Hungry children and mothers

Dear friends in Christ:
Christian greetings in the name of Jesus from beautiful Guatemala!
Many of you have heard and read about the drought in Central America this winter season and particularly in Guatemala. Our Country relies on the rain to begin in May and continue through to the end of October. Without that rain our crops that sustain most of the population have withered this season.
To complicate this, the global financial crises have put a huge pressure on the budget of Guatemala. Add this to a continuing surge in the exchange rate of the US dollar to the Guatemalan Quetzales now standing at Q8.30 for 1US dollar, compared to one year ago when the exchange was Q7.75.
All of this has resulted in a very high unemployment rate and greatly reduced the national disposable income.
You have probably heard about the extreme hunger that is affecting our children. Our National Hospitals are saturated with under nourished children.
As we at Hearts for the children are struggling to maintain our food programs for the children, widows and single Mothers and our street people, we are not sure how much longer we can sustain these programs. February of 2009 was the first month that indicated our financial support was beginning to fall. The first four Months of the year saw a drop of %3o, now in the Month of September we are faced with a %65 fall out. It is very hard for Hearts for the children ministry to even think about aborting these food programs and disappointing so many Mothers, children and street people who have come to depend on HFTCM for at least one good meal a week.
To this extent you realize that the Allan family has been affected by these financial crises also.
Weather experts are predicting a continuing dry winter and if that happens Guatemala will be faced with a severe long term hunger situation. The Ambassadors to Guatemala from The USA, Sweden and Canada are urging the President of Guatemala to declare a national state of emergency.
Tom Allan is asking all of the faithful to weigh in on this critical situation. First for prayer, along with a special offering.
Jesus called his disciples to him and said “I have compassion for these people; they have been with me a long time and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way :”(Matthew 16:32).
Thank you for all you do for Him and us and may you continue to experience the full blessing of god’s grace and love and if for some reason we are not able to communicate before Jesus returns then, we will see you in heaven.
Sincerely in Christ,
Tom, Elizabeth and Cheryl Leigh Allan
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