Paola's DP from Mack, Part 2

The additional comments say:

"When the field officer read to Paola what the sponsor's album says, Paola got very emotional. She really liked everything she received."

Paola's DP from Mack, Part 1

I sent Paola a direct package that contained the following:

1 Backpack

2 Long-sleeve shirts

3 pairs of pajamas (1 set for each girl)

2 Stuffed hippos

1 Necklace with candy inside

3 Activity learning books (Spanish)

1 Set of Dora the Explorer flash cards (Addition)

2 Disney princess pens

2 photo books (see previous post)

Yummy!!!!

Here are the photos of Paola and her family with the grocery items that were obtained with the money left over after the bunk bed purchase.

I'm glad to see that the girls got a few sweet treats along with all of the healthy stuff! There's nothing wrong with a little bit of junk food in moderation.

Paola's Bedroom Makeover!!!!

Thanks to the generosity of this group, Paola and her sisters have their new bunk beds!!!!

I like the pretty purple sheets - a nice choice for brightening up a dark room.

In the second picture, we can see that the new beds have been placed next to the old one. I wonder if this is temporary, or if they intend to keep the old one around for Rosa (and probably Maria) to continue to sleep on. The letter states that Paola will "share the bed with her sister, Tomasa", which implies that each girl will have a bunk. I see this arrangement as being unlikely, as it's not customary for all members of a family to sleep in their own beds (I doubt Paola would want to sleep alone!). I think it's more likely that Paola and Tomasa will sleep in one bunk, while Rosa and Maria take the other. They might be planning to remove the older bed to create more space in the room, or keep it around either as a back-up or as a table (in the next set of photos, the groceries and other purchases have been piled up for display on the old bed).

Birthday Gifts 2011

It's hard to predict what will happen when you send a D.P. to your sponsored child. This birthday box from Bernie and Barbara was mailed well before the easter package, yet it got to Paola a month later.

Happy 6th birthday, Paola!!!







The contents of Paola's St Valentine's Day and Birthday gifts from Barbara and Bernie:



1 No 6 candle for birthday

1 Pink and white checked sun dress

1 Pink and white top eith appliqued sun and butterfly

1 Lavendar long sleeved top with red hearts, stars and sequins

1 blue pullover with white blouse insert

1 pair of long jean shorts with ties

1 pair of red short and white top with hearts

1 large gold coloured locket

1 Guatemalan leather head band with hearts

1 tiny red Mexican bear for Maria

1 stuffed white dog with red bow

1 Magic Pony colouring book

1 Disney ABC book

1 Disney Princess loot bag with accessories

paper tiara, plastic locket, party invitation

1 gold purse

several hair accessories

2 pencils and 1 green highlighter

Indian bead necklace with fish.

16 crayons

1 green crayon sharpener

1 Fairy note book

1 light up spinning wand

1 pair of pink star socks

1 bar of soap

1 small Colgate toothpaste.

1 St. Val's card and 1 birthday card plus 1 postcard and 12 photos.

Easter Gifts 2011

Once again we have Barbara to thank for ensuring that we always have fresh photos of Paola and her sisters!

Here is the letter that Barbara received, along with a list of the package contents:

"Dear Barbara Rogers



The girl Paola is very happy to receive the gifts you sent her, she thanks you very much for your attentions to her. Paola is very happy to see the gifts: she loved the dress and rabbit ears both of which she wore right away. She liked the blanket as well as all the accessories. Paola thanks you and all your family. She sends you a kiss and an hug."



att. Mayra Gonzalez"



And in the additional comments Mayra wrote. "Paola looked so happy for all the gifts she received from her sponsor."



I made a couple of smaller corrections so that it was clearer than before.



And this is a list of the items.





1 Dora throw



1 pink/white rabbit drawstring bag covering an Easter basket for Paola & Tomasa.

contents

1 large stuffed chick

Dora sun-glasses

2 plastic eggs with candy eggs

1 pair pink-navy princess socks

2 Easter colouring books with 4 crayons

1 page of Easter stickers



1 white puffy bunny mask

1 pink (silver lined) rabbit ears headband



1 small Easter basket for Maria

1 bendy rabbit

1 Disney soft ball

1 plastic egg and candies

1 pair navy socks

1 grey tank top

1 brown stuffed rabbit

1 blue flower headband

1 Dora toothbrush

Plus



for Paola

1 white school blouse

1 pair of striped briefs

1 book in Spanish 'Los placeres de la terniera'



and



an Easter card and 12 photos.

Plus, of course, the checked easter dress that Paola is wearing!

New Annual Photo

A new annual photo of Paola. She turned 6 years old on February 28th.

Books for Paola

I made Paola two photobooks which I sent in her birthday package. The one pictured below was created at www.snapfish.com.

I also made a Spanish book for Paola (and my other 6-year-old, Nicty) titled: "Cuando Tu Madrina Tenia Seis Anos de Edad" ("When Your Sponsor Was Six Years Old")(actually, because I don't have the right accent marks here, I think it really says "When Your Sponsor Had Six Anuses"?)

The book show photos of me when I was 6 (or thereabouts) and tells about my life as a little kid, while asking questions about my sponsored child's life. For example, one page says:

When your sponsor was six years old, she had pet cats. What types of pets do you have?

This book was created at www.mypublisher.com, and it can be viewed via this link:


http://www.mypublisher.com/?e=OHm3Q8zJl3Qb1xCkdOSKDTlM7fB2nZOr&_mp=mByf6s3hWLMFPYPzPynVVE4zWnMCRRHL%0A

Christmas Package 2010

Here are the photos and letter from the Christmas package sent to Paola by Barbara and Bernie:

Combination Direct and Halloween Package

Barbara and I joined forces to sent Paola a combination Direct Halloween package. Inside the package was the following:

1 collapsible laundry basket

1 Dark Pink Towel

1 4-hole china tooth brush holder

1 Dora cup and two toothbrushes

1 Mandarin scented soap

1 blond wig for Halloween or dress up

1 pair princess high heeled plastic shoes to go with her princess dress

1 Halloween Count Dracula Bear

1 long sleeved Happy Halloween top with orange sequined pumpkin

1 pair briefs

1 pair white socks with purple trim

1 hankie

1 headband from DR

1 Little Mermaid counting play puzzle

1 Book "Las Tres Erres"

The letter from Paola read as follows:

Dear Barbara and Bernie,

Paola Mendez Atanda is very happy for the things that you sent, the toy heels, the teddy bear, the blouse, the puzzle, the clothes, atcetera.

Paola sends lots of greetings and she thanks you for all the gifts. Paola wants you to know that she is already attending school and she likes a lot all the songs that they teach her. She is already making lots of new friends. The day that she entered school she was very brave because she did not cry when her mother left her there. The Mendez Arandes family sends lots of greetings and they hope you are doing well.

Noemi Enriques (field officer)

Bernie and Barbara.

P.S. My thanks to Barbara for putting this package together. She really has an eye for what the children like and for that I am truly grateful! Bernie

Letter From Paola

Hello Everyone,

Here is a letter sent to Barbara from Paola.

It looks like she is doing well.

Bernie

Photos are coming ...

I can't wait to see the pictures that go with this letter written after Paola received her "1st Anniversary" package from Barbara. The girls are looking so much prettier in their photos! I imagine that the nice clothes they've been wearing are things that Barbara has sent over the past year.

Dear Barbara Rogers

Paola thanks you very much for all the attentions and love that you have given to her during this year that has changed her life. She really liked the gifts that you sent, the dress fit very well like you can see in the pictures. When Paola saw the pony she was very excited. Rosa and the other two girls also say Hi and they all hope that you are doing well. They wish that God blesses you a lot and that you are doing well of health.

N.E. (field officer)

The Additional Comments were:

"Paola was very excited for the gifts from the sponsor."

Paola is in school!!!!

Here is the latest pics/letter from the Paola front:

Camera shy!

We love to see updated pictures of our kids ... but sometimes these photography sessions don't run smoothly. Many thanks to the CI staffers who hang in there until they get the shot!

Two quick videos of the CC playground

Community Center #4 - Dentist Office

I'm not posting video #3 because it contains nothing of real interest.

This clip shows the very clean and well-equipped dental office at Paola's Community Center!

Jalisco Community Center #2 - Wall Photos and Library

A Package for Paola

Hello Everyone,

Barbara asked me to post this for her

Here is the latest letter from Paola:

Dear Barbara Rogers

Paola..... thanks you a lot for the gifts that you sent, clothes, crayons, books, scholar supplies, personal hygiene items, photos, letter, etc., She is very happy to know that there are people like you, that even though they are so far from her, they love her and look over [after?] her and her family to have a better standard of living.

Paola likes to see your photos a lot and to know different places through your pictures and also your friends and family. Paola and Rosa say hi and they hope God keeps blessing you."

The field officer who wrote the above letter for Paola made an additional comment as follows:- "Paola was very happy for all the gifts and pictures [photos] from the sponsor, she loves to see the pictures and know more about her."

This shows just how much children, including Paola, really enjoy receiving personal photos and postcards from their sponsors. I also think of it being a learning experience for them.

July Visit, Part 23 - Getting Home

Hi, to all Paola's sponsors!

It is now almost the one year anniversary of my visit to see Paola in Guadalajara. I think it's time for me to conclude the story, right? Let's see what I can remember ...

On Wednesday morning, Mike and I got up before the sun rose and trotted across the street to the bus stop. It was raining hard, as we waited for the bus with Aeropuerto written across the front. There was an attractive young woman waiting there as well, under an umbrella. She got fed up and hailed herself a taxi. To us, she said, "Would you like to ride along, since I'm going to the airport, anyway?"

THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA! When traveling, you should never accept taxi-sharing offers from strangers, because it could easily be a set-up for robbery or (when attractive young women are involved) seduction followed by a shakedown from a pimp.

Mike and I gratefully joined the girl, because:

a. We obviously had nothing worth stealing.

b. The girl was unlikely to put any backseat moves on Mike with me as a witness.

We had a pleasant and uneventful ride to the airport, then pitched in a little for the cab fare. First, we headed to my Delta departure gate. You may remember that I was flying on stand-by, and I already knew the low likelihood of making it onto the flight. Sure enough, I didn't.

A Delta attendant instructed me to visit the ticketing desk downstairs for a re-issue, but first I escorted my husband to his departure gate for his 7:30 flight. I kissed him good-bye, and promised to meet up with him again some day in the future.

I went to the ticketing gate with the understanding that I must wait until the early morning flight the NEXT day before I stood a chance of getting home. Surprisingly, the employee there instructed me to come back at 2pm, because there was another Delta departure that afternoon, which only operated on Wednesdays. OK, cool.

In the meantime, I took a bus back into the city (the cheap 5 peso bus). The sun had come out and the day was beautiful!!!! I got off by our old hotel, and went inside to warn them (in broken Spanish) that I may be returning to stay another night if the 2pm flight didn't work out.

One thing I hadn't gotten a chance to do was visit a Pizza Hut and take a photo for my collection. My only problem was not knowing the location of the nearest HUT ... but I knew someone who WOULD know. The day before in Wal-Mart, I had gone up to the photo counter and tried to stammer out something in Spanish to indicate that I'd like to purchase an SD card for my digital camera. The kid behind the counter gave me a puzzled look and asked, in perfect English, "Are you saying you would like to buy a memory card?" I headed down the block to the store with hope that this young man would working again, as he was the right age to like Pizza Hut + he could explain to me how to find one.

Soon, I was on a bus holding a piece of paper with my stop jotted down on it. There was the Pizza Hut, right on the corner like the kid said it would be. The restaurant wasn't open yet, but I set my camera's timer and posed in front for a few photos. I also snapped a few through the glass windows because I thought it was funny how they parked the delivery motorcycles between the tables at night. I think that was what made the guard outside the bank next door suspicious. He said something into his radio, and soon a police car cruised into the parking lot. The cop watched me for a few minutes, then shrugged and drove off.

I had more time to kill, so I tried to back to the touristy cathedral area. I got really lost and frustrated, but finally made it there. For what purpose, I'm not sure. Eventually, I walked back to the hotel where they had allowed me to leave my bag. I shared the fresh pineapple I had purchased with the receptionist.

Back to the airport. I got some nice photos of the slums outside the city through the bus window.

The mysterious Delta flight was practically empty, so I had no problem getting a seat. In fact, I had a whole bank of seats to stretch out across! This plane dumped me off in Salt Lake City, Utah. Now, I had to wait and see if I could secure space on the 6pm flight to Seattle. I began chatting with a pilot's wife who was also a stand-by passenger headed for Seattle. She had been waiting ALL DAY, but flight after flight had been too full. It looked like I might be spending the night in Utah instead of the cheaper Mexico!

Lucky for me and my new friend, all of the other stand-by passengers in line ahead of us decided to give up and go home. We both got on the plane!

I arrived in Seattle about 30 minutes ahead of Mike. He had a long layover in Mexico City (yes, I know that doesn't make geographical sense), then he had to change planes again in Los Angeles. At least he was flying First Class!

Since I was already inside SEA-TAC airport and past security, I was able to meet my husband right at his gate. "What took you so long?" I asked. Mike was totally shocked to see me, and so was my father, who thought he was only picking up one person!

All in all, it was a fun and successful trip.