Shoebox Gift Distribution in Nogales, Mexico

This was no ordinary morning, as the team awoke to a sense of heightened excitement and impatience to be at the Nogales Rotary Clubhouse. It was time to complete the work upon which we had embarked. With the combined efforts of so many volunteers and donors, the culmination of all that we hoped for lay before us. The impressive teamwork of Nogales, Arizona, and Ontario Rotarians was proving to be a formidable force for the good of those who lacked resources of their own.

We arrived in front of la Casa de Club, unable to enter the parking lot due to a multitude of excited people gathering to celebrate this occasion. The urgency and excitement were tangible; the pleasure on the people's faces plainly visible and they willingly cleared a path for our vehicle to enter. The sun shone brilliantly in a cloudless blue sky upon this throng. Their sense of expectation combined with ours was almost too much to bear. The air was resonant with eagerness as the children raised their hands, showing the tickets we gave them yesterday and which bore the promise of something special to come.

Over 1500 people wait patiently in spite of the high level of anticipation. The line is orderly in the warm sunshine. As last minute preparations are made, there is time to chat a little with those in line. The first woman I speak to, a young mother about 23 years old, is cradling her one month old baby. She has been waiting since 5am and it is now almost 11. I offer her a chair and hold her little chiquita as we pass the time. She is serene, angelic and appreciative. My interaction with her touches my heart as I recall those precious early days of providing for my first baby, caring for my daughter and trying to be the best mother I could be. I wonder if these women can take that same satisfaction in the  tasks of mothering when they struggle so? I reflect and look for signs of helplessness in this deep poverty.  I only see joy, dignity and pride in her baby, and a sweet appreciation of what we are trying to do. All this grace, when she had not yet received anything but a ticket and a promise.

The line finally began to move and I was privileged to be at the door, seeing each child or adult, greeting and directing them forward to the other volunteer stations. Sometimes the urgency of the crowd drove them forward too quickly and we would race to take the tickets. Sometimes there was a pause, a slower pace, a chance to speak to the eager women who know that they will leave with food, and their children will receive a gift. These brief encounters, these sweet moments told me that it did not matter how difficult it was to arrive at this grace-filled place. It is worth the effort, it is good work.

The naysayer may wonder if a shoebox full of treats and toys makes a difference in the life of a child. They may wonder if a bag of food matters to a family who has nothing on their table. They would wonder no longer if they came, if they saw the 1500+ people who wait in hope. They would not presume to ask the question "does this help?" if they but saw the line of simple people who come because we promised we would be here. They trust in the generosity of all whose hands have touched this project.

After hours of this progression, one unassuming Mexican after another, I want to be outside with the people, hear the children's giggling excitement and see the reactions of those who are opening packages outside. I take a break and walk around the noisy crowd watching carefully, trying somehow to step out of my way of life and into theirs. I see their dancing for joy and their wide smiles. "Gracias!" they say repeatedly. Their exclamation is contrasted by the quiet patience of the many that still stand in line. I see the line shrink and I know that inside, the massive pile of shoeboxes and grocery bags is dwindling quickly.

The team's sense of pleasure and benevolence diminishes as we know that no matter what we had at the beginning of the day, we will soon run out. There are some who did not get a ticket, some who came anyway because maybe, just maybe we will have something left when all the tickets are handed in. The crowd starts to jostle forward, sensing the ominous sadness of the closing doors. We are dreading the moment when we have to announce "No hay mas" ."there is no more". The team scrambles to make gifts from almost nothing; we have an assortment of little things left, combs, pencils, candy, shiny pennies to press into empty hands. These too quickly disappear. We have some used clothing which was distributed to those who got nothing else. A warm sweater for a chilly night, a pair of jeans, anything we can we now give away hoping that even though the gift is not as ample we are somehow filling a need.

Our sense of inadequacy is seasoned with the knowledge that we and those we represent do make a difference. Our Rotary mission was to bring joy, generosity and caring, and that we did. We know that there is more to do in the future and that awareness energizes us to go beyond ourselves and serve.

As the grateful people drift away, we know that we have accomplished much - they embraced our benevolence as we embraced their simplicity.

Thanks to Pat Dimeck, RC Waterloo ON, for permission to share her above thoughts on this great Rotary service experience.