A CHRISTMAS STORY

As we sat at Maria’s table and began to enjoy the excellent meal she had prepared, Marge told Maria about the sad news in our life; the illness of our friend of many years. John, in Hawaii, and the same affliction that has struck her brother, “tio” Juan. The two have been very important and very supportive in her changing life. Visibly shaken by this news, Maria responded that she will pray for both. Marge added that she felt Maria had a special relationship with God and her prayers would be heard. I added that she is indeed a holy person. “No, no, David, I am not holy, but I have faith, a faith that has brought me to where I am today. Let me tell you a story of faith. Many years ago when Manuel was only five and Javy, was three, I used to go to Avenida Revolucion and beg. One day I met a lady who stopped to talk with me about my life. ‘Do you have a house, senora, for you and your babies? “Look at me, I am so crippled and I am here in Tijuana with nothing but my two sons. We live in a storage shed with no water or electricity and my braces are almost useless. “Senora, do I not have the same affliction, the same braces, and canes? Like you, I was stricken with polio many years ago. I prayed to God and had faith in His wisdom and one day He sent me a wonderful man who became my husband. Now I have this man and a home where before I had nothing. “I also have dreamed and prayed for a home for my boys and me.”Keep praying, senora, do not stop. ‘Five years after that chance meeting, you and Magie came into my life.”

At this time I should add this update.

Maria’s prayers were answered again. Hawaii John is recovering from a successful surgery and “tio” John’s illness was not as dreadful as first thought.

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What could be said after such a gripping account? She has told us to her tales that were fascinating but none as powerful as this. Remember the story of the crippled man at the border who was beaten by his family when he did not collect enough money? Do you remember back near the start of this journal the lady whom Maria met on the bus from Guadalajara? Who told Maria about the storage shed on Guillermo Prieto that became their home for ten years? And of course, her depiction of those first years of life after polio struck, dragging herself about her father’s meager land, so crippled she became almost animal-like, pawing her way through the dirt, the dust, and mess from the farm animals? How many more stories do Maria have locked away in that mind? There must be many. I’m sure they will come out eventually. Maria has always said that she never forgets.

“David and Magie, I am so sorry that I do not have your Christmas gifts. “Say no more, my friend. Magie has suggested that you should take us out to a restaurant in January. That will be your gift to us. “Oh yes, that is fine, I will eagerly await the day.” Our many restaurant excursions have had a two-sided effect on Maria. On the one hand, feeling quite important she is able to express her gratitude and on the other hand, she enters again into that wonderful world of people interacting with each other. As I have said many times before. Maria is a very intelligent, sociable lady. Once she left that terrible, lonely room her progress has been in one direction: up!

“Magie, the boys’ jackets are just fine. They fit well and are very warm. When will you be visiting me again? I understand that you have things to do with Meg and David, and you will be busy these next few weeks. But, please not…”Don’t even say the words (“forget me”). No, we will not. No, it is not possible. We will see you in midJanuary, ok? I’ll call Hilda on a date. “Fine, I will await your call.”

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Lastly, Maria, follow my instructions on cooking your turkey and have fun and enjoy your first Christmas in your own home

Sunday, December 19

What started on Friday, would be finished today; the completion of our ninth Christmas food collection. My dear companion and helper, John, will not be with me this year. Our friends to the south will be asking for him. In his stead, Patricia Chavez agreed to accompany me to Mariano Matamoros. Patricia has been on the list for many years. Loaded with eight turkeys, twenty-some boxes of candy, assorted foods, clothes, and whatnot, I headed down the highway feeling like that old boy, Saint Nick. I arrived at Patricia’s just as she was returning with Christian from grocery shopping. She was in very bad shape with bronchitis. There would be no trip for her today. “Luis Enrique will accompany you, ok David? ‘’Yes, of course. The family lived for five years on the edge of the Carter project and so Luis has many friends in the area. I spoke of Luis before. He with the twisted foot and the five operations in Mexico. None of which were successful. Then we sent him up to Shriners and they did the job with great results.

On this our last trip before the millennium, I want to mention all those who are benefitting from this Year’s collection. Friday we visited Maria, the Doctora and Pablo. Today we stopped to see Juan Filorio and his family. Mom and dad were not home but Faviola and Freddie greeted us. So little when I first met them ten years ago. Now they are all grown up. Beautiful Faviola, eighteen and speaking almost perfect English has finished high school and is working in the tele-marketing field. Freddie, two years younger and as handsome as an actor is still in high school. Many years ago I asked their mother, Mary de los Angeles, from whom the kids inherited their light skin, hazel eyes, and freckles. Though 261

both mom and dad are a handsome couple they are obviously of latino descent. “My mother has light skin, freckles, and blue eyes. It must be from the Spanish influence.” I must find out if Fabiola has plans for college. A good investment that young lady. A turkey and candy for the family Filorio. Christina Mendez was not home so we took her candy over to Mario’s. You know all about Mario and his family. A turkey and candy for Mario and candy for his married kids. Berenice and Ulises and Cesar and Juanita. Our next stop was at the home of Maria Jesus another long-time friend. Widowed a few years ago, Maria watches her girls’ children. At near seventy years of age, Maria is one of the older residents of the project. Still maintaining some of her knowledge of English, Maria loves to visit with Marge. Today Marge is finishing off a cold and trying to prepare for the Christmas weekend. A turkey and candy for dear friend Maria. I was disappointed that the community elder don Nacho Perez, was not at home. Mario will take his turkey and candy.

Our friendship goes back to that week in June 1990, when fifteen hundred volunteers build one hundred houses in Mariano Matamoros. Nacho was one of the maestros of the project. He was a master of construction and loved by all.

Maricela Figueroa, a mother of six and grandmother of two, was our next stop. We loaded her up with food, candy, clothing, and a turkey. This is a very poor family still without water or electricity. Next, one of our very favorite people, Prisciliana Cuellar. A frequent visitor to our home. Prisciliana is the cement that has held together her six children after their father left them. A quiet-spoken, hardworking, semi-literate lady, she has raised six outstanding children who love her without reservation. Prisciliana receives as much as we can give based on what she has accomplished under such very difficult conditions. Did I mention that she works nights at a plant in the loading division? Picture that at forty-five years of 262

age. It is Prisciliana’s custom to invite us each year for lunch on this occasion. She was very saddened to hear about Hawaii John’s illness, John promised that he will visit her this summer. Peche, we’ll return shortly but I must see Elva for a few minutes. Elva Duarte, Karina’s mother has been on our list from the beginning. Do you remember Karina: the beautiful crippled girl who spent her life on crutches? Shriners changed all of that. Still beautiful, still shy, with a smile that could end a storm, Karina will never advance from where she is today. All the intelligence is there but nothing else. Raul is the last hope for education. Raul, the youngest of the seven, is a student, and a smart student. Please, Raul, break that chain of illiteracy break loose and show them how good we know you are. Already knowing how to type, now he is studying computers six hours each week and English three hours weekly. Plus all the other eight subjects. He has a light attitude he has gone further than all the rest. Our friend D. will pay whatever the cost as long as he stays in school. So that’s the list. We’ve added some and dropped some over the years. Cuca, such a dear friend. was married last year and seems to have dropped out of sight. Maria saw her at the border but no contact with us. There were several others who received only a box of candy, Jair and Isabel, Luz and Erick, dona Emila from Maria’s old neighborhood. Cruz and Leonardo, Elva’s daughter and husband. Some we can no longer find and others have moved to better surroundings, thereby not needing our help. That’s good for there will always be a poor family ready to fill the empty space.

What of those who have helped us over these past nine years? From year to year, the number has changed but I must mention those good people who have come to our aid every year. Gene and Micky, Cathy and Emmett, Helga and Vince, Margaret, Earl and Betty, Madalon. Patty and Dan, Diane S. Pat and John, and brother John. Without their faithful support, our efforts to give 263

these families a happy Christmas would never have been met with such great success.

Today is our date at Mario’s so the girls will get a ride home. Patricia, to el Lago, and Peche, to Maria no. The SD trolley and two Tijuana buses usually would take three hours or more. It was an all too short of a stay but this quiet time always helps these friends to build up their reserve and face again that hard, hard life just a few miles south of the richest land in the world.

We will call you ladies about our date in March.

Mario’s house is always bursting with activity and friendship. Lulu was home and Mario, Montse, and Danny were. After we announced our arrival, we took a quick walk over to Juan Filorio’s house. He is the husband of Mary de los Angeles and the father of Faviola and Freddie. Juan was home and he thanked us genuinely as I gave him this year’s donation. He told us to wait as he went inside and returned shortly with two beautiful hand made leather bags. This is what Juan does for his living; he makes all types of leather goods for shipment to the tourist center on Ave. Revolucion. He does beautiful work.

Christina lives next door to this family and so we looked to see if she was home; not yet. Back we went to Mario’s and what a surprise I was in for! Lulu was in the kitchen, cooking It was the first time Marge and I had seen her cook. I grabbed my chest feigning collapse and sat in the nearest chair. Lulu thought that was very funny. Mari de los Angeles came over about that time with Faviola to thank us for their gift. Mari and her family were one of the very first friends we encountered at the Carter project. During that great week of construction four or five of us set up a stucco class for the volunteers. Donny and Sylvia Burkett from Florida were teaching also. Over the years they have been faithful donors to our many causes in Mariano. Anyway, I met Mari that week. Funny how we remember some people out of all those hundreds. 264

I remember Christina and Lola and Luz Elena and Don Nacho. Mari joined us for a cocktail, a martini at that! It was her first martini. After her second I told her that she may need help getting no home. For her, the home was lust across the street. While Lulu was preparing the wonderful meal we were having great fun. Mario was acting as bartender bringing out all sorts of before and after dinner drinks. Today the kitchen was not to be his. About this time Christina burst upon the scene. She does indeed explode into a room. She quickly joined us all with her cocktail and the conversation sped on.

We talked of many things and the word “chismoso”, meaning nosey, entered the conversation often. The biggest news was that Uxmal, has finally been paved with concrete. After almost ten years the government decided that they would do their street. Each family was assessed an amount to give toward the cost of the work; $200 and they could pay this sum in several installments. Some of the homeowners, including Mario, Christina and Mari took it upon themselves to help to collect from each homeowner. Several refused to pay. However, the last laugh will not be theirs. The city will triple the amount due if they do not pay. Consequently, fifty or so feet remain unpaved. I have no doubt that this street will be completed in the next few months.

I kidded Christina about the week during the project when she kept asking Jimmy Carter to come over to her house and work. He finally relented and near the end of one work day, they had a mini-dedication in front of her home. The Carters, some local leaders, a bishop, and of course, Christina. What a friend she would become. Most of the rest of our friends we met that summer when we traveled south every Saturday to help complete the project.

Dinner was served. I had asked Mario for a simple meal of tacos to spare him the work. Little did I know that Lulu was the Mexican food master and Mario did the French and other types of 265

cuisine. I forget the names of all the servings but it was delicious; a lettuce salad with homemade dressing, a wonderful puree bean soup, various salads, a large casserole of meat and vegetable, small very tasty tacos, topped off with a curd-milk mixture for dessert. It was excellent. Then of course. Mario brought out his after-dinner drinks. Mari’s husband must have wonderfully whatever happened to her. That soft-spoken gentleman would never come looking for his wife. Along those lines, we talked a great about “machos”, from either side of the border. Among our experiences, the Mexicans seem to have the edge. I could run you off a list of our Mexican friends who are not the least bit “macho”. With those types, we simply would not associate. Lulu is our most “macha” friend.

I was keeping one eye on the clock since I did not want to miss the Otay border closing at 10 pm. Actually, the trip to San Ysidro is not that much longer but I am more familiar with the Otay area. Driving out of Mariano on that terrible Ruta Hidalgo is very scary at night due to all holes and year-round muddy areas. Thanks to all the wonderful meals and evenings, when we met with these old friends to share food, memories and strengthens our bonds that go back to the uncomfortable week in June 1990.

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