An Outreach to Mexico

On December 18th, Mike and I participated in an Outreach to Mexico.  We went with a group of people, headed up by Marylou and Jack, from the Pilot Knob RV Park in Winterhaven, CA (by Yuma).  I am finally getting around to telling the story.

Marylou, a resident of British Columbia,  has been heading up this effort for 11 years.  People from all over the U.S. and Canada send (and bring) handmade hats, scarfs, and quilts to the resort.  Marylou has a corner in the clubhouse where all the materials are stored... and where ladies are always working on quilts.  She distributes all of the donated items to children and families in Mexico and to the cold in Yuma.  The day we accompanied her was the annual Christmas Outreach.

Our first stop was this home for mentally challenged adults, mostly men.

 

 

This facility is run by this caring woman.  She also cares for a few "throw away kids" who have nowhere else to go - not a great setting and my understanding is that she is doing it "on the sneek".

 

 

These are three of the residents. 

 

This is Brian; he is currently staying there.

 

 

This is the inside hallway - most of what we were giving away that day had been brought across the border in several previous trips and stored here.  All of us volunteers did a line and quickly filled the four vehicles with over 300 quilts and who knows how many toys and hats.

 

 

 

 

This young gal is also being kept safe at this facility.

 

 

We quickly headed to our first neighborhood - a couple of the "homes"...

 

 

 

It wasn't long before word spread...

 

 

and the kids gathered around Mike to get "New Orleans Necklaces" (a lady from there donated hundreds).

 

 

That pickup you see in back is loaded with quilts and throws - all handmade - 300 ready for distribution.

 

This little girl was a bit apprehensive...

 

 

but accepted her hat...

 

 

and even a hug from a grandpa.

 

 

Proud of his new scarf... If this yong man were in Cleveland, MN, I doubt we would even be able to get him to wear a handknit scarf... let alone pose for a picture.

 

 

Lines of youngsters and lines of moms waiting patiently on this chilly (50's) morning.

 

 

The hats are a definite hit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of us visited "Grandma" and I was the lucky one to give her that beautifully crocheted blue afghan.  She quickly wrapped up in it - she was cold and not feeling well the day we visited.

 

 

This is the view from her home.

 

 

This is Marylou giving Grandma a word of encouragement.

 

 

After she asked us to please bring cardboard to repair her home, we left, she stood and watched us go.

 

 

I am a sucker for smiling kids ... 

 

 

 

Look carefully at the little one off to the side - great facial expression.

 

 

 

This little one thanked both Mike and I with a handshake... he would not let go of me so I took the picture while still holding his hand... have to wonder what he was thinking.

 

 

 

The elderly came to get warm covers.  The man looking down quickly put his quilt and rice and beans into a bag - he seemed embarassed to be accepting gifts - proud.  Marylou told me he had recently lost his wife and was too old to work in the fields - she didn't think he had family. 

 

 

They chatted and they waited and there were many "gracias".

 

 

The fellow in the hat is Marylou's husband Jack - the lady to the left wanted 4 school packets for grandchildren - Marylou held firm - only those children present received them.

 

 

The look in this young man's eyes as he accepts his school pack from Mike is so intent, it is almost scary - again, if I could only read minds or at least speak the language...

 

 

 

This was a stop at a residence where three youngsters live who have never been able to walk.  Through Marylou's efforts, a wheelchair was bought for each of them.  The young girls you see there were part of our group - we stayed in the car as we were told the children become frightened when strangers come - sure enough, we heard crys.

 

 

The people in this part of Algodones make bricks and sell them to make a living.  This home had a large store of bricks out front.

 

 

This neighborhood was our next stop.

 

 

It didn't take long for people to come to our gathering spot across the river.  That fancy house on the corner is unoccupied and in dire need of repair - bet it has a story to tell.

 

 

The two in the middle were with our group and they handed out hats to all who wanted one.

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of different colors and shades.  There is an Indian Tribe that lives up in the hills so some are a mix of Indian and Mexican and, of course, some caucasian thrown in. 

 

 

FACES... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then everyone had gotten something warm for those chilly winter nights, some rice, some beans, a few pencils and some paper for the school children, a snuggly animal or a ball, a necklace smiles. 

 

 

 

 

We made one last stop at the home of an elderly couple.  She had cataracts that were never removed and is now blind, they have very little on which to live.  Again, Mike and I stayed behind and left the gawking to the others.

 

 

The day of the Feliz Navidad regalo (gift) was over and these people went back to their lives, maybe a little warmer and feeling a little loved.

 

 

We went for a late lunch - time to debrief.  We had distributed over 250 quilts and afghans and who knows how many hats.  We handed out bookbags (handmade) with pencils and paper to all the kids.  Children of all ages received a small stuffed animal or a ball - I even saw some used bats being given out.  The one thing we saw a need for, that wasn't given out, was socks.  So, Mike and I decided that next year, there would be at least one pair of warm socks for everyone that wanted them.

 

We made one more stop before leaving Algodones, Mexico that day... 

I'll save that story for another day.