Tegucigalpa, Honduras - Honduran Ambassadors for Peace united to offer a day dedicated to special children who live around the city dump, a poor section of the Honduran capital with many homeless people, especially children. The day included medical care, food, and a party for the children who have so little. It concluded with a reading of a UPF peace message.
According the Miami Herald, Honduras has the highest rate of children working at dumps in Latin America, an estimated 2,000 out of a population of only 7 million.
During the day of service at the dump site, the UPF Ambassadors for Peace were encouraged by the visit of Mr. Jorge Mahomar, a well-known "Good Samaritan" who helps the homeless people. Mahomar was recently recognized by the Honduran government as a recipient of the First National Prize for Voluntarism.
Moved by the poor environment and condition of the community living around the dump, he committed himself to build a center to promote families, children, and values and begin a feeding program in January 2007.
The proposal for the day of service came from a young Ambassador for Peace, Claudia Raudales, who inspired other Ambassadors for Peace to offer contributions of their own: Wilfida Sandoval offered new toys and clothing, Mrs. Dania Morales offered a piñata for the party, Milton Valladares offered the candies and supplies, Mrs. Doris Garcia offered chickens for the lunch, and Marvin Aceituno, Roberto Cruz and Isidro Betancourt each offered monetary contributions.
The UPF Peace Message was delivered by Catholic priest and Ambassador for Peace, Padre Gumercindo Guillen, with the help of another Ambassador for Peace Dr. Casco, a lay leader of a Catholic NGO.