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La
Casa Indigenista
Ongoing
Updates and Events:
March 27, 2008:
Main La Casa Indigenista page has been updated.
August 4, 2007:
Dear Friends of La Casa,
You may have noticed the La Casa School Supply donation display
in our little social room at the hall, as well as growing
piles of new school supplies. We're doing pretty well--with
just a few more cents, it looks like we'll be able to get
supplies for about 100 children this year. I notice that some
folks have been donating "thank you" candy for others
to buy with a contribution -- good idea! Thank you all.
Also, Susila Dharma USA has given us $140 as a grant to purchase
the button machine supplies. These have been purchased, and
are at the hall ready to go. Thank you, SD-USA!
In up-and-coming news, Melinda may have a children's card/art
exchange going with some of the children in Northwest USA
and the children in Tijuana. Stay tuned for more on that in
the future.
love from your sister,
Alexandra
July, 2007:
What's going on with La Casa?
We're getting ready for our annual donation of school supplies.
The children need to bring their own supplies to school in
Tijauna; none are provided by the school. Every August La
Casa has a little celebration, where they say a prayer of
thanks and hand out school supplies to all the needy children.
We have a big beautiful pot in the social room at the Subud
hall for contributions. A few dollars will go far, so please
give -- and thank you! (Also, Subud San Diego accepts checks
ear-marked for La Casa). When we find out the date of the
celebration, we'll send out an e-mail for any who would like
to participate. There is a picture from last year's celebration
located HERE.
In other good news, we have received a "Go" for
a grant from Deseret Thrift store for $2000 worth of clothing
/ bedding, etc., for La Casa. Athena and Mikail met with Joe,
the Deseret manager, about how we process the grant from here.
Joe is very interested in La Casa, and may accompany us to
the school supply celebration in August. We're getting a list
of children's ages & needs from Martha.
More good news -- Derek has offerred to donate a computer
to La Casa. He is presently figuring out how to upload the
operating system in Spanish, after which we'll send it on.
Gracious, amigo!
We've asked Susila Dharma USA for a small grant to purchase
the next round of supplies for the button making machine.
We hear from La Casa that the buttons have sold well. Both
adults and children have been involved in making and selling
the buttons. The press machine is holding up well. We'd like
to buy about $150 worth of supplies -- enough to make 400
more pin-back buttons, and a sample pack of other types of
buttons that can be made (magnet back, etc.). After this purchase,
we will expect La Casa to pay for the supplies themselves
from the profits they make. However, we may help them place
the order, since the button company is on-line in English
and only ships in the USA.
It's good to have sisters and brothers; sometimes it all comes
together. : )
Alexandra
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February 10, 2007:
Hola Compadres,
Yesterday Athena, Mikail, and I took the button-making machine
to La Casa. Halstein (who is fluent in Spanish) drove down
from Los Angeles to join us--he had learned about La Casa
on one of his RH visits to San Diego. This trip he brought
with him numerous bags full of clothing, mostly from Soraya's
Teen Moms. One big bag was full of new children's shoes, thank
you Soraya!
When we arrived, a group of men and women of all ages were
gathered at the long table waiting for us. Martha introduced
us all around. Then Athena and I demonstrated the button-making
device (which is proof of the existence of angels right there
because it worked) while Halstein and Mikail translated. Very
soon, the others were taking turns making buttons, cutting
out whatever pictures they chose. Athena had brought felt
pens & paper for artistic ideas. They caught on fast.
Martha's daughter Fernanda--a very bright, capable woman--managed
to put a rim of lace around her button. We had lots of interest,
laughter, and enthusiasm. It was a good time. It was fun to
have a project to work on together, that let us be friends
in spite of the language barrier.
Now we need to see if these buttons sell well. If the buttons
sell, then we can order more supplies (with your continued
generous donations, my friends). Rashima, Fernanda particularly
asked if it would be possible to make smaller buttons, at
half the size--do you know if they make supplies for that
size?
We asked them to let us know what kind of pictures sell well,
so we can gather those kinds of magazines. We're guessing
pictures of animals, Disney characters & celebrities,
and Catholic religious pictures.
With two busy interpreters, i learned a lot more about Martha's
activities. The sleeping dormatory is still in the works.
They have the space, but no beds or mattresses, for lack of
funds. We met one lovely, shy child-mother with three little
big-eyed, clinging children who sleep on the cement floor,
grateful to be off the streets with some rice and beans to
eat. (Mikail, could you fit some futons in your trunk?)
Martha has other activities going on, too. There is a shelter
outside of Tijuana for homeless men who then come into the
city to seek work. One man owns land with nothing yet built
on it, and she is figuring out ways to make that useful. Another
family, outside of town, owns a house, and she wants to build
a tortilleria there. There is one project--a success story--that
she is eager for us to see. It's a mini-maqueadora enterprise,
funded by the government, with sewing machines donated by
someone in the USA, that now employs 20 women. Our next trip
will probably be to see this enterprise, and learn more about
it.
Of course, Martha gives us much thanks and hugs and smiles
for all our support.
Athena, Mikail, & Halstein--you were all wonderful, thank
you. If you have any notes or edits to add to this account,
please feel free.
It was a good day.
love, Alexandra
P.S. We have some of the south-of-the-border banking worked
out. Martha can now accept checks in U.S. dollars made out
to "Casa de Atencion Indigenista Principe de Paz"
January 8, 2007:
Dear Friends of La Casa,
Happy New Year to you all. It's been a busy time, hm? At last
I have a few minutes to send you a summary of some things
that have been going on with our La Casa project.
1. Christmas toys/gifts:
We collected a big bin of Christmas gifts for the children
--thanks to all of you who contributed. Mikail was able to
deliver the gifts to La Casa before he took off for the holidays
in Canada. We received a kind gift from a sister Susila Dharma
project, "Teen Moms." The box of little stuffed
toys came too late for Christmas but will be sent with the
next load when Mikail is available (he planned to be back
in San Diego after Jan 10th).
2. Warm Clothes, Blankets:
The cashier's check that I wrote to La Casa was uncashable
there and was returned. I used the returned funds to purchase
some of the Christmas gifts that were sent, and the remainder
I used to buy marked down (already cheap) warm children's
clothes and a blanket from Target. These are waiting for Mikail's
next trip, too. Athena is working on an application with the
Deseret Thrift Shop for a grant for clothing and blankets.
Thank you, Athena!
3. Button Press & Scheduling Next Trip:
Bill Roe mastered the new button press equipment, and devoted
an evening at the hall to teaching a few of us how it works.
We still need to schedule a time to bring it to La Casa and
to train a few folks there. I'm wondering if we could do that
maybe Friday Jan 26, or else one of the last two weekends
in February (Fri, Sat, Sun --whatever works). What do you
all think? Mikail, maybe you can see if one of those weekends
would be convenient for Martha and any other possible trainees.
Meanwhile, between now and then it would be nice if anyone
who has old magazines with colorful pictures appropriate for
button-making would please save them for us. We can start
a collection at the hall. National Geographics would be nice,
or something with religious pictures (Our Lady of Guadalupe
being a favorite), or fun pictures. If we bring a bunch of
samples, it may inspire the folks at La Casa as to the possibilities
for a little enterprise. I don't get any magazines at all,
so i hope some of you can help collect these.
We had a visit from the Regional Helpers at our center, during
which Halstein expressed an interest in accompanying us on
one of our visits to La Casa. For any of you who haven't met
Halstein, besides being a fine fellow, he speaks Spanish and
lives in L.A.--one idea would be for Halstein to come to a
Thursday night latihan, and for us to schedule a visit to
Tijuana the next morning on Friday, when the crossing back
to the U.S. is quicker than on the weekends.
So, dear friends of La Casa--who would like to make a visit
and when would you like it? And please -- collect those old
magazines with pictures!!
Thanks,
Love, Alexandra
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