Nineteen years ago, a couple of sisters in Veracruz, Mexico committed an unselfish act of kindness that completely changed their lives, and eventually benefitted thousands of Central and South American immigrants making their way northward to the United States. And it all started with a simple loaf of bread. 

The Romero Vasquez sisters had bought bread and milk for their family breakfast, and were on their way home as children about two decades ago. As they made their way, they came to a stop at the local train tracks, and were waiting to cross.

When the train came by, groups of immigrants riding in and on top of the train cried out to the sisters that they were hungry. 

"So we threw them our bread, and then our cartons of milk," recalls Norma Romero.

It was that day, nineteen years ago, that the sisters founded Las Patronas, an organization dedicated to helping feed thousands of immigrants passing through Veracruz by train.

According to the BBC, just last year Las Patronas was recognized by the Mexican government with the highest honor it bestows on human rights causes. 

After giving away their family's breakfast that fateful day, the sisters expected their mother to be angry with them, but to their surprise, she was on board with the idea, and helped them start preparing daily rations for the immigrants passing through their town.

Originally the girls and their mother, Dona Leonidas, would prepare an extra "30 portions of rice and beans a day," reports the BBC. 

Today, Las Patronas hands out meals made of the same ingredients to hundreds of immigrants each day.

Norma Romero and a number of other women in the town wait by the tracks each day after working hard to prepare fresh meals. Every day they gather to provide much needed food and water to immigrants trying to reach the U.S.-Mexico border. 

These immigrants traveling north ride atop what has been denoted as "death trains." It's very dangerous, as people can fall off and sometimes be run over by the trains.

There is also the danger of being abducted or robbed by the drug cartels that operate in the region. So for immigrants making the incredible journey through Mexico by train, the rations of food provided by Las Patronas can make a huge difference -- if nothing else than by showing them that someone cares and is willing to help. 

The name Las Patronas comes from the town the woman are from, yet also is Spanish for "patron," as in patron saint. Quite the coincidence, don't you think?