Distributing Food

Packing food bags

Yesterday we started the morning by going to the dump and feeding people. I then ran a couple of errands to get things Rosy needed for school. Marc and part of the group headed for the grocery store to buy beans, rice, spaghetti, etc so they could prepare food bags to give away. They brought all the food here to assemble the bags.

Every single one of the children, including Katty and Maryuri, wanted to help pack the bags. Two of the employees that were on duty also wanted to help. With that many helpers, it did not take long to have the food bags ready to go.

Richard, our friend and the preacher at Ojojona was going with us to distribute this food. He told us we were going to the mountain, which is a good ways out of Ojojona. Marc told some of the older kids they could go with us. With the food bags in the back of the truck, fifteen or sixteen of us piled in Marc's truck and mine.

Since it was after 4:00, I was thinking we probably would not get all the food distributed. We started up the mountain and stopped at a few house along the way. On the mountain, the houses are pretty far apart. Richard knew everyone.

We stopped at one house and it had pottery kilns in front. They were fired up and baking clay pottery. Some had just been fired. Marc bought me three pieces. I am quite sure they do not have people driving down the road and stopping to buy often.

It was soon getting dark and the road was rough, to say the least. I thought we would turn around and, perhaps, finish today. Richard had other ideas. We just kept going. I have already made Marc promise to take m back down that road in the daylight.

It is always an eye-opening experience to distribute food and see how people live. Last night was no exception. It was even more eye-opening, to see people living in these little houses, many not as good as where we would keep our lawn mowers, with no electricity. The only light and warmth in the house came from the dancing light provided by a small fire. The families were huddled around that fire in an attempt to stay warm. A lot of people enjoy camping and huddling around the campfire at night for a few days. But would any of us want to live that way for a lifetime.

The air was getting quite chilly and we needed our jackets. I was wondering how many, if any, blankets were inside those houses. How were they going to sleep with it being so cool and the wind blowing right through those houses.

We finally stopped and got out of the vehicles. Richard and two of his friends led us along the path up to people's houses so that we could give them food. It was dark and rocky and steep, with only a couple of flashlights to guide the way. People were so grateful for this food.

At this time of year, it is normally raining several inches a day. It is not raining this year. If it had been, we would not have able to get to a lot of these places. The road would have been impassable, making the need even greater.

Richard knew all of these people. He goes up there and visits and works in that community. On a side note, the other today I was trying to say, in spanish, Richard is the preacher and I said Richard is the sinner. OOPS! I saw Richard loving these people, taking the time to know them and know their needs, helping to provide for those needs. He was so excited that these folks were getting a little bit of food.

We were tired and dirty when we finished giving the food away. We came home and ate and took hot showers and got in warm beds with blankets. Richards' friends that helped us and guided us were tired and dirty, too. They did not go take warm showers as they have no running water. They may wash off in the cold river today. They probably did not sleep warm beds and maybe didn't even sleep in a bed but on the floor. I looked in a couple of houses. The furniture was sparse. Very sparse.

We distributed 100 bags of food last night to people that needed it and appreciated it. Gracias a dios. I don't think any of us will forget that experience any time soon.

Terri