PERU – As a mother, one of the hardest things Maribel had to do was watch her two children go hungry.

Her husband, Abelardo, is a construction worker, but his income simply wasn’t enough to provide for their family. Maribel would even ask for food from their relatives when they were desperate, but it was hard for their families to spare enough.

To complicate matters, their eight-year-old son Jack became anemic and Maribel knew they had to do something that would improve his nutrition.

Then Maribel joined Operation Blessing’s gardening project and learned the skills she needed to plant and tend a vegetable garden in her backyard. OBI also arranged for Jack to receive the treatment he needed to overcome anemia. Today, their whole family is benefitting from the healthy vegetables grown in Maribel’s garden.

“Not only have we improved our nutrition, but also my son’s health,” Maribel said.

As part of the garden project, she was invited to participate in a nutritious recipe contest.

“I prepared a special dish with beets and another dish with chard,” Maribel said. “These types of vegetables are always in my home because they contribute to the health of my children.”

Much to her surprise, Maribel won first place in the contest, receiving a complete set of cookware for her efforts.

“I knew my mom was going to win,” Jack said. “My mom cooks delicious food!”