saint innocent

After graduating, my wife moved to Mexico. It's one of the qualities I most admire about her. She lived at an orphanage near Rosarito, a Baja town
30 miles south of Tijuana.

Shortly after we were married, we visited the orphanage so "the boys" could meet me. I'm the gringo in the red hat.

I wish I knew Spanish. I'm fairly convinced they made fun of me the entire time, and Elaine won't tell me what they were saying.

I'll never forget how hard they laughed when they convinced me to try some god-forsakenly hot pepper. I like hot food. I like really hot food. I put Tabasco on damn near everything. But jesus help me, I thought I was going to die.

Elaine and I still speak often of "the boys." When I was visiting the orphanage, I remember thinking about how my definition of "need" is different than most world citizens; most of what I "need" is actaully just I "want." So why does it take a visit to Mexico to realize this?

Recently some of "the boys" came to see us. I was reminded that helping change lives usually means your life is changed in the process, and that which begins as kindness quickly evolves into mutual respect, satisfaction, and shared human experience. We give because we receive.

I know what I'd do if I won the lottery. I'd start an orphanage in Mexico.