Meghan은 간다, Meghan ya no esta aqui

For Katie

Katie wanted to know what WHO is about. Now, I could just direct you over to WHO's website (which gives a lot of detailed information), but here's a quick rundown.

WHO stands for "Welcome Home Outreach", and it was actually started more than 20 years ago by two biological sisters who saw the need here in the San Quintin Valley in the Baja. They started out of a camper trailer, then a tent, then bought the property which we are on today, which has many buildings and has been built onto over the years. It was originally an orphanage, but changed over to a daycare a few years ago. Now WHO's main mission is to provide a Christian daycare for the children of migrant farm workers, specifically focusing on the children of single mothers, who must work in the fields to care for their families. We have 2-6 year olds in our care, and if they weren't with us during the day, it's safe to say that they would be watched over only by siblings a few years older than them.

Abel, one of the co-directors, goes out at about 6am every morning and picks up the kids from their homes. They get cleaned up when they arrive, eat breakfast, and then go to their classrooms for a morning of play and learning. The kids eat lunch, take naps, and then are taken home about 3:30.

Out of the daycare grows other ministries. We have a clothing donation room, sometimes give out food, and build houses, especially for the mothers of our kids. Groups who come down and visit do a number of different things like hand out food and/or clothing in migrant camps, visit two drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, or build those houses. It's really busy around here, especially in the summer months. Every week from the beginning of June to the end of August is booked with one or two visiting groups.

So there you have it! That's Welcome Home in a nutshell. And.. of course, here are some pictures.

This is Manuel. He is one of our "walk-ins" (meaning his Mom brings him in in the morning). He usually brings some sort stuffed animal with him in the morning, but yesterday he showed up with this lovely thing on his head:

Manuel and Moises have a conversation over lunch:

Manuelito wanted his picture taken, and posed like this:

Then Dulce wanted her picture taken, with the same sort of pose:

Brigida (one of our teachers), Denysse, and Manuel:

Moises and Noemi:

Gael:

Mitzy:

Enoc, one of our "babies". He asked to have his picture taken:

Brigida corralling the kids after breakfast:

We found an coke bottle in one of Mom's planters (who was it that left it there? Was it YOU?), and I've decided to see if I can make something grow out of it. So here it is, July 11th: the planting.

posted by Meghan @ 9:55 AM