A Global Advent: 25 Stories of God With Us Around the WorldExemplo

Do you have a favourite meal or food-related tradition when you celebrate Christmas with family and friends?

In Honduras, a common Christmas meal is nacatamales: seasoned meat wrapped in dough and steamed in banana leaves.

Families spend Christmas Eve preparing this traditional dish together and serve the meal on Christmas with a variety of fruit like apples and grapes. If the family can afford it, the feast will feature roasted pig or chicken.

With the global food crisis that has unfolded worldwide, however, Christmas traditions will be disrupted in countries like Honduras. Many families face continued food shortages and food prices at record highs. Beyond Christmas celebrations, the health and well-being of whole communities are at risk.

Photo Caption: Dana eating at her home in Honduras.

In the lead-up to the Christmas season, 8-year-old Dana was one of the more than 2.6 million people in Honduras facing a food crisis. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, food prices spiked and have stayed high. As a result, children face malnutrition along with a life-threatening condition known as wasting, which leaves kids too thin and dangerously weakens their immune systems.

When Compassion’s local church partners learned that Dana was diagnosed with wasting, they moved quickly to help. They ensured Dana received the medical care she needed, including nutritious food and supplements of vitamins and zinc that helped to save her life.

Photo Caption: Dana smiling with friends after receiving a lifesaving “nutritional rescue.”

A story of potential tragedy was transformed into a story of hope and joy.

The act of kindness and generosity that saved Dana’s life serves as a striking reminder of how important it is to minister to the practical needs of the people around us. As we do so, we minister to Christ himself.

As the global food crisis continues to impact areas of poverty, so many kids and families need help and hope. How can you bring practical, life-giving help to someone in need and be the “hands and feet of Jesus” in their life today?