Story From The Field

Ensenada, Mexico Report:

The purpose of this mission was to deliver school uniforms (pants and shirts from Southwest Airlines flight attendants) and also school supplies to orphans in Mexico so they could attend school at the end of this month.

In two heartwarming visits the team had a wonderful time with the children, had some fun in Mexico and bonded with the dedicated US community living in Ensenada.  Kim Rex, Southwest Airlines flight attendant, arranged having 200 shirts and 160 pairs of pants and shorts (from Southwest Airlines) donated to the effort and transformed the airline uniforms to "school uniforms" for the kids!  Additionally, the team delivered 180 LDS School kits from the Airline Ambassadors' LAX warehouse.

At Rancho de El Milagro and at Casa de Paz orphanage we delivered the aid, toured the facilities, and coordinated activities with the kids.  

Peggy Sprague brought a special drawing of a “Guardian Angel"

for each child, as well as paints, colored pencils and crayons.  Each child decorated their own beautiful angel to go above their bed. Peggy is also a dental hygienist and gave a hilarious hygiene class for the kids where they learned something and had fun too!

We face-painted,

and a provided a pizza party for the delighted

orphans who normally

only get rice and beans

as a daily meal.  

Rancho de Milagro hosts many visiting teams –

mostly from churches, and although their laundry facility had burned

down, the children seemed happy.  There was a need for bed sheets and blankets here and there is always a need for clothing, shoes and socks.     

At Casa de Paz, we coordinated the same program with some new additions. Tara Hunnewell got the kids energy up by sharing music.  She got the kids singing and even dancing the “hokey-pokey”.  We individually delivered “you make a difference” blue ribbons to each child which they wore proudly  (thanks to volunteers James and Dana!). The kids even provided us with a fashion show, proudly modeling their new school duds! 

Casa de Paz has been affected by the drop in tourism to Mexico and the drop in donations……the orphanage is just not sustainable now, but has lots of land and potential.  James had the idea of bringing a group to expand the orphanage organic garden, to provide food for the kids, and income, if the vegetables were sold.

The facility does have a computer, and we also talked about brining an English Rosetta Stone program.  

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