Marsha Jordan is an extraordinary woman. She has endured hardships that might have sent a lesser person into severe depression and seclusion. Instead, she turned to helping other people facing severe problems, especially parents with young children.

Marsha's life took a sudden sharp turn when she fell victim to a connective tissue disease. In addition to migraines, fatigue, fibromyalgia, and joint pain, she was also struck blind for several months. She knows how it feels to be in pain, isolated, and afraid. After Jordan's grandson was severely burned, she learned first hand how helpless parents feel when their little ones are hurting and no one can stop the pain.

“When I became disabled and quit working, I took up two hobbies. One was creating web pages. The other was joining several online prayer groups and spending much of each day praying for and sending encouraging e-mails to people who were sick.

Daily I received prayer requests from parents of children who'd been stricken with serious illness or injured in accidents. My heart went out to these innocent little kids who suffered more than most adults ever do in a lifetime. I kept track of each child's progress, e-mailing the parents and requesting updates. I asked friends and relatives to pray for the kids along with me, and weekly I sent the kids books, stickers, and funny cards to cheer them up. I wished that I could do more to help them.

When I learned of an old high school friend of mine who had contracted Lou Gehrig's disease, I created a web page for him. I wanted to honor him and I wanted to let people know about his plight so that they could pray for him, write to him, and contribute to his medical expense fund. Then I got the idea that I could do the same for all the sick children I had been in contact with.

The Hugs and Hope Club was born. The first web page was created in September of 2000. I e-mailed it to all my friends who e-mailed it to their friends. Over a period of months, I began receiving e-mails from strangers asking to be added to my mailing list so that they could get regular updates on the children.

I also received e-mails from people who were willing to help in other ways. For instance, Integrity Music sent me boxes of cassettes and CD's for the kids. I've found that people are very compassionate and eager to help, once they discover a need.

Unfortunately, parents of sick children spend so much time caring for their ill child that they have no time to search for resources that might be available to help them. Because I had plenty of time to search the Internet and loved doing it, I became a link between those families who needed help but didn't know where to find it and the people or organizations that were available to help them.

Though the Hugs and Hope Club is a very small thing to do, it is rewarding to know that it brings some sunshine into the lives of children who don't deserve to be so sick and yet suffer so much. I encourage you to 'join the club' and spread some love and hope-'sending smiles across the miles.' You could make someone's day and maybe even make a new friend.”

Jordan sends out a weekly email newsletter, including essays on HOPE, to over 2500 subscribers. She also oversees a 24-hour chat group where parents of sick children can meet other parents and volunteers for emotional support and information. Her HUGS and HOPE Foundation sponsors a Parent Pal program, which matches up a volunteer "pal" with an isolated parent. The pal stays in close contact with the parent, providing the rare commodity of friendship. HUGS and HOPE also grants wishes for children, sends balloon bouquets to hospitals, and provides birthday party packages and Christmas gifts.

A seven-year-old boy in California who is going blind due to Retinitis Pigmentosa dubbed Jordan, the Peanut Butter Queen.

“I've become close friends with his mom, so they've heard me say often that hope, joy, and love are sticky like peanut butter (when you spread them around, you can't help but get some on yourself too). That's how I got my nickname-as well as the title of the book.”

Marsha Jordan's book, Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter, is filled with great humor and practical tips for coping with life's hardships. It is illustrated by critically ill children and all proceeds go to benefit the sick children served by the Hugs and Hope Club. She has been published in more than 50 online newsletters and e-zines and had two devotionals selected for a Cup of Comfort book published in 2004. We are proud to count Marsha as a member of the WRWA.