Fri 1 JUL 2011

Today was our last day at Hogar de Ninos. We had heard that Erick (Lulu's younger son) and Christian were going to be in town from Puerta Vallerta (they are now living / working at the Salvation Army there) and we were happily surprised to see them both today! On the other hand it was a sad day to say good-bye to all the kids and adults working at the home. They do know we will be back again next summer.

Dates for bringing our youth group down will be July 3-17, 2012. Until then God be with you until we meet again!

Barb y A.J.

Manuel, Barb, Fernanda y Claudia

Erick, Christian y A.J.

A.J. y Christian

Fernanda y su mama, Claudia

Thur 30 JUN - Service Project with La Viña Church

Today AJ and I did a service project along with friends from MN (Molly, Steve, Annie, Leah, Sam and Lizzie). We started out making sandwiches and filling water bottles (similar to what we do at home with the Salvation Army Sandwiches - only it was in intense heat and humidity!) Afterwards we took a bus along with others from a local church, La Viña to the City Dump here in Mazatlan and also to some of the poorer colonias. We plan on bringing our youth group back next summer to do this project! We learned today that the people who live and recycle items they find at the dump make around $6-$7 USD a day. La Viña comes up here 2-3 times a week and to other colonias. They have created 13 feeding centers here in the city and from the feeding centers they do children Bible story time and have 2 new churches from this project.

Tomorrow we will say Adios to our friends at Hogar de Niños, knowing we will see them again next summer! This time they all believe us, since this is the 4th year AJ and I have been here. It is great building friendships with the people we have met here over the years!!!

In Christ's Love,
Barb

Tues 28 JUN 2011

AJ and I continue to enjoy bringing 6-7 of the kids and staff back to our timeshare to swim in the pool, hang out at the beach and then feed them dinner. It really is a great way to get to know each of them on a one on one basis. This group is much more peaceful than Monday's....that day we had 7 kids...including 6 very WILD boys ages 6-11. The director of Hogar told me "Muchas gracias"...the home was exceptionally quiet that afternoon we took them!!!


The top photo is of the newly painted front gate of Hogar. Now the gates are locked at all times, so it is even more secure there now.

Some of you may remember last year school got out a couple days early. This year we just learned school was suppose to get out this Friday, but it won't get out until Monday! That's just the way things are here. You never know day to day what will happen!

I am trying to download a video of the little children during their dance practice. Hopefully the download will work. You may recognize a few of the kids, especially Fernanda! She is so excited to be old enough to be dancing!!!


Barb

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Yes, the new study area for the children is in what used to be the office / storage area. It's so nice for the children to have a place to study. Pepe' from the town (and who many know from VBS last summer) comes to the home every day after school and tutors the younger children with their homework.

With the upgrade to a study area, the home is in great need for a storage area. The new directors also are hoping that perhaps 2-3 churches from the U.S. would be able to help to build a new building - one with lots of storage area and also to include some bunk beds for when there are visitors who want to come and help at Hogar and also to have a public bathroom.

AJ and I have been bringing 6-7 children back to our timeshare every other afternoon/evening. They come use the swimming pool and then later we make them dinner. Yesterday Fernanda was in the group. You can imagine the look of pure excitement and joy that she got to go swimming!!! It has been a good time for us to bond one on one with each of the children and for us to make each of them feel special!

Director Marianela

Director "Capi" David

Updates from Hogar de Ninos - June 2011

HOLA FROM HUMID AND HOT VENADILLO. MY APOLOGIES FOR WRITING IN ALL CAPS. I'M HAVING CHALLENGES WITH THE CAPS LOCK AND SHIFT KEY ON MY COMPUTER.

IT IS SO GOOD BEING BACK AT HOGAR DE NINOS. THE NEW DIRECTORS DAVID Y MARIANELA ARE EXTREMELY APPRECIATIVE OF THE PREVIOUS WORK OUR CHURCH - BOTH ADULTS AND YOUTH HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING THE REST OF OUR GROUP. THE CHILDREN WERE VERY EXCITED WHEN AJ AND I ARRIVED AND CAN'T WAIT FOR NEXT SUMMER.

I AM SENDING LOTS OF PHOTOS. MOSTLY TO SHOW YOU HOW THE WORK WE DID IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND ALSO TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE REALLLY BAD WEATHER THEY HAD LAST FALL. DURING THE RAINY SEASON THERE WAS A LOT OF FLOODING. BOTH THE GIRLS AND BOYS DORM FLOODED AS WELL AS THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE DINING HALL - BUT THAT WAS FROM ALL THE RAIN ON THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING. YOU CAN SEE THE NEW PIPE THEY PUT IN JUST BELOW OUR STEEL AWNING ON THE DINING HALL. ADDITIONALLY, THEY HAD TO PUT CEMENT SIDEWALKS AROUND THE BACK AND SIDE OF BOTH DORMS TO HELP TO THAT THE MUD DIDN'T COME INSIDE AS MUCH. SOMETIME BEFORE THIS FALL THEY WILL NEED TO HIRE A BACKHOE TO MAKE A LARGER CANAL IN THE BACK OF THE DORMS TO TAKE THE WATER AWAY FROM THE BUILDINGS.

DAVID HAS LOTS OF PLANS FOR THE HOME BUT IS STILL PRIORITIZING FOR PROJECTS FOR US NEXT SUMMER.

THE CHILDREN ARE VERY EXCITED FOR THE CLOTHING WE BROUGHT DOWN FOR THEM. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED ITEMS.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVRE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING ANY OF THE PHOTOS.
I WILL TRY TO SEND MORE, INCLUDING PHOTOS FROM THE RENOVATED OFFICE / STORAGE AREA. YOU WON'T RECOGNIZE IT.

UNTIL SOON - BARB Y AJ

MANUEL Y DIEGO

THIS IS THE STORAGE UNIT THAT USED TO BE NEXT TO THE DIRECTOR'S HOME. IT HAD TO BE MOVED BECAUSE OF ALL THE FLOODING....IT IS NOW ON A CEMENT SLAB.

LAUNDRY ROOM CLEAN AND PAINTED

STEEL AWNING

PIPE USED TO GET WATER OFF ROOF OF DINING HALL

CEMENT BUILT BY CUMC AND ADDITIONAL CEMENT BUILT AFTER FLOOD FALL 2010.

SIDE OF BOYS DORM

SIDE OF GIRLS DORM NEXT TO BOYS DORM.

A FEW PART OF THE FENCE ARE STARTINGN TO LEAN AGAIN....FROM THE STORMS FALL 2010.

CLAUDIA ON RIGHT WITH AMIGA.

BACK OF GIRLS DORM.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE CHICKEN COOPE WENT! IT'S MUCH LARGER, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CHICKENS. I THINK THEY MUST HAVE EATEN THEM. WHEN WE ARRIVED, THEY WERE OUT OF RICE WITH NO MONEY TO BUY MORE, SO WE USED SOME OF THE MONEY DONATED TO HOGAR DE NINOS TO PURCHASE 40 KILOS OF RICE ALONG WITH AN 8 LITER PRESSURE COOKER TO COOK THE RICE - THE OTHER ONE BROKE - AND 8 SCHOOL BACK PACKS, TOILET PAPER, HAND SOAP AND LAUNDRY SOAP.

OUTSIDE OF GIRLS DORM. THE OUTSIDE PAINTING WE DID IS STILL GOOD FOR THIS SUMMER. NEXT SUMMER WE WILL PROBABLY NEED TO DO MORE OUTSIDE PAINTING. THE INSIDE PAINT JOBS WE DID PROBABLY WON'T NEED TO BE DONE FOR A FEW MORE YEARS.

THE MANGO TREE WE PLANTED SUMMER 2010 SURVIVED. YEAH.

LOOK WHO IS PEAKING HER HEAD AROUND CLAUDIA.....FERNANDA. SHE HAS GROWN.

FERNANDA

DINING HALL. WITH ALL THE FLOODING THAT HAPPENS DURING THE RAINY SEASON IT WAS WONDERFUL FOR THE CHILDREN TO HAVE THIS EXTRA SPACE FROM THE AWNING WE PROVIDED. I'M WONDERING IF AN AWNING AROUND OTHER BUILDINGS MIGHT ALSO BE SO BENEFICIAL??