When decided to go to Mexico, we were very exited. We had been there once before, and had gone to a small orphanage called Casa Ogar Esperanza to visit with the children. When we asked them what we could bring to them the next time we came, Ester (the person who owns the orphanage) told us that they really needed shoes. They told us that a couple years back, some americans had brought them some shoes and they had lasted a lot longer than the cheap shoes they got there in Mexico.
Now that we were here in Mexico again, we decided to visit this orphanage once more. But his time we were able to come with more than just our selves, we came with a whole bunch of shoes, and some money that us kids had earned doing a play called Jack and the beanstalk that us and some other friends put on together. Since it proved successful enough to get into the newspaper, and we performed at an elementary school as well for two different kindergarten classes, we were able to get more than our original goal.
When we finally got to the orphanage, we were welcomed as expected guests. When we produced the shoes, she was so grateful. There were only five children there at the time because the rest of them were at school and wouldn’t be back ’till 3:00, but the children that were there quickly picked out the shoes that they though would fit them.
We went out to lunch before returning back to the orphanage to say our final good byes and take a couple pictures. All the kids were home by then, so we were able to get them all in the picture. They were SO excited to have their new shoes! There were enough shoes for all of them exept three. Two of them had feet that were too big for the size of shoes we got, and one just wasn’t there in time. Many of them went up to my little sister Teyauna (only 10 months at the time) to play with her fingers or say something to her in Spanish.
Just before we left, we asked if there was anything else she wanted us to bring. We were told that more shoes, and clothes would be welcome. The one girl that never got any shoes shyly told Ester (only when asked) that she would rather girl flats. Without them really noticing, we also put a stocking full of halloween candy under their Christmas tree.
It was so fun and fulfilling to do a small act of service for someone that was in need. For me, even though it was hard to realize that it was soon to be Christmas in such a sunny, hot place, a christmas spirit of giving came to me that day, knowing that through such a little act of service, you can go a long way.
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