Uruguay: Hunger & Hope
Across Uruguay, thousands of children are growing up in heartbreaking circumstances. Many wake each morning without knowing if they will eat that day. Some live in homes scarred by violence, neglect, or the absence of parents. Others drift away from school, not because they do not want to learn, but because hunger and family pressures push education out of reach.
The aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic has made life even harder. Already struggling families have seen unemployment rise, resources fall, and the fragile safety nets collapse. What once was poverty has deepened into crisis. In this context, children are the ones who suffer most. One in five children in Uruguay lives below the poverty line. That means hundreds of thousands of little ones missing out on food, safety, education, and hope.
And yet, into this bleakness comes light.
Breakfast with Jesus
For these children, Uruguay’s churches are a beacon of hope.
When the Bible Society first launched Breakfast with Jesus in 2022, the response was overwhelming. More and more churches asked to join, because the need was so urgent and by the end of 2024, the number of churches offering this programme had doubled - and still more are waiting.
Each Saturday, children aged 3 to 12 gather to hear Bible stories, receive their own age-appropriate Scripture materials, and enjoy a warm glass of fortified chocolate milk and a simple snack. It may sound small, but for these children, it is life-changing. It shows them that they are loved, cared for, and not forgotten.
Already in 2025, the Bible Society have distributed 800 storybook Bibles to children and have planned a further distribution of another 700 storybook Bibles. These Bibles are treasured by the children who receive them.
A Hunger for Hope
One of the teachers in Bella Unión (a rural area in the north of the country) said that “many children who lack affection find relief and hope in God.” She continued saying, “The support provided by the Breakfast with Jesus project has been a great blessing for our church and the children, who gather every weekend to learn and grow a little more with Jesus.”
Another leader, in the city of Fray Bentos, reflected, “We were able to see changes in the children's behaviour and their families restored, since as the children became closer to the church, their relatives became involved, and today the whole family attends.”
The growth of Breakfast with Jesus reflects this hunger for hope.
The Ongoing Need
Poverty is real. Hunger is real. But so is God’s compassion - and so is our opportunity to respond. Through Scripture and sustenance, we have the privilege of interrupting these cycles of despair and planting hope in young hearts.
But for this vital ministry to continue, the Bible Society of Uruguay need your support. Each year, the project costs of £17,000 to run. That’s only £11.42 per child for a whole year.
Will you stand with us today? Will you give so that more children in Uruguay can have food in their bellies, Bibles in their hands, and the love of Jesus in their hearts?
The Bible Society would love to be able to increase the number of children they can serve each year, but this is only possible with your support.
Pray with Us
- Pray for the children, that they would find a safe and loving welcome at these churches.
- Pray that the children would experience God’s hand at work in their lives and the lives of those around them.
- Pray for strength and wisdom for the teachers as they navigate the difficulties that the children bring with them.
Donate
Your support today will help the Bible Society of Uruguay to continue this vital work.
- £23 could cover the cost of this project for 2 children living in poverty for a whole year.
- £57 could help 5 children to experience God’s love physically and spiritually through Breakfast with Jesus.
- £114 could provide breakfast and Bible stories for 10 children for a year, helping them to learn that they are loved by God.