Photo Gallery: Random shots with the kids
		Contact being made. Sharon Harris from San Clemente, CA and a new friend.
		Now known just as "The Kiss," this shot kind of says it all. Mike Morgan of Dana Point, CA and Rosenda's nieto, grandson.
		Here's Norm Kremiller, one of our staffers doing what he loves best, besides building things.
		Meet Rosenda Medrano, a resident of Colonia Lagunitas, where she's been running one of our dining rooms for over 15 years. Rosenda and her ayudantes, helpers, feeds anywhere from 150 to 250 kids a day.
		These three know what to do. A 55-gallon drum of water feeding the pumps we were using to plaster the outside of the school at ejido Lazaro Cardenas becomes a swimming hole and way to beat the heat.
		Pastor Ron Sukut of Cornerstone Church in San Clemente, CA passes out the dulces--candy.
		Three happy customers at a hearty breakfast.
		Same day, same kids.
		Hector Reyes of Laguna Niguel, CA, himself a native of Mexico who became a geologist in the U.S., speaks to a girl about the importance of educaton as she receives her school supplies for the year.
		This is Jose Luis and his daughter Marcelita in front of their home in ejido Lazaro Cardenas. His wife, Marcela feeds 80 to 100 children from their home every Saturday. Once resources are available, we hope to go to 6 days a week here.
		A very little helper who showed up during repairs we were making to a school damaged in winter rains.
		A favorite shot from the late '80s when we were still actually using film. Another "says it all" kind of pic.
		Darryl McFann from San Clemente, CA brings home the Jif.
		Rosenda in the kitchen of her dining room preparing milk from powder for the chocolate milk her kids love.
		Some of Rosenda's customers drinking that great chocolate milk.
		Mark Mittermiller of Santa Barbara, CA contacted us to say that his kids' school, Santa Barbara Middle School had over 400 desks in an attic space that had to go. Did we want them for Mexico? Hmm... The story is long and many people are involved, but here are some of the desks in the ejido school ready for kids. For the whole story of the desks, click here.
		And here are the kids! Sure helps to have a place to sit and write and learn.
		A few more kids, being kids.
		Besides desks, kids need supplies, the tools of the student, to be successful. Children of The Americas gathered 750 backpacks full of a year's school supplies in 2005 for kids in Mexico and the U.S. Here is the assembly line outside our little warehouse space in Mission Viejo, CA, as over 30 volunteers assemble about 400 backpacks.
		Lindsay Thompson, with her husband Stephan (bending down there in the blue T) assembling one of those 400 packs.
		There was "one fun thing" that went into every backpack, and Sandy Huston of Mission Viejo, CA was the arbiter of all things fun on the assembly line.
		Abuelita, Marcela's mother, passes out one of 150 backpacks that went to kids in the ejido.
		Here's the after shot of a little student who's ready for school.
		The big wait outside the gate at Rosenda's dining room in Colonia Lagunitas. About 200 kids waited patiently for their backpacks that morning. When we ended up short about 50 packs, we gathered more and came back the next week to make sure every kid was ready.
		Two beautiful children with their new backpacks at Rosenda's dining room.
		A Mona Lisa smile on the face of this 8th grader and her backpack at Rosenda's.
		Also at Rosenda's, this little guy is ready for school. Note the little pouch on the strap of the pack for his cel phone. Some things don't translate to the third world...
		Eileen Angier and Amanda Hughes of Olive Crest in Santa Ana, CA receive 150 backpacks for their foster and sheltered children. Olive Crest is a 30 year old agency with a network of foster families and residential homes for at-risk children throughout CA, Nevada and the Pacific Northwest. Children of The Americas was thrilled to be able to help their kids this year.
		A team from Southern CA at work rainproofing Maria Antonio Melendrez school in the Lazaro Cardenas ejido--a very poor area southwest of Tijuana, Mexico.
		Here's Pastor Dave Brisbin trying to look like he knows what he's doing on the roof of the ejido school. The school was damaged in the torrential rains last winter and large sections of the roof had to replaced. This is a great example of unskilled labor being put to use.
		And here's the skilled labor! Jim Van Schaack, a general contractor from San Juan Capistrano, CA overseeing the school repairs at the school.
		Now, back in the unskilled category, Florencio Vera, of Mission Viejo, CA demonstrates why it's always important to stay clear of the eves when the roofing crew is laying out the tarring cement on the roof. All we had to clean him up was gasoline we brought for the generators. Thank God no one on the crew smoked.
		Through the generous donations of many people specifically for this event, we were able to bring 26 students to Disneyland for a day. These students, the highest achievers in the neighborhoods we're serving were selected as a reward for their hard work. It was a great day.
		A part of the group setting out in the Disneyland canoes for an adventure. Most of these kids had never been to the United States, let alone Disneyland.
		And then there's the Christmas Caravan. Rick Boshart of Foothills Ranch, CA brings in some of the 2-3 tons of toys we deliver to the children each Christmas.
		Pastor Dick Reeve of Christian Mission Church in Laguna Niguel, CA also throws in, bringing toys into Rosenda's dining room for distribution to the children.
		One of our board members, Terry Neville of San Clemente, CA sorting and arranging a mountain of toys in Rosenda's dining room. The kids have been waiting patiently in the street for several hours by now...
		And here's the payoff. A little girl with her Christmas treasures.
		A pelicula, movie, night in the colonias. Children of The Americas brought a film complete with hot dogs and popcorn for the kids. Here we are waiting for darkness so we can project the movie. Almost 200 kids. Thank God for Tisha Thompson (out of frame at bottom) who's singing songs in Spanish and entertaining the kids while we wait.
		Children of The Americas building our dining room located in Colonia Panamericano and managed by Chuy Badial. Chuy has been feeding children with us for almost 20 years and needed a bigger facility. She feeds about 100 children a day here.
		Some of the skilled/unskilled workers at Chuy's. Nelson Brewington of San Juan Capistrano, CA and Robin March of Laguna Niguel, CA. Inspiring, no?
		Making progress at Chuy's dining room.
		Another dining room being built at Genaro Vasquez school in Colonia La Gloria. This dining room represents one of our two school-based nutrition programs where about 100 children are fed every day before school. The facility is now complete with full kitchen, plumbing, and refrigeration.
		Maria Scarlett, a hairdresser by trade from San Clemente, CA, brought her scissors and skill to cut anyone's hair at Rosenda's after her church, Cornerstone Community, delivered well over a metric ton (2,200 pounds) of food for our dining rooms.
		One of the little reasons why we're here.
		Several more really good reasons to be here.
		Six more. We love these kids. Can you blame us?