A Month of Thanks – Day 26: Generosity

The supporters and stakeholders of HBI – you – are incredibly generous to our work.

Through monthly donations, annual contributions, and ongoing support, you help fund a team of almost 50 people working daily to bring hope and compassion to serving marginalized communities in Perú.

What you need to know is that your generosity has a lasting impact.

Christmas is a big deal in Perú. Part of the Holiday tradition is providing cañastas – food baskets – for each staff member. The gifting of the baskets is not only a tangible way of showing staff how much you appreciate them and their efforts – but it is also essential for the families’ finances during the Holidays. The extra food helps to offset the added costs of the season. The staff relies on the cañasta gift.

The Directors of the Casa Girasoles in Ica shared the following story. It shows just how much your generosity makes a difference.

“Every year, Esther and I [Sr. Sabino] gave our basket to Mrs. Ilda, who lives far away, her husband died of COVID, and she was left with five small children. Pastor Nestor takes us in his car, and we pray for her. This year we also went to see her but her neighbors told us that she had moved to look for a better job; she used to work in the fields.

We met Mrs. Juanita, a 65-year-old woman walking along the road. And we asked her about her. She recognized our car because last year we went to deliver gifts to the children in that area, and she asked us for a bit of support.

We wanted to give her the basket, and we asked her to take us to her house to leave it. She was always hilarious – making jokes and laughing. Her children abandoned her, and some neighbors took her home and looked after her. They acknowledged the car and thanked us again for last year’s gifts. We gave her the basket and food donation for the neighbors’ children.

Thank you for blessing us with the basket and being able to bless someone else.”

We are thankful for your generosity – and its lasting impact for the people of Perú!