NEWSLETTER: DECEMBER, 2011

This is the heavy month of the year for all of us at Spectrum. We will be the definition of Christmas to more than a thousand children and as many single mom families living in their world of poverty.

Six weeks to gather and give, toys, children's clothing, food, blankets and tarps even pampers. All this must be wrapped in love and our Gospel. (OH! Soccer balls!!! ... they love them!)

Hundreds of little kids in a variety of barrios and ghettos are all hoping to get a toy. Most every year (thanks to you) they've been able to select their toy; one toy ... and that's it.

It's a hard six weeks for all of us as we are doubling our work. Buying, selecting and sorting packages with Christmas stuff, is work. Making endless trips from San Diego to Tijuana; transporting these goods across a "hostel" Border is tough. Guns and drugs slide across the border with relative ease BUT children's clothing, tarps, and blankets, they give us a hard time. (We sure need your prayers in this area.)

If the over and above funds come in this year we can spread Christmas around; if the funds don't come in, we must select which barrios and families we will have to bi-pass ... that's always hard.

I remember one Christmas at barrio Pana, we laid out hundreds of toys, blankets, and tarps, on the cement basketball court. It was fenced around with a wire fence. The adults were standing around the fence while their kids lined up at the entrance. As the children were slowly passing through, I noted one of the little boys running around looking over the toy cars. So many things to choose from, but he could take only one item.

He grabbed a shinny red pick-up! About that time his mother called from the fence; "come over here!" he walked over to his mom and they talked a bit. Then he slowly returned to the center placing his red truck where he found it; he then went to where the new blankets were stacked, picking up one, he slowly walked out of the court with his one gift. Cold winter, no heat in the house; his family needed a blanket more than a little red truck. (Yes, we stretched the rules a bit. I went in and got his red truck and gave it to him ... what a smile! )