My Weekend

Okay, I think I have time now to write about our weekend…

First, David Ingrassano came down Friday night to visit and do some more interviews. It was good to see him again. We stayed up late Friday night interviewing and then had a big day Saturday. Our friends Art and Adele told us they would be coming down on Saturday we just weren’t sure what time. So, they arrived around 12:00, just as we were getting ready to go get some lunch. Since, David drove down to MX, we could use his car to go out. He took me to a Taco Stand called “Tacos Manuel” It was very good. We bought lots of quesadillas and some tacos to bring back to the hospital to eat.

After lunch, Art and Adele and their daughter Alyssa took Mandy and I to the flea market in Rosarito. It was a lot of fun because we got to see all of our friends there again. Since we have been to Mexico so much they remember us every time we come. There are about 3 of them that always stop us. I ended up buying a bracelet I really didn’t need just so I could buy something from my friend. Last time we were there, I had bought my purse from her, so I wanted to make it a tradition! ☺ I do like the bracelet though…

When we got home we sat in my Mom’s room and sang. Art brought his guitar and played for us. He is a fantastic guitarist. We actually sang right through dinner. Art and Adele and Alyssa had to leave by 7:00, so we didn’t want to waste our time sitting and eating. We really enjoyed our time with them. It wasn’t until 8:30 or 9:00 that we started thinking about what to do for dinner. So, David I. and Mandy went this time to Tacos Manuel to get more food. Eve though we had it for lunch it was still so good for dinner! In order to burn the calories from eating that late, we got in the hot tub afterwards until 12:00. No, it really was just a good excuse…I’m sure we didn’t burn any calories! ☺

By Sunday morning I was exhausted. I could barely wake up. I think I was a little late to breakfast, it didn’t matter though. We were planning to have a little church service at 9:30 with the other patients. David had to leave before we started but after he was gone we sang some hymns and everyone who wanted to shared something or read from the bible. It really encouraged me and my Mom. We’ve all decided to choose LIFE! After our service Mary Ellen, the daughter of patients asked me if I wanted to go with her to an orphanage. I was so excited because I’ve always wanted to go to an orphanage in Mexico. Our plans changed rather quickly though. Dr. Cruz, invited me to go to church with his family at 12:00. So I told Mary Ellen about it and she said she also always wanted to go to a Spanish speaking church. So, this worked out good. We figured we could take a taxi from the church to Ensenada where the orphanage is.

The church service was rather different. It was a Pentecostal church, but not like the ones in the states, or at least what I know of them. The music was so loud and there were lots of people dancing and jumping around. Kind of strange. Even though everyone seemed very different, they all had a heart towards the Lord. At first I was thinking it was all show, but I got to know one of the members pretty well and it isn’t show at all. It’s real! From church we got a guy, Jesus, actually pronounced Hey-Sus, to take us to Ensenada. His job is a taxi driver, so he didn’t mind at all. Ensenada is about an hour and 10 minute drive so we got to know him pretty well. He speaks okay English, but not enough to really carry on long conversations.

Now about the orphanage…Our visit was very different from what I thought it would be, but it was still nice. I pictured us playing with kids and holding them, but in reality, we weren’t even allowed to touch the kids. I guess the Mexican Government is very strict about that. The workers from the orphanage really aren’t supposed to touch the kids either, but they do. The kids seemed so loved though. The orphanage was like a big church camp. They had dorms for the girls and one for the boys. It really didn’t seem like a bad place to live. I was told that most of the children have parents, they just have been abused some ways, or they can’t be taken care of at home. Only a few were really orphans.

(Picture on Right- Intern with girl from Orphanage
Bottom- Intern with Omar orphan boy)

On our way back home we all got really hungry! We had missed dinner at the hospital, so we planned on taking Jesus out to dinner. He was only charging us for the gas money to take us to Ensenada and stayed the whole time with us at the orphanage, it was nice to have a male chaparone (sp?) We told him to pick the place so we went to eat at Los Arcos. It was a nice little Mexican Restaurant. We all enjoyed it. We got back home to the hospital around 8:00. My Mom was worried until she realized we had been safe and with a guy to protect us. That’s a big thing in our family. We usually go nowhere without a guy with us. And not usually some taxi driver we barely know… Jesus ended up coming in and staying awhile to meet my Mom and David.

He came for the past two days also. We use him now whenever we need a taxi driver. So yesterday, he took me home from the flea market and then we invited him to stay for dinner. While in the taxi on the way home yesterday we were talking a lot about the Bible. He was having me look up scriptures while he was driving and then I was trying to translate them into English. It amazed all of us who were in the Taxi with Jesus, because he kept saying to us that he was so hungry for the Word. He would thank the Lord and give God all the credit and glory for everything. It shocked us because you don’t see that too often in the states. Christians become to complacient and lose that fire that once was there. We aren’t hungry! Or at least I’ve found myself wondering why I am not as on fire for reading all the time, like I can’t get enough. Even while we were eating dinner, he didn’t shut his bible. He would take a bite and then turn his head to read more. I want to be like this. I challenge all of you to be hungry for God’s Word!