First of all a BIG MUCHAS GRACIAS to The Strathcona Sunrise Rotary, The Cumberland Rotary, Comox Valley Dodge and all the wonderful people of the Comox Valley B.C. who made this possible  (you know who you are).  This started with an idea to help support a sewing cooperative (The Bag Ladies) who are in the very poor area near the dump in Pt. Vallarta.  Before this idea was barely conceived a van was donated along with enough sewing machines fabric, etc to fill a small warehouse.  Terry Nielsen from the Strathcona Rotary, who had visited me in Mexico  last year was kind  enough to not only help organize this adventure, but also took take time off work and help drive the van .

Two days later we are in Santa Cruz Ca. with a loaded van.   We were just in time  to attend a fundraiser for my good friend Ken Kimes who had recently lost his hand in a farming accident.  After a great visit  we were out the door to San Diego where we camped before crossing the border at Tijuana .   From there we planned to drive through Baja and take the ferry from La Paz to Mazatlan.

To say the least there was some confusion when we got to the border at Tijuana.  We were waved through by a frantic border guard and motioned  not to stop.  We thought that down the road we were going to  be stopped to get our tourist visa and car permit, but no such luck and next the thing  we knew we were stuck in the middle of the desert for the night.  Things did not look good  so we phoned the ferry in La Paz to see what we needed (and hadn’t gotten in Tijuana).   We were soon  told we were going no where until we got our visas and van permits and we better get down to La Paz and get this  straightened out as the ferry left in two days.  Speedy Gonzales could not have done better 1000 kms in 12 hours and all we had to give up was a bolt of blue cloth at an army check point so they could put it on the windows of their hut to try and keep the wind and dust out (I was little leary about taking a photo as they were carrying machine guns).

The next day (ferry leaving day ) we went to immigration where after a FUN half day we were fined $100 each for being in Mexico illegally.  Ferry time was getting close and we still had the permit people and customs people to deal with but lady luck was on our side as a very nice woman who would have liked to come to PV with us gave us our car  permit.  No Problema.  Our last hurdle was Customs where  it was the old press the button and see if it is green (you go ahead) or red (you get searched); about a 1 in 20 chance.  I said to the lady as I walked up to the button “Siempre Rojo para mi” ( It is always red for me), she laughed and sure enough  we were looking at RED.  She could not believe it and gave us a BIG Smile and waved us thru.

It was a great  15 hour trip over on a pretty deluxe ferry and the ocean was flat calm except for the dolphins everywhere spoiling the view   After landing we only had 7 hours of slow windy roads into  Pt. Vallarta.

The project got its start when Comox Valley Dodge donated a mini-van to the Rotary Club of Strathcona-Sunrise.   Mike Finneron Jr. at Speed Pro Signs donated the Rotary logo and Canadian flag decals on each side.  With the help of funds to cover travel costs donated by the Rotary Club of Cumberland Centennial, it will be driven to Cabo Correntes, Mexico, a rural area 4 hours drive south of Puerta Vallarta.

Over 25 sewing machines were collected, one brand new in an unopened box, along with boxes of sewing notions and yards of fabric. In fact, the response was so great that more was collected then the van can hold. Rotary is looking into other options to transport the excess.

The supplies will be enthusiastically welcomed by the ‘Bag Ladies of Banderas Bay’. These enterprising women live near the city dump and utilize the recyclable resources discarded on their doorstep. They started making handbags from newspaper. They now make many styles of bags, from padded laptop computer bags to small pouch-bags with shoulder straps. ‘Bag Ladies’ enables women to earn an income as well as gain business experience and skills they would not normally be able to obtain as stay-at-home moms. By having their own money in their pockets, these women learn to be more independent, to gain the confidence and motivation to fight for a better life.

Taking turns at the wheel enroute to Mexico will be Bob Johnson and local Rotarian Terry Neilson. Bob is a local painter who has been making trips to this region of Mexico for 8 years. He has established many contacts in the area and has been helping to build schools and housing for teachers and to bring school supplies into the impoverished rural area.  The van will be put to use in support of his numerous projects in the area.   Everyone involved was thrilled at the amount of supplies collected. As Bob aptly put it:  “They won’t believe it when they see all that stuff in the van!”

As they say in Mexico, “Millones de gracias Comox Valley”.

Terry checking out the local bus.

First, Terry Nielsen from the Courtenay Rotary club had been in Mexico for nearly 2 weeks and really wanted to see what was happening with the rural Mexican schools we had been helping for the past 7 years.  Terry and I met up as soon as I landed in Puerto Vallarta and early the next morning we set off on a tour of Cabo Corrientes.  We were able to visit many villages and schools in the area and saw many completed projects and other projects that badly needed help.  While we were there we were fortunate enough to stay with my good Mexican friends in the pretty fishing village of Tehuamixtle and Terry got to see the broken down bus that services this area.  After a very productive and fun couple of days I drove Terry back to Boca Tomatlan where we had a great lunch on the beach watching the young kids surfing in the bigger than normal waves; then it was time for him to hop a bus back to Puerto Vallarta and then Canada, while I headed south towards Bara Navidad where Bob and Annette were staying.

fun mural

Bob Mason and kids at the orphanage

Second, Bob Mason and his good wife Annette had asked me to visit and possibly do some painting at a nearby special needs center if I was in Mexico around this time. We had never met but had corresponded over the years and they had been a great help with our fundraisers.  As I have described in an earlier post the Masons had dedicated their lives for many years to running an orphanage in northern Mexico, and they had only recently moved to this area.  I had a fun time painting at the school where one of the children’s fathers had just painted one of the cutest murals I had ever seen.  It was also very nice catching up with the Masons.  I learned a fun game of Dominos called Mexican Train, saw huge crocodiles that lived on the property, and possibly got a great lead on some wheelchairs that were badly needed at the new center in Cabo Corrientes.  As soon as I returned to Puerto Vallarta I got in touch with their Bob and Annette’s friends Nigel and Phillipa Gow.

Wheelchair/Walker for young boy at Sp. Needs center in El Tuito

The Gows were the third good reason for my quick return to Mexico and Lady Luck was surely shining down when I contacted them.  They belong to a great organization called “Amigos de Teacapan” who help with medical, educational and just about any other kind of need in this area.  Their president Rod Buranen gave them the go ahead to help us out and boy did they ever!  They helped us locate a great wheelchair and a sturdy walker for a young boy in El Tuito that was without both.  Then their friends Ken and Janet Jones from Richmond B.C, who were in the area, volunteered to deliver the wheelchair and walker down to Puerto Vallarta where they delivered them right to where I was staying.

New kindergarten school in Corrales

Condemned house for 3 teachers in Corrales

Fourth, my wonderful amiga Barb Crompton who has helped so much the last couple of years wanted to take her good  friend Joel from Napa California on a tour of  Cabo Corrientes to see what was happening out that way.  What a whirlwind fun tour this was and it could not have gone any better.  In one day we were able to: deliver the wheelchair and walker to the new special needs center in El Tuito (where it was greatly appreciated); meet the local government which is really dedicated to helping their people; visit several villages and schools; see the new 4 room teacherage that Barb had helped to build in Villa del mar; and vsit the brand new kindergarten school that had just been completed in the very remote village of Corrales.  BOY DO THEY NEED A NEW HOUSE FOR TEACHERS THERE.

The fifth good reason for my return took place only 2 days before I was due to trade in my beach wear for winter skis one more time.  On this day I headed out by bus to where I met up with the local government in Cabo Corrientes to discuss what projects they needed help with for this year.  It is always a fun time getting together with this group as they so dedicated to helping their people, and work so hard for not a lot of money.  No corruption out this way, just lots of pride, happy people and beautiful new buildings!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4634419850_f701a4ab92_t.jpg

Terry checking out the local bus.

The Road to the Village

To get there we had to drive north-east from Puerto Vallarta for 7 hrs.  We drove over a brand new twisting highway which in places, had just been cleared of recent mud and rock slides; in other places it was still under construction!  The pavement ended abruptly as we descended into the valley where Jesus Maria y Jose (it’s full name) sits by the Rio San Pedro.

It was like travelling back in time.  We crawled along the rough cobbled streets dodging dogs, potholes, pigs, stares, the odd truck and even 2 kids with skateboards!   This was a town that had only received electrical service 2 years ago and it’s shy inhabitants observed us with curiosity and/or indifference.

Our Host

We picked our way among the rock and brick buildings, until we arrived at the adobe of our

The Evening Entertainment

gracious host ‘Maro, a returned native of Jesus Maria who was now the Head of Education and the volunteer Cultural Director for the region.

Over the next 2 days, we were treated as special guests, escorted to sites around town and honoured with front row seats for the evening festivities.  These festivities celebrated the cultural heritage of Mexico and included performers from all over the country.  The audience included hooting cowboys who had come from miles away, and multitudes of raggedly dressed laughing children who could not be kept from crowding the stage and adding to the entertainment. Enchilada stalls and antiquated amusement park rides gave a circus-like atmosphere to this dusty, humble little town.

Visit to the Hospital

Another highlight was a tour of the hospital, the only one in the area and one of the very few in Mexico where native traditional healing medicine and western medicine are both practiced.  We were shown the garden where medicinal plants are grown and their newest Maternity building where expectant and at-risk Moms-to-be can stay for safety, treatment, delivery and health education which is so needed for healthy families.

Malnutrition, poor sanitary standards, domestic abuse and Tuberculosis are the main challenges identified by the Nurses.

When we left Jesus Maria, we felt like we were leaving old friends. Though glad to have brought needed items of clothing for the kids, blankets for the cold nights and dried milk for nutrition we also wondered if there could be a way to assist the people to help themselves.   So, with ‘Maro’s help, we are currently investigating whether bringing goats or cows to the community would be a sustainable undertaking.   We left with a warm invitation for a speedy return which we hope to take next year.

I am recently back from my latest trip to Mexico and there have been lots of exciting developments.  A new kindergarten school has been built in a tiny fishing village in Cabo Corrientes (a remote district south of Pt. Vallarta).  This village is literally ‘at the end of the road’.  The money for materials to build this school came from a fund raiser put on by Barb Crompton, Patsy Duggan and friends in Vancouver B.C. and matching funds from the local government.  The construction work was done by the local community.

To get to the village we had to travel over a rained out washboard road.  When we arrived a school clean up crew was busy sweeping and washing their new floors (see picture below).  The children and teachers were also thrilled with the tables, chairs and chalkboards we brought with us, courtesy of the creative fundraising efforts of a Grade 2 class at Aspengrove School in Nanaimo, led by their teacher Crystal Ruel.  This class raised $318, more than double their expectations, by holding a “healthy bake sale” and abstaining from eating junk food for a week.

For these Nanaimo children, being able to help their school mates/pen pals by such a simple act has been a wonderful experience.  For the 25 children in Corrales, who did not even have a school a few months ago … well, just look at their smiles!

MUCHAS GRACIAS …MUY AMABLE ( thank you everyone … you are so kind)

Pasitos de Luz (little steps of light) continues to grow and offer critically needed services to Vallarta’s disabled kids and their families. If her child can be cared for during the day, a parent can hold a job and provide for her family. During that “day of care”, kids from an active pool of 150 special needs kids, receive an incredible array of srvices: medical evaluation and treatment, physical and occupational therapy, special education, personal hygiene, nutritional meals, and in many cases clean clothes and haircuts….all in an environment that is stimulating and incredibly loving and compassionate.

With ever greater demand from a rapidly growing population, Pasito’s founder and Director, Yolanda Sanchez, continues to expand and improve the facility. In the past six months she has added a large and well-equipped therapy area ready for the arrival of 3 interns who will spend a year working under the supervision of our staff therapist Sylvia. There’s a new are area where kids can share the joy of creating colorful and imaginative paintings–some holding the brush in their mouth, and one severely affected sweetheart with Cerebral Palsy has a brush mounted on her little baseball cap—incredible to witness!!

A new kitchen has been installed and equipped where 2 loving moms work magic with “past date” ingredients from Costco, serving up 300 plus meals a day, many specially formulated for individual needs and conditions.

All of this gets done for less than 40 pesos per child ($3.50 US!!). And of course the constant challenge at Pasitos is to reliably obtain those funds. One recent effort with lots of community support is a weekly Bingo night in the tourist beach area. There is also a second hand shop connected to the facility staffed by volunteers. With no government funding, what keeps Pasitos going is the faithful support of a few small foundations, and service clubs like Rotary and Kiwanis. These friends of Pasitos know their funds are working miracles in Puerto Vallarta…..truly!! Kids given no hope of walking, learning, even surviving…defy the predictions under the loving and attentive care of their helpers, many of whom are themselves mothers of disabled kids.

Some recent encouraging developments: a film-maker from Vancouver has completed a week of filming and the resulting documentary will contribute hugely in efforts to introduce Pasitos to more people and raise desperately needed funds. Yolanda was awarded the “Hero Award” by the city of Puerto Vallarta, for her amazing dedication and accomplishments (she started only six years ago, caring for the children of 3 friends, in her home!!). The recently elected city administration is expressing interest and concern in the major contribution Pasitos makes to Vallarta’s welfare.

But the everyday events at Pasitos will always be the most impressive: Little Manuel getting the surgery in Guadalajara that will allow him to move his legs, and maybe even walk; Citlaly who has spent her seven years sliding through life on her backside has learned to wear her braces, stand up, and beginning to take her first steps with a smile on her angelic face that would melt ice; the special ed class has learned a song and dance routine for the next community program; Carlito can write his numbers, Maria no longer cries with fear, Juanito is gaining weight and is able to play for the first time in his six years.

Pasitos truly is a place of miracles and we hope you’ll continue to participate in our little miracles. If you are planning some time in Vallarta, please let us introduce you to our kids and services. Could be the highlite of your holiday!

Who would ever believe that I could break down in 3 different vehicles in 3 different countries within one month. The Universe must know I am no mechanic!

Just before leaving Canada my old van came to a grinding halt after getting off the Quadra Island ferry; the fuel pump gone (it is only money). Two days later I picked up the van that the Wachiay Friendship Center in Courtenay was so kind to give me the deal of the century on. This 15 passenger was going to be donated to the HIV/ AIDS Center in Pt Vallarta Mexico and to be used for testing in the poorer communities. On my way I stopped by my good friends Jim and Marlyn Ainsley for a coffee, before I hopped on the ferry for Vancouver, then the US of A. They had some clothes that I was going to take down and donate and asked if there was anything else I could use like MATERIAL. The light bulb went ON – for years they had worked craft fairs selling their fabrics and now had all this material left over. Soon we were loading bolt after bolt of material into the van and, guess what, not a problem at the border. California here I come! or so I thought.

Just before the California border there are a set of mountains that the van did not want to go over and it heated up quickly. I hobbled back into Grants Pass and found the only mechanic open on a Sunday. I spent the whole day at the mechanic’s as the crew tried to figure what the problem was – no luck and I was held over until Monday when the boss was due to arrive. I drove the van to the Walmart parking lot and spent the night there in the van, what an experience !!! There were half a million dollar motor homes on one side of the lot and on the other the displaced and homeless. It was quite the contrast. Back at the mechanics they discovered it was the radiator (only more money) : -) Next, I was off to see Ken and Sandra who have an organic farm just outside Santa Cruz. After a short visit a donated sewing machine plus lots more clothing from friends it was off to Puerta Vallarta where a group of Rotarians was waiting for me.

Three days later I arrived and quickly borrowed the small bus I had donated to this wonderful special needs center, Pasitos de Luz ( Place of Light), the year before so I could tour the rotary group around the remote area south of Pt. Vallarta. Then LIGHTNING STRUCK AGAIN. With everyone on board and way out in this remote area the transmission seal blew. Thanks to a Pepsi truck who towed us to the main town everyone was happy and a week later the bus was fixed (only money) : -)

WOMEN’S CO-OP: TOOTHBRUSHES FOR THE HUITCHOL INDIANS

Back in Puerta Vallarta I dropped the van off with ED and the folk doing wonderful work with HIV/AIDS prevention in the area. On the way I gave all the donated material to Vivian and the sewing machine to the Womens Co-op that she helps operate in the poor areas. I also gave my good friend Kevin, who runs the shop Peyote People, all the clothes and supplies collected for the Huitchol Indians that live high in the mountains. It was so good to hear from him that the tooth brushes and paste that we had sent up the year before was a big hit as they had never used them before.

CHAIRS, FANS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS

My good friend Margarito who helped start this project 7 years ago with his wife Eva had been collecting furniture and other materials needed for schools in the remote areas. Armed with a list of all the school materials that were needed it was time to load the truck up and go delivering. As always it was a lot of fun seeing old friends. Glenn Barron a teacher and good friend from North Carolina had arrived with his daughter Katie and 600 books that were going to be given to 3 separate schools so they could start school libraries. The year before he had noticed that there were hardly any books for the children to read and they do not even know the word library. We stayed out there for a couple of days and the books were a hit with everyone. It was a great trip.

PASITOS DE LUZ ( PLACE OF LIGHT) SPECIAL NEEDS CENTER

One of my favorite HAPPY Places. This year we helped to raise funds to finish their badly needed renovations. They look after over 100 children a day so the parents can go to work in an area the size of a shoe box.

One of their faithful volunteer/ workers Yuni ( Loved by all) had for the last 8 years wanted to attend a 2 year special needs therapists school in Guadalahara so she could return and help the children. My good friend Jim Boland decided to help right away and Yuni has now completed 6 months of the course and doing great.

HOUSE FOR 5 TEACHERS

This was our big project for the year that the local government, who does not have a lot of money, decided that teacher housing was a major priority and asked us to help. There are 5 teachers at the only high school in this very remote area ( Villa del Mar), and they are sleeping in make shift tents, on the school floor, or being passed around to different families in the community. This is a big problem as most teachers are from the cities and not used to these sparse living conditions. They get fustrated , some leave, and in other cases the school closes.

Thanks to Barb Crompton, Patsy Duggan AND MANY FRIENDS who threw a very successful, very fun, fund raiser for this project in Vancouver last year. Along with continuing support from the Sunrise Rotary Club of Medicine Hat AB this fundraiser allowed us to help see this project completed. The local people of the village have done all the work and we have been able to get all materials at cost..

NEXT YEAR

Kindergarten school in Coralles, special needs center in El tuito. Two houses for teacher,

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL….FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

Of course this time of the year is simply too hot to be in Mexico for us Canadian’s so instead Bob has spent the summer promoting the project and collecting donations. Here is a list of some of the activities from the first half of the year.

Members from the Rotary Club in Calgary are coming to visit  Pt. Vallarta and Cabo Corrientes after hearing how well the visit went with the Sunrise Rotary Club.

Barbara , Patsy , Sandra and  and  friends who were kind enough to hold a fundraiser in Vancouver to help Mexico on July 23rd which in 2 hours raised an amazing $8000.00  and everyone had so much fun they have already booked it again for next year.

A Big Thank You to all the people who came!

Along with our good friend Sarah in PV we were able to purchase a new pump for a school in the very poor area of Pt. Vallarta.

Thanks Wanda for all those diapers you bought for Pasitos de Luz. ( special needs center)  and a special thanks to Nicholas, Leith & Bruce, Susan , Dorothy ,Karl,etc who have donated to the cause this year.

I have just returned from Mexico with lots of good news and adventures. This was a shorter visit than most, but very productive. There had been an election last year in Mexico, so we needed to connect with the new government to see if they were still interested in helping with projects in the remote areas. As luck would have it our good friends Margarito and Eva from Puerta Vallarta, who helped start this program five years ago, knew the leaders very well.

They are very excited about working with us and want to get all school bathrooms in the area working and maintained over the next couple of years. At present 75% of bathrooms in 50 schools are not working for one reason or another.

It was so nice that our good friends Sandra, Bruce, Ed, Sandy and family from Alaska, came down to Mexico this year. With their generous donation, our first project will be putting in all new bathrooms at Villa del Mar, the only high school in the area. There are over 100 students in this school with bathrooms that are in terrible shape, or not even working.

Enough wonderful things can’t be said about our wonderfulfriends from Medicine Hat, Carolina and Randy (the hosts with the most), who along with their Rotary Club continue to take on much needed projects in the area. It was so nice to see Renee and Jim down for a visit and meet their friends Reg and Eddie, along with Carolina’s dad Ollie.

Latest News: Recently our good friends,Sandra & Ken from Santa Cruz, have donated one of their older vans that will aide us in getting into rural areas more easily.

This year we were able to supply all schools in the area where we volunteer with necessary supplies and sports balls.

Projects we are looking at helping with this year:

1. Putting in new bathrooms in Villa del Mar High School
2. Putting in a new eating area in Villa del Mar High School, where the mothers make hot food for the students everyday. At present it is a dilapidated wood and thatched structure that is a haven for scorpions.
3. Fix the school eating area in the village of Tehuamixtle, that was recently damaged by high winds.
4. Help replace the scorpion infested kindergarten school in Tehuamixtle that is such disrepair that it is beyond belief.
5. In Puerta Vallarta there is a wonderful special needs center, Pasitos de Luce (Place of Light), in a very poor area that presently day cares 85 children with severe disabilities. This service is provided so their parents can go to work. They are in dire need of a van with wheel chair access so that some of these children can be picked up each day. Our plan is to drive a donated van down for them in October. If anyone out there hears of one, please let us know.

It was so nice to see the new roof on the school in El Refugio that Carey, Derrick, family and great friends raised funds to fix. These funds also enabled us to paint the primary and special needs center in El Tutto.

There are so many who have generously donated to our upcoming projects the year:

• Glenn and his students in North Carolina
• Bernie and students in Fort Francis, Canada
• Bob and Pam in Victoria, BC
• Puntledge School in Courtenay, BC
• Norma in Whitehorse who has supported us from the beginning
• Eva, Margarito and family (River Café Staff)

And a special thank you to anyone else I have not mentioned and to friends and family everywhere, who make this happen!