On June 5th, "events" were set in motion to begin "OPERATION NEW HOPE." This weekend will be the beginning of the filling of the first container of food... JUST FOR THE MISKITO INDIANS. This is New Hope's biggest feeding effort ever. We believe this container will have over 300,000 meals in it!!! Just the cost of producing the meals will be around $60,000! Then there will be another $6,000 needed to get the container to Nicaragua... plus the additional finances of trucking the food deep into the rain forest to the Miskito Indian village of Waspam. Then there will be the massive effort of getting the food out to the families. What an undertaking!!! How we need everyone's "prayers" and "support" for OPERATION NEW HOPE!!!

You next question probably is, "Why all the fuss?" Well, here are the reasons why we feel getting this food to the Miskito Indians is so imperative!

Each year, for generations, the Miskito Indians living in this remote rain forest area of Nicaragua have planted their crops at the time when the first white cranes make their appearance. These white cranes are supposedly the signal that rain was on its way. However, a month has now passed since the sighting of the first white cranes, but the land along the Coco River is still dry and barren. Although rice seeds have been planted, without this precious rain, what few rice seeds that have sprouted, have only produced plants that are a few inches high.

The Miskitos do not understand why there is no rain. All their lives, whenever they planted their rice to feed their families, winter rains would cause their crops to grow. Yes, the signs of rain are there: the white cranes, the flowering avocado plants, the flashes of lightening, the silver fish appearing in the river, but still no rain! 

The fact is, the Miskito Indians are experiencing a serious climate change. Why? More than likely it is due to the cutting of over one half of their rain forrest in the last 50 years. Not only will this affect the Miskito Indians, but in some way, it will probably affect the whole world. God planted the rain forests there because the world needed the trees to maintain the right eco balance. Now due to man's "greed," the rain forest is being cut in this area as well as all over the world.

Ten years ago, a Miskito Indian family could harvest about sixty bags of rice from their garden. Last year, due to the drought in the winter and floods in the summer, they were able to grow only about seven bags. Miskito Indians do not know what they are going to do to survive this year. Their very survival depends on the rains to water their gardens. There are no grocery stores, and if there were and food was available, the Indians have no money to buy it.  

The scientists who are now studying these conditions are painting a very bleak picture for the future of the Miskito Indians. The scientists believe, because of the cutting of the rain forest and other climate changes the earth is experiencing, the temperature is not only going to rise in this area, but there will be less and less rain each year.  

Now, a month into their "rainy season," the river that should be deep enough to bring supplies up the river in dugout canoes is only ankle deep in places. Basic supplies, such as salt and drinking water, have not been available in a number of villages for over a month. The situation is getting desperate. The Miskitos do not have the ability to deal with this problem.

Here are more of alarming facts many of the Miskito Indians, who are already living in severe poverty, are facing. In 2005 thousands of Miskito Indians experienced a famine after a plague of rats plundered their crops. The rats are flourishing because the Miskitos have killed many of the snakes for food and their skins. The number of blood sucking vampire bats are on the rise and bringing with them a possible serious rabies problem. 

Families have survived in the past by trying to find snails to eat and whatever wild fruit they can find. But now there are not enough bananas or snails to go around. When this happens, the families compete against one another to find enough food so their children will not starve. Now there is no reason for them to even light their cooking fires as there is nothing to cook. 

All this is bad, but it's just the beginning. The Coco River is severely polluted from the up river mines... cholera and TB are on the rise... there are no roads to bring in supplies (only the river and it is too low to transport much food)... even the future survival of Miskito Indian families are becoming uncertain.  Over the past 17 years the Coco River area has suffered 12 natural disasters which included seven hurricanes and five tropical storms. Medical services, drinking water and electricity are virtually nonexistent in these communities... diarrhea, respiratory problems and skin diseases are common. And, the list goes on and on...

One news headline put it this way... "Hope Dries Up For Miskito Indians." However, with the Lord’s help, we will put it this way... OPERATION NEW HOPE IS ON THE WAY!
This is much more than an humanitarian aid project. We are believing God will use OPERATION NEW HOPE to minister to the physical needs of the Miskito Indians, but more importantly, to give us a platform to share the love of Christ with them as well. 

Thanks for uniting with New Hope for the "harvest of souls." As we minister to the physical needs of the Miskito Indian people, far more than just natural survival is at stake! OPERATION NEW HOPE has eternal significance.

It is true! ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT (and that means ALL) of your gifts of money to New Hope Children’s Foundation... no matter what the sum... will go to Nicaragua to help New Hope minister to the physical and spiritual needs of children in Nicaragua.

It will ALL go to Nicaragua... “for the children”... for feeding programs... for the operation of the school... for the orphanage and other ministry outreaches to children in Nicaragua. Our "pledge" to you is at New Hope Children’s Foundation we plan to keep it that way! It’s a promise! (Unless your gift is designated another way)... So THANK YOU so much for your prayers and gifts during June... “FOR THE CHILDREN.” 

New Hope Online is published by: New Hope Children's Foundation - P.O. Box 39120 - Birmingham, Al 35208. Telephone (205) 488-9897. New Hope Children's Foundation is located on the web at: www.newhopechildrensfoundation.org.