Summer Vacation '09

Good morning all:

Shane had his tests today!!  The walls were not fitting, the materials were not matching, some materials we had too much of and some not enough of!!  He had people wanting jobs to do and many people to keep busy at once.  A few times through the day I think I saw him banging his head against a clinic wall!!  But he survived and did great.  We were at the site again by 9 and again there are children there waiting for us!!  They are excited to see us there and spend some time with us.  Santiago is still ill and so Roberto was joining us again.  Today there were 2 young boys who were bullying some of the other kids.  Tyler did his best to try to assist but he was no match for the macho 11 and 12 year old who were bugging the younger ones.  Then these 2 boys began playing with the tools and tossing them around and then throwing rocks at a few of the interns.  Roberto came over and told the 2 boys to return to their casas and go see their moms.  One of the boys did right away but the other boy completely disrespected Roberto and kept coming back onto the site area.  Roberto handled himself very well and the kid did not return for the rest of the day.  It was too bad because of the boys had helped us at the school and had done a really great job but now that this friend was here he struggled a lot more.  I think he was showing off for his friend but it got him kicked out.  Maybe tomorrow will be better. 

Today we painted some more and put up all the roof sheeting.  We built some inside walls and Magui and her crew were back for more delicious lunch.  They are so generous and thankful that we are doing this that they insist on bringing us lunch every day.  Magui has tears in her eyes as she describes how much this clinic is needed for the people of the parcel 16 and 17 land in Zapata.  It proves it we say by how much they contributed to the cause! Today the lunch was sopas and Mason one of the interns described it as the best meal he has ever ha din Mexico.  Shane said it was heaven on earth!!  Wow...what a chef.  Sopas was a corn deep fried tortilla with refried beans on it, lettuce, sour cream and cheese fresh! We ate them all.  What is great about Magui is that she feeds us so well but then always has enough to feed all of the children in the area who are hanging with us.  How generous is that especially because there are so many. 

We worked later today than usual as the group and us had a certain idea in our heads as to what the job should look like by the end of the day. We finished the painting and the roof panels!  A job well done!  Everyone was on much greater spirits today than yesterday...perhaps a good night sleep was all we needed. 

We returned home and dinner was to be made!!  I had offered to make Lorraine's famous mac and cheese which I understand is originally Grandma McIntyre's famous mac and cheese, however it was my mom who showed me how to make it!!  It turned out great.  The kids had warned the group about my previous cooking trys and actually said the meatloaf I made one day was to "die" for!  But the group really enjoyed it which I was glad aboout!

I forgot to mention today that Pedro was here this am as he was off to Ensenada to sign up for his University!  He was very excited and looking forward to his semester!

Take care friends and family!!!

Love the Leighton's!!

I have to apologize for the many days of writing together as I have not made the time to write our blog. Also for the delay in keeping in touch. Things at the hospital are busy.  The community actually calls it a clinic or clinica which likely is a better name for it.  As I said in yesterdays blog, the clinic seems small but when you compare it to what they currently work in this place is very large!

We started the day without power or water and without the right amount of materials today.  It turned out that the whole day was kind of like that...people were just not right.  Perhaps the whole group of us should have went back to bed and started again with our feet on the right side of the bed.  It was cloudy all morning which is unusual but by lunch the sun was hot and shining.  We managed to get the remaining walls built and the house standing by the end of the day!!  Quite the accomplishment as we had our group and a lot of community folks there.  Santiago was ill today with a flu and so Roberto came to assist as an interpreter and also if we needed help building.  He proved to be a big help.  It was great as we were raising the house that Shane would tell us all in English what to do followed by Roberto telling everyone is Spanish what to do and the house was raised.  It is a beautiful site to see.  We ended the day by painting although many of us were not painting as we were visiting with the various comity women who had come out this afternoon to help paint.  They also treated us to a lunch of cevichi soya today which was quite good.  Its a soya mixed with tuna and with carrots and celery and onions and lots of cilantro and a bit of a kick...you put in on a hard taco shell or tostado?  We added mayo and ketchup.  Most of the group enjoyed it.  Magui is the women in charge in this community.  She leads a women's group and is a wonderful spirited women.  Her daughter Deanna is a very wonderful 15 year old and her som who is 13 is very sweet, helpful and respectful.  Today the kids were out in full force...at any given time there were 30 or more kids around us while we were working.  Some kids like to help, others just watch, some are selling bracelets, some want to play and most want some attention from the group from Canada!

As I told you yesterday we were invited to Amelia's for dinner and we arrived at about 6 PM.  Her kitchen was bustling with her, a sister a niece her husband and Pedro all cooking for the 14 guests that they had invited to dinner. I was greeted with a warm hug from Pedro and over dinner we had a great chat about school, his 2 courses he failed and his resolve to do well this semester,  Pedro as it turns out speaks very good english.  Julia translated for us most of what we struggled with as well as one of the interns Laurisse who has excellent spanish.  We stayed a few hours and ate some amazing fish tacos....I ate wayyyy to much.  There was a salsa there that Amelia said was mild...but it started most of the groups tongues on fire! On our way home from Amelia's we stopped for fun coffee's at the local coffee shop in Vicente!!  Delicious and a fun way to end a great day.  the morning was a struggle and the afternoon was tough but the evening made the day great!

Love Kim. Shane, Tyler and Jessica

The morning was early as today we were beginning to build the hospital.  This is the build where is is the 8 interns, Shane, I and the kids and Dawn.  Santiago will come to to assist and to interpret.  We are building this clinic because the current clinic is in a very small space in someone's house that they have been able to use rent free.  Right now the doctor comes every 15 days but the community was told that if they had their own space and a bigger space the doctor would come more often maybe 2 times per week.  It turns out that last month the person who owns the current house they are using for space has requested it back so the timing is perfect.  The community approached Hero Holiday who said that if they could have the ground level to build on that they would consider it.  The day after Hero Holiday said this the ground was level and it was ready to go. The community is in need of this and it was clear by their assistance it was theirs to own.  Also the day Hero poured the concrete there were many community members who came out to assist with the pour.  Again it is great that they are not just watching the work get done but joining right in along side.  This creates pride and ownership in the finished product.  We arrived at the worksite at 9 am...I drove the big school bus there,,,keep off the roads in Zapata!!  Quite the site I must say.  Our lumber was not quite all there so we built what we could with what was there.  This took us till 1 PM or so.  A women named Maggie in the community...clearly a community leader as many follow her lead came over with her daughter son and husband and brought strawberry water for the group to drink.  It was extremely hot today so the group appreciated the very cold and sweet drink.  There was a few other people around to help but a bit quiet.  I think they heard we were building on Thursday so likely noone really knew we would there today.  Lots of kids though. It seems like where the Hero bus goes, children go.  Tyler and Jess had a lot of fun teasing, chasing and buiding with the kids.  I think many of the boys here first off mistake Tyler for a girl.  All the boys have dark short hair so when they see long blond hair I think thty think girl.  Some of them flirt with him and then I say Do you know he is a boy not a girl and then they kind of back off a bit and then try to more roughhouse with him!  Jessie makes friends wherever she goes and the little girls seem to like her.  Again language does not get in the way.

After the build we went back to the house to relax and shower and then go into the town of Vicente Guerro.  Small but cute.  We stopped to visit the clam family...you rmember them from last week and we chatted, visited and talked about school as one of the interns has offered to send the 2 youngest to school.  They are 8 and 10 and have not attended school.  Right now a lady comes from the orphange once a week to teach them.  Today she was teaching them in the car?  After that we visited Amelia and Pedro.  For those of you who were with us last year you will remember Amelia as the amazing women who cooked for us at our dorm.  Her son Pedro is the man who our group from last year are paying for his University degree.  Pedro was not home as he was at work but mom and Dad...Pedro SR. told us Pedro had failed 2 classes.  He has to retake them in the next semester and it seems he was very upset and embarrassed and had not gone to Andrew and Dawn for his next batch of money.  He is signed up to take the next semester and to retake the 2 again and the money amount does not seem different.  Amelia said he would be home tomorrow and invited the whole group of us...all 15 to dinner tomorrow night.  How generous is that...and she is making fish tacos with fresh fish her husband and brother in law just caught.  How lucky are we?

We then wandered around town and Santiago and I went to see a couple whom we are likely going to do some outreach for...concrete and gravel to pour the pad for their own home.  We arrived home and Jessica and I went to church with Angelina, Roberto, Angela, and Jolene.  Jessica even went to Wednesday school with Angela in her class. How brave of Jess.  Another great, loud singsongin service.  I really enjoyed it.  We got home at 8 and the rest of the group had eaten stirfry made by 2 of the interns and they saved us some and it was delicious!  To bed late as we were organizing money...some things stay the same.  Hopefully a good nights rest as the build continues tomorrow.

Love Kim, Shane and the Kids

Ps...Shane is doing awesome on the build.  Its tough leading a group like us!!

Tuesday, August 11^th, 2009-08-11

I woke up in the middle of the night to finally throw up whatever was hanging around in tummy....felt much better and slept till 8 am.  Everyone had a day of rest today and the group chose to go to the beach.  Since most had not been to the sand dollar beach that was our destination.  We packed a lunch to go and once everyone was up and out of bed we took off approximately 1 or so.  We stopped at the last pemex gas station to use the facilities as the beach is without a bano.  We hung out on the beach till 5 PM and enjoyed the sun, sand and waves. It was particularly sandy and windy and the sand was very fine so we ended up with sand in every available space in our bodies...ears, nose etc.  All the women looked like we had sand moustaches!!  Dawn stayed back at the house to work on paperwork so we missed having her on the beach.  We stopped for groceries on the way home and enjoyed a spaghetti dinner with salad and garlic bread.  We cleaned a bit and held a debriefing about how the last group went and what we could do better in the future.  I am so thankful that I am feeling better today.....the beach was beautiful.

Thank you all for you great comments....Teresa you continue to write such kind and heartfelt messages.

Aunt Sandra...say hello to Evin for us!! Congratulations again.

Chass...thanks for the messages..the internet has been down quite  a bit and we find we sometimes have to write a few days at a time.  I hope you had a great day at Winnipeg Beach.  Its so great and beautiful there.  Enjoy the pool tomorrow if you go.  Enjoy Thunder Rapids on Saturday!

Kendra..thanks for the update and good luck at the gym.  We will be cheering you and Krissy on!

Cynthia...thanks for writing and please say hi to the gang at Mazenod!  See you soon.

Take care family and friends.

Jessica had a few moments tonight where she cried about missing everyone and everything in Winnipeg.  She is too sweet.

Love kim, Shane, Tyler and Jessica

Today the group had a day to relax....we had a bit of a sleep in and we were off to the volcano and the beach.  It was unusually cool today and a bit windy so the hot day we planned on the beach was a cooler day on the beach.  Tyler however managed to get into the waves!!  He is still lovin the waves.  Jessie was in a bit but spent more time in the sand!!  Jessie, Shane and Tyler climbed the volcano again and I was the lazy one who stayed at the bottom with Santi and Julia...we were watching the bags!  We had a great picnic lunch and an afternoon of lounging and hanging out.  After the beach we toured the area where we are doing our housebuilds at the end of August.  One of the families we are building for has 5 children and as we drove by one of the young boys came running out as he recognized the truck we were driving.  He asked what day we were coming and when we told him he cheered and was yelling mucho gracious!! He cannot wait for us to get there. We had taco stand for dinner and a relaxing and fun evening.  The group is gearing up to get back to SD tomorrow to catch their flights on Monday.  I am going to be driving the group to SD as the interns are going and then returning on Monday.  Charles is flying home and Andrew is driving to BC to pick up the next group!  Should be fun for me to spend 2 days getting to know the interns!

Love Kim