Project Managers Josiah and Gabriela De Lorenzo Cakovec, Croatia Pruzena Ruka   Pruzena Ruka (translated into English as "Reaching Hand ") was founded in the aftermath of the Yugoslavian war and majored on caring for Bosnian and Kosovan refugees who found themselves stranded in Croatia. More recently Pruzena Ruka has focused on bettering the conditions of underprivileged children. The Pruzena Ruka team is involved with youth counseling, and does character-building presentations at high schools and hospitals, as well as assisting at a CARITAS handicapped center for children with epilepsy and MS. Additionally they translate Christian material into Croat and host home Bible studies.

Arrival from Germany of our latest load of humanitarian aid.

Croatian volunteers help wrap presents for refugee children.

Humanitarian Aid

Arriving in Croatia with several truckloads of humanitarian aid involves a lot of pre-planning and preparation on our end. Thankfully, we were able to learn the ropes from an experienced Baptist organization here and so more easily address the reams of red tape involved.

Kids from underprivileged families with warm newshoes and hats.	Croatian children trying on new shoes, provided by Pruzena Ruka.
Our load of clothes, shoes, bedding, coats and toys from Germany, plus wheelchairs and walkers for handicapped children are all certainly needed and much appreciated by the very neediest of the refugees who receive these when we distribute them.
Providing needed household basics to impoverished Croatian family.	Laundry soap and other household supplies are much appreciated.

We donated the wheelchairs and walkers to the Caritas center for handicapped children, with whom we associate. The manager and volunteers there were so thankful, as they take care of a growing number of handicapped children there on a daily basis. Here, a wheelchair costs much more than what the parents of a handicapped child earns in a month.

Outside the Caritas home for handicapped children, with a delivery of wheelchairs and walkers for the children.

Part of CHARM Team with Maya (right), who help organize distribution of all items to the neediest recipients.

The aid that we bring in from Western Europe, along with similar items donated by local companies, are sorted and incorporated into packages for needy families. We then distribute care packages to destitute families, as well as patients in local hospitals, making sure each child receives a personal package of at least a toy and some candy.

Croatian volunteers help wrap presents for children.	Our little Charlotte helps distribute presents to kids.
We never cease to be shocked by the low living standards in some of the homes we visit. Most families live in a one or two room hovel. They keep their woodstove fed with fuel all the time in an attempt to keep the chill out. What this usually means is that the kitchen is outrageously hot, while the other rooms barely get any heat at all.
Smiles from happy children, having received their personal toy during our package distribution to some of our area’s poorest families.	Project manager Josiah (left) visits a foster family, many of the 10 children being wards of state, after delivering clothes, shoes and toys.
One family in particular broke our hearts. A single mom with five children, who we have helped before, wasn’t able to pay her electricity bill, and we arrived to find that her electricity was cut off. As a result, four of her children were taken into custody by the state. We found out that she had a fifth child still living with her, though she was listed with only four. And because we didn’t know about the 5th child, we hadn’t brought a present for him. The mother broke down in tears, telling us how much she missed her children, and pouring out her heart about her many troubles. We spent an hour talking to her and encouraging her to go on, and prayed with her, all of which seemed to give her faith to carry on.
Team of active Croatian volunteers who work closely with us.	Pruzena Ruka volunteers distributing donated clothes and shoes.
We also learnt that this single mother and her child had literally only a crust of bread to eat for dinner! Samuel, one of our volunteers delivering the supplies, happened to have a granola bar in his pocket, which he offered and it was quickly devoured by the little boy. When we asked the child what he would most wish for, he said he really wanted a Christmas present, especially since his siblings had gotten presents from us. At Christmas, we returned with a toy wrapped up for him, along with a box containing fresh fruit, vegetables, milk and bread. What a privilege to help make this poor woman and her son’s wish for a Christmas present come true.
When we present gifts to these children, they are always very happy with their gifts, though many are often too dumbfounded and shy to open them in front of us, but we see from the happy look in their eyes that we have made some almost impossible wishes come true.
Children joyfully displaying their presents that we delivered (Gabriella, Project Manager, at far right).

Inspirational Character-Building Shows

Project Managers Josiah and Gabriela (left), with team about to begin a performance at the Caritas center.	Some songs performed by our children's singing group at Caritas hospital for handicapped children.
Another aspect of our program is entertaining children as a means of bringing some cheer into their lives. To do so, we don clown garb to deliver our message of hope in hospitals, kindergartens, schools, and the Caritas center for handicapped children, as well as old folks’ homes.
Project manager Gabriela, and team making balloons for children	Little Charlotte singing (in Croatian) to children at a kindergarten
At another place we help out, a “school for special children”’ as it is known here, they teach a number of mentally and physically challenged children. Sadly, many of the children attending aren’t mentally handicapped, but because they are Romani (Gypsy), they simply lack local language skills to keep up in school.
A magic show for young audience	Singing and performing for the kids
A magic show for young audience	Puppeteers plying their trade
We organized seminars to help these children to learn to read and learn math, plus receive a basic education on what they need to know in order to become regular citizens.
Hospitalized children and staff enjoy lively show of skits, stories, and songs	Precious little one soaks up all the love we can hand out during our hospital visit
Gabriela has had a lot of experience teaching younger children, and the methods she's developed have proven to be very effective for children with learning disabilities. This developed into a program of Early Learning Seminars for Children with Special Needs, which Gabriela presents for both educators and mothers. Many had formerly given up on these children, so these seminars proved to be a turning point.
Refugee boy triumphantly holding fresh milk we delivered to his camp.	Grateful family returning to their meager home, clutching their milk.
A captivated young audience, able to set their troubles aside for awhile.	Achieving our goal of providing therapeutic laughter to those to have suffered so much.

Humanitarian Aid to War Refugees

Pruzena Ruka was founded in the aftermath of the Yugoslavian war and majored on caring for Bosnian and Kosovan refugees who found themselves stranded in Croatia.

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