Living at Lake Chapala in Mexico

Current Needs--Saturday
The current list of needs are for the following:
underwear
socks
shoe(all above items are for all ages male & female)
no other clothing at this time
cooking oil
NO More DRY milk (water has to be boiled)
Boxed ultra pasteurized milk
Beans in any form canned or dry
Juices

New Delivery Instructions
These items can now be taken directly to San Juan Cosala to the square where you will be directed to the drop off office. PLEASE try not to take just a few items, but PLEASE coordinate with neighbors and friends to take full carloads to keep the traffic down. This can start taking the place of going to the Delegación in Ajijic where drop off has sometime been difficult traffic-wise.

In the Mood to Do some Cooking?
The homeless and those who are unable to cook at home are being fed at the church in San Juan Cosala and from the AMSIF Building across the street from the plaza. Remember that they are providing breakfast and comida--at about 2 p.m.

Maybe you can help with food for Sunday or Monday.

Ninos y Jovenes
San Juan Cosala
by Ruben Varella

The Ninos y Jovenes was founded about 28 years ago by Padre Adalberto Macias Llamas who is better known as Padre Beto.

I, Ruben, am from Jocotopec which is the head county of our municipality. ( The county seat, or or less in US terms).

I had never heard about the Padre's work. Four years ago I was invited by two of my good USA friends to participate in helping the Padre's project. At the beginning I wondered if I should have known better but little by little I became more involved and we never, as a group, failed to do what we promised.

Every Wednesday, except this past Wednesday which was the day of our major disaster...we have supplied Padre Beto with his "goods".

Padre Beto is getting up there in years and his health could be better but he doesn't give up. He is a one of a kind man. I speak to him weekly and I ask him how he manages to accomplish what he does. He has never received and funds from the state or any organized fund. His answer is always, "I wonder myself, but the ONE upstairs keeps us going day in and day out."

Because of this recent tragedy, his children, as he calls them, are being sheltered at a high school in Jocotopec. It may be weeks before they are able to return to their damaged buildings. There are 139 children from 10 thru 18. Many of them have lost all that they owned and that was never very much. From our hearts, Thank You for all your support and GOD bless you all!Ruben Varela.

More Photos on a San Juan Cosala Blog:
Be sure to take a look at Rosana Hart's excellent blog. She lives in San Juan Cosala--in the village and has been out and about since Wednesday morning recording photos and reactions to the storm damage. Check out her blog at: http://mexico-with-heart.com/blog/

Opportunity for Abled Bodied Helpers on Monday
"There is a national disaster just a few kms to the west of us and thousands of the local people need our help. Lake Chapala Master Builders want to help. Since there is a Holiday this weekend, we were not able to put all of our 15 workers together to go to San Juan Cosala, what with the family dinners and gatherings that are a very important part of Mexican Culture.

We are fortunate in being able to provide the financing, work force and equipment to stop all of our own projects on Monday, and move all of our attention to the victims who have lost their homes, clothing, food and the numerous businesses that are located in their homes. A lot of good Samaritans are doing their bit to help the homeless.

Monday, September 17th, all of our crews and volunteer workers will meet at our Main Office in West Ajijic at 8 am. All of our workers have been asked to bring any other workers, brothers, sisters and mothers-in-law who have Monday off.

Bring work clothes, gloves and a bag lunch. We will provide some transportation but if you have a pick-up, we could use it. L.C.M.B will bring all of our equipment, i.e shovels, rakes, push brooms, wheelbarrows, axes, machetes, etc. We will purchase more hand tools as needed. At the end of the day, we will pay all volunteers $100.00 pesos and provide a cold beer.

We are hoping for over a hundred people. This should make a big differnce in whatever we are assigned to do. ( A later report says that the group will be working on cleaning SJC Schools and government buildings).

Please, please, please come. This will be one of the most rewarding things in our lives and you will remember it forever. So will the people you have helped. Have you ever read about people in the small towns in your area that pitched in when someone?s house burned down? What is more gratifying than helping with food, clothing, blankets or providing a roof over their heads? This could happen to you.

NEWS FLASH: We just got news from the Rescue Center in San Juan Cosala that we will be assigned the cleaning out of schools and city government buildings. The refugees that were moved to Jocotepec will use the buildings we clean out for temporary residences until they get their homes back. (We just bought all of the cleaning supplies we need.) Hope To See You All On MONDAY-------Kay Davis and Doug Denison

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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.