MUCHAS GRACIAS!!
Want to share with you a recap of the trip to Mexico. The situation is as sad as it seems in the news, in fact, being face to face with the victims of the earthquake is more powerful than I anticipated because, at the end of the day, I knew that their journey of uncertainty had just begun.
Despite the situation, we found smiles, laughs and big hugs all around... I am a big hugger, so I just went for it :)
Cole and I departed Tijuana Friday night with hopes to sleep on the 3-hour flight... bad idea. No sleep happened, but we arrived excited at 5am in Mexico running on pure adrenaline. My family awaited with a car already full of cloths to donate, and two cousins, who I had just met, were ready to partner with us in the journey. Off to Morelos the cousins, Cole and I went!
As we started our journey to Morelos, we felt a shake, but I thought it was just part of the symptom for no sleeping. Immediately, my cousins alerted us that the earthquake alarm was going off and it was going to happen any minute. All traffic stopped, military cars blocked the highway, and began to get in place to mobilize people away from the buildings. My cousin asked us to take deep breaths and prepare to leave the car. You could feel the tension and fear in the environment. Fortunately, the worse had passed, but it was clear that Mexico was fearful and traumatized by the past earthquake. A 6.2 shake that morning caused 2 deaths in Mexico City. Both, caused by heart attacks.
In Morelos, our goal was to get to Jojutla, the town where help was being deprived to the community, and put away by the government. Our goal was to make sure the real victims received it directly. With half of the donations, we shopped in a nearby town for items needed, and in a parking lot we divided and packed up bags to distribute. At that point, my aunt (who I was also meeting for the first time) arrived with an SUV and homemade food to also distribute. We packed up and headed to Jojutla.
During our day-long journey, we distributed food, supplies, and love in the rural areas surrounding Jojutla. We did see big trailers pulled over by officials, but we were able to make it through with no issues. My family knew their way around, and found a way to get in the town despite all the traffic jams. We were happy to see that, like us, other locals went there despite the fear of being detained or robbed. Mexicans were helping, uniting and mobilizing to help one another.
On the second day, we made our way to Miacatlan, one of the most affected areas. Through locals, we visited a few of the victims who were waiting for their house to fall any minute, or were just left with dust and rocks.
Very frustrating to see a 70-year old woman living in a half-fallen house that will dust away any minute, only because she doesn't have anywhere to go. That house is her life!
My heart broke to see a Widow, mother of 3 young kids, left homeless and with no answers after the earthquake left her house inhabited and half fallen apart. The kids still shared love and laughs with me, and the mom was standing strong looking for ways to give their kids a roof to sleep under that same night. How can one walk away from that mother, knowing that her future is uncertain for her and her kids, and that her two jobs were not going to be enough to afford a roof above their head any time soon? I promised that I was not going to give away money, but I broke the rules in this case. I pulled out the other half of the donations and gave it to this mother to find a place to rent for the next 2-3 months for her and her kids. How much I wished I had enough money in the bank to just fund her a new house.
See her video here.
We were able to feed several families for a week or so, and put that woman in a house for the next few months, but that is just a temporary fix. The situation is uncertain, and we must keep our prayers with all of those affected and be grateful every day for what we DO have.
I plan on going back to Mexico in a couple of weeks, and follow up on the widow mother situation. I am in talks with people to try to find a way to fund the rebuild of her house. It should be a $6,000 dollars project and it is absolutely feasible for us in the US. Keep your prayers with us to be able to do it!
The weekend was an effort by many, and I am extremely grateful for your donations!!!
Gracias to Cole "El Guero" for his willingness to get out of his comfort zone to go help a country foreign to his. He was sleep deprived, running on adrenaline as well, and taking bucket showers without complaining once! All he could see was the need, and not the nationality, or how it affected him directly. His heart and desire to help was bigger than his own interests and comfort.
We must thank my cousins who, despite having been on the road volunteering already for the past few days, and sleeping wherever the night allowed them to, they were full of energy and love to share!! Always willing!!!
Gracias to my amazing Guevara Family, who just met me, and supported me till the end!!
GRACIAS!!! GRACIAS!!! GRACIAS!!!
