lizard lips
Super Nomad
Posts: 1469
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: EARTH
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HELP----PLEASE
A lot of you know what kind of work I do for US insurance companies for those of you who do not I investigate life claims, kidnappings and almost any
other type of investigations including missing persons. I have worked in 81 different countries and because I live in Mexico and speak Spanish I work
most in this country and have had the pleasure of visiting every state, working in the smallest ranchos and the largest cities.
I recently had a case from an insurance company where they requested I try and locate a 15 year old girl who's father died on the job in Virginia two
years ago. He was a Mexican national and the only information available was the grandmothers name and the name of the girl and that they lived in Baja
somewhere. My contact at the insurance company did not know if the grandmother and child knew of the death of the child's father.
I had this assignment since March and everyone I contacted which included my Mexican governmental sources did not turn up anything. I checked all of
the school districts to see if she was enrolled as well as contacting different police and municipal office for information. I put up flyers and even
took ads in local newspapers.
Yesterday I received a call from a person who said he knew the grandmother and child and gave me an area where they lived which is called "Buena
Vista" located about 20 miles south of Ensenada. This person saw the ad in the local paper.
After the call, I and my wife went to this area and after talking to many people we found both of them. There was a very old woman in the front area
of the property who my wife asked if her name was Guadalupe and she said yes. We asked for the daughter and she said she was in the home and she came
out to greet us. The grandmother was a small woman who looked like she was at least 80 years old but she said she was 61. The 15 year old was not
wearing shoes, was very dirty but had bright eyes and both smiled and allowed us into their yard which was nothing more than a few scrub bushes.
I explained who I was and that if she knew that her father had passed away. Both the grandmother and the child said no and started crying. My wife
started crying and I got the o'l lump in the throat. The child said that she was concerned that she had not heard from her father for the last two
years. The girl said that her father would send money to them every month for their support and they have not received anything for a long time. The
girl said that she has not attended school for the last 1 1/2 years because she was embarrassed that her clothes were ripped and old and did not fit
her anymore and they didn't even have money for small things like shampoo or soap. The other kids would make fun of her and she just couldn't take it
anymore. The grandmother was listening and had to keep brushing the tears away.
The house the live in consists of a small one room lean-to that is neat and clean and the bathroom is an outhouse. They do not have running water or
electricity and they obtain their water from a large water truck that comes by every four days and they fill up three 5 gallon plastic containers to
use fro cooking and washing.
My wife who has lived in Ensenada most of her life and who grew up in Chihuahua poor was visibly emotional at the standard of living these two loving
human beings have been going through. I have seen poor on many occasions in many countries of the world but this one really hurt because it was so
close to home and it was just an old lady trying her best to take care of her grandchild with no other means of support.
I gave them some bus fare to come to my home today so that they could talk to the attorney back east and get the settlement worked out. The little
girls should come in to quite a fair sum of money.
My intent for this post was for those of you that come to Baja on a regular basis please clean out your closet and give these people some dignity back
in their lives. I don't like to give money to those who beg because I don't know where it's going.
After what I saw yesterday made me think a lot. If just one fortunate family could help another one raise their standard of living then this world
would be a much better place. Please fill up a big black trash bag with things you don't need anymore and get it down here or give it to someone who
can really use it and it can be in your hometown. It doesn't have to be here in Mexico.
The golf tournament we just had supported Agua Viva for several months and I was grateful for al the support. There are many more here that can use
it.
If you don't know who to give your clothes or other donated items to please u2u me and I will personally take you to these areas and get the items to
the people who can use them.
When the little girls said she did not want to go to school because her clothes were ripped and did not fit her anymore I was upset. How can we let
this happen?
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rpleger
Super Nomad
Posts: 1087
Registered: 3-12-2005
Location: H. Mulegé, BCS
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Mood: Was good.
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lizard lips .....Good for you and all of you that think enough to help the less fortunate ... If you donīt know anyone just give your things to a
local church...There is still a lot of people that could use some help.
Thanks Lizard Lips for bringing this to our attention...
Richard on the Hill
*ABROAD*, adj. At war with savages and idiots. To be a Frenchman abroad is to
be miserable; to be an American abroad is to make others miserable.
-- Ambrose Bierce, _The Enlarged Devil\'s Dictionary_
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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You're doing your best, Dan. That's all you can do. The amount of real need is overwhelming.
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N2Baja
Nomad
Posts: 147
Registered: 2-12-2004
Location: San Diego
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Great post. Thank you.
When my kids were younger, I was on the board for the local softball league in charge of fields and equipment. I got in touch with my counterpart for
the baseball league and together we were able to fully equip at least two full teams in northern baja. I know that situation was not as dire as the
girl and grandmother you speak of, but the 'thank you' we received from these kids was incredible and the feeling I got in my heart, knowing that I'd
help make a few kids happy, is one I'll never forget.
I'm going to gather more stuff right now. Thanks again.
Forget about the danger and think of the fun.
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bajamigo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1218
Registered: 6-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda, BC
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Mood: hubimos llegado
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Great job, Dan. If you think it will help, we will be happy to meet any Nomads heading south at Maneadero, if they need a convenient drop-off point.
All we need is about an hour's notice; U2U us for contact numbers. Anything else we can do, let us know.
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DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
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Thanks for the great post and the reminder. Time for a little late spring/early summer cleaning.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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24baja
Senior Nomad
Posts: 952
Registered: 2-3-2009
Location: Grants Pass Oregon/Bahia de Los Angeles
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Mood: Wishing we were in BOLA
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We try to take something down on each BOLA trip. The families seem happy to receive our items so until the need is gone we will continue. Its a good
thing you are doing Lizard Lips, Bless you & your wife.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Dan:
I will be bringing some clothes down on my next trip.
A suggestion for others is to put clothes in an old suitcase or duffle type bag, and if questioned at the border, tell em it's your clothes or your
kids clothes.....a black trash bag is like a Mexican Customs magnet.
Good work, Dan!!!!!
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3812
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
Dan:
I will be bringing some clothes down on my next trip.
A suggestion for others is to put clothes in an old suitcase or duffle type bag, and if questioned at the border, tell em it's your clothes or your
kids clothes.....a black trash bag is like a Mexican Customs magnet.
Good work, Dan!!!!! |
Bajaguy, you beat me to it. Old suitcases or duffle bags seem to get us through every time. I can pick up "throw away" type suitcases at the thrift
shops up here and leave the whole package in Baja. Throw away to us isn't the same down there.
Thank you Dan for sharing your story. I'm glad that this girl and her grandmother will eventually have a happy ending.
P<*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by rpleger
lizard lips .....Good for you and all of you that think enough to help the less fortunate ... If you donīt know anyone just give your things to a
local church...There is still a lot of people that could use some help.
Thanks Lizard Lips for bringing this to our attention... |
Good advice rpleger, and thank you Lizard Lips for your story well written, and from the heart---Thanks.
We have a number of duffle bags and we like to spread the donation items between them, and then top them off with our personal items---underwear is
always good, it discourages further looking. :-)
But the idea of giving items to the local churches is good, IMHO. Knowing the involvement in local organizations of Bajamigo and Lizard Lips, it
would not be problem to leave donations with them.
However, in our experiences in Baja, the mainland of Mexico, and Central Amerca, the leaving of donations with one local can end up with the donations
going only to that extended family, regardless of their real need.
Now if the donation is intended for that family, great. But if the intention is for the donation to be for the most needy, the church is often the
best place. Tha padre or minister often knows the most needy.
Also, while some of the better known "missions" do GREAT work, often they have an abundance of donations and the small missions are very much in need.
Thanks Lizard Lips --- tis a great thread.
Diane
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Stickers
Senior Nomad
Posts: 572
Registered: 4-12-2006
Location: SoCal
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Nice post and good work Lips.
We had an El Salvadorian worker die digging a trench here in Santa Monica, Ca. He had a wife and two girls back home that he was supporting with his
NOB work. The contractor he was working for had Workmans Comp insurance and I heard that there is a minimum payment of $240,000 given for a
workers death. (that's dollars)
I never heard if they actually collected the money and somehow I imagine some lawyers got most of it.
I sure hope they got something. 
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65291
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks for that Dan... Good of you, very good indeed!
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lizard lips
Super Nomad
Posts: 1469
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: EARTH
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The girl, and grandmother and their pastor was met at Costco and they followed me to my home and we had a nice meeting. The pastor said that he also
has a project like Agua Viva where he feeds about 50 young kids per day with the help of an American man that comes to their church and brings rice
and beans four times a month. Apparently this "man" is the only source right now that they depend on for support and he is leaving to work in Vietnam
for an organization that feeds and clothes and educates children all over the world. The pastor took several kids along with this man to McDonalds a
while back and treated them to burgers. The pastor said the kids were blown away in that they have never been to a restaurant before and have never
had hamburgers. He said the kids still talk about it like it was the best thing they have ever did in their life!
As we were sitting at my dining room table my wife brought out some of those little fish crackers and some chocolates and they were gone in minutes.
She filled the bowl four times. They left our house with a lot of canned goods that we have had for a long time and a bag of clothes from our nieces
that we got the day before.
The girl will receive a monthly payment that will be deposited directly into a bank account once one is open as well as a check for all the months
that have been missed for the last two years which will be several thousand dollars. I told her that if she does not go to school the money will stop
and I also told her that the money will continue if she goes on to college so I hope this will be an incentive for her to continue her education. The
only thing she asked me was if she could buy a pair of shoes?
Thank you all for your kind posts. I have received a lot of emails from many of you for donations of clothes and for that, another big Thank You. This
is not something that will consume my life, it can't with everything else I have to do but I think if I just give it a day or two once in awhile to
get the items to those who can really use it, it will complete that piece of pie that has been missing in my life.
My dad always said life is like a pie. You cut it up and divide one piece for family, friends, work, yourself and donate the other to those who need
it.
I had concerns about posting this on the board in that it seems like everywhere you go in Mexico there is always a hand out and it gets tiresome at
every stop light someone has a can for a donation stuck in your face or there is a guy washing your window. We all know it's there, poverty, but until
you see it up close and personal then it hits you. It's like Dennis said, it's overwhelming and you can only do what you can.
[Edited on 03/08/2009 by lizard lips]
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Eli
Super Nomad
Posts: 1471
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: L.B. Baja Sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: Some times Observing, sometimes Oblivious.
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Thanks Lizard Lips, truly your story inspires. I will continue to do what I can, even if it is only a spit in the bucket. Also, I will take heart even
though I know I can't resolve the problem.
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lizard lips
Super Nomad
Posts: 1469
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: EARTH
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I took the first flight from Guadalajara this morning to Tj and had the wife pick me up. We crossed and met Bajaguy in Chula Vista. He told me his
wife, Lyn, had told people at her work about my story and and they gave her some clothes. Well Terry, bajaguy, brought the bags down and there was
ALOT! I fit everything into my trunk then did the Costco and Vons thing and crossed without the red light, THANK GOD!
Just went through the clothes and I think there is enough for every kid in that area and of course we saved quite a lot for the little girl as well so
I know she will be pleased.
THANK YOU LYN AND TERRY!
I will bring the clothes to the kids on Sunday.
Just to remind all of you as well......... PLEASE U2U ME IF YOU HAVE CLOTHES AND SHOES TO BRING DOWN AND I WILL MEET YOU HERE IN ENSENADA.
I think if I can do this once a month it will make a difference
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Heather
Nomad
Posts: 370
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: National City, CA
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Lizard Lips...I must say I got a tear in my eye reading your original post, glad to hear that you are getting some help for the family!
We are fortunate in that my brother-in-law drives an 18 wheeler up to TJ from La Paz weekly. So we are able to send lots of our hand-me-downs to my
husband's 8 brothers and sisters down there!
Last week while we were in La Paz with them, I saw my old refrigerator in the casa of one of my cunados, an old sofa in another, and lots of toys that
we've sent down over the years, too!
There is one niece that is a year younger than my youngest, so she gets all the clothes from my girls'.
I cleaned out some of my old clothes and purses this year, that my sisters'-in-law were only too happy to receive! Also sent down a toaster oven and
crockpot for my mother-in-law.
Most of my husband's brothers work, so not as bad off as the little girl and her grandmother, but they can always use some help and are always
greatful for what we send down. It's funny that things that I would discard still have 5 or 10 more years of use in Mexico! H.
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lizard lips
Super Nomad
Posts: 1469
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: EARTH
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Heather,
Good job and your fortunate to have transportation for your items to be sent to those who need it. I'm sure your family appreciates it!
If anyone is coming down soon please contact me (u2u) if you have any items to be donated. I live just off the main highway to Cabo in Ensenada and I
will be happy to meet you on your way south.
I am leaving for another trip to the mainland on Wednesday and will be gone for 10 days but the wife will be here and can meet you with your
donations. ANYTHING you have and don't want anymore will be great.
Thanks
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