Cookies and Juice

We have started carrying cookies and juice in our truck. At the local pricemart store (sam's club)

we can buy a package of 48 four packs of cookies for about $5.00 and a 24 pack of juice for about $5.00. We keep them in our truck and pass them out to hungry children. We run into hungry little ones every time we leave the house. When you stop at a red light, in front of gas stations, and standing on corners. We know that a small pack of cookies and a jug of juice does not have a whole lot of nutritional value, but it does take the edge off of their hunger for a little while.

We also run into hungry children on the mountain of Mololoa. We feel that it is one of the poorest commuities that we visit. We have a special connection to the people in this community. We have spent a great deal of time working there, attending church and building relationships. We feel drawn to this community and feel that we need to focus on helping some of the children here. There are so many children that are alone during the day (moms are working or looking for work, bringing water up the mountain or looking for firewood). We have seen children as young as 4 years old watching a younger sibling while the mother is away. Often older children are not allowed to attend school so that they can watch their younger brothers or sisiters.

It is a very sad situation and often overwhelming to be surrounded by dozens of dirty, hungry children that are so very excited to see us.

We drive to the top and visit and play with the children. As soon as they see our truck driving up they all get so excited. They start jumping up and down clapping their hands. They all start running to us, yelling to brothers and sisters, "The gringos are here, the gringos are here!"

Little children swing half naked babies up on their hips as they run to us. We are surrounded by grinning dirty faces with eyes that are shinning brightly with excitement.

We play with the children, kicking soccer balls, taking pictures and just having fun.

The children love to have their photos taken and willingly pose and smile.

Katrina has made so many new friends and as soon as they see her they all start running, waving and shouting "Katrina, Katrina!" She loves to hold the babies.

We hand out cookies and juice to all of the children as we drive down the mountain. It is some what like a parade. We drive a few yards then stop and pass out cookies and juice. The children line the road jumping up and down as we get closer. The start nudging one another and clapping their hands with excitement. The are very good to make sure they take one and that the younger children are not left out. We drive off with shouts of

Gracias! Gracias!

There is a feeding program in Nueva Oriental that is feeding approximatly 500 children, elderly and pregnant women Monday-Friday. The woman that is running this program is Hondurian and speaks english. Joe has spent some time with her and we are hoping to visit the program soon. The woman is very kind and more than willing to share all of her information on starting and running a similar place in Monoloa. There is already a large church building with electricity in which we might be able to serve the children. We are not sure how all this might work out. This is a much needed program. I can just see all of those little ones sitting down to at least one hot meal a day. I can't imagine how excited they would be to get a meal instead of just a pack of cookies.

We are still in the planning phase and will keep everyone updated with information on how we can all help the beautiful, hungry children of Monoloa. This is a very large project to undertake and we are asking for everyone to keep us in your prayers. When you see so many children that are hungry it can be overwhelming, too big of a job for just a few people, but we have to remember that God is bigger than any problem we could ever face, and that as long as we keep our focus on him he will guide us in everything we do.

Now to him who is able to do far more

abundantly than all that we ask or think,

according to the power at work within us,

to him be the glory in the church and in

Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.

Amen

Ephesians 3:20-21

Our e-mail address is klugefamily@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you.