gave me permission to use their name (because it's in the video, below), in the hope that this might encourage others to give. The cost to our ministry, to supply and oversee the feeding center in Montanita, is just over $50 per year.

Recently, the Sowers’s videographer headed to Montanita to create a video update of that feeding center.

The center is far from flashy! It’s in a small, remote area, and, in contrast to the sponsorship centers in the Manna 4 Lempira program, it has few bells and whistles. Feeding centers are chosen to become sponsorship centers partly because they are closer to the Sowers’s home, making it possible for them to oversee their operations. While Trish knows to never say, “Never,” she said it is unlikely that a place as small and remote as Montanita would ever become a sponsorship center.

The children in Montanita and other remote feeding centers aren’t receiving the extra goodies that go to the kids in sponsorship centers. Allen, Trish, and Russell are gradually working to incorporate better Sunday school material to these remote centers. One major problem with that is that the smaller churches don’t always have the necessary facilities and teachers to separate the children into age groups, for age-appropriate lessons.

Still, these children - and the children at all of the other feeding centers - are receiving nutritious food to prevent the scourge of malnutrition. They also have pastor led Bible lessons each week. This is made possible through donations to our general fund, donations to the general feeding center program, donations earmarked for specific centers (such as the Westcott’s donation), and through the sponsorship program itself (funds donated to the sponsorship program, above and beyond the cost to run that program, go into funding for the general feeding center program).

If you are currently sponsoring a child or donating to feeding centers, thank you! If you’re not, perhaps providing an annual sponsorship for a remote feeding center is something you would like to consider. The cost is minimal and the return is MAGNIFICENT!

 - posted by Christi

Trish adds: if you're interested in helping us feed children, the "To Donate" button is located at the top of this page, just below the title photo. Thanks so much for helping!