Tony and Cheri went shopping today for all of the hygiene articles and brought them to Cruz Roja (Red Cross) of Playa to be bagged up. They also went to a local hardware store and ordered 150 kits of the recommended tools, and the hardware store was kind enough to individually bag them for us.
Jessica and I went to the Red Cross and prepared the items to be bagged, and Red Cross volunteers and workers came in and made AMAZINGLY quick work of bagging 200+ individual packets of hygiene articles. We couldn't thank them enough for their help, as the pile was monstrous and Jessica and I would have been there until tomorrow if we'd had to do it alone.
Claudia took some photos, and if she sends them to me later, I'll be sure to post them.
I wanted to fill everyone in a bit with how the operation is going now. I'm not involved with the Red Cross, obviously, so I don't know the EXACT details, but I'll do my best to explain things the way I understand them. If I'm wrong or miss something, Claudia can fill in the gaps later.
The director of Playa's Red Cross, a very kind man whose name I can't remember right now
, has been personally supportive of Claudia's effort to galvanize volunteers for Majahual since Day 1. He couldn't, however, officially involve the Red Cross until proper procedures were followed and approval given. After Claudia made her first trip with the volunteers and submitted a report with photos, the Red Cross in Playa has been able to be involved. On our last trip on Saturday, Claudia was involved officially as a Red Cross volunteer and she had other Red Cross volunteers with her.
There are a lot of "big name" people/companies who have money they want to donate, but they have held back because they ONLY want to donate to an official, well-known organization like the Red Cross, and they have informed the Red Cross of Playa that they will withhold these donations until they see the Red Cross intends to get involved in Majahual. Therefore, the Red Cross will be assisting us in our private efforts, improving our distribution and providing man and vehicle power. They will be a presence in the photos and reports that will follow hereafter.
Here's how I feel about this: if allowing the Red Cross to put some Red Cross stickers on the bags we put together/purchase means that Majahual and the surrounding areas will get the help they so desperately need, then BY ALL MEANS, go for it. We have done a lot, so much more than I thought possible, but in truth, there is no way we can raise the kinds of funds that the Red Cross can.
So, our efforts will continue, apart from the Red Cross, but we will all be working together. Whatever it takes, that's what all of us are prepared to do. I want to clarify that the funds we are collecting, every penny, will continue to go directly to the purchase of needed items and will be delivered personally by us. The Red Cross will assist us in helping create a better distribution chain and also by collecting the information about specific areas' needs. We respect that you have entrusted us with using your generous donations to directly help the people of Majahual and that is EXACTLY what we will do.
Thank you, again, from the bottom of my heart, for everything you are making possible in Majahual.