The Road to El Faro

Today I got up at 5:30 a.m. to get on a bus to Mexico! I was going to the El Faro Orphanage in Baja Mexico, just outside Tijuana, with Corazon de Vida. After we left Irvine, we had to pick up some folks in San Diego, coincidentally right by the bay. I shuddered as I had flashbacks of the 2006 San Diego Rock N Roll marathon. After that, we were off to Mexico. As soon as we crossed the border I could tell we were in another country. (Unlike Canada, which looks exactly like the U.S.) 20 minutes later, we stop by a soccer field and are told we are going through a hole in the fence, walking down a hill, then up a hill, and then we'd be at El Faro (the hill was a landfill and tires pilled up on which the orphanage was built). So through the hole, down a hill, and up a hill we go. When we arrived at El Faro carrying the supplies we had brought, a couple boys came running out to take it from us and carry it inside. Then the whole morning I got to play with the children and practice my Spanish. We had lunch and hung out a little more before we had to go. I can't even explain what it's like to be there - it was an amazing experience. These children are so happy and carefree, despite the fact that they don't have parents, their parents can't afford to take care of them, or their parents have ditched them there en route to the U.S. There are 4-5 "mothers" at the orphanage for 45 kids, so they don't get a lot of attention. Finally it was time to go and we said our reluctant goodbyes. This post is no where near as long as it could be, but I think the pictures will do a better job describing everything than I can...

the view from El Faro

me & one of the little babies

Dailan

me & another little one

the kids goofing off for the camera

Diego kept stealing my shades

the walk back to the bus

El Faro is the blue building

The hole in the fence