WHAT A BIRTHDAY

The first reminder that today is my birthday is as we drive back to Cofradia. The clock in the vehicle indicates that it is midnight and my brother Fred, Annemieke and Joe start singing the Dutch Birthday song. Soon the others in the van, including our driver Ramiro join and wish me all a happy birthday. Before I leave our house I see decoration ourside hung by my brother and his wife. They present me with some gifts and when I enter the Hacienda, Project Amigo staff members come and give me hugs and wish me a Happy Birthday. I guess everyone but me, knows it is a

 public event. As soon as the 18 volunteers got notice of it they too come and congratulated me. The biggest surprise however, is when our group goes to Suchitlan to be with the students for their homework club. They decorated the room with balloons and signs. It was Lety, the student coordinator, who had arranged for that. All volunteers also received a very creative personalized Christmas card, made by the students.

Tonight, dinner is at Arroyo. After dinner Elsa appears with her guitar for the Spanish birthday song Joe has arranged for, and a big birthday cake, made by one of our cooks, is placed on the counter. It's a lot more I ever expected and a lot more I can handle. It is pretty overwhelming to see so many friends here thinking of me, not to think of the many e-mail messages I received today to congratulate me and wish me a happy Birthday. Well is certainly was a day I will not soon forget and I am grateful to have so many friends here in Mexico, Canada and many other parts of the world.