Last night was backpack distribution at NUAFA, a local nonprofit helping families with children recover from difficult situations. We collected more smiles and blessings from grateful children and parents.

Now the work of our visiting volunteers is drawing to a close although the work of FOC continues. Throughout the year, Karen fields requests from groups and individuals willing to bring donations or do a bit of community service while visiting the island. FOC makes connections between those with resources to spare and those who could benefit from some help.

Thanks to our regular local volunteers and leadership team including Karen and Larry (Cozumel/Iowa); Phyllis and Gary (Nebraska); Ilene and Byron (Texas); and Sandy, Ray, Nuria, Samantha, Lynn, April, Susan(Cozumel). And special thanks to our visiting volunteers including Roger and Diane (Nebraska); Barbara, David, Lara, Wil, Treva, Hettie and Mike (Texas); Lia and Calen (Ohio).

What lasting impressions do the volunteers have of their work during this mission week?

From Sami, one of our youngest volunteers: “I liked (working with) the kids with disabilities. They can play, they can touch and they can have fun. I liked that. It’s good that they didn’t have to be at home all the time.”

From Mike: “It’s a unique opportunity to share with families of Cozumel. Otherwise we get no opportunity to give back to the island that’s given us so much. It’s a blessing. I got lots of hugs. I got little hugs and kisses from the kids. You never get those in the U. S. except from your own grandkids.”

From Nuria: “I’m exhausted. But don’t print that. I actually had a great time even though I was working at a new job during that time.”

From Karen: I’m really excited about the focus on education. That’s really important to me. For example, we had a workshop for day care training for the first time, plus the day camp and that really benefits the community. They learned so much and it has an impact on families to help them become self-sufficient. It’s been great having (youth volunteers) Sami, Wil, Nuria and Calen with us, too.

From Larry: “It’s great to see the returning people who’ve done it before. They’ve been here, done that and they came back. Plus the new people who joined us—that was great. We’ve never had anyone say that it wasn’t meaningful. Everyone has said they plan to do it again.”

From Ilene: There’s nothing better than being able to come on a trip like this and bring my daughter and grandson along to develop a heart for mission work. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

Well said. It just doesn’t get any better than that. –Phyllis

The Gran Bazar is an activity we’ve been doing for several years now. We almost have it down to a science. Almost.

Here’s the formula for how we create this island version of a yard sale. First find hundreds or maybe even thousands of donated items–clothing, shoes and household goods, both new and used—and find a way to get it to Cozumel. Then sort and price each piece low enough to make it affordable for families in need. We’ve learned that people take pride in paying even a few pesos for an item—equivalent to a just a few cents—rather than asking for something to be given to them.

Once items are priced, we pack them up in suitcases and begin looking for someone willing to help us transport them to our sale location. Thanks to Kelly from Cozumel Rocks for taking time off work to bring her truck to help us.

Finding a place to hold a sale can be a challenge. The ideal location is in the neighborhood of the families we’re trying to help. In this case, the bazar was “inside” Vida Abundante, the open-air church. Rather than the typical U.S. approach of taking out ads in newspapers to advertise the sale, we print just a few small fliers and rely on the neighborhood grapevine to spread the word. It works amazingly well. We had a long line of people waiting to get in an hour before the sale was to begin. That’s evidence of the scarcity of valued goods in neighborhoods where resources are very limited. There are no Goodwill stores here. No dollar stores. And even if families had transportation to other parts of town, they wouldn’t necessarily be able to pay the prices in the most affordable stores.

Our sale was staffed by several Friends of Cozumel volunteers as well as church members. The masses showed up, not caring how hot or crowded it was. And they found bargains—donated fashions from U.S., new clearance items from Walmart, lots of gently used but serviceable t-shirts, shoes and other household items. Once the sale was over, we packed up, hauled it back to FOC headquarters and stored to for the next sale.

The pesos earned from the sale are put back into FOC projects and then we start planning to do it all over again. But not right away. Our Gran Bazar formula is very good, but we still have one variable in the equation that we haven’t been able to fix—a bit of exhaustion. Once we’re rested up we’ll begin again, so let us know if you’re coming to Cozumel and are willing to bring a suitcase full of donations. We’d love your help. –Phyllis

Lives are changed inside this small house called Casita Corazon.

Doors and hearts were wide open at Casita Corazon’s open house last night. It was a chance for the community to take a look inside the little casita serves as a place for therapy for children with disabilities. The therapy house is sponsored by Carrie’s Heart, a nonprofit organization.

When Friends of Cozumel first started working on this house last February, it had been an abandoned property with leaks in the roof, layers of paint falling from the walls, broken windows and a garden area that was reverting to jungle.

Now it’s a cheery and welcoming home that includes a kitchen, a room for physical therapy, living quarters for the caretaker’s family and accommodations for visiting therapists.

Donors and visitors had a chance to enjoy the space, including the wall that recognizes contributors. As the light faded and the children turned drowsy, Carrie handed each volunteer and helper a gift that read “What the heart gives away is never gone…it is kept in the hearts of others.” –Phyllis

The children make it all worthwhile. Of course the adults we’ve met are always friendly and so appreciative of our help, but there’s just something about that look of pure delight on a child’s face. It makes you forget that you’re hot, tired and sweaty. And it motivates you to do even more to help.

Yesterday we spent the afternoon on an outing with the Camp Corazon crew. The day camp included some children with disabilities, some without, and several teen-aged counselors. We played games, went swimming and burned a lot of energy. Our goal was to stimulate the senses of the day camp children and expose them to new experiences.

Here are just a few pictures that show moments that we’ll carry in our hearts long after we leave Cozumel. Click on the photos to enlarge and leave us your comments below. We’d love to hear from you. — Phyllis

David helped build a bed for the therapy house used by families with children with disabilities.

I am flooded with thoughts as my wife, Barbara and I wrap up our small portion of the mission efforts here in Cozumel!  God continues to speak to me in new ways and open my eyes to so much. Here are some impressions and reflections.

Home of a local family with a disabled child.

In Genesis 2:31, after God finished His creation, He declared it to be very good. As you look around here in Cozumel would you agree that creation is indeed very good?  Large resorts, Cruise ship terminals, incredible beaches, jungles, and marine life are abundant. Then you head four or five blocks off the main tourist drag and see people living in abject poverty. I know there is poverty to rival this all over the world. Don’t you think that breaks God’s heart?  You see that broken heart and His reaction in the hearts and faces of people drawn here to volunteer.  Hearts soft with compassion for those less fortunate. Hearts recognizing how truly blessed they are. Hearts desiring to share time, talents and treasure given to them from God.

When I am preparing for a church service, I ask God to tell me what He has to say to His people. I had a chance to experience that in a language I don’t even speak. Sunday, we visited Vida Abundante and were ministered to by God through Gary, Larry and Pastor Mariela. Praise songs in Spanish still moved my heart as I felt the Holy Spirit’s direction. The message was about having a choice – an important one.  God tells us what we should do, gives us Christ as a guide and the Holy Spirit as a helper, then leaves the choice up to us. What will you choose? Daily?

Gary (left), Pastor Mariela (center) and Larry (right) conducted a service at Vida Abundante, an open-air church far from the tourist zone.

Tonight was the carnival. The kids began to gather as we set up. We had eight games to set up in a very small space.  That would never be enough back home!  There were probably 200 kids – all ages – with parents. They seemed a bit unsure at first but warmed up quickly. Every game and small prize was greeted with Gracias!

The carnival attracted lots of people to a very small space.

I was amazed – all those kids – no hostility or pushing and shoving. They were glad for the fun and appreciative of the small tokens given as prizes. I think of kids around home. They have so much and don’t seem to recognize how blessed they are. What a contrast!

As we prepare to head home tomorrow, it is with mixed feelings. Back to the rush of our lives, but deeply impacted by what God has shown us here. You don’t need a lot to have love and happiness. That’s a lesson I really want to remember. Until God gives us the opportunity to return – Dios de bendiga! — David Dean

Another project on the mission was repair of equipment for a home for the elderly. David (left) and Gary (right) renovated some wheelchairs.

David helps at the Vida Abundante carnival.

In one of the neighborhoods far from the tourist zone, the Vida Abundante church held a festival for youth and families. Friends of Cozumel created carnival games using our typical methods–constructing, re-purposing, making do with what we have.

Nuria designed and painted the backdrops for a bean bag toss and a fishing game. Larry and Calen fashioned a bowling game out of plastic bottles. A tub of water became a duck pond, and embroidery hoops became a ring toss game. Prizes were gathered from donors who must have had a ball at the dollar stores in the U.S. But you couldn’t have asked for more enthusiasm from those who took part.

The evening began with the crowd lining up for their free game tickets. Then everyone did the Chicken Dance followed by a heartfelt prayer from Pastor Mariela and David, FOC volunteer and chaplain of Texoma Chapel in Texas. It seemed a bit strange, but what better way to engage a crowd and remind us that we all have much to thankful for, regardless of our diverse cultures and beliefs?

Once the games began, it was a mass of warm bodies and even warmer smiles. As the FOC volunteers played the role of carnies, both kids and adults vied for the prizes. They stayed until the last ticket (and our energy) was spent.

It was a fun evening of church outreach to families that might not otherwise have an opportunity to hang out with a bunch of clowns. –Phyllis

Vida Abundante is an open-air church where Friends of Cozumel distributed school supplies to families in need.

A couple of days ago we sorted thousands of pencils, notebooks, erasers and other school supplies into 153 backpacks. These backpacks go to children in need to provide supplies required for school attendance. Our first round of distribution was last night, and what a great time it was. Imagine the just barely controlled chaos of excited children, parents, volunteers and interested onlookers in the open-air church called Vida Abundante (Abundant Life).

At this distribution site, our focus was on students identified by Pastor Mariela as those most in need of help. Dressed in their Sunday best, they first attended a church service then waited patiently to receive their backpacks. The air was filled with the type of anticipation we all probably felt as children just before gifts were to be opened at Christmas. But would we have been as grateful as these children were to receive simple notebooks, rulers and glue sticks?

After our lists were checked, students were called to the front to choose a backpack that had been filled with the required materials for their grade level. Then they tried on shoes, picked out two pair of new socks and finally, selected new underwear from the precious supply of donations.

The smile says it all. This student loves his new GI Joe backpack.

“It’s very good to help the kids when we can’t buy what we need. If we have no materials, we don’t go (to school),” said Antonio, a student headed to the university. He hopes to become an acenciado, or a licensed professional such as an attorney.

As students left, many practiced their English with a “thank you” to volunteers. Other church members gave hugs and kisses to the FOC volunteers, saying “Dios le bendiga” or God bless you.

Asked for a comment in English, Pastor Mariela said “Happy, happy, happy.” Then in Spanish she added “This is so wonderful to see all the children smiling. This project is such a blessing to our community.” –Phyllis

Getting a pair of shoes is good. If the shoes are new, that's great. If they have sparkles, it's a wonderful day indeed.

Students from the Vida Abundante congregation send their thanks and blessing to Friends of Cozumel donors.

Luisito (left) and Wil (right) don costumes for some fun with music at Camp Corazon.

Enthusiastic shouts rang out from both counselors and campers during a series of goofy games, craft projects and creation of grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches. But that’s not unusual. Kids typically have fun at day camp.

But what happens when you mix kids of many different ages and abilities? FOC’s volunteer camp counselors learned that’s fun, too. But it has a little different impact on each person involved.

Camp Corazon included three days of fun for 18 children, nine teen counselors and seven adult leaders. The high ratio of counselors and leaders to campers made it possible for seven children with special needs to have a great experience, too.

The camp took place at Casita Corazon, a therapy house in Cozumel sponsored by a nonprofit called Carrie’s Heart. During past mission trips, Friends of Cozumel renovated the formerly abandoned property so that families of children with disabilities have a place to work with visiting therapists and medical professionals.

The day camp brought together a diverse group of children and teens to enjoy activities including outdoor games, music, arts and crafts and a bit of meal preparation.

Stimulating the senses is part of Camp Corazon for Juan Diego (left).

“We really have several layers of mission,” said Carrie of Carrie’s Heart. “First is to provide stimulating activities and socialization for children with disabilities. Then we hope to develop friendships among all the children. For the teens, it’s an opportunity to raise awareness and open their minds to working with kids with special needs.”

Wil from Texas served as one of the teen counselors, working specifically with a camper named Luisito. “It’s going great,” he said. “I’ve done some of this type of work in the U.S. with Special Olympics and other things because of my mom’s job in special education. Of course here it’s harder to communicate since I don’t know Spanish, but this is actually more fun.”

Luisito appeared to be having a great time with Will, but he didn’t have time to comment. He was too busy whacking golf balls around the yard in his new hat that said Camp Corazon. –Phyllis

Relays were part of the fun at day camp.

Making friends was one of the goals of Camp Corazon.

Day care providers from across the island were invited to a workshop to learn new teaching techniques.

We tried something new today. It involved uncooked pasta, bottle caps and a host of other materials you might find around the house. All for the sake of education—an important part of the Friends of Cozumel mission.

FOC provided a training workshop today for directors and staff of 12 local day cares that provide services to families with limited resources. About 45 people attended to learn educational techniques for children ages one to four years old. The focus was how to use low cost, easy to access materials to reinforce learning, develop motor skills and encourage cognitive development.

“We really want to encourage active learning,” said Karen, a coordinator of FOC.

Two FOC volunteers served as instructors while two more local helpers acted as translators. First they explained the learning activities, then the day care providers practiced on each other. They practiced identifying colors and shapes with a type of bingo game that used cereal instead of game pieces. They experimented with coordination skills with beanbags. And they learned just a bit of chemistry while dying dry pasta with alcohol and food coloring.

Translator Marco assists instructor Lara.

Lara was one of the instructors volunteers who also teaches fourth grade in Texas. “Everyone here is really excited to try these activities. When you see the adults enjoying themselves, you know they’ll transfer their enthusiasm to the kids,” she said.

Translator Nuria assists instructor Barbara.

Another instructor was Barbara, a kindergarten reading teacher from Texas. She turned a pile of used bottle caps in various sizes and colors into another activity that caught the attention of the workshop participants.

“Classifying and sorting really helps with reading skills,” she said.

Both instructors and participants were pleased with the workshop.

“I think this workshop is good for all of us who work at the day cares. It will help us develop the skills of our kids,” said Noemi from Cozumel. “I’m learning new things. For example, I didn’t know how to use things that we already have in our houses to make things to play with our children.”

Noemi caught the essence of a lesson that can easily be passed on to others. Active learning isn’t limited to those with big budgets for materials. The real cost is time and imagination. –Phyllis

Candi (left) and Noemi (right) learn how to use color, shapes and cereal to create a bingo game.

Beanbags change from toy to learning tool when used with new techniques learned at the FOC workshop for day care providers.

Sorting bottle caps turns household objects into a learning experience.

Roger carries plays with Gustavo and Enrique while Luisito watches.

We are FOC volunteers who enjoy the mission trips. They often involve long days of hard but challenging and fruitful work. We also spend our time in the U.S. working as gatherers of materials such as school supplies and shoes that are needed on the island. All of these activities are worthwhile and rewarding but we’d like to tell you about the activity that is closest to our heart. We elected to personally “adopt” a local island family—Jose’s family.

Jose is an 18-year old boy who has several disabilities and his family includes a grandmother, two adult women, and eight other children.

The family lives in a rural area outside of San Miguel, the main city on the island. Part of their home has concrete walls and floor and part consists of wood poles cut from jungle trees. They use an outdoor kitchen where they often cook over a wood fire to avoid the expense of filling a gas tank for a stove. They recently got access to electricity, but there is no plumbing.

Our first introduction to the family was when we were asked to help provide a pump system for water to replace the task of using buckets to draw it from a well. With the new pump, the children had their own bath water for the first time!  The smiles

Diane (right) and Lili admire Antonia's new shoes.

on their faces when that first water flowed are engraved in our memories.

We now know all the family well and the hugs and piggyback rides and squeals of delight each time we visit make every penny of our plane ticket worth it. On this trip, we purchased a refrigerator for the family so food

would not spoil in a few hours of heat. The possibility of having a refrigerator was only realized because another contributor paid for the electrical hookup. The family must now learn to ration their meager pesos to pay the electric bill. They are learning and are a step closer to becoming self-sufficient!

This does not mean you must spend big bucks to help out. The small things also bring great joy and benefits. A photo album that we made of the children prompted tears from Antonia, the grandmother. The hand-knitted baby blanket and the baby doll hugged so lovingly brought tears to our own eyes just like grandma’s. A box of Band-Aids or a cantaloupe – to us such simple things—are joys to these people.

We always leave with much more than we bring. Thus, the title of this blog. We keep returning for hugs for our hearts. They sustain us between visits and help make our lives worthwhile. If you think your heart could stand some hugs, there are many more families on the island who would love to be “adopted.” We promise it is the best investment you will ever make. The percentage of return can’t be beat in any market.—Roger and Diane from Nebraska

Jose loves the ball Diane and Roger brought to him.

A photo album of the children made by Diane and Roger is a precious gift since photos of the family are rare.

Acquiring the required school supplies can make it impossible for some children to attend school in Cozumel.

Add 765 pencils; 1,224 pens; 3,672 crayons; 1,224 markers; 918 spiral notebooks; 22,950 sheets of unlined paper plus erasers, pencil bags and sharpeners, glue sticks, rulers, highlighters, compasses, geometry sets and backpacks. That equals 153 Cozumel children being able to attend school.

Throughout the year, we’ve gathered donated backpacks and school supplies that are required materials for children to attend school.  We feel pretty good about the fact that we’re helping families that find it cost-prohibitive to send their children to school—or have to make the difficult choice of which child to send if it’s not possible for all siblings to go.

Ilene and Sami sort donated school supplies.

It was joyful work today to sort the mountain of supplies into backpacks customized for each child according to gender, grade level and supply requirements. In fact, we had help from two “primeria” (primary school age) volunteers as well as some current teachers.

“I love seeing all these learning supplies,” said Lia who is a teacher in Ohio. “It just makes my heart glad.”

Additions to the backpacks this year are a new toothbrush and tube of toothpaste, thanks to Dr. Julie of Nebraska. Each student will also get the required pair of white athletic shoes, socks and underwear.

Getting enough children’s shoes is our biggest challenge—second only to process of getting a correct fit for each child’s foot. Can’t you just picture that process? If not, stay tuned for photos next week. And keep us in mind the next time you see a great pair of children’s shoes at an affordable price. We know exactly who needs them.—Phyllis

153 customized backpacks were prepared for distribution to children in Cozumel.

The conversations ranged from favorite foods to movies, pets, jobs, family and plans for the future. And when words didn’t suffice, pictures were drawn, and gestures got a bit bigger. But we all seemed to understand each other.

Six volunteers went to ICAT today—a school for adult learners, much like our community colleges or technical schools. We met students who are studying English and wanted to practice their conversation skills. It was a lot of fun for us, but probably hard work for the students since our English accents were acquired from Texas to Ohio.

We learned that speaking slowly and clearly was helpful. And pointing to pictures helped get our points across. But by patiently listening, we built a connection with the students and learned about their lives.

Gabriela from Cozumel wants to learn English because she has friends from the U.S. Astrid says her children are learning English in school, so she wants to learn, too. And David works in a restaurant in Cozumel. Speaking English may help with his future work.

While the students say they learned from us, we learned from them as well.

“It was just a joy,” said Treva from Texas. “I certainly got a lot out of it.”

Will is also from Texas and said “I wish I lived down here. People are so nice to talk to. I wish I knew some Spanish so I could help them more with their English.”

We’re all working to learn some Spanish. But in this case, speaking English with the students was just the help they wanted. –Phyllis

These are just a few of the 200 beanbags made for a special day care provider workshop.

Treva from Texas was a home economist and teacher for 30 years.  She’s a great seamstress now putting her skills to work to help people in Cozumel. She recently made 200 beanbags for a workshop where day care providers will learn new teaching skills. That’s not a typo. She really made 200. Sewn, then stuffed by hand with black beans by able assistants Will and Ilene, also from Texas.

Treva also designed and stitched protective vinyl covers for sewing machines used by participants in NUAFA’s sewing skills classes, a vinyl cover for a sound system, and a banner for the Vida Abundante church. She says she can picture each project in her head exactly as it will look when finished.

This self-described right-brain thinker also used her mechanical skills to service the 17 sewing machines at NUAFA. “I’m always in my right mind,” she said with a laugh.

Treva makes beanbags with a serger donated by Sue and Doug of Cozumel, while Will fills the bags with black beans.

So if you think you may not have the skills to do volunteer work in a developing country, think again. It takes all kinds—even those of us not in our right minds. –Phyllis

Donations of gently used or affordable new clothing are stacked to the ceiling until the next Gran Bazar.

Our schedule reflects the needs of the community. So much to do, so little time—and so little storage space. We’ve been blessed with loyal donors who save their gently used children’s shoes or send a monetary contribution for much needed school supplies. This year we’re confident of reaching our goal to send 150 children to school who otherwise would not be able to afford the required supplies. But until we get donations sorted and distributed, finding storage solutions in a hot and humid climate is a challenge.

Ilene sorts donations for the Gran Bazar to be held Aug. 2.

No worries, though. The volunteers have arrived and are preparing for the activities that will put these materials into the hands of grateful families in need. A Gran Bazar is scheduled for August 2 where we’ll make both used and reasonably priced new clothes and shoes available. In neighborhoods far from the tourist zone, crowds of people show up. They are so appreciative of what we bring. And the few pesos they proudly use for purchases are then put back into purchases for supplies to keep other Friends of Cozumel projects going.

Toys in storage await a new home. What will children of Cozumel think of the snowman?

So keep those donations coming. I spotted a few inches of space near the ceiling that would hold a backpack of school supplies just perfectly. –Phyllis