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Starving Families Given Food and Hope by HIS Work In Progress

Operation Hope

His Work In Progress has returned from our current mission. One report is that the two families in Operation Hope were on the verge of starvation. Unlike America, there are no support programs to aid the needy. This is difficult for some Americans to comprehend. When telling our story we often hear “Why not help the needy here in the US? I want to help our own.” When we hear this type of response, we identify their lack of understanding of what is happening outside of America and especially in places like Croatia, and Bosnia Herzegovina.

I can tell you that we visited the temporary living quarters of the family of six that in October we purchased a wood burning stove to provide heat this winter. They do not have their own home. When we arrived, the entire family was thinner and the children looked as if they did not grow. Curious as to their situation we looked inside the refrigerator and there is a huge empty space. Lost in this space were only four eggs for six people, four small eggs. The freezer was unplugged because there was nothing in it and they did not have the money for food let alone the extra money for the electricity. The situation was bad, very bad. I was informed by trusted local charity workers that the truly needy do not run up to people, beg, and this certainly was the case here. They shyly stood in the one small room looking at the clothing and shoes for the children as we tried the new Reeboks for proper sizes. It was then I observed a look of panic in the mother’s eyes. Her hands shook. The wife explained that the shoes and clothing we brought for the children are desperately needed. She is very grateful for the gifts for they did not have the money to buy clothing however she sheepishly informs us the family is starving. The uncertainty and the embarrassment for her to dare ask someone who just provided you with clothing and shoes for the children would sound deeply ungrateful but desperate people do desperate things. She musters up the courage and asks if you can help provide some food, and she softly and rapidly makes her request while she stares at the floor mortified that she actually asked the question.

This is a very emotional situation in which to be involved and after some additional questioning; I asked the interpreter how much it costs an average family of four to eat a month on a minimum level. He told me $500 marks. The husband makes $200 marks a month, this equates to $135.00 American. They have six people in their family not four. One does not need to be a math major to realize that for six months since we last met that this family probably had to make hard decisions as to who ate on any given day. Searching for the appropriate thing to say I took a deep breath fought back the tears and told the wife that St. Nicholas is arriving early this year to relieve the stress of the moment. I told her while glancing at the children and that prior to arriving to this house I thought I would give St. Nicholas a call since I knew his telephone number. After I spoken with and met with him, he gave me something for the entire family. I reached in my pocket and slowly counted out twelve of the $50 mark paper currency totaling $600 marks. I observe her left hand is nervously rubbing her entire right arm as her eyes widen with each fifty-mark bill I counted. I handed her the money and she suddenly leapt forward with cat like quickness and kissed me on both cheeks. I was startled. She had tears in her eyes. I looked at my son and I asked him “I have another $250 marks do you think we should give them the remainder now?” We quickly agreed they should have the money and gave the remainder to the wife who was now a complete basket case. I told her that we would come back tomorrow. We leave stunned. We had to move on to the second family.

The family with nine children had similar stories except the father is unemployed. This family lives on the side of a very steep mountain, which places a strain on a vehicles suspension and transmission. Driving up the gravel road spewing rocks and dirt, the transmission whines, our laughter at the entire strain produces a cacophony that announces our arrival. The little children run in opposite directions, some to greet us, and others to inform their parents of the arriving visitors. The fourteen-year-old daughter approached us and stated she was grateful we purchased books for her to go to school when we last met in October. Her English had improved and so communication was easier. She showed us her hand, which had recent burn marks from the cooking oil, which spilled as she tried to help her mother while cooking. Our medical team looked at the wound and determined the appropriate action. When we delivered new Reebok shoes and clothing for most of the children, I noticed that our fourteen year old was the only one who had not received anything in her size either clothing or shoe. I quietly asked our interpreter “how much do shoes cost”? I wanted to make sure we had sufficient funds that day to help this young woman. I am relived to hear the price is within our current funds on hand. I called the young woman over and explained in English with my interpreter by my side to ensure accuracy, that although we did not have shoes for her I wanted her to pick out her own shoes that she would like and something I just give her and I handed her the money. Her eyes, her face, lit up like a Christmas tree. I told the family we would return tomorrow. We left with heavy hearts.

That evening after our group dinner, I explained the families need. Everyone wanted to donate his or her treasure and to help.

The next morning we asked our trusted host for information on a location to buy large quantities of food at a reasonable price, which he quickly replied. Our host also quickly arranged the translators’ availability and our necessary transportation requirements. Excitement grew and we prepared for the days events. We did not know what to expect as we rushed forward in our attempt to help the needy. Food lists with attention to nutritional values were prepared. Several pastas, various cheeses, an entire pig, even more pork, chicken, flour, tomatoes, baby food, coffee, and even diapers for the 18-month-old child. The enthusiasm of our group running around the store with interpreters finding the appropriate nutritional foods was something to behold. The entire store, which is normally quiet was now abuzz with inquisitive locals trying to comprehend who has this much money for food. Staff eyebrows rose when we ordered an entire pig and all the pork the butcher had in stock along with boxes of chicken legs. I can still vision the shear volume of food in the many shopping carts. The look of bewilderment from the locals, the excitement in our group’s voices calling out across the isles if the specific product was acquired and the helpful store employees, giddy from the enthusiasm, all-eager to answer the questions from our interpreters as to which products the local inhabitants preferred. I took a brief moment to observe the reaction just in time to witness two young female employees run to each other and laugh as they hugged each other and spun around quickly to not miss a single moment of what was happening. Complete strangers volunteering to carry the food in the many boxes to the van and car we had waiting for us, further verified this pep rally atmosphere.

Energized by this endeavourer we headed out to visit the first of two Operation Hope families.

We arrive mid afternoon to a smiling family of six as they run out the door. Eager impromptu teams quickly organize to determine which boxes of food items belong to this family while other members briskly deliver the goods into the home. Inside, the once sparsely decorated room is now lined with the shoes and clothing of yesterday’s delivery along with the many boxes of food items. Someone notices there are still four eggs in the refrigerator. They have not eaten since we last saw this family yesterday. We ask if we can help put the food away. We explain our concern for the pork and chicken to get it refrigerated right away. The mother nervously indicates she will gladly put it away obviously still uneasy over all that has happened in the past two days. The unplugged freezer still sits with a large plant on top indicating its lack of use. We ask if we can take some photographs as we prepare to leave and they agree. Everyone is smiling except for one young girl. There is awkwardness for both parties. I tell the family that hopefully one day soon I will be in their own home sharing a fine meal prepared from the own garden. The mother again has tears in her eyes. I inform them we will be back again in the fall. No one wants to leave; no one knows what to say. The emotion is overwhelming. The language may be a barrier but the universal language for love of neighbor, is very clearly understood. We wave good-bye leaving a part of us behind.

The family of 11 with the nine children are next. In October, we gave this family money to purchase twenty live chickens. Since they own their house, they can have livestock and grow vegetables unlike the first family. The father is till unemployed. Once again, we drive up the side of a very steep mountain, and once again place a strain on a vehicles suspension and transmission. Driving up the gravel road tires spew rocks and dirt, the transmission whines, this time we are silently contemplating what we had just experienced and what we will experience at this second destination. Once again, the noise pierces the silent mountain air. The little children run towards us as the older child watches and waves from above. This time we have a van full of food. The van has a difficult time maneuvering into position to turn around and back up the very steep final 50-yard incline positioning for the easy exit of food supplies. The children run to assist us in carrying the many boxes of food. Their excitement in their voices grows with each box that we deliver. We also bring a tape player, English books and tapes and various stuffed toys and puzzles and three baseballs (called whiffle-balls) are immediately taken out of a suitcase and the fine art of throwing various pitches like the curve ball and slider are displayed much to the excitement of the children while the sound of English lessons fill the air. The laughter is contagious. Everyone wants to throw the curve. The food is placed on the ground and a local cat can smell his next meal. The father offers us some coffee and we graciously accept. Their way of making coffee is to leave the grounds in the pot without a filter. The end result is very strong coffee with a thick layer of grounds in your cup. We tell the family to refrigerate the pork and chicken right away since the day is warming and cat is dangerously close to acquiring his meal playing with the plastic bag used to carry the food. I motion to the father and he quickly chases the cat and carries the food to the second floor freezer much to our relief. Now there are three balls whizzing by our heads and excitedly the children are calling us by name to have a catch with them. Every child has a toy and the mother has a contented smile on her face. After another photo shoot we explain we must leave. The father tells me he does not have medical insurance and I give him a location where he can go to obtain free medical service from a not too distant humanitarian organization. Although almost an hour away and limited in its scope, the medical service does the best they can with the little they have and so not an optimal situation, it is better than nothing. We work our way down to the car and wave goodbye knowing we have helped provide hope. We also know there are miles to go in communicating the need for these two families if we are to help them reverse their situation.

Operation Hope needs your help today to make a difference in the lives of these wonderful people.