However, many won't know-until now-the extent to which their love of Puerto Pe�asco was expressed by their charity and giving hearts on Tuesday morning, December the 18th, 2012 when over 80 kids at La Monta�a School for children with special needs got to experience the joy of Christmas through the gifts for each that were shopped for, purchased, wrapped and sent down by Trish and Steve as the result of their last trip to Rocky Point.

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In the December newsletter you read about the good hearted group of owners at the Sonoran Spa Resort affectionately named the "Pilgrims" who prepared and served Thanksgiving dinner to about a 180 workers and residents of the Spa and Sea (see our blog article at http://www.sonoranresorts.mx/?p=7215). It seems their holiday spirit maintained its momentum as some of the group have done a beautiful job of decorating the lobby-and the guard gate-with lights, floral arrangements and brightly colored Christmas tree ornaments to bring the spirit of the holidays to all who pass through the entry gate and visit the lobby.

Once again led by creative photographer, craftsman and Sonoran Spa resident Tony Ballesteros, assisted by Sonoran Sales Team Member, Jennifer Ridsdel and friend Kory Bonini, Tony found a huge wreath downtown which he made beach worthy by adorning it with assorted sea shells, sand dollars, ribbons and bows and hung it in a central locations across the reception area from the entrance doors. Tony also made hand-glued Christmas balls into the shape of Christmas Trees that sit on each of the coffee tables.  He hung stockings he made from serapes in bright traditional Mexican colors. All the plants are decorated with lights as well.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, click the link below for the photos Tony sent us of his crafty contribution to the holiday spirit at the Sonoran Spa.

In fact, you could pin it down to Saturday the 8th of December as events were taking place in the far reaches of Puerto Pe�asco and beyond and community centers in the northern neighborhoods to the Esperanza para Los Ni�os shelter some 20 Kilometers outside the city.

Beginning in the early afternoon, the very active Uncommon Women on Common Ground hosted and catered a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings including a colorful assortment of mind blowing desserts which they brought to the well-known Esperanza Home for Children located at the end of a dirt road a ways off the Highway to Sonoyta.  At least 20 conscientious and very charitable "Uncommon" ladies and many of their spouses hauled container after container of home cooked turkeys, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and much more from at least ten vehicles to set up shop in the Esperanza kitchen under the eager eyes of over 50 excited children, most of whom, incidentally, were volunteering to help in any way-well those who weren't otherwise distracted in games planned and hosted by some of the spouses and children of the Uncommon Women members.

In spite of the number of adults flowing in and out of the

kitchen, spreading table cloths on extra tables that needed to be set up, bringing in more chairs and filling plates of food, the children were all seated and served in short order and it didn't seem that long before a small group gathered to play guitars, and one ukulele, while the rest were attacking the dessert table.  

In addition to the grateful kids, appreciation was expressed by the management and officials of Esperanza and DIF, the major supporting organization for the children's home.  Among those representing DIF was Samuel Ortega including a special visit by DIF President, First Lady Rafaela F�lix de Figueroa, wife of our new Mayor Gerardo Figueroa Zazueta among other city officials.

At our table was the always thankful Guillermo Zapata Urbalejo, who along with his wife has served as the very effective Director of Esperanza for the last nine years, Sub Director Arturo Parra, and Patron President C.P. Jos� Manuel Barrera Sanchez. 

Esperanza para Los Ni�os was founded in 1985 and currently provides shelter, meals, education and supervision for 38 children.  In addition to the 38 residents, the Uncommon Women brought 18 children from La Monta�a School for children with special needs who shared this special occasion. Fifty percent of the shelter's funding comes from the government and another 25% comes from American donations.  The rest is raised in various fundraisers and in kind services from in and around Puerto Pe�asco.

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  IT'S A MATTER OF ATTITUDE by Special Guest Writer, Jack Hecker

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Luis and Karen are calling the new format InSANDity Mexican Ninja and it will be set up as a head to head race through 20 imaginative, well built and challenging obstacles where two participants will compete at once; racing for best time. The top five fastest men and women's times are posted continuously at the course for everyone to see. There is no limit as to the number times you can enter.  Competition will run daily from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Enter at the InSANDity canopy as often as you like.

The first run costs $20.00 (US) each and includes an InSANDity Mexican Ninja commemorative T-shirt. Each subsequent race is only $10.00. Oh, and get this: All runs finish with a FREE beer! You're going to really appreciate this little touch if class by OTP after completing your run! 

Every once in awhile, I run across an article that makes sense of all the rumors and sensationalized danger of coming to Rocky Point. Here is one of those articles:

Safety in Mexico: Reality vs. Sensationalist Media Hype

   

In the last few months, I have had the good fortune to visit Mexico a couple of times. For a single mom whose family and friends have no problem with me romping around Buenos Aires, taking my young kids to the Amazon, or climbing mountains in Africa, I cannot say that I was sufficiently prepared for the distinct reaction I got when people heard I was going to Mexico:

"You are going where? But what about the cartels?"

"Wow. I wouldn't go there even if someone paid me".

"Pretty irresponsible to be going there.You' re a mother - you shouldn't be putting yourself into situations like that..."

To which my response was:  "Have you ever been to Mexico?Oh, you haven't... Well then, please at least tell me specifics as to what this violence is where I am going. What area is it in, and what specifically should I be on the lookout for?"

And, shocker...they have no idea. They just know it's for sure really, really bad and I am totally going to get kidnapped/raped/shot/then probably beheaded for good measure.

Let's work off facts here, not just blatant, misguided, baseless fear. The US government advises against visiting very specific places where drug cartels are warring over the billions of dollars made yearly trading illegal substances into the United States, and the efforts by the Mexican government to put an end to the drug traffic. Problems come in when, after hearing "warning" and "Mexico," all too many Americans perceive the advisory for the country as a whole, which it clearly is not. Leslie Bassett, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, declared that the intention of the alert is to inform people of some violent acts that are taking place in specific states of Mexico. She clarified that in no way does this alert seek to negatively portray the tourist destinations.

Mexico is roughly the size of Western Europe. Of Mexico's 2,500 municipalities, only 18 have been considered to be a security problem.  Please read that sentence again. Pretty sure that leaves you with a 2482 very safe options if you want to travel to Mexico. Yes, there are places in Mexico that have had problems with drug violence. But the majority of Mexico's organized-crime killings last year took place in a mere three of Mexico's 31 states: Chihuahua,Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. I am not here to dispute that there has been and is drug violence in Mexico.I am here to point out that those specific places are likely nowhere near where you as a tourist or expat are planning to go.

Her death was confirmed by the National Transportation Safety Board. Ms. Rivera was on her way to the Mexico City area, where she was scheduled to tape an episode of the Mexican version of the singing competition show "The Voice," for which she was a coach.

Fully bilingual, Ms. Rivera, who lived in the Encino section of Los Angeles, was one of the biggest stars of the banda genre, a brassy, percussive style of pop music invented in northern Mexico and enriched in the American Southwest. She sold more than 15 million records, was nominated three times for the Latin Grammy Award, and developed a reputation for hard-hitting lyrics that addressed relationships between the sexes with a frankness reminiscent of American country music; one of her albums, released in 2007, was titled "My Crazy Life."

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by Daniel Zamora

Mexican Slang: �Orale, g�ey!

Mexican Slang: T�, animal, �vamos!

Mexican Slang: Necesito chamba. �T� sabes de algo?

    English: I need a job. Do you know of anything?