THAT LITTLE DOLLAR

We were born poor, 1929 poor!  So about the largest chunk of money I had ever seen was the dollar, and Mama kept those. Ever since those old golden days, I've seen the dollar slowly tarnish and slip away in value. In that day my sister and I would go to the candy store with two pennies or a nickel and struggle with the decision of what candy to buy. A dime was worth today's dollar. And our today's dollar keeps sliding ... I guess it's only us oldsters that notice that! Coke's the same price just a smaller can or bottle. Hey! Who's kidding who?

But ... in Tijuana's rural areas where their peso is sliding faster than our dollar ... our dollar isn't paper, it's gold.

We have a range of needs in our hungry world. Indeed some are large amounts of money like special medical emergencies, funerals, accidents but normally your gifts are given in smaller amounts to our people and some of your dollars are spent on a regular bases; two come to mind. Widows, and a dozen families caring for the mentally and physically handicapped with little to no income. Dollars in increments of $5, $10, or $20.

For the kids It's $1 or $2.  A tooth. A Birthday, Good grades. Etc. Winning a game or challenge is worth a dollar or two.  We have more fun with our new colorful dollar game; a game I made up especially for Mexican kids! Kids play for dollars! They would rather have a dollar or two than toy's, including soccer balls. With the kids, any way you look at it, these dollars are translated to food!!  On average about a third of their dollar winnings are given back to mama for food.($2 or $3.)  The rest, if any, is spent at school for food or local junk-food. (Never fear, this game is played in their area only once a month.) ... and gives them a little happy fun time each month where they can forget, for a day, where they are and who they are or what many will become ... these little dollars you make possible.

EMERGENCY!!!

Well, the well predicted El Niño has finally slapped the west coast! In the southwest an El Niño is translated rain, and while Californians are jumping up and down and cheering wildly as we are finally getting our much needed rain, water and snow.

Tijuana is drowning! The sprawl of greater Tijuana has never prepared for rain. A well-known fact, and now it comes in bucketfuls. The corrupt Government that should have prepared the city are running around shaking their heads and pointing at each other, while shacks and houses wash down the hillsides and children die in suffocating mud. In one sense it’s comical, on the other hand it’s heart-breaking. Not only houses but lives will be lost. Mexico and it’s people will never learn to think ahead. "Ni Modo" rules.

I’m sitting here warm and dry in my little one bedroom house watching it come down. Sitting here a safe sixty minutes away from an ongoing tragedy. I feel like a general sitting behind the lines trying to figure a way to get supplies to the troops. The question is how.

My cell phone just buzzed another warning of possible flooding.

Today was bad, tomorrow the forecast is for a larger storm and even more rain.

I would, on behalf of the hundreds of poor people that depend on us; ask for your prayers.