Mexico

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So I know it has been forever since I posted. I will try to be better Anyway, I promised to blog about our trip to Mexico. Sorry it is two months late.


Last year we decided as a family (the Bentley side) that we wanted to have a "Making Memories Christmas" and focus on the true meaning instead of all the comericalized hoopla. We decided to go to Mexico and see if we could find an orphanage or some place to take Christmas. After hours of searching and talking to people we decided on Puerto Penasco or "Rocky Point." It is a little fishing village about four hours south of Phoenix. My Mom found a children's home on the internet and made a few phone calls to check into it. We finally decided on Esperanza Para los Ninos. We spent about a year getting things ready. We started making fleece blankets at our family reunion, but I think we only finished 4 or so. My Mom spent who knows how many hours finishing them off so we would have around 32. She is amazing! We had toys, stockings, teddy bears, and school bags. We then decided that we would do a pajama drive, like the one Lacey saw on Oprah. That is where all of you come in. We had such an amazing response that we decided to get shoes as well. I really have the best friends in the whole world. Not only did they donate but they passed it on to their families has well. We even had stuff come from CA (Thanks Holly & Sam.) My parents would tell their patients about it and they had a great response as well. One lady made 31 beanies that were so adorable. I asked her how long they took to make and she said about four hours a piece! Wow! She normally sells them but wanted to help out. They got a case of canned beef, sweatshirts, and the night before we left we found 31 stuffed animals on the porch. Not to mention those who donated games and books as well as money. The outpouring of support was so incredible. We really started to wonder how we were going to get everything down there. Well it took 6 vehicles loaded to the max!



We all met up at my brothers house in Phoenix and started the caravan. We made our last stop at the border for gas and all made it across without a problem. It is still amazing to me how quickly things change once you leave the good ole USA. Ryan was cracking me up with his interpretation of all the road signs. He speaks Japanese. We made it safely to our beautiful beach houses only getting lost once.



The next morning we headed out to the children's home. It was about 15 miles out of town, down a sandy and bumpy road. There is a main building that has the kitchen and common area. The other building was a bunk house and they were in the process of building a chapel. It was freezing cold. I was suprised because we thought it would be warm, but the wind was so cold. They have no heat and so all the kids would wear thier coats even when they were inside. The children are wards of the state. They were either abandoned, their parents in prison, or from very abusive situations. The couple that take care of the were so wonderful. You could feel the spirit in this sweet home. They keep them well dressed and clean, and they were all very polite. When we arrived the pastor was their singing songs and talking to them about the Savior. I was so grateful that they were at least being taught about Christ. It reminded me so much of the mission field. After he left we just got to know the kids. We brought books to them the first day. They were so excited! The only books that they really had where encylopedias. They would grab a book and go and sit and read it or at least look at. Then they would go and grab another one. The little girls loved the Dora books, and the boys loved the ones about animals. It was really priceless. There really just are not words to express it. They kept bringing books to us to read to them. It was amazing how quickly my nieces and nephews started playing with the kids even though they couldn't communicate at least verbally. The boys taught them how to play ladder golf that my Grandpa made for them and also football. Halee even taught the girls a Hannah Montana dance. We were falling in love we these precious spirits. After spending a couple of hours out there we headed to town to check it out. The pier was beautiful and everyone had fun bargaining for whatever they could find. Nate is the master! The best buy of the day was the baby rattles. Lacey bought one for Maddy for $2 and we told her that she got ripped off. But then when we saw the cute old man selling them we couldn't help but buy one. To this day it is still her favorite toy! The funniest part of the day was at lunch when this guy came and started singing "Feliz Navidad" while playing the guitar. Eric went to tip him $2 and he told him that it cost $3. Only in Mexico :)



Sunday we went to church. The chapel was packed because both branches were meeting together. We talked to the Branch Presidents after church to see if there were ward members in need and they told us that they are pretty well taken care of. Definitely a blessing of paying tithing! My sister Jenn did line up with the RS president to take food to some needy families. We went back out to the children's home to make gingerbread houses. They loved it! Sweet little Fernando who is only two ate more icing than he put on his house. While we were there another group came that were LDS. They had dressed up like Santa and had little stockings for the kids. Just to show you how great this kids are after getting some gum out of their stockings they were sharing with us! They have so little but were so willing to give! It was pretty cool because their workers were helping Gage and Sydnee with their houses instead of just the kids at the home. We gave them the beanies that Seretta made which were well needed because of how cold it was. That night the missionaries came over for dinner. There are 4 sisters and 4 elders in Puerto Penasco. Two of the sisters couldn't come, but it was great to have the other six with us.



Monday we went shopping for groceries and then headed out to make bracelets with them. When we brought the food in the director came to me and with tears in his eyes just simply said "God Bless you. You don't know how much this means to us." I later found out that they only get 10% of what they need from the state and that the rest has to come from donations. Fresh food really is their biggest need. They kids had a great time making bracelets. They boys stamped their names into leather bands, and the girls strung beads. Little Sassy Maria Belen came and tried to give her bracelet to Sophia. I told her that it was for her and that Sophie already had one, so then she tried to give it to me. I wanted to cry! I was so touched again by their willingness to give! We left their pajamas on their beds so they could find them when they it was bedtime. As we left that day they all were coming up and giving us hugs saying "I love you." They had us in tears!

Christmas Day was our last trip out to the Children's Home. We took their blankets, stockings, toys, and shoes. They were all so cute and excited! You could just feel the excitement and energy that Christmas brings. It was so hard to say good-bye to our new friends. I am so grateful that we were able to spend so much time with them. Every single one of them came to thank us with hugs and "I love yous." I just wanted to bring them all home with me! The director and his wife really are angels. They have four children of their own, but they treat the rest of the children just as well. I was talking with Guillermo on Christmas Eve and one of the girls came up to show him her bracelet and give him a hug. I asked him it she was his and his reply was they are all mine! It was obvious how loved they each felt by the way they treated each other. No matter how much money or material possesion we have the most important thing is love!

When we first arrived in Rocky Point we noticed all the shanties down my the railroad tracks. The missionaries told us that it is mostly single moms that live down there. So we decided to head down to the tracks with all the left over toys, sweatshirts, blankets, books, school bags, pj's and shoes. I knew that as soon as one kid came out the whole neighborhood would be there. It was crazy but such a great experience. We were out of things within in a couple of minutes. They mobbed my parents truck as my Grandma and Mom handed out everything they had. They were clilmbing up on the truck trying to get whatever they could. We had some leftover sweatshirts in the back of the truck and so Lacey and I tried to get them out. They were ripping into the bag so we just started throwing them up in the air. It was utter chaos, but so fun! The pictures say it all. The last stop was to a family that was just baptized. We pretty much gave them a few toys, sweatshirts, bags etc. and then left the rest with the missionaries. We went back to the resort with such a high! It was really amazing!

The next day we were headed into town to take the scuba gear back to the dive shop. Lacey came running up to us with her camera and said look this kid was wearing the pajamas that we gave him. What a great way to end our trip. We passed through the same neighborhood that we made our dump and walking down the street was a boy with the pajamas over his clothes. We just couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces.

So sorry this is such an epistle. I just wanted to thank all of you for your generosity!! I have the best friends in the whole world. You helped us make this an amazing experience!