Mexico Day 6 and 7

Merida has a Temple and I looked before our trip to see about scheduling baptisms for our girls. There were not any available which I was bummed about but it was ok. We had on our schedule to visit the Temple and it would be nice to just walk the grounds. While in Merida Heather Poll mentioned about having the kids do baptisms while at the Temple, we looked and didn't see any openings but we had Brad call since he spoke Spanish and he was able to get us an appointment in the morning. We were so excited! The Temple was close enough to walk so we all walked over in the morning and after we took some pictures outside we were able to go in and watch the kids perform their Baptisms. I was pretty special to be in the Temple and I am so glad it worked out so great for us. The Temple workers were so sweet and accommodating, it was a great experience.

After our Temple trip we changed ours clothes, packed back up into the vans and drove to Progresso Beach for our Beach Day. We had such a good time hanging at the beach and playing in the water. The water was the perfect temperature and I loved it. The waves were a bit choppy and that was not fun, I also did not like the rough dried seaweed on the beach and the first 15 feet or so into the water was really rough and rocky and hurt my feet. Other then that it was all great! I liked the Raptor they had on display I think maybe e this was a spot they found dinosaur bones? I don't know, I don't know the significance for the Raptor but it was cute to see.

We had lunch provided to us, I had chicken fingers and French fries and the chicken fingers were so good, I really liked the spice that was on them. Later Kefford got a cup of fresh mango that someone was selling. He made sure to snag me a piece before Avynlea and Rylee gobbled it all down, it was good mango.

Around dinner time we walked over to a restaurant on the beach that Judy told us about. All we had to do was buy drinks and then they also served us food to snack on. The food just kept coming and it was all good. They had a live band providing entertainment and the girls were going gaga over the singers. I didn't think they were anything special to look at but the girls were dying over them. During one of the songs the band encouraged the girls to come up and dance while they were singing. The girls loved this and had so much fun being taught a dance and dancing during the performance.

It was a good night and I was pretty exhausted by the time we got back to our hotel. Avynlea and Rylee rode in the van with the other girls their age sand then continued their party back at the hotel. They bonded pretty quick with these girls, I only wish they could have been with us the entire week. Some is better then none though.

The next morning just our family and the Ogdens were leaving in the morning. The others had later flights so they were going to church. 

We were given a boxed lunch to take with us which we tried to eat on the way to the airport so as not to have to carry it around the airport. It was a sandwich, a muffin, a soda and an apple.

It was a long trip home with two layovers, one in Mexico City and one in Minneapolis. We were so tired and so happy when we finally made it home.

Mexico Day 5

On Friday we were supposed to be done with giving wheelchairs and we just had an orphanage visit on our schedule. The Rotary heard about Avynlea and Rylee coming late and missing out on wheelchair distributions so they found some more people in need so they could have the experience. I was so grateful for their thoughtfulness, they understood the need for them to be able to serve. 

The first place we went to we met Carla and these are the notes I wrote about her...

Carla

Cerebral palsy. 5 months ago fell and broke her coccyx and has been going to physical therapy. Over the last three years it has been getting worse. Married two  years ago and no kids.  In the house it will be easier with her Walker but out and about a wheelchair will be easier. Lots of pain so she has just been staying in her house. The government kept promising help but has never come through for them. They are trying to do an operation on her jaw and has had 5 days with a lot of pain, the bones are hurting more and more. When she opens her mouth it is a lot of pain but it is needed to get the infection out. Today she is getting her jaw operation done. She is excited to go and have it done for no more pain. It is a lot of money for the operation and they have been saving up. Using the walker has been hurting her arms. 

It was very hot and I commented on her wearing Jeans in this heat. We were told that this is a special day and she wore her jeans because for her that is dressing up. I thought that was so sweet, it made me reflection the previous recipients we have seen and how they probably dressed up as well. 

When they told us about her surgery we offered a priesthood blessing. All of our group was LDS and one of the men with us spoke Spanish and so he and Kefford were able to give her a priesthood blessing. They were not members and her husband recorded the blessing which is unusual for us but I thought it was a sweet memory for them and who knows someday the missionaries might come by and they could be reminded of this blessing. The lord has His hand in every aspect of our lives.

She had a painting of the Nativity on her wall which after I admired it she said she painted it. 

After her house we went to another much more humble house. I didn't take nay notes here but I liked that my girls could see this more humble way of living.

After those two houses we stopped to get some snacks to eat in the car for lunch on our way to the next place. 

We brought hair bows, toy cars, toothbrushes and dum dum suckers to give to children we see. It was fun handing them out, once a child received their treasures they would run off and bring back more kids. We stopped at an apartment complex to give a wheelchair and while we waited for them we saw some kids and gave them toys, pretty soon we had more coming some with their moms. It probably is not a daily thing to have white people come and give toys and little gifts so it was fun for them I hope.

One of the Mom's brought her baby and Avynlea and Rylee were able to hold her. She was a pretty cute and they did not want to give her back.

When we finally were able to get into the apartment to give the wheelchair we met Angel and his son Manuel, this is what I wrote about this visit...

Angel 

Lost his legs to Diabetes. Has an ulcer and the ulcer started getting bigger due to the diabetes, had internal bleeding and the infection got into his bone. Because of this he cannot work and is living here with his kids. Doctors are watching his leg to see if the infection will grow, right now it is ok but if it grows he will have to have his leg cut off at his hip. The wheelchair will be his legs and will be able to go back to work. He is really grateful with all his heart for this wheelchair. He does not want to be dependent on anyone else. He has people with big hearts who help him all the time. He is so grateful to God for sending us here today. His son Manuel has been his caretaker and it has been very hard on him. 

Senyia talked a bit with Manuel and told him she knows how he feels and how hard it is being a caretaker. They bonded over this and she gave him a hug and he just broke down and started crying because of her understanding and compassion. It was a sweet moment to witness, when we left the apartment I got a picture of Heather hugging her daughter and both of them crying because of the experience.

Once we were done with the home visits we were able to go visit an orphanage and spend some time with the kids there. I was hoping to see some little ones but the kids were all a little bit older which was fine. We gave them gifts and played with them and spent a couple of hours giving them attention. One of the girls put bows on my buns which I didn't know how silly it looked until I looked at the pictures. I took them out before we left and left them with one of the girls. It was fun to be able to play and have fun despite not speaking each others language, love and kindness know no barriers.

Later thar evenong we had some downtime and Heather Poll, one of the women on the trip and I went with Judy to go shopping. I wanted to get one of the dresses I see the local women wearing. I was able to find a green one which I loved and I also bought a shirt that was blue and yellow and had the same embroidery on it. It was fun and so nice to go shopping with some who spoke the language and knew their way around.

Later we gathered all together and talked about our trip and Nate had us each say something about it that we learned or loved. After that they gave us all a keychain that said Hope Dealer on it as a momento. After that we all went out to a nice end of trip dinner. We still had one more day but that day was our beach day and we wouldn't have time for a nice dinner.

This restaurant had som women making homemade tortillas and after I watched them for a bit and told them how much I loved homemade tortillas they gave me one to eat. I took it back to the table and shared it with everyone who wanted some and it was so delicious and my favorite thing to eat.

This day was also Kefford's Birthday. I bought him a shirt while I was on. my shopping trip which wore to dinner and the group sang Happy Birthday to him. It was fun to celebrate him in Mexico and we gave him his Birthday gifts when we got home from our trip, I gave him an Axe throwing game.

During dinner Nate asked me what my favorite meal was that we ate while in Mexico. I had to say that this meal was. We got chicken and homemade tortillas and together it was so good and reminded me of when I came to Mexico as an exchange student when I was 14.

After dinner we went back to the hotel and then the four of us went to get some delicious icees's. Unfortunately Lemon was not on the menu that night, we were al disappointed but the flavors we got were good, Mango, Coconut and Strawberry.

We walked around the square after that and got a couple of souvenirs. I liked these lovers chairs and had Avy and Rylee pose in them for a picture.