Around The Campfire At Quartzsite

These are the faces of the friends who gathered each year... caught in the act of relaxing and enjoying...and one working...

And this year, Lonnie and Lee from St. Peter joined us for dinner one night,

Lots of good times around the fire.

And lots of rest and relaxation on this rainy day in the desert.

This Is How YOU Can Help

Many of the readers of this blog have expressed an interest in helping to fund "Bryan's Home" so here is more information and specifics.
 
MaryLou and Jack Stober are the founders. They have been working with the poor and impoverished in Los Algodones, Mexico for 11 years. This has meant taking food (mainly rice and beans) to individuals and families, carrying blankets and warm clothes to these people when winter temperatures dip into the 30's and 40's, and doing whatever they can to make life easier and keep these people healthier. MaryLou takes children to doctors and dentists and Jack tells about making the trip across the border everyday for several months to treat a woman who was severely burned. For these 11 years, this couple from British Columbia has spent their own money and donations from winter visitors to Pilot Knob RV Park. People across Canada and the United States have contributed handmade quilts and afghans and warm caps. Last week we were with MaryLou and Jack as was a woman of 91 who has made over 400 stocking caps of all sizes and colors. In addition to the weekly Wednesday trip into Algodones, they have done a Christmas outreach where gifts are distributed to all who have a need. Along with donated toys are blankets and caps, rice, beans, school supplies, and whatever else has been donated in the past year. The Stobers have also worked closely with Maria, a woman who operates CREDDA, which is an acronym for something, and is a home for addicted adults seeking recovery or those who are mentally unable to function in society. MaryLou tells about first walking into this facility and wanting to run - no sheets on the bed (a mattress on the floor), no one had any underwear and there was little to eat. They didn't run, they have helped this home for many years and continue to do so.

During the past 11 years, MaryLou's heart has gone out to the children. As a former foster mother and daycare provider, she knows what children need and has seen what many in Algodones do not have. For the past couple of years, MaryLou has been praying that God will give her what is needed to start a home for childen; a safe place where children can be feed regularly and experience love. Two years ago, a young boy was born to an addicted mother. He was born prematurely and was not expected to live. But God saw it differently. This little boy lived and there is now a safe home for children, started by MaryLou and Jack, named Bryan's Home in honor of him. The prayer has been answered and now the prayer changes. Now what is needed is continued funding to keep Bryan's House open and help for all those children, yet to come. In the past several weeks MaryLou has met wih the Mexican government officials several times. Most recently, she met with those in charge of what we would call Human Services. They want to place children in Bryan's Home when the need arises - it is a licensed facility and it has nonprofit status in Mexico. That fact, however, does little good in the United States. I called the IRS and they only recognize nonprofits who are legally registered in the U.S. Therefore, donations made to Bryan's Home or Papa's Missions (the name for all of their work in Algodones) are not tax deductible. I am currently working with MaryLou to determine how we can establish a 501c3 - that may take some time and it may cost more than we want to spend right now. It also gets complicated because she is a Canadian citizen. In the meantime,

MaryLou has estimated that Bryan's Home can function on $1,000 U.S. a month. That is only $12,000 a year. The rent for the conservative, by our standards, home is $250 a month. Electricity, which is very expensive, food and a small stipend for the House Mama, Dalia, will consume the rest of the monthly allowance. The goal is to get 100 people to donate $120 a year. If any of my readers want to contribute, a check (of an amount) can be written to:

MaryLou Stober
% Pilot Knob RV Resort
3707 West Highway 80
Winterhaven, California 92283

In the "Memo" line please indicate: Bryan's Home

If you want your donation to be used for any of the other work with the disadvantaged in Algodones, please write "Papa's Missions" in the memo line. ( Papa's Missions is in honor of our God - Papa, not Jack)


If you are concerned about what happens during the 5 months of summer when MaryLou and Jack are in Canada, don't be. This summer, she plans to fly down every 6 weeks and Maria and Dalia are very trustworthy, reliable adults. They communicate regularly via text messages. It is a small world when we want it to be.

Since shipping is so expensive, it isn't practical to send "stuff".  But...if someone is knitting or crocheting an afghan or making a quilt they would like to contribute, feel free to send it down.

On behalf of those in need in town of Los Algodones, in the state of Baja Califonia, in the country of Mexico, Gracias!

P.S.
Donated hats and quilts and afghans recently were given to the homeless shelter in Yuma.  When temperatures dipped so low, they put out a call on a local television station.  I happen to hear the request for warm items and contacted MaryLou to see if there were any "extras" in the clubhouse.  The next day, 100 hats and 30 warm coverings were delivered to this Yuma, AZ shelter for the homeless.  This is not the first time, and I know it won't be the last time, that a call for help has been answered by MaryLou.  And it is only possible through the donations of many...

An Amazing Day in Mexico

When we got back to our RV Park near Yuma, we touched base with MaryLou.  We needed to make another trip into Algodones to see what we might be able to do to help.  Today was the day, and what a day it was.

We checked in with Grandma and brought some food and milk for her granddaughter.

 

She always welcomes us into her home... a wide band of cloth adds to the cardboard and keeps out some of the cold - it is expected to get below freezing for several of the upcoming nights.

 

 

She has some wood for her cook stove (that's the barrel)... but not much. 

 

 

We stopped to see "Old Maria" and she again invited all of us into her home - chairs in her bedroom... also her living room. 

 

 

 

This is her cook stove - not much wood here either.

 

 

 

But, she has a heat plate inside by her table - actually a very nice home complete with indoor toilet and real plywood walls.  She wears the key to her home around her neck.

 

 

And she has an outdoor clothesline.

 

 

 

We stopped to see the family in this house.

 

 

See the outside bed behind Jack.

 

 

That cute little malnourished pup in the first picture had babies... we ended up taking mother and the three puppies to the orphanage - every home needs a dog.

 

 

This sign now hangs on the wall by the orphanage.  It says: "Here is built!!"

"Bryan 's Home (Casa is house, Casa Hogar is Home) for Minors" (This was important so they can serve children through age 18 rather than just to age 12)

"Your help, a chance at life"

 

 

Look carefully at the logo - The blue "D" is for Dios - God.  The white dove is for peace and the few brown lines create the home.

 

 

The front doorway is decorated with pictures made by the Sunday School class from MaryLou's church.

 

 

The living room now has sofas  (from the thrift store) and they are decked out with  donated "kid stuff" and pillows made in the park.

 

 

The table and chairs are ready for kids.

 

 

The bedrooms are ready. 

 

 

The yard is ready for kids.

 

 

The trike is ready for a rider.

 

 

Thanks to MaryLou, Jack and Delia (the House Mom).  That is the first little resident being held.

 

 

 

 But there is clothes for all sizes "at the ready".

 

 

Bryan's Casa Hogar is ready!

 

 

Little did we know ...

Our next stop was to pick up Maria at the CREDDA (center for rehabilitation, drug addicts, etc.) and go to government offices in a small town just south of Algodones.  It seems that the orphanage has been given some land in town on which to build when they are ready to enlarge.  Like MaryLou says, "things are just moving so quickly."

 

When we pick up Maria, she tells us we need to go to the Policia.  So that is where we take her.  Little did we know that she was talking with officers about 2 beaten and abandoned children.  You guessed it, that is our next stop - the residence where the children are.

 

 This is what we saw from our spot in the backseat of the car. 

 

 

 

 

And it isn't long before Keven is sitting on my lap giving me the look and his sister is lost in thought as she sits between Mike and I.

 

 

Maria and MaryLou introduces them to  Delia.

 

 

Some signs of abuse are noted on Keven's face.

 

 

 

 

 

If these pictures break your heart - you should have been there!

 

We left the children in Delia's capable hands and head off to the neighboring town to take care of business.  And when we return a little over an hour later... 

The new little residents of Bryan's Casa Hogar were scrubbed, dressed in different clothes and making use of the yard.

 

Loves the trike!  Puts up with his shadow.

 

 

Loves her new beads!

 

 

 

 

 

Look carefully - does it look like Keven is in prayer...

 

 

Bryan, for whom the home is named, loves to play "Peek".

 

 

WOW!  What a day.  What an opportunity.  We were there when the orphanage gained its first two "official" residents.  How wonderful for those children to have a safe place to go and a caring person like Delia to give them love.

 

 

 

Now a short commercial - in coming posts I will tell you how you can help financially.  This orphanage has been opened and will operate completely on donations.  The building is rented at a cost of $250 a month.  It is expected that $1,000 a month will be needed to pay for everything.  Please think about how you can help.