HOW I FOUND THE HOME
Six years ago, I visited the seaside town of Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, or as many of us call it, "Rocky Point." This sleepy little fishing village on the north coast of the Sea of Cortes has been known for its fishing, shrimping, asparagus, and sweet people. It is being discovered by the Snowbird population of which my wife and I are members.
We were camped in one of the many beachfront RV parks guzzling margaritas and watching the world go by. On the third day of shopping for craftsand trinkets we didn't need, I got bored and went for a ride. The Esperanza para los Ninos sign intrigued me enough to wheel onto the sand-and-washboard,5-mile side road to see the place.
After one look into the eyes of these loving kids, I was hooked
I've been coming back each year since. In the five years of my retirement, my wife and I have traveled about 80,000 miles throughout the USA, Canada, and Mexico in RVs. If I had to pick only one place to visit before I left this earth, it would be Esperanza para los Niños!
WHAT IT HAS GIVEN ME
Happiness. At the very least, it has affirmed the fact that money and materialism are not the keys to happiness.
When I first got involved with the home, I was going to help rescue them. Boy, was I wrong! Over the years, I have learned from them. Recently, I told some Canadian visitors what the monthly budget of the home was for 35 people. He and his wife were astounded and his response was, "My wife and I spend more than that each month trying to find happiness and we're not anywhere near as happy as these kids." The next day, they returned to help and to learn from the kids.
These children do not need to be rescued. They need love and fresh food, and when they have been out of milk for a week, the order needs to be reversed.
