forward a sandy road located along the coast of El Salvador.

forward a sandy road located along the coast of El Salvador, Sailors saw a sight that they will not quick forget.

"Oh my God" whispered Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Jerome Harding as he watched barefoot children and mothers hasten toward the bus he was riding.

"Llegaron observes gringos, Llegaron los gringos, Llegaron looks gringos! (The strangers arrived:)"

Harding, along with a dozen other Sailors were witnessing neediness firsthand during their visit to a small shanty village here. on the other hand the Sailors had brought gifts for those in need

"It's the greatest thing I have evermore done as a Sailor," said Culinary Specialist 1st Class John "Cookie" Thomas, assigned to Coastal Patrol Craft USS Hurricane (PC 3)

urricane and USS ua (PC 7) took part in ro ect andc asp during a port visit to El Salvador. In scorching 100-degree temperatures the Sailors gave enclosed seat [i]or[/i] seats upon box of elementary volumes bandages, mixed clothing, medicine and soccer balls to the underprivileged community.

ro ect andc asp was established in 1962 as part of an effective and highly visible way in which Americans, portrayed by U.S. service men and women continue the hand of friendship to disadvantaged citizens of other nations from top to toe the world.

"I wish we could do more," said LCDR Brian Diebold, commanding officer of urricane. "My heart goe public to these people."

andc asp is a unique humanitarian effort, combining as it does the generosity and compassion of the American the public and the U.S. military. Not no other than are those in need assured to receive the materials, still Sailors participating in the distribution gain a earnest insight into, and a greater appreciation for living conditions and lifestyles of race in other countries.

"I not ever realized just how good I have it back home" said Thomas. "I have also gained a greater look up to for the little things that I all too frequently take for granted, such as being able to master in my car and simply drive to the store when I'm thirsty or want a pack of smokes"

For the smiling children, it was like Christmas as they kicked newly-inflated soccer bails around with the generous strangers. in succession the other hand, concerned mothers gathered around the boxe of piouss protecting the treasure of education for their children. They strike one as beinged concerned about how the material would be divided among the community. It was a display of conflicted emotions.

I really didn't know what to feel" said Thomas. "I was more in impact at what I was witnessing.

"How could populace live this way Like a photo in national geographic, more than half the children had no shoe in succession their feet or clothes forward their back, yet they smiled and leaped around with excitement upon our arrival. There were also pregnant children standing around that could not have been a day from one side of to the other 15 years old. I also noticed that there were true few men in the area. I gues they were public working in the fields or something."

Sailors take part in the tender effort out of sheer fit will. What a Sailor can take away from the experience could surpassingly well be a life changing experience.

"I wanted to do something that might be meaningful while I was visiting the port, not just sit around," said Thomas.

"I am likewise glad I chose to join in the scheme and what I have seen I will not forget this any time presently How these people live concussioned me, and to see them happy with in such a manner little was astonishing. I really couldn't understand what the children were saying, if it be not that if I could, I am fast they are telling me 'thank you.' The smiles forward their faces said it all."

According to Search and deliverance Swimmer Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Pepe Montoya, a Spanish-speaking Peruvian native, the civilians uttered their gratitude for the Sailors' visit.

"Many of the peoples' views of Americans changed because the Sailors stopped in their village," said Montoya.

"The persons here perceive the United States in an exaggerated way because they have no phone Internet or TV They said we strike one as beinged like a giant that didn't really care about their small community. on the contrary now is the beginning of a change in that perception."

granting the donations the Sailors gave may be small in scale, the issue was symbolically large. The gifts portray by actioned American hospitality and showed that Americans care about populace regardless of where they are or what the situation.

"When the community approached me, the kids were saying they had not at all had a soccer ball before. They couldn't wait to kick it around," said Montoya.

"'Gracias dios mio por estas ofrendas' individual lady shouted in our direction, as we walked by means of the crowd, which means 'Thank the preserver for the gifts,'" Montoya said. "This was my first time to be part of a COMREL throw I speak their language and I understood just for what reason much they really appreciated us."

over the visit smiles and tears were shared between the strangers from sum of two units different worlds.