Nov-Dec 2005
Albergue, Misión México, Dando Amor, Vida y Esperanza AC

 

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO ALL

It's hard to believe that another year has gone and Christmas is here already. I imagine it is the same with everyone that time seems to fly these days. We all seem to fit so much more into our days and we don't have much time to relax and/or reflect on the days happenings.

Well, that is the case with us. We are on the go from the time we get up until it's time for bed.

We are up at 5.30am and very rarely are in bed before 11pm . Then you dream about what still needs to be done!

 

Christmas time and New Year are the times to reflect on the year that has past, not that I have taken time out to do that except at this moment as I write.

What an amazing year. We have around thirty children who have been with us for a long time, some of them for years and will be with us for a long time into the future. But, some children have come and gone and there are others who have come back.

This is the case with Alberto, a thirteen year old, who ran away earlier in the year and ended up on the streets.

While living with us he was quite content and then one day for some reason he ran from school. Our daughter Brooke happened to see him running towards 'Puerto Madero' where he came from and picked him up and brought him home. We then took him to the Welfare Dept. so that he could receive psychology sessions to help him through what he was going through.

Eventually, they took him back to his family where he suffered beatings again so he ran to the streets.

A week ago we came home from a day at the beach to find Alberto and his little brother Jorge, who is around seven or eight, at the front door, looking dirty and unloved.

After some meetings with the welfare dept. the boys are living with us, reunited with their sister Lety.

Some time ago Lety's mother attacked her with a machete and now she is apparently in gaol/jail for attacking another person.

 

Luis, who is almost 12 years old, is another boy who ran from school for no apparent reason. He lived with us for approx. six months before he left. When he was a baby he was given away and raised by people who didn't show him love. He suffered beatings and eventually ran away and lived on the streets when he was 10 years old.

Just over a week ago he was outside the refuge and asked if he could come back.

 

It takes a while for older children to settle in especially if they have been living on the streets. There are rules and regulations in the house and everyone has to lend a hand. They have to attend school and put some effort into their work. They have to consider others and show respect.

Sometimes it's just 'too much' for them, because when they live on the streets all they have to think about is themselves. They can virtually do what they want. Eat, sleep, work and beg when they want.

But, when they finally realize that the life on the streets does not offer what they really need and that they don't have too many options they accept the situation and settle down.

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Because of Hurricane Stan we have received an amazing amount of help lately. The refuge didn't suffer greatly during the hurricane other than being water-logged but the city was cut off from the rest of Mexico and food supplies and gas ran short. Ships were sent in with fresh food supplies but within an hour or two everything was gone.

Our son was at the check-out of a large supermarket with a few kilos of potatoes but he was only allowed one kilo. One kilo for over 30 children!

They managed though as the refuge had a good supply of beans, rice, sugar and cooking oil that is supplied every two months by the welfare dept.

A number of people from different groups have visited to see what we need. We now have a large cupboard full of medications, such as parasite treatment (enough for a year and a half), cough medicine, panadol, antibiotics, vitamins and head lice treatment.

We have been donated soap, toothpaste, shampoo and plastic sandals.

The children are at the moment receiving dental treatment from another dentist, free of charge and a group of doctors have visited the house to check the children. What a blessing, we are so thankful.

Today the children were invited to a Christmas celebration where staff from a large supermarket gave each of the children a gift. Some of the customers also gave gifts. We were overwhelmed at the generosity of so many in a country where wages are so much lower than developed countries.

 

Since the hurricane there has been severe water rationing. It has been so hard for us to cope. Water has always been a problem, there has never been enough for the amount of children we have. Each day we were getting a few hours of water, dribbling into a tank underground. We would recycle the water from the washing machine to flush the toilets but there was never enough.

Now it only comes in, every few days. At times we have had to get water in buckets from other places to flush the toilets. We are always trying to get water from somewhere and occasionally after many phone calls and pleading we get a truck delivery which is a great relief but after a three or four days we are back to where we were, no water and desperately trying to keep up with the abundance of washing and also trying to keep the place clean.

 

Alan and I have been back in Mexico for a month now after a two month trip to Australia to try and raise funds to finish building our new refuge.

What an amazing tour. We have met and caught-up with so many wonderful people and are so thankful for the support and encouragement that we received.

Now, we have more on-going support which will relieve so much stress related to this work. We are still short of our target to complete the building but, we are getting there.

The whole trip was so positive. 'THANK YOU' to all. Without your support, none of this would be possible.

 

God Bless and keep you all safe this Christmas.

Love, Joy and Peace,

Pam and Alan Skuse