{I wrote the following last summer. I wrote a lot of the daily items while I was in Mexico, and filled in the rest shortly after I got home}
Last summer, I had the amazing opportunity to spend a week in La Mission, Mexico located on the Baja Peninsula. While there, we volunteered in 3 different orphanages, visited Ensanada, ate some amazing food, went to the beach and took the kids from Buena Vida to the swimming pool. I have never experienced anything like it. I LOVED the orphans at Buena Vida and I would do anything for them. I made friendships that I will always remember.
You find yourself when you are doing service for others. Thats just what happened to me. I grew so much from this experience. I think I finally found who I was meant to be. I came home from this trip realizing that my focus on boys needed to change. I needed to focus and prepare myself for a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I will get myself ready to serve the Lord and His children. If a mission isn't in the cards for me, than at least I will be prepared. Which would only better prepare me for life. This trip also confirmed my desire to major in Psychology and Anthropology. It has encouraged me to go to grad school, which I was never sure I'd make it to. I will be studying International/Public Development. Everything just clicked.
I am SOO grateful for the financial situation I was in at the time that allowed me to do this. I am grateful for the blessings and confirmations I had along the way. I was looking at having to pay around $500 for shots and my insurance said they would not cover me unless it was medically necessary. Since it was more or less a "vacation" they said probably not. It turns out that when the bill came, they had paid everything. So the only thing I paid for was my Typhoid pills ($45) and at $20 co-pay to see the doctor. I also found someone I could drive with, which meant I paid $120 for gas instead of almost $400 for a plane. PLUS, we drove ourselves into Mexico, instead of taking the foundation's vans. That meant I was refunded for $100 off my program fee (I originally paid $375) What a blessing!
My parents, grandparents, siblings and friends were all worried about me going. We stayed in an orphanage about 30 minutes from the border town, Tijuana. Over the last decade, these border towns have been EXTREMELY dangerous because of the drug trade. We were in a pretty small town/village a ways outside of them so I wasn't too worried. Plus, the news always covers the most horrid stories. The peak of violence was in November of 2008 and has steadily decreased since. So I wasn't too worried. But people continued to warn me, to tell me to be cautious and to not make any rash decisions. I am thankful for their concern and it showed how much they all truely care about me.
A couple weeks before I actually went, I was talking with my mom about driving down there with a couple people and that I was glad I wouldn't have to pay for airfare. While we were talking, mom had one of her "De'Ja Vu"s. She told me that this conversation seemed really familiar and she thinks that going to Mexico was something I was supposed to do. What a neat experience to know I was on the right path!
You find yourself when you are doing service for others. Thats just what happened to me. I grew so much from this experience. I think I finally found who I was meant to be. I came home from this trip realizing that my focus on boys needed to change. I needed to focus and prepare myself for a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I will get myself ready to serve the Lord and His children. If a mission isn't in the cards for me, than at least I will be prepared. Which would only better prepare me for life. This trip also confirmed my desire to major in Psychology and Anthropology. It has encouraged me to go to grad school, which I was never sure I'd make it to. I will be studying International/Public Development. Everything just clicked.
I am SOO grateful for the financial situation I was in at the time that allowed me to do this. I am grateful for the blessings and confirmations I had along the way. I was looking at having to pay around $500 for shots and my insurance said they would not cover me unless it was medically necessary. Since it was more or less a "vacation" they said probably not. It turns out that when the bill came, they had paid everything. So the only thing I paid for was my Typhoid pills ($45) and at $20 co-pay to see the doctor. I also found someone I could drive with, which meant I paid $120 for gas instead of almost $400 for a plane. PLUS, we drove ourselves into Mexico, instead of taking the foundation's vans. That meant I was refunded for $100 off my program fee (I originally paid $375) What a blessing!
My parents, grandparents, siblings and friends were all worried about me going. We stayed in an orphanage about 30 minutes from the border town, Tijuana. Over the last decade, these border towns have been EXTREMELY dangerous because of the drug trade. We were in a pretty small town/village a ways outside of them so I wasn't too worried. Plus, the news always covers the most horrid stories. The peak of violence was in November of 2008 and has steadily decreased since. So I wasn't too worried. But people continued to warn me, to tell me to be cautious and to not make any rash decisions. I am thankful for their concern and it showed how much they all truely care about me.
A couple weeks before I actually went, I was talking with my mom about driving down there with a couple people and that I was glad I wouldn't have to pay for airfare. While we were talking, mom had one of her "De'Ja Vu"s. She told me that this conversation seemed really familiar and she thinks that going to Mexico was something I was supposed to do. What a neat experience to know I was on the right path!
Monday, August 2nd 2010
We began our journey in Utah. I met up with Jenn in Springville at the A Child's Hope Foundation (ACHF). We loaded up the car and drove 12 hours straight to San Diego. Not a very exciting day, but it was a lot of fun getting to know Jenn. She was an English major. She is in her 30's and got accepted to Stanford Law and starts at the end of August. She didn't always want to go to Law School, but something told her she needed to. So she made a bet with God. She said "If i get a 170 on this test.." (I don't remember the name of the test, but a 170 in INSANELY GOOD) "then I will go to law school." with no studying, she took a practice test and got past that. So on the day of the test she was a little sick. Her score you ask? 170 exactly. So she decided to take it one more time. Again, 170. She said that was quite the confirmation that told her she needed to go to Law School. It was so good to talk to her and get to know her. She is an amazing lady. and boys, SHE IS SINGLE! But she'll be in a lot of debt. She is going to spend 3/4 of a million on school and housing and junk. Crazy. However, she'll be making bank.
On our drive, we stopped in Beaver, a city 3 hours south of Lehi, we ran into my 6th grade boyfriend's Dad, Darrin Hunt. I will have to fill you in on what a great family Brennon (the ex bf of mine) has some other time. What a surprise to see him!
Anyway, In San Diego, we spent the night at a couple's house that Ken, the director of ACHF, knows. We stayed with this sweet lady who has a brain tumor. I think because of it, she lost a lot of her social skills. For example, in the middle of talking with me she says "oh crap, i think my period is starting!" Funny, but I felt bad for her. She was very nice though and has an incredible story. Her last baby (she has 3 total), the doctors said she and the baby wouldn't make it. but both of them lived and the baby is healthy! If i remember right, the kid is 5 now. I wish I remembered their story better.
Tuesday, August 3rd
Anyhow! Jenn left around 1 AM in the morning to go pick up another volunteer from the airport and brought him to the house. I stayed home and slept. In the morning, I went down to put away my glass of water and up pops a head from the couch! His name was Aaron. He was around 6 feet 10 and a fun goofy kid from Iowa.
Tuesday, August 3rd
Anyhow! Jenn left around 1 AM in the morning to go pick up another volunteer from the airport and brought him to the house. I stayed home and slept. In the morning, I went down to put away my glass of water and up pops a head from the couch! His name was Aaron. He was around 6 feet 10 and a fun goofy kid from Iowa.
After we were all ready, and after we played tetris and re-packed the car. We had to stop at Kinko's and while we waited, we went to starbucks. No worries. I didn't get coffee.
Then we headed to the BEACH! My first time ever, unless you count time when I was six in Seattle. I don't really count it. I found a sand dollar that wasn't broken and some shells. The feeling of sand between my toes was the best. I didn't swim or anything because we didn't have much time.
At 2 we had to meet up with the rest of the volunteers at Wal*Mart.
When we got there, I was introduced to the other volunteers I had not met yet. We ate at a Carl's Jr. and caravaned into Mexico.
Me, being the smartest person I know, didn't use the restroom before we went and had roughly a liter to drink. By the time we got there I was about to lose it all. The very first thing I did was jump out of the car and run to the bathroom. I sat down and realized that there was no toilet paper. So, I made do and used the sink for clean up! Later I learned that normally there is toilet paper in the stalls, but you can't flush it down the toilet like in the U.S. They don't have decent plumbing or something..
Anyway! Jenn had kept driving up the road to our camp, about five minutes up the hill and left me behind. Fortunately, Kent found me and we rode up in the van with some other volunteers. We got there and picked our rooms. I was in the yellow cabin with Tanner, Parker, Christiann, Kirra, Bri, Marisol and Bethany. Then we had orientation and went down the orphanage and had a tour of Door of Faith. We got to go into the girls dorm, boys dorm and see their living space. It was a lot nicer than I had expected. They each had a bed and their own possessions. They all had chores to do and went to school. Each "home" had 6-8 girls in the same age group living together with "parents" - usually a married couple, but sometimes just one person. As they get older they advance to different dorms, gain later curfews and more responsibilities. They told us that these kids are fortunate enough to each get their own cake for their birthdays, and with many donations, they receive a present or two as well. We're talking around 100 kids that live there! That is pretty incredible that they can do that for each of them .
After all this, we headed over to the famous taco stand of La Mission. The best, and cheapest, tacos I have ever eaten. I think I ate there every day I was there. Yum. Across the street from the taco stand was another orphanage we visited. Little did I know then, but the kids at Casa Hogar Buena Vida (House of Good Life) would change my life. Within seconds of getting there, the kids rushed up to everyone and wanted us to play with them. Their love for us strangers was so strong and so apparent. The kids range from 2 or 3 up to 17. I bonded most with the girls around ten to thirteen years old. Two girls I won't ever forget are Ruby and Lizbeth. I wish I knew more about them, all I know is that I love and adore them through actions and the very little of what they said that I understood. I don't speak a whole lot of Spanish, but somehow still managed to feel closer than ever to the children there.
We headed back to camp and had a devotional. We talked of what the next day would entail and went to bed. But, of coarse, me being in a room with 7 other teenagers means sleep didn't come fast. They were all so giggly. It was funny, but I was so tired that I didn't join in.
Wednesday, August 4th
On this morning, I woke up and had breakfast duty. I cut tomatoes and heated up potatoes. After we ate, we went to our assigned projects. Many stayed at Door of Faith to work, while a group of about 10, including me, went over to Buena Vida. We got to play with the kids a little before the work began. There was an large room with cement walls that stored wood and bags of beans. We had to carry all of that out because in the days to follow, we would plaster the inside and paint. This room was in a building that connected to the girls dorms. In that building was the large room we emptied, a smaller room and a room that would be used for a bathroom. The kids jumped in and helped with anything they could. We swept out the room, which was incredibly dusty. After that was done, we worked on making cement and putting shovel fulls into a fence that was built on a previous expedition. We were done around 1:30 and of coarse, we had to cross the street and eat at the taco stand. Afterwards, we went to the beach! There, for my first time, we played ultimate frisbee (soccer with a frisbee) and boogie boarded. Our team put up a fight in ultimate, and i tried with all my might and still was the worst player on our team :) I guess my little brother, Taylor, stole all the athletic genes from me. The ending score was 6 to 7, us BARELY losing. We purchased some cool friendship bracelets from there. I got 5 for $13 and someone else bargained them to 4 for $5. Little did we know, we both got ripped off. Later in the week I got 5 bracelets for $5. I did get a cool one though, a man made it right in front of me. It was purple, green and pink with my name on it.
When we got back to camp, we all showered and got ready for dinner. It was the coldest shower ever. We doubled and tripled up in the community showers (we all had swimsuits on). I could not stop shaking! Funny thing is if we had gone into the other showers, we would have enjoyed the nice, warm water. Don't worry, we learned our lesson and the next day took advantage of the warm showers. We went to dinner again at the taco stand. The ride back to Door of Faith was the most crazy ride I've ever been on. There was about 10 of us in the van, Kent driving and all dancing to "Beat it like a hammer".
That night, we had a devotional and talked about families and what it meant to be one and what its like to have one. It made me realized how blessed I am to have a family that loves me. These kids have families that they created with what they were given. But even with their own adaptation, they still don't have parents of their own, to be there for them and to love and teach them. I am forever grateful for my family and for the blessings I have been given. I am so grateful to know that these kids will one day have families of their own that they can live with for eternity. This life is a test, a hard one at that. We are all dealt different cards and we have to play with what we got. These kids are missing the family card. Yet they can still be so positive, up beat and cheerful. I was, and still am, amazed at their faith and strength and I cannot wait until they can have a family of their own and are able to be with them forever.
Thursday, August 5th
We woke up around 5:30 to set out on a hike. There was 7 of us who went. The hike began with a trail up to the hillside where there was a big white cross. Under were a couple of benches. At night, the cross is lite up for the whole village to see. At the beginning of the trail, there are scriptures that say "He that endure to the end shall have eternal life" and a few others. I love how religious these people are and how much they remember Christ. After the cross was there was not a trail. We had to cut through brush and stay clear of cacti. We even had to jump a barbed wire fence. Most of the trail after that was up a dirt road. I am so out of shape! I was super tired and wasn't sure if I could make it. After the dirt road came mountain climbing. No trail, almost straight up to the top of a mountain. But oh how sweet was the reward at the end! It was beautiful. The morning sky was covered in fog, but you could still see quite a distance. I loved how every morning in Mexico the clouds hung over and later in the day they cleared. It made perfect weather for working, and it was marvelous.
We came back to camp just in time for some pancakes and fruit galore. Then we began our work. I was sent to Buena Vida again. This time to do plastering and such on the room we emptied. They did not have enough work to do, so they sent me back to Door of Faith where I painted the room they added onto the back of the kitchen. When we were done, the McGarrs took went out to eat and took me with them. They ate at a little restaurant next to the taco stand and I ate, of coarse, at the taco stand. haha. I went to visit with them for a bit after I was finished eating, and then crossed the street to Buena Vida. I went to spend time with the kids, but ended up doing some plastering to the soon-to-be bathroom. I didn't mind at all. When I was working at Buena Vida, it wasn't a burden. It was hard, and I got tired, but I didn't resent that I had to work. I did not feel completely that way when I was at Door of Faith. I still did not resent it, but I didn't actually take pleasure in working the way I did at Buena Vida. I think it had to do with the relationships that I had with the kids. There is just something so special about the children there. I wish I could describe it, but its best understood when it is lived.
We got to take the kids swimming with us that afternoon at a local pool. The kids did not have swimming suits, so they just jumped in with their clothes on. I tried teaching a few of them to swim. Some of them knew how, but a good portion of them couldn't make it in the deep end on their own for very long. The water was cold, so I didn't stay in long, but we played frisbee and had races while we were in there.
In the pool, a boy whose name I don't remember, was in the deep end with a boogie board. The cord that attached your arm to the board was wrapped around his neck and it looked like he was trying to stay afloat. Scariest thing in my life! So I tried to help him unwrap himself, he wasn't choking or anything, but I could see the potential hazard. While untangling him, I think he lost the support of the board and really started struggling staying above the water. Unfortunately I am short, and the water was deeper than I am tall. I had a really hard time but somehow got both of us to a part of the pool where we could stand. He seemed nervous and didn't go to the deep end the rest of the time, but I made sure to help him with learning how to swim after that. I think that it would be a good idea to take some lifeguard classes so I can be better prepared in a situation like that. I was not prepared the way I should have been and something devastating could have happened. Thank goodness that was all that did happen.
We all went back to camp, got ready and went out for the evening. We went to a bakery, to some restaurant where I had a taco that was no where near as good as the taco stand, and we went to a grocery store. This grocery store was built around a big rock. Instead of moving the rock out of it, they just left it there and there are shelves of food all around. This rock about as tall as I am and about that long too.
Devotional again and bed time. (I don't remember if it was this night or the next, but Kent came in and told us bedtime stories. He has to be the most random, crazy, but still a great guy that I have ever met)
Friday, August 6th
French toast for breakfast. We all set out on our own ways to work. This day, I stayed at Door of Faith and we planted two big garden areas. They turned out fantastic. Perry, the guy who funds a lot of the trip, is a landscaper and knew exactly what to do to make the place look perfect. We planted palm trees, and a whole bunch of plants that I do not know. I do remember planting a Jade tree. Reminded me of my sweet Dad at home. After the days work we went to Ensanada to do some touristy shopping. I got a couple blankets, more bracelets, a backpack and a side purse. We had so much fun bargaining with the people and even sat and talked with a guy about smoking pot and bongs.
We ate at a place called Guadalajara's. We watched a mariachi band, did bean shots and had a grand ol' time.
After dinner we went to another orphanage. This was Casa de Paz, which means House of Peace. There, the boys played a game of soccer, and the orphans won! and the girls painted nails and colored and such. A girl I met names Stefanie painted mine for me.
We also danced the thriller dance with Erin! how fun! This was the night that we rode with Brody and Janessa. What an amazing couple they are. They have been married for a year and for their one year anniversary they came down to Mexico to volunteer. I just think it's amazing. They could have done anything and they chose to serve God's children. I hope to grow up like them one day!!
Saturday, August 7th
We woke up around seven and got everything ready to leave home. This meant cleaning up camp and packing the vans. We stopped by at the nursery at Door of Faith to see the mural that Gramma and her crew of volunteers painted. There, we took a group photo and said goodbye to the children. Afterwards, we drove to Buena Vida, about 5 minutes away, and said our goodbye's to the kids there. It was hard saying goodbye. But I'm glad to know that it doesn't have to be forever. I can go back and see them. We took pictures, I got my hair done one final time by Lizbeth, played with bubbles and then we were on our way. I miss those kids so much! I am hoping to be able to go again within the next year.
For breakfast, we went to La Fonda's. A beautiful restaurant on the beach front. It was chilly and they provided blankets for the guests. Great food! And there, we all went our separate ways. We said goodbye to our fellow volunteers and went our way to the border. Crossing the border took roughly two hours. There was constantly people coming up trying to sell stuff to us. I actually bought another blanket for someone. It was $10 and I got 2 in Ensanada for that price.. Oh well. Thats what I get for waiting to cross. Jenn and I drove straight to St. G and got there around 11. We stayed with some family of mine over night. It was nice for me because I got to spend some time with my cousins and aunt and uncle. Brooklynn and I stayed up talking for an hour or so. It wasn't much time with them, but any is better than none.
Sunday, August 8th
We woke up early and drove straight home. We met my parents at the Utah Valley University parking lot. And thus ended the journey of mine to Mexico.
Then we headed to the BEACH! My first time ever, unless you count time when I was six in Seattle. I don't really count it. I found a sand dollar that wasn't broken and some shells. The feeling of sand between my toes was the best. I didn't swim or anything because we didn't have much time.
At 2 we had to meet up with the rest of the volunteers at Wal*Mart.
When we got there, I was introduced to the other volunteers I had not met yet. We ate at a Carl's Jr. and caravaned into Mexico.
Me, being the smartest person I know, didn't use the restroom before we went and had roughly a liter to drink. By the time we got there I was about to lose it all. The very first thing I did was jump out of the car and run to the bathroom. I sat down and realized that there was no toilet paper. So, I made do and used the sink for clean up! Later I learned that normally there is toilet paper in the stalls, but you can't flush it down the toilet like in the U.S. They don't have decent plumbing or something..
Anyway! Jenn had kept driving up the road to our camp, about five minutes up the hill and left me behind. Fortunately, Kent found me and we rode up in the van with some other volunteers. We got there and picked our rooms. I was in the yellow cabin with Tanner, Parker, Christiann, Kirra, Bri, Marisol and Bethany. Then we had orientation and went down the orphanage and had a tour of Door of Faith. We got to go into the girls dorm, boys dorm and see their living space. It was a lot nicer than I had expected. They each had a bed and their own possessions. They all had chores to do and went to school. Each "home" had 6-8 girls in the same age group living together with "parents" - usually a married couple, but sometimes just one person. As they get older they advance to different dorms, gain later curfews and more responsibilities. They told us that these kids are fortunate enough to each get their own cake for their birthdays, and with many donations, they receive a present or two as well. We're talking around 100 kids that live there! That is pretty incredible that they can do that for each of them .
After all this, we headed over to the famous taco stand of La Mission. The best, and cheapest, tacos I have ever eaten. I think I ate there every day I was there. Yum. Across the street from the taco stand was another orphanage we visited. Little did I know then, but the kids at Casa Hogar Buena Vida (House of Good Life) would change my life. Within seconds of getting there, the kids rushed up to everyone and wanted us to play with them. Their love for us strangers was so strong and so apparent. The kids range from 2 or 3 up to 17. I bonded most with the girls around ten to thirteen years old. Two girls I won't ever forget are Ruby and Lizbeth. I wish I knew more about them, all I know is that I love and adore them through actions and the very little of what they said that I understood. I don't speak a whole lot of Spanish, but somehow still managed to feel closer than ever to the children there.
We headed back to camp and had a devotional. We talked of what the next day would entail and went to bed. But, of coarse, me being in a room with 7 other teenagers means sleep didn't come fast. They were all so giggly. It was funny, but I was so tired that I didn't join in.
Wednesday, August 4th
On this morning, I woke up and had breakfast duty. I cut tomatoes and heated up potatoes. After we ate, we went to our assigned projects. Many stayed at Door of Faith to work, while a group of about 10, including me, went over to Buena Vida. We got to play with the kids a little before the work began. There was an large room with cement walls that stored wood and bags of beans. We had to carry all of that out because in the days to follow, we would plaster the inside and paint. This room was in a building that connected to the girls dorms. In that building was the large room we emptied, a smaller room and a room that would be used for a bathroom. The kids jumped in and helped with anything they could. We swept out the room, which was incredibly dusty. After that was done, we worked on making cement and putting shovel fulls into a fence that was built on a previous expedition. We were done around 1:30 and of coarse, we had to cross the street and eat at the taco stand. Afterwards, we went to the beach! There, for my first time, we played ultimate frisbee (soccer with a frisbee) and boogie boarded. Our team put up a fight in ultimate, and i tried with all my might and still was the worst player on our team :) I guess my little brother, Taylor, stole all the athletic genes from me. The ending score was 6 to 7, us BARELY losing. We purchased some cool friendship bracelets from there. I got 5 for $13 and someone else bargained them to 4 for $5. Little did we know, we both got ripped off. Later in the week I got 5 bracelets for $5. I did get a cool one though, a man made it right in front of me. It was purple, green and pink with my name on it.
When we got back to camp, we all showered and got ready for dinner. It was the coldest shower ever. We doubled and tripled up in the community showers (we all had swimsuits on). I could not stop shaking! Funny thing is if we had gone into the other showers, we would have enjoyed the nice, warm water. Don't worry, we learned our lesson and the next day took advantage of the warm showers. We went to dinner again at the taco stand. The ride back to Door of Faith was the most crazy ride I've ever been on. There was about 10 of us in the van, Kent driving and all dancing to "Beat it like a hammer".
That night, we had a devotional and talked about families and what it meant to be one and what its like to have one. It made me realized how blessed I am to have a family that loves me. These kids have families that they created with what they were given. But even with their own adaptation, they still don't have parents of their own, to be there for them and to love and teach them. I am forever grateful for my family and for the blessings I have been given. I am so grateful to know that these kids will one day have families of their own that they can live with for eternity. This life is a test, a hard one at that. We are all dealt different cards and we have to play with what we got. These kids are missing the family card. Yet they can still be so positive, up beat and cheerful. I was, and still am, amazed at their faith and strength and I cannot wait until they can have a family of their own and are able to be with them forever.
Thursday, August 5th
We woke up around 5:30 to set out on a hike. There was 7 of us who went. The hike began with a trail up to the hillside where there was a big white cross. Under were a couple of benches. At night, the cross is lite up for the whole village to see. At the beginning of the trail, there are scriptures that say "He that endure to the end shall have eternal life" and a few others. I love how religious these people are and how much they remember Christ. After the cross was there was not a trail. We had to cut through brush and stay clear of cacti. We even had to jump a barbed wire fence. Most of the trail after that was up a dirt road. I am so out of shape! I was super tired and wasn't sure if I could make it. After the dirt road came mountain climbing. No trail, almost straight up to the top of a mountain. But oh how sweet was the reward at the end! It was beautiful. The morning sky was covered in fog, but you could still see quite a distance. I loved how every morning in Mexico the clouds hung over and later in the day they cleared. It made perfect weather for working, and it was marvelous.
We came back to camp just in time for some pancakes and fruit galore. Then we began our work. I was sent to Buena Vida again. This time to do plastering and such on the room we emptied. They did not have enough work to do, so they sent me back to Door of Faith where I painted the room they added onto the back of the kitchen. When we were done, the McGarrs took went out to eat and took me with them. They ate at a little restaurant next to the taco stand and I ate, of coarse, at the taco stand. haha. I went to visit with them for a bit after I was finished eating, and then crossed the street to Buena Vida. I went to spend time with the kids, but ended up doing some plastering to the soon-to-be bathroom. I didn't mind at all. When I was working at Buena Vida, it wasn't a burden. It was hard, and I got tired, but I didn't resent that I had to work. I did not feel completely that way when I was at Door of Faith. I still did not resent it, but I didn't actually take pleasure in working the way I did at Buena Vida. I think it had to do with the relationships that I had with the kids. There is just something so special about the children there. I wish I could describe it, but its best understood when it is lived.
We got to take the kids swimming with us that afternoon at a local pool. The kids did not have swimming suits, so they just jumped in with their clothes on. I tried teaching a few of them to swim. Some of them knew how, but a good portion of them couldn't make it in the deep end on their own for very long. The water was cold, so I didn't stay in long, but we played frisbee and had races while we were in there.
In the pool, a boy whose name I don't remember, was in the deep end with a boogie board. The cord that attached your arm to the board was wrapped around his neck and it looked like he was trying to stay afloat. Scariest thing in my life! So I tried to help him unwrap himself, he wasn't choking or anything, but I could see the potential hazard. While untangling him, I think he lost the support of the board and really started struggling staying above the water. Unfortunately I am short, and the water was deeper than I am tall. I had a really hard time but somehow got both of us to a part of the pool where we could stand. He seemed nervous and didn't go to the deep end the rest of the time, but I made sure to help him with learning how to swim after that. I think that it would be a good idea to take some lifeguard classes so I can be better prepared in a situation like that. I was not prepared the way I should have been and something devastating could have happened. Thank goodness that was all that did happen.
We all went back to camp, got ready and went out for the evening. We went to a bakery, to some restaurant where I had a taco that was no where near as good as the taco stand, and we went to a grocery store. This grocery store was built around a big rock. Instead of moving the rock out of it, they just left it there and there are shelves of food all around. This rock about as tall as I am and about that long too.
Devotional again and bed time. (I don't remember if it was this night or the next, but Kent came in and told us bedtime stories. He has to be the most random, crazy, but still a great guy that I have ever met)
Friday, August 6th
French toast for breakfast. We all set out on our own ways to work. This day, I stayed at Door of Faith and we planted two big garden areas. They turned out fantastic. Perry, the guy who funds a lot of the trip, is a landscaper and knew exactly what to do to make the place look perfect. We planted palm trees, and a whole bunch of plants that I do not know. I do remember planting a Jade tree. Reminded me of my sweet Dad at home. After the days work we went to Ensanada to do some touristy shopping. I got a couple blankets, more bracelets, a backpack and a side purse. We had so much fun bargaining with the people and even sat and talked with a guy about smoking pot and bongs.
We ate at a place called Guadalajara's. We watched a mariachi band, did bean shots and had a grand ol' time.
After dinner we went to another orphanage. This was Casa de Paz, which means House of Peace. There, the boys played a game of soccer, and the orphans won! and the girls painted nails and colored and such. A girl I met names Stefanie painted mine for me.
We also danced the thriller dance with Erin! how fun! This was the night that we rode with Brody and Janessa. What an amazing couple they are. They have been married for a year and for their one year anniversary they came down to Mexico to volunteer. I just think it's amazing. They could have done anything and they chose to serve God's children. I hope to grow up like them one day!!
Saturday, August 7th
We woke up around seven and got everything ready to leave home. This meant cleaning up camp and packing the vans. We stopped by at the nursery at Door of Faith to see the mural that Gramma and her crew of volunteers painted. There, we took a group photo and said goodbye to the children. Afterwards, we drove to Buena Vida, about 5 minutes away, and said our goodbye's to the kids there. It was hard saying goodbye. But I'm glad to know that it doesn't have to be forever. I can go back and see them. We took pictures, I got my hair done one final time by Lizbeth, played with bubbles and then we were on our way. I miss those kids so much! I am hoping to be able to go again within the next year.
For breakfast, we went to La Fonda's. A beautiful restaurant on the beach front. It was chilly and they provided blankets for the guests. Great food! And there, we all went our separate ways. We said goodbye to our fellow volunteers and went our way to the border. Crossing the border took roughly two hours. There was constantly people coming up trying to sell stuff to us. I actually bought another blanket for someone. It was $10 and I got 2 in Ensanada for that price.. Oh well. Thats what I get for waiting to cross. Jenn and I drove straight to St. G and got there around 11. We stayed with some family of mine over night. It was nice for me because I got to spend some time with my cousins and aunt and uncle. Brooklynn and I stayed up talking for an hour or so. It wasn't much time with them, but any is better than none.
Sunday, August 8th
We woke up early and drove straight home. We met my parents at the Utah Valley University parking lot. And thus ended the journey of mine to Mexico.
No comments:
Post a Comment