Everyone calls Fracisco “Zaqueo.” He’s small, like the Bible’s Zacchaeus, but he has a big personality.

When Zaqueo was 11, he’d been getting in trouble and was recently expelled from school when a friend invited him to a soccer skills program with FMSC food partner On Eagle’s Wings Ministry. The program included a warm meal of MannaPack® Rice and Zaqueo was hungry, so he went.

Zaqueo is 15 now — and he says the decision to go that day changed his life.

Zaqueo kept coming back. The staff encouraged him, taught him and loved him — they fed his spirit, not just his body.

"I didn't want to even go home because here I could play, eat and I felt like I found what I needed, good, tasty and warm meals. Every time they served our meals they would talk to us about Jesus and I would receive soccer training skills.

… I had been expelled from school for good because of my bad behavior and not being a disciplined student when attending school. I also was over-aged to still be in the first grade. I didn't even know how to read or write.

[The program leaders worked with me and] I soon became one of the best students in my class. I was now reading and writing and had good behavior. My old teachers were surprised and could not believe I was the same kid who no one would give a cent for before. They didn't know that at the feeding program I had prayed one day to receive Jesus in my heart and since then I am a different kid and see things differently.

I graduated this past year from sixth grade. I am now in seventh grade. Now I get to play soccer in a national league since my skills have improved so much. I also attend classes to learn how to play the drums.