Last Sunday, Cuban priest Leandro NaunHung took to social media to share an inspiring story about a group of children in a rural community in Santiago de Cuba. These kids collect and crush aluminum cans to sell them, supporting local missionary kitchens with the proceeds.
In a video posted on Facebook by NaunHung, a young girl introduced what she referred to as a "missionary center." This open-air space is where nearly a dozen individuals, mainly children and teenagers, dedicate their time to crushing aluminum cans.
The girl also pointed out the area where uncrushed cans are stored, explaining their goal is “to raise the money we need for our missionary kitchens.” A woman from the community elaborated that the cans are collected by “brothers from various communities” as their contribution to the church.
She explained that after collection, it falls upon the children, teenagers, and young adults to crush the cans, pack them into sacks, and sell them.
Additionally, the video highlighted another community activity: bread-making. “You can eat it with honey, with whatever you like, it’s delicious bread,” the girl described. In a nearby house, she demonstrated how young people prepare the bread dough, which is then baked in a wood-fired oven and shared among parishioners and community members attending mass.
Recently, during a Sunday mass in a rural area of Santiago de Cuba, NaunHung distributed bread, emphasizing this act as a means of spreading joy and resisting the harsh realities faced by Cubans. In a video message on Facebook, he conveyed a message of hope and solidarity while handing out bread: “We bring you a gift, we bring you bread,” he said, underscoring that sharing food amidst the crisis is a way to bring happiness.
In recent days, the priest also made a social media post urging people to recognize the importance and necessity of recycling aluminum cans. He stressed that this effort not only generates income but also supports both families and the church.