How One Couple Can Make A Difference
Disasters bring out the best in folks. Those of you who are subscribers to Living at Lake Chapala may remember the article we ran earlier this year about an interesting couple, new to the area, who were organizing butterfly lovers into a club.
Here's what those butterfly folks do when their help is needed. This letter went to their church group, and was certainly not written to give them glory, but to encourage others to help out, too.
To folks in St. Andrews and other friends:
Here's what those butterfly folks do when their help is needed. This letter went to their church group, and was certainly not written to give them glory, but to encourage others to help out, too.
To folks in St. Andrews and other friends:
Here is the latest from some of us who live on the west side of San Juan Cosala.
1. 200 + men, women, children were evacuated and are in a auditorium in the middle of the town of Jocotepec. DIF has provided cots for them. There is a large water truck there.
2. When we went into Joco yesterday morning to do some errands, all the Mexican neighbors were bringing in blankets and supplies. We went to our home in Roca Azul and brought back towels, blankets and extra clothing. When we took things to the center, they had a list posted a list of immediate needs.
3. We, with one of our Mexican-American neighbors immediately drove to Guadalajara to Sam's and Wal-Mart. We filled the trunk of our van with powdered milk, 50 lb bags of rice, beans, cans of sauce, pampers, light weight blankets, tooth paste, bars of soap, large packages of toilet paper, packages of 300 forks, plastic glasses, and disposable plates.
4. The food that has been donated in Jocotepec is all being prepared at Mary's on the square across from the church and then taken to the auditorium. It's a small kitchen compared to many homes, but those Mexican ladies have the know how to get a lot of food cooking and served. We do not need to take prepared food, since they are doing a very good job. I will take 10 kilos of tortillas to them each day as long as they need them. I had taken big foil roasting pans left over that I had used when I cooked weekly for a children's shelter.
Today they were using them to transport food and asked for more. We will run back up to Sam's and Wal-mart this afternoon. What they asked me to bring them now is canned goods, like the small cans of tuna because they have older people who are afraid to leave their homes and come sleep in the shelter. We will buy the supplies and food that they requested and bring it to them. They will take food like this to these people.
Please be assured that the municipal government, DIF and military services are operating well out of Jocotecpec. We have been told by the coordinators here that there were NO fatalities.
There are about 70 children in the auditorium shelter here in Jocotopec. We will bring more diapers back for them. The town of Joco is in good shape, and we have taken left over medical supplies to the local emergency center. We are glad to help these folks in any way we can.
We understand that the 200 people here have NO homes left, and so the need is not just immediate, but will continue.
If any of you want to take a ride and bring supplies, you can get to us by going into Guadalajara, and getting on Lopez Mateos, continuing on it until you come to the Colima Road, take the exit off to Jocotecpec (rt. 15)and come into town that way. It's simple to get here, and any of the people in town will be glad to direct you to deliver anything you may bring. This town has really turned out to help their less fortunate neighbors.
Phil and Yale Weatherby
Note: If you want to donate but don't want to drive quite that far, there are directions for leaving donations at the Lake Chapala Society grounds or at the Ajijic Delegación in the last blog post: How Can We Help?
1. 200 + men, women, children were evacuated and are in a auditorium in the middle of the town of Jocotepec. DIF has provided cots for them. There is a large water truck there.
2. When we went into Joco yesterday morning to do some errands, all the Mexican neighbors were bringing in blankets and supplies. We went to our home in Roca Azul and brought back towels, blankets and extra clothing. When we took things to the center, they had a list posted a list of immediate needs.
3. We, with one of our Mexican-American neighbors immediately drove to Guadalajara to Sam's and Wal-Mart. We filled the trunk of our van with powdered milk, 50 lb bags of rice, beans, cans of sauce, pampers, light weight blankets, tooth paste, bars of soap, large packages of toilet paper, packages of 300 forks, plastic glasses, and disposable plates.
4. The food that has been donated in Jocotepec is all being prepared at Mary's on the square across from the church and then taken to the auditorium. It's a small kitchen compared to many homes, but those Mexican ladies have the know how to get a lot of food cooking and served. We do not need to take prepared food, since they are doing a very good job. I will take 10 kilos of tortillas to them each day as long as they need them. I had taken big foil roasting pans left over that I had used when I cooked weekly for a children's shelter.
Today they were using them to transport food and asked for more. We will run back up to Sam's and Wal-mart this afternoon. What they asked me to bring them now is canned goods, like the small cans of tuna because they have older people who are afraid to leave their homes and come sleep in the shelter. We will buy the supplies and food that they requested and bring it to them. They will take food like this to these people.
Please be assured that the municipal government, DIF and military services are operating well out of Jocotecpec. We have been told by the coordinators here that there were NO fatalities.
There are about 70 children in the auditorium shelter here in Jocotopec. We will bring more diapers back for them. The town of Joco is in good shape, and we have taken left over medical supplies to the local emergency center. We are glad to help these folks in any way we can.
We understand that the 200 people here have NO homes left, and so the need is not just immediate, but will continue.
If any of you want to take a ride and bring supplies, you can get to us by going into Guadalajara, and getting on Lopez Mateos, continuing on it until you come to the Colima Road, take the exit off to Jocotecpec (rt. 15)and come into town that way. It's simple to get here, and any of the people in town will be glad to direct you to deliver anything you may bring. This town has really turned out to help their less fortunate neighbors.
Phil and Yale Weatherby
Note: If you want to donate but don't want to drive quite that far, there are directions for leaving donations at the Lake Chapala Society grounds or at the Ajijic Delegación in the last blog post: How Can We Help?
Judy King is publisher of Mexico Insights' Living at Lake Chapala, a monthly online magazine for people interested in Mexico's Lake Chapala region, in the state of Jalisco.
Judy, a 16-year resident of Ajijic on Lake Chapala's north shore, conducts weekly newcomer's seminars, shares her expertise about Mexico in her monthly online magazine, and in the "Mexico Lindo" column for the Lake Chapala Review.
Judy also is a speaker for local organizations and visiting tour groups about the Lakeside area and Mexican customs and holidays.
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