Focus Charity in Mexico!

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go with Jeff's work to Mexico to do some humanitarian work. 

I was hesitant to say yes because I knew that I had so many fun things that weekend going on at home but after much thought I decided I should go!

I've always wanted to go to another country and do humanitarian work so this was AWESOME!

I do best at telling stories if there are pictures so here's an overload of pictures and the details of our trip...

Enjoy...

 We met up at midnight on Wednesday then started our 12 hour drive to Mexico! Right as we crossed the border one of the cars with us got pulled over FOR NO REASON. So Dr. Hammonds went back to talk to the policia! He speaks spanish so he gave them a guilt trip about how we were there to help them and they weren't going to give them a ticket. It worked and we were on our way again!

 Thursday (the day we got there) we got to relax the rest of the day until later in the evening when we would go set up the clinic. Dr. Lofgran owns this beach house there in Rocky Point, Mexico and boy was it nice!!!

 Patio overlooking the ocean with stairs leading to the beach. (Pay close attention to the water line.)

 Front.

 Back overlook.

Gorgeous right?

 Up and down the beach all day long there are people that walk and sell stuff. These guys were selling rides on their banana so the staff jumped on and cruised.

 It was crazy how amongst all the half finished and run down houses there are gorgeous beach homes along the coast.

 I'm crazy.

 Chilaxin.

 Another one of the vendors that walked the coast selling stuff was the mango guy. He put the mango on a stick, peeled it, cut it like a flower, then squoze lime on it! IT WAS AMAZING!!! These mangos were the only thing we spent money one, and I'm proud to say we had 3 each while there! Nothing better than fresh fruit!

 After lounging at the beach we headed to the clinic to get things organized!

 There were hundreds of glasses to be sorted!!!

 Of course we had some fun with all the different glasses.

 We grouped up with the Lions Club and were able to use their facility there.

 The street outside the gate. It is true that they do play soccer (futbol) in the streets.

 After lots and lots of organizing of glasses we headed back to the beach house to have dinner. We had our own personal taco making chef there waiting for us. Tacos were the meal of the trip! And they were fantastico!

 I was blown away to see the tide rise and fall so much. And that is why they call it Rocky Point. (See all the rocks? haha)

 The next morning (after sharing a couch with Jeff and being used as a foot rest all night)I woke up at 6:30 and decided I wanted to walk along the beach. I tried waking Jeff up but he wouldn't budge so I decided I would just go. As I was about to walk outside I heard some small footsteps behind me to find Lyla, she asked where I was going and I invited her. That was the start of our little friendship.

 This is Lyla, isn't she adorable? We started a seashell collection and added to it each morning with our walks at 6:30 before we left for the clinic.

 The beach house we stayed in. This is the view from were the ocean should be.

 Seriously she should be a model! And she is as beautiful inside as she is out. Sweetest and most thoughtful little girl I've ever met.

 When we arrived at the clinic they had a special little opening presentation for the doctors! They were both honored and surprised!

 I'm determined to learn spanish for next year so I can actually get to know all these wonderful people. Language barriers are the pits.

 At the clinic we had different stations set up! They would first come in and get their eye drops. The drops dialate their eyes! I took over this job the second day!!

After the drops they went over to the history table where we got their past health history and information.

Then it was off to the trusty old chart station.

 Then they went in to have a refraction and something else that I don't know. Then they met with the doctor to get the final prescription. After the Dr. they came out to the glasses station where we fulfilled their lens prescription as best we could with the hundreds of glasses we had available.

These are the smiles that change your life! When your able to find the right glasses to help that person see the world better, it's an amazing feeling.

 View of the whole place.

 This broke my heart, but we had to only let a few people in at a time. There were lines outside the gate and at the end of each day we had to turn people away. 

 View from the other corner.

 Some artistic shots of the glasses. Haha. 

 During this trip my eyes were opened to how spoiled I am to live in the United States, to have great eyes that never have problems, to have a job, an amazing family, health and strength, and so much more. It's the little things that we take for granted that others in parts of the world only dream of having. I realized how much gratitude I've been lacking and how much better I need to be.

 We had a videographer and photographer tag along and they got LOTS of great footage. This is them holding some interviews! 

 We were also handing out sunglasses!

 This little girl was so excited to get glasses. Nothing could take the smile off of her face.

 I snuck outside the gate and was able to take this picture of part of the people waiting to come in.

 This guy is AMAZING!!! It was really fun to be able to see him in action! He was an all star! Literally!!!!

 I thought it was cool that you could actually see their eye ball! :)

 This little girl had always seen people as shapes and blurs and once she got the right glasses on she looked around at everything in amazement. It was amazing and inspiring to see her see clearly for the first time.

 I loved this little girl. She was so shy and so sweet.

 There were lots of tears and hugs!

 We started the first clinic day at 8:30 and ended at 8:30! It was such an exhausting and rewarding day! 

At the end of the day I was relieved to see empty chairs but excited for the next day as well. If that makes any sense?

 Dinner was tacos with Fanta! (They drink tons of that there!)

 The next morning Lyla and I talked Jeff into coming with us!

 We wrote in the sand! (Porter added the Mexi haha.)

 Then made funny faces!

Right before we headed to the second day of clinic!

The next day we were greeted with 2 full buses and I was now the eye drop dropper. I was nervous cause I have never put eye drops in my own eyes, but I picked up quickly and was a pro by the second person!

 This guy was really emotional. He had suffered from a stroke a few years ago and was only able to see out of one eye.

 A picture of the line that wrapped around every which way.

 These two were so sweet. I snuck some pictures because it warmed my heart!

 Jeff hard at work.

Lyla being adorable. :)

 Handsome devil.

 This lady was so sweet. She sat in the same chair both days and helped us keep the line going by directing and monitoring!! She didn't speak english but thank goodness for her spanish and her leadership.

 I found these adorable red glasses and had Lyla try them on! She rocked them.

 She was a hit in Mexico! Everyone wanted their pictures with her, played with her pigtails, and gave her kisses on the forehead. She kept asking me why everyone loved her so much. It was cute!!

 She was my little helper all day the second day and was glued to my side. After I put the eye drops in she would give everyone a sucker! (She may or may not have had 10 suckers...I couldn't say no to her!) Haha.

 The Lions club and Focus group all together!

 One of the gorgeous overlooks.

 The only picture I got of us together! :) 

 Words cannot even begin to describe how much I love him. It was so amazing to be able to do service together and to create new memories and experiences together. We are so blessed!!!!

 After clinic on the second day we went to the Fish Market to have lunch and shop a little.

 Awkward picture with the statue and me photo bombing in the window.

 Dinner overlooking the sunset.

 There were thousands of birds here, all different kinds! But I thought this was a pretty cool shot!

I love sunsets and this sunset was the perfect ending to a wonderful trip!

 The next day was Sunday so we packed up our stuff, chilled til noon, then started our long journey home!

It's sad because people are selling stuff everywhere, even children. Before crossing the border back into the U.S. there were tons of vendors lined up selling stuff. Children everywhere. That's the saddest part about Mexico, is the children that go selling stuff all over without any adults.

All in all I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to go and give service! :)
It was busy trip and we saw over 500 patients in 2 days, AMAZING! I am so grateful for the opportunity and hope to be able to do it again someday!!!