One Week, Many Stories

Well the week has been quite interesting, I am going to write a few highlights of my experiences. This is my first time with the team in Mexico so my experiences are all new.

Aimee did a great job of sharing the experience of feeding the people at the dump, I could not believe how many people were there and were so, so happy to see us. It was a bit overwhelming to see so many hungry people coming from every direction as we were passing out the hamburgers. Its strange that recycling exists here but no one seems to use it, but the people who live at the dump have developed their own system of collecting and recyling everything that has any value. You need to see the pictures to really know what it is like as words dont do justice. Check the photos out.

When we went to Stone Island I had the pleasure of getting to go to some of the peoples homes who could not come to the church for the groceries we were giving out. These houses consisted of everything you can imagine... cardboard, tar paper, plastic... I was warmly invited in to one home with Rob and Megan by a lovely woman who was about 85 named Sophia. We sat in her home which was about an 8x8 room and she explained she had no family here and consistanly fell down and hurt herself. The highlight of her week seems to be the visits that come from the people working at La Vina.

Rob and I were speaking with one of the little kids, and with Christmas around the corner Santa came up. This little boy was about 5 or 6 and told us there was no Santa. Rob asked a pretty normal question... Where do all the presents come from then? The boy told us there were no presents. Pretty hard to hear.

I met another 9 year old boy and his mother who is in a wheelchair because she was run over by a bus years ago. He pushes her through the sand 5 blocks to come to the church, I took her home and I am amazed that he is able to do this task at all... Not to mention the 11 block trip to collect the mail. Such nice people with open hearts.

There was another boy who has been getting up at 4 am since he was 5 years old to go clean fish with the men as he has no father and needs to help make money for his family. He doesnt go to school, cant read and will never have the opportunities that we have so bountifully in Canada. Eye opener for sure.

We did 2 days of hard labour, and when I was younger I did a little construction work... and nothing that compares to digging a cubic meter of dirt, sand, rocks and roots out by hand in the blazing heat. But it felt good to get done. Another day we mixed concrete for a floor in a 10x10 room. The differance here was we did this by hand and mixed the concrete, rocks and sand out in the street and carried the concrete in one bucket at a time to pour the floor. We worked with some great guys and I could not know what this would be like to do every day.

Last night we hosted a little hot dog party for 200 or so children in the area of the city rich in brothels. We have spent a few days at this location but this was the first time in the evening. It was quite the experience.. In the midst of a setting most people will only see on a movie there are so many wonderful caring people and we had such a good time. We had a raffle for some t shirts and the kids loved it! A new t shirt made the kids so happy. How happy does a new t shirt make us? Interesting how we take for granted the small stuff...

Over the week we have met some great families, children and people who work at La Vina. Im not really sure how to sum this all up, but I think what I have learned is a small gesture or hand to someone in need can be quite rewarding. A smile on both peoples faces is what its all about...

KS