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

Maria Paola is the newest friend of Friends of Cozumel.

Friends of Cozumel’s summer mission work has begun. The first visiting volunteers hit the ground running a few days ago and more will arrive in the next few days. It’s been great to reunite with old friends and find some new ones, too.

What 'fiesta de bebe' is complete without a cake?

Meet our newest friend, Maria Paola. She arrived in Cozumel just a few weeks ago and was the guest of honor at a ‘festival de bebe’—a baby shower—organized by Diane from Nebraska. She and her mother, Lili, are just two of the people being helped by Friends of Cozumel. With challenges of daily life in this island community, it was nice to give them some time to just have fun and celebrate the birth of a beautiful new family member.

White 'onesies' and permanent fabric markers made a great bi-lingual activity as well as a way to give the baby lasting good wishes.

Lili (left) enjoyed receiving gifts for the baby at the shower organized by Diane (right).

While not everyone could converse in each other’s language during the baby shower, that was no problem.

Diane arranged an activity where everyone passed their best wishes on to the baby using permanent fabric markers on brand new, white baby clothes. Then after opening gifts, a bit of dancing and eating cake, at least one of the party goers took a nap.

Meanwhile, back at the Friends of Cozumel headquarters, Larry worked on large, low table he is building for use at Casita Corazon. This therapy house is sponsored by Carries Heart and was renovated by FOC volunteers during the spring mission trip. It’s now in use by families with children who have disabilities. The table will hold both children and their therapists as they work on physical movement therapies.

Larry from Iowa works on a therapy table for Casita Corazon.

We’re full of energy (more or less) and ready to go on lots of different projects to help the community. Send us your comments, advice and best wishes to keep our energy level high. And we’ll keep you in the loop of all the new friends of Friends of Cozumel. –Phyllis

Friends of Cozumel works closely with Carrie’s Heart, a Houton-based organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of children with disabilities worldwide. During our Feb ’12 mission week, we renovated a home called “Casita Corazon” (House of Heart) here in Cozumel to provide a resource center for local families with disabled children. Following is a thank you we recently received from Carrie Conn of Carrie’s Heart. We are pleased to share her message with you….

I hope the year is off to a positive start for everyone! I am super excited to bring you all some great news for Carrie’s Heart for 2012. Although things may have seemed quiet the past few months, behind the scenes we have been working super hard in Mexico taking our first steps in starting day activity programs for our sponsored children. For the past seven years we have worked on providing in-home care for our children in the Yucatan with the ultimate goal of wanting to one day provide them with a day program and respite for our parents.