life's like this..

I could quote Avril all day but that won't help anyone will it? Life's been slowing down thankfully. The only stresses I got is my future. Which is still stressful, but I know I can handle it. I applied properly today to Langara College. (Last time I didn't pay in time so they don't even bother to look at my application). So since I did that now all I can do is wait. If i get accepted, I will be going in September 2011 to the "Professional Photo-Imaging" Program. If not, I will be working lots. Hopefully finding a job and making my way to Mexico for a missions trip.
In March 2010, last spring break I drove to California with my mom and my friends and their mom. In California we went to Disneyland for a couple days, then drove to Palm Springs where we met up with a group in which we then drove into Mexico. Disneyland was fun, but Mexico was 100 times better. A little bit of background... We spent a week in Vicente Guerrero, Baja Mexico in an Orphanage for children. I will post some pictures to help explain my amazing amazing trip :)

The first stop we had in Mexico was for lunch. We decided to stop at a beach, as soon as the van drove up to the beach there were 4 little boys running up to the van trying to sell us food and bracelets. As soon as I got out of the van I realized we weren’t in the US no more. From that moment on I knew we were somewhere completely different than what we’re use too.

The mission we stayed at was a home for children. They take in orphans and give them homes to stay in. But the thing that is different from normal orphanages is here they get house parents. 8-12 kids are put into a Casa (Home) and are able to grow up in a family environment. Getting to hear the stories about these house parents is amazing, they have so much to take on. Some even take care of their children as well as many others. We got to give the parents a night out as we watched the kids. They were really happy and appreciated it a lot !

 Our home ! (Above)

The first day we got to go to ‘Rancho De Cristo’ it was a ranch for men who were getting over addictions. One of our leaders Urel use to go there and recovered his drug addiction there. So he was the one who showed us around. We got the chance for a tour of the place, what was really neat was how all these men were the ones doing the work. They were the ones building the houses and outhouses. A lot of them were really excited to see us, Urel told us when they see us it gives them hope. After lunch we got the chance to pray with them.

Twice a week we got the chance to do Child Evangelism and it was where we went out with one of the teachers from the missions and went to a small community to teach the kids a bible story and give them milk and peanut butter. Our teacher was Carmen, she drove through the little town. She handed me a speaker to hold out the window as she used the microphone to call all the kids to the church. So all you see are these kids popping their heads out of their shacks with huge smiles and running behind the van to the church. As soon as we sat in the church each of us (Me, Bethany and Mom) had 3 or 4 kids grab our hands and sit on our laps. After the story we got the chance to hand out milk and peanut butter. Each kid brought their own cup for us to fill. As soon as it was done and the kids turned away, a young girl about 14 or so came up to me and shook my hand, kissed me on the check and looked into my eyes and said thank you. As soon as she said that, and ran to catch up with everyone else is when I lost it. I couldn’t keep myself together, it made me think how little these kids get but how happy they are. The kids might never get a chance in life, they live in shacks and have nothing and it makes you wonder if you’ll ever see them again or how their life’s will be

Me and Bethany got the chance to go to work in the daycare for the day. These kids have parents but mostly just leave them home alone locked up in a room for the whole day while they go to work. So people in the mission go out with a van and pick the kids up to stay in the daycare till 2pm. When the kids got their we took their clothes off and bathed them. There were about 17 kids. After showering them we put on the daycare uniforms. A lot of the kids didn’t have socks or underwear so we gave them some to wear for the day. After that we fed them and then played with them outside. They always seemed to have a smile on their face they’d want me and Bethany to just pick them up and hold them. One boy wouldn’t let go of me he’d just stick onto me. And its probably because at home he doesn’t get it. After playing with them it was about time for lunch then time for them to go home. As week changed them back into their old clothes some of them just had a tank top and ratty pants. Some with no underwear or socks. The kids must love to go to the daycare where they get food and a chance to play with someone. They get a chance of people to just hold them and love them.

 Every year all the girls in the mission are invited to a tea party. The week that we were there was the time it was planned. So Friday we got the chance to decorate the theatre for the girls, and even put on a play. Seeing all the girls dress up in dresses and getting their hair done was so great. Some of these girls would have never got the chance to do something like that ever. So putting on the tea party was defiantly worth the smiles of their faces.

So that was my trip in a nut shell. If you ever have the opportunity to do something like this I highly suggest that. I hope to live at the Orphange for 3 months and do this type of work... This kids are amazing. They have nothing, yet they are the happiest kids in the world.