HOW 18 VOLUNTEERS CAN MAKE 300 KIDS HAPPY AND VISE VERSA

 Our assignment this week is to deliver a set of clothing, with socks, underwear and shoes to 300 underprivileged children and throw a huge Christmas party for them.

But where do we start?

Our first assignment is the decorating of the Hacienda.

We divide our 18 volunteers into groups and  all get busy hanging lights, and Christmas decorations. A group of Rotarians and their family join us and are of great help.

For Annemieke there is a different assignment. She is a clinical pedicuriste and offered to do pedicures at no charge for the volunteers. Those who wish to take advantage of her services make a donation to Project Amigo. 

After a few hours, everyone needs a little break from climbing ladders and hanging  lights and Doña Meche arrives for a cooking class. A small group of volunteers start chopping, grinding and pounding, onions, tomatoes, chiles and avocadoes to prepare salsa and cuacamole for lunch. This is the best cuacamole I have ever tasted. I think I will ask Doña Meche to give me some private lessons.

 

 

After we are done decorating, we walk to the village square for a special traditional Pre Hispanic dance performance from the Danzante group of Cofradia.  The dance tells the story about the “bad guys” who harass the dancers with their scary costumes. It’s quite entertaining.

There is lots of work to be done this week and we are so lucky to have Anilu and the rest of the members of the Project Amigo staff who have done a lot of preprep: During the last months, they have acquired the sizes for pants, shirts or dresses and shoes of all 300 children. Then Anilu shopped for the best deals; Having two young children herself, she only buys items she would want her children to wear.

Now all these items need to be sorted and a set for each child is collected with the use of name tags that have all the information on them. We engage in some great team work with a leader on each team. There are sorters, pickers, wrappers and checkers.

Anilu on the right helping Annemieke

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday is our first day away from the Hacienda. For those who have never been to the GROW banana plantation near Cerro de Ortega, this is a real treat.  On the way back, we turn into the tiny native community of Chanchopa to deliver used clothes to 47 children. It’s quite a challenge finding something suitable for all kids. We seem to have lots of tops, especially for the smaller kids, but need more jeans for girls and especially boys. We hate to see them being turned away with nothing, or a piece of clothing that does not fit and may need to be handed over to a younger brother.

 

 

 

Even a bigger treat than the banana plantation is our visit  to Las Hamacas for lunch and time to spend at the beach.

Some take a dip in the ocean, while others take a nap in the shade, or shop for souvenirs. Even Diego, our driver has a chance to relax in one of the Hamacas. Everyone is so relaxed they don’t want to go back on the bus. But it’s time to go home for dinner.

By Wednesday morning, all the gifts are wrapped and separated by school or community. Our first delivery is at Queseria, where all the kids are waiting outside the gate of the school property, anxious to receive their gifts.

We unload the shoes and wrapped gifts, and spread out the packages on tables outside the class room. We set up separate rooms for boys and girls, so once they receive their gifts they can try on the clothes and exchange from the extras we bring. The shoe department is in a separate area outside.


For first time visitors to this migrant workers camp can be a rather emotional experience. The poverty is very obvious. We would expect that the kids wash their feet before they come and try on their new shoes, but many seem not to have seen a bar of soap for days. The flip flops most kids wear are also not protective of dirt or sharp objects they may encounter as they play. Knowing that we can wash our hands after touching all these feet makes it much easier not to be disturbed by it.

Everyone works hard to get all 150 kids fitted with their new set of clothing and shoes, which for most is the only set of new clothes and shoes they receive all year.

They all get a plastic bag to put their items in and run out of the gate to show their siblings or  Mom who is waiting outside.

Meanwhile, Bob, the most suitable volunteer to play Santa is outside hugging as many kids as he can handle.

At the small school house, a few children are pulled aside to meet their sponsors. We find a quiet place for them, away from the rest of the kids, to allow the sponsors a private moment and present them with a small gift.

Ramiro and I represent a sponsor from my Rotary club and have brought a new outfit and some toys for a little girl named Karen, on his behalf. Although she seems a bit nervous around these Gringos and is obviously not familiar with unwrapping gifts, her face lights up when she sees the crayons and the pink outfit we have brought for her. It breaks my heart when I hear about the large number of children who do not have a sponsor, who could give them the opportunity to study and perhaps bring them a small gift, or give them a so needed hug.
 

When the extra shoes and clothes are packed up again and our bus leaves, all the children cheer and wave. As we drive away, the volunteers are all very quiet, processing the emotions and the extraordinary experience. We tend to feel sad and guilty, knowing that we ourselves, our kids and our grand kids have so much and these children have so little, but most of all, no future without our help.

Our next delivery today is much simpler: less than 40 children in Colonia Rotaria, the small housing community built with support from Rotarians in Canada and the US and a Rotary International grant.

There is a very special seven year old little girl here. Her name is Luisa; nicknamed Bisha. Her sponsor is my sister Luisa (nicknamed Loes). Loes celebrated her 65^th birthday yesterday and our gift to her was the sponsorship of a name sake in Mexico. She too receives a small gift and we spend some time together.

At the gate, I meet Christina, she seems to be in charge, making sure that only the children on the Project Amigo program are allowed in.

Bisha's sister Christina

 


I ask her about Benjamin the community "chief" in Colonia Rotaria. I have met him several times and always enjoy chatting with him and his wife Emigdia. “Benjamin is my Dad” Christina proclaims and Luisa is my little sister. 75 year old Benjamin has a five year old daughter? Wow, he has sure been busy. There are 7 children in total in this household. That must be tough for someone who is not able to work like a forty year old any longer.

Just before we are ready to leave, Emigdia comes running in from her little house, wanting to be sure that she does say hello. She gives me a big hug as I tell her that my sister in Spain is the Madrina of her little girl Bisha. I know I will see more of Luisa as we often visit Colonia Rotaria.

We’re all exhausted when we return to the Hacienda and not everyone is up to joining the homework club with the students or accompany them to their homes for a short visit. But those who do, are even more convinced how important it is that we continue to support these children. They see how, especially the Junior High and High School students have made so much progress and are so eager to talk about their future plans and ambitions to continue their studies and hope to become lawyers, accountants or nurses, so they can help their family out of poverty.

Thursday is day 4 of the workweek and after our first two deliveries of gifts, we now have a good idea of what needs to be done. The team effort is excellent. Every one helps at their own capacity.

The next delivery will be somewhat easier as the students will come to us. A group of 70 children from Suchitlan is dropped off by Diego and they all patiently wait outside the gate of the Hacienda, listening to instructions from Lety. Once we are all set up, one by one the children’s names are called and they are welcomed by a smiling volunteer who hands them their package and take the boys to one of the rooms on the main floor of the Hacienda to try on their clothes and the girls upstairs. After they have a set of clothes that fit they continue to the shoe department on the patio. The name of any child who is not completely outfitted is noted on the list and Anilu will ensure that they too will get a set that fits.

Before Diego takes all the children back to Suchitlan, four children are asked to wait; their names are Marco Antonio, Daniela Melisa, Ana Paola and Francisco Javier. Their sponsors are our children, Marco, Marcela, Mandy and Elizabeth. We find a spot away from the rest and sit with them, asking them about their family, their school and hobbies. They are all a bit nervous and shy. But once they open their gift and see the large box of Crayolas with a rainbow of colours, all of a sudden a big smile replaces their somewhat scared faces. They suddenly brighten up and little Ana Paola does no longer hesitate to participate in the conversation as she tells us about her nine brothers and sisters of which she is the third youngest.

What a beautiful gift to us, volunteers, to see so many children happy, even if only for a short moment as they return to their sober homes and sometimes, abusive parents, who are not accustomed to giving hugs and praises for good marks or report cards.

Diego, his wife Nellie and 

 

their little girl Michelle

At the Hacienda there is not only a delicious meal waiting for us but also some entertainment. The evening activities for an average work week vary, from a Tequila presentation, history of Project Amigo, the story about the virgin of Guadalupe (complete with a costume demonstration), dinner at the home of a Rotarian or attending a Rotary meeting. All of these events are fun or educational. We can all sit back, relax and enjoy.

A Rotary meeting at 9:30 in the evening is not my most popular activity, but  tonight I am so glad that I joined the group.

We take three vehicles with a few bottles of wine and Tequila and drive most of the volunteers to the club building in Colima. The hall is full of Rotarians and their family. 

Tonight is special; It is Posada night. The men are lead outside the door, together with our young Megan who is handed a shawl to put around her head for her role as Maria. A young lad will act as Joseph.  The women stay inside and small candles are handed out and lit. A sheet of paper with the words to the Posada song is also passed around.

The men start singing and I translate their lyrics as a plea to the people inside to let them in. The couple is tired and need a place for the night. The women sing in return. “No, I won’t let you in, let me sleep and go away”.

The men respond, “We are from Nazareth, I am Joseph, I am a carpenter and I have Maria with me. It’s only for one night”.

Again the women refuse to let the men in, until the men finally convince them that de divine Maria is carrying a child.

As Maria and Joseph enter, the rest follow with their lit candles singing welcome Maria, Joseph and child Jesus.

Once everyone is seated again, we are offered to buy a raffle ticket for a chance to win a huge basket filled with Tequila, wines, cookies and much more. We are all delighted, that Megan, our Maria for the evening has the winning ticket.

After some wonderful fellowship amongst the Rotarians, their family and us guests, a large bowl of Pozole is placed in front of us in. Big chunks of chicken are showing in the bowl of corn soup. It taste best with some freshly chopped onions, red sauce and lime.
Dessert  consist of thin deep fried waffles sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

 Even our young Parker, who's bedtime has passed long time ago seems to be having lots of fun. 

Eventually it is time to return to Cofradia, where we, once at home well past midnight, reflect on another wonderful day in Colima.