No More Mexico

I was supposed to leave for Mexico today but because of the drug war going on at the border I have to stay home. :(

When Mike & I were in the airport leaving for New York I was watching the news and the US Embassy came on and started talking about the war in Mexico. They started talking about American's being kidnapped and the cops being killed and everything that was happening. I hadn't really known any of this was going on before. The US Embassy said they advise all students who are traveling there for spring break NOT to go. I probably still would have gone but I honestly felt like this was in part, an answer to my prayers.

I went to NY and 4 days after returning home, today, was supposed to fly to Mexico for 10 days and then a day later fly to Florida for a week. At first I thought that I could totally handle all the vacationing but as it drew closer I was double thinking my plans. I started wishing that I could stay home from one of the trips and decided it should be Mexico. So I prayed that I wouldn't have to go. Now I know that my prayers did not cause this war and I definetally didn't want every other student to have to stay home as well, but as thankful as I was that I no longer am going to Mexico, I am sad as well. It would have been another amazing experience. I went last year and volunteered at an orphanage down there and this year we were going to build a house and visit the orphanage. So I am sad, but I will hopefully be productive and get school & work caught up before I go to Florida.

Anyways, in an end, I pray that God will watch over all the innocent people involved in this war and that communities and citizens will be guided in what to do to find safety.

Here are some pictures from my trip to Mexico last year and some of the kids from the orphanage we volunteered at, I am so sad I won't be seeing them again this year! :(

Me and two of the girls that I became inseparable with: America & CharvaliaMe and Charvalia hanging out during play time & spending time together. She had the cutest little attitude. I loved it. She kinda acted like me. Haha.A few days after we had been volunteering I was with America when they got called in for dinner. She got up and started to run in and then she stopped, ran back to me, gave me a kiss on the cheek, and turned back to run inside. It was the sweetest thing in the world I thought. America was more shy & quiet but so loving and lovable!

During play time we would bring out the babies who were around 12 months to 18 months old. When it was time for them to go inside we would start taking them back to the house and just realizing they were headed back to the house, they would start crying! It was awful. There just weren't enough caregivers for the kids so if the babies weren't with us they had to lay in their cribs. The man who ran the orpahange told us the children's stories and they are horrific. I could never imagine in my wildest nightmares the things that these kids have been through and had to witness. So as hard as it is where they are, I know they are loved and in a much better place than where they were. Oh yea... I forgot how when I was working I stepped on a couple of rusty nails. They went into my foot and I had to actually pull them out... NOT a good experience. They told us to be careful of lice and not let the kids play with our hair, but uh... EVERY kid kept wanting to play with my hair and I just gave in. This little boy was one of my favorite's. He concentrated so hard on doing my hair and then would come to my front look at me, squint, and then walk back around and change it. He did this over and over until it was perfect.With the pigtails, the hat, and the sunglasses, he decided I was complete! YAY!