Saturday, January 5, 2019

--------Volunteer Appreciation Day Lunch in La Zapotera--------

La Zapotera, Poncitlan Jalisco

 La Zapotera Community Center


As is usually the case when we visit La Zapotera, the children and their sixth sense
knew we were arriving soon and buzzed around the Community Center,
waiting for their favorite town celebrity, Harvey Bernier.


Today was to be a special day as we were honoring the women, men and children of La Zapotera
who have given so generously and beautifully of themselves
to make the Community Center a successful reality.

Karen's Chayote Bread...Yum!

Karen Bernier had prepared a special treat for everyone.  Her delicious Chayote Bread
was a hit and soon flew off the serving plates.


We arrived to find the women of the town busy at work in the kitchen
preparing part of our lunch for the day.  Harvey and Karen had brought steak to grill, 
along with cebollitas (onions).  The women in the kitchen prepared sopa de arroz, freshly made salsa, 
pico de gallo and warm tortillas.

Pomada

While everyone settled in, Anita Torres Guerrero, Director of the Brigadistas of San Pedro Itzican and I visited the Community Center's Bazaar/Store.

Herbal Tonic

The women of the medicinal plant garden prepare various products for sale at the Bazaar.

We found a pomada infused with herbs for use as an expectorant and a lovely herbal tonic
ready for sale.


Soon it was time to eat and we all sat al fresco, under the lovely courtyard tree.


Harvey had stated that we should all bring our own knives, 
as there was a lack of these in the kitchen.


Our dear friend Kari Higgins brought a beautiful set of kitchen knives
as a gift for the women of La Zapotera and the Community Center kitchen.

The gift was well received and much appreciate.


Everyone sat, feasted and visited with each other.  Another family meal.



After lunch, the children ran to the nearby arroy and played "fishing".  They found some discarded string and pretending to catch enormous fish in the little arroyo.  I played along and was gifted a beautiful,
1 million kilo beauty from the town children.

It is splashing about in my swimming pool as I write.

What a beautiful New Year's present.

Thank you to all those who have helped make this dream a reality.



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