Teupasenti is a village of
10,000 people located in southeastern Honduras, near the Nicaraguan
border. During the Nicaraguan civil war of the 80’s & 90’s,
Teupasenti was used as a Nicaraguan Contra refugee camp and, as a
result, many of the area’s natural resources were heavily
damaged—deforestation, extensive soil erosion and the decimation of
the fish population in many rivers. When Hurricane Mitch hit the area
in late 1998, further devastation occurred, and there seemed little
hope for recovery.
Miguel Giron, a U.S.
citizen and 23-year resident of Norwalk, Connecticut (with his wife
and two sons), grew up in Teupasenti, and when he heard of the storm’s
chaos, he returned to his native village and asked “What can I do?”
After many discussions with village leaders, it was agreed the future
of the children was the greatest concern. And so, in a matter of a
few months, Miguel established the Children’s Rescue Mission, a U.S.
based non-profit 501(c)(3).
An impressive community
center was built within two years, where the two main programs are
vocational training and feeding the children. Shortly thereafter,
fifteen acres of good farmland was bought and a dairy cattle and
chicken raising operation was started to provide nutritious food.
In late 2003, Miguel was
asked what future activity was at the top of his “wish list”. He
replied that extreme poverty persisted, and that the children’s
greatest need was additional nutritious meals at the community center.
The cost to the Mission to
feed the children is 50¢ per child for one meal and the cost to feed
all 450 children currently being served is $225 for one meal ($11,700
for one meal each week for a year).
For the past three years
the First Congregational Church of Kent has developed a very close
relationship with Miguel Giron and has become an important supporter
of the Children’s Rescue Mission. In June, 2003, seven members of the
congregation spent a week in Teupasenti, serving meals, sorting
donated clothing and planting seeds at the farm.
The congregation of this
Church is seeking contributions, both within and outside the
Congregational Church family, with the hope to commit to funding one
additional meal each week for the next year. From personal
observation, members of this Church can vouch for the desperate needs
of the children of Teupasenti and hope you will consider supporting
the Children’s
Rescue Mission.
