The winters are very cold in Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially when the “bura” (northeaster) winds come off the Asian continent. Many of the families live in homes with very little heat and some have no heat at all. It can be hard for us living in America with our many material goods, warm homes and good jobs to relate to these poor people and what they go through each day. Life for so many of these people is hopeless and depressing. The monthly cost to heat a home with electricity is $130 US per month and with wood it is $100 US per month. Food for one month costs about $400 US for a family. The average monthly income is only $400 to 450 US. Making ends meet is a difficult chore. This is why Father Jozo set up the Families-in-Need Program.

There is one family whose father earns the average wage and whose little daughter has Crohn’s disease. It costs about $750 US per month for her medications and food. Without sponsorship from a wonderful lady in Pennsylvania, this family could not make it.

Father Jozo has many more families like this one waiting for help. Our office received an e-mail in December 2007 informing us about a family with nine children whose father had recently died leaving the mother, who cannot work, and her children with little hope and no financial help. We are now praying for benefactors to help feed and care for this family.

It can be so easy to help, so easy a five-year-old can do it!  Last winter, the five-year-old grandson of one of our volunteers heard his grandmother talking about the need for winter coats and decided to do something about it.  The little boy shared his grandmother’s story with everyone they knew and collected over 100 coats, all of which were taken over in early January of this year.

In September 2007, a young mother of six from Davenport, Iowa went with us to Medjugorje and learned about St. Clare’s mission for the first time. She went home and started collecting warm winter clothing for the needy children. Her son goes to St. Paul Catholic School in Davenport, Iowa, and told his class what his mother was doing. Now the entire class has made it a project to help with winter coats and clothing for the poor in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

On our January 2008 trip, one of our volunteers from Baton Rouge, LA went with us and she was able to meet the mother of the little handicapped child she sponsors. The mother had just lost her husband due to a heart attack, leaving her with six children to care for and she is unable to work. In Monica’s words, “I realized what a tremendous amount of faith this woman has and the sacrifices she must make for her children. This family lives in a very small rented apartment with a tiny kitchen that also serves as a living area. The family has only three bedrooms. Their home is heated by wood and she prepares the meals for the family on the wood stove. I am aware of a valuable lesson being taught to me about being humble and blessed. Seeing my Godchild was a life changing experience. She is five years old, mentally and physically handicapped and full of Christ-like features. Her small sweet face and smile showed me how to offer my sufferings to God. Many thanks and our prayers go to all the people at 'Mary Our Hope' Center for helping these special-needs children. I will never forget the trip and the many lessons Blessed Mother and this family have taught me. My heart is changed forever and I promise to guide as many people as possible to be charitable to Father Jozo’s programs.”

We need loving hearts and families to help sponsor children in the Families-in-Need Program so they can have food and the medical attention they so deserve. To learn how to become a sponsor, please visit our 'Become a Sponsor' page.

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