Food Bank of Jalisco (BAMX) Field Trip

Our Axixic Michicihualli despensa (food giveaway) group was invited to tour the

Jalisco Food Bank facilities in Juanacatlan near El Salto. 

Every other week, for the past 4 + years, Axixic Michicihualli, a group of volunteers

(Mexicans Helping Mexicans) has gathered to work with BAMX to distribute food 

to the needy families in our area.

In recognition of our support and constant work, we were invited to see where the food that we distribute comes from and to meet the staff of BAMX.  BAMX is a not-for-profit organization itself, so their recognizing our efforts and contributions is highly valued.

Interiors of the BAMX facilities in Juanacatlan.

We all rode together in my family van and arrived on time (gringo time).  While we waited for the staff and crew to gather, we were allowed to tour the facilities.

The BAMX Director and his staff gave us a warm, formal welcome.

I found this custom plastic bag holder/dispenser a particularly good design.

It truly is amazing how much food goes through this facility for distribution to our areas.

Tortilleria

We walked from the distribution facility to the local centro comunitario for our orientation.  On the way we passed the BAMX Tortilleria, that makes about 200 kilos of tortillas a day, to go with the abarrotes and fruits and vegetables that are delivered for despensas.

Centro Comunitario de Juanacatlan

Our orientation included a short presentation by staff members, a viewing of a short video about the BAMX and what it accomplishes...

...and a short description of the online classes offered by BAMX to the community.

Then it was time for a repose...and we were served a breakfast from the food that is donated to BAMX.  It was delicious and a special treat, since it was made with the food we usually distribute to our communities for their despensas.

At the end of our orientation we were gifted a certificate of recognition for our work and we all signed a "convenio" to agree to continue to work toward the betterment of our communities.

Groupo Axixic Michicihualli and BAMX members.

Sept. 10th, 2020

Juanacatlan, Jalisco Mexico

 

++++++++++++++++ Axixic Michicihualli Turns 4 ! ++++++++++

It seems like yesterday that I heard about a group of "Mexicans Helping Mexicans" and walked to the parking lot of Prisa on the carretera to investigate.

Parece como si fuera ayer que escuche de un grupo de "Mexicanos Ayudando A Mexicanos"

y fui al estacionamiento de Prisa en la carretera para investigar.

Now here we are, 4 years later, many families served with a bi-weekly despensa.

Ahorra ya tenemos 4 años de ayudar a familias necesitadas con nuestras despensas cada 15 días.

Anne and Raul Medina

 Our hostess for the afternoon was Anne Dyer, of Casa Montana.  She graciously 

let us gather in her upstairs patio to share memories, food, drink and song.

Nuestra patrocinadora, Anne Dyer de Casa Montana nos dejo usar su
bello patio para compartir memorias, comida, bebida y musica.

Our guests started to arrive, taking in the beautiful mountain vistas.

Nuestros invitados empezaron a llegar.

Wonderful food was served and friends shared stories.

Deliciosa comida fue servida mientras que los invitados visitaban.

 Christian

Then it was time for music.  Guitarist Christian was to accompany our dear friend

Lola La Tequilera this evening.

Llego la hora de musica.  Guitarrista Christian iba a acompañar a nuestra querida amiga
Lola La Tequilera esta tarde.

Lola's focus and talent is like no other.

El enfoque y talento de Lola es como ningún otro.

Lola filled our afternoon with heartfelt song.

Lola lleno nuestra tarde con music y canción del corazón.

Our videographer, Raul was so taken by the performance

that he also joined in.

Nuestro videografo, Raul fue tan movido que tambien canto.

All in all a most memorable and enjoyable celebration.

Al final pasamos una celebración de lujo!

Watch for us again this year as we bring much needed food to our local communities.

Buscanos en sus comunidades este año, continuando a traer comida a nuestras gentes necesitadas.

We are Axixic Michicihualli.

Somos Axixic Michicihualli

https://www.facebook.com/Axixic-Michicihualli-286740168336702/

Despensas Continue In Ajijic, Jalisco Mexico

We've been continuing with our bi-weekly food give away program (despensas), now located in the lower soccer field, below the Lienzo Charro, on Revolution in Ajijic.

Continuamos con las despensas 

We continue with our despensas

Our Axixic Michicihualli group is now 1 year old!  The time has flown as our group has grown.  We've developed our food give away program in conjunction with the Jalisco Food Bank, we've completed our first round of  our Ajijic beautification program with the local elementary school children, we are moving forward with our tree reforestation project, are involved in local, low cost, mobile medical clinics, and are working towards bringing a much needed hemodialysis unit to Ajijic.

 Everyone gets busy sorting and packing

The food for our despensas comes from the Jalisco Food Bank.  The low costs to families is controlled by the Food Bank.  We are the volunteers who assist in receiving, unloading, counting, sorting and distributing the food.  We are Mexicanos Helping Mexicanos.....along with a few Ex-Pat friends.

  Part of our crew waiting for the food truck to arrive

Thankfully this past Monday we were fortunate to have several helpers.  As you can see, there is a lot of work to do.

  Fidel y las cubertas

Local area volunteer coordinators receive the empty cubetas on Thursdays, which gives us an accurate count of despensas for the week.  This information is relayed to the Food Bank administrators and a low price is set for the despensa that week.  This past week the food fee was $130 pesos per despensa.

 Huevo de Tepatitlan

Thanks to one of our vendors and friends in Tepatitlan, we've started offering low costs/high quality eggs in our despensas.  The price is $1 peso per egg.  The eggs are flying off the shelves!

Volunteers Kathleen y Douglas

We are always in need of more volunteers.

If you would like to help Grupo Axixic Michicihualli, Mexicans Helping Mexicans, please contact Raul Medina (who speaks English) at 333-166-3444 or you can stop by in person on Monday July 24th, 2017 around 11 am.

Kudos to all these amazing people who have been helping our community now for 1 year.

Happy Anniversary to you!

Grupo Axixic Michicihualli wants you to know that this program is not affiliated

with any political party, religious or any other movement.

 

It is for the benefit of the community. 

******** Guachimontones - Saturday February 18th, 2017 **********

We made it to Guachimontones!

Our day started at 9 a.m. in front of Actinver, where our Euro Travel bus awaited.

The kids had a great trip, our bus complete with air conditioning and tv monitors.

Arriving at Guachimontones after a 2 hour bus trip from Ajijic.

Entrance to Interactive Visitor's Center

 View from amphitheatre

Mesoamerica Display

Our tour guide, Maria gave us a history of the area and its people.

The center's displays were wonderful, complete with sunken tomb. 

A topographic 3D map of the area fascinated our group.

After a screening of a well done, short documentary film in the Center's auditorium

we headed outdoors to the archeological sites.

The climb was initially steep, but not long.

The vistas beautiful!

Our outdoor guide, Esmeralda Garcia Santiago explained the ritual areas and ceremonies.

On the way to El Gran Guachi, the largest circle in the area, we were greeted by

a local shaman, who gave our group a welcoming blessing.

Arriving at El Gran Guachi - Circulo 1

Not only is this the biggest circle within the area, it is also the most monumental one 

found to this day within the West of the country. 

 

Esmeralda led us in a fertility dance ritual, asking for rain.  The next day it rained.

Here is a FB link to some of our fertility dance:

https://www.facebook.com/286740168336702/videos/406877166323001/

Ball (Pelota) Court 1

The game did not use a hoop for the ball since the game was similar to the one that 

is still played in the state of Sinaloa under the name of "ulama".

 Esmeralda invited the children to play a game of Pelota.

Side were chosen (boys v.s. girls)

The first toss was thrown....

and the game began!

  Final score:  boys 1 and girls 1

With our energies exhausted from the hike and the game we returned to the

Interactive Visitor's Center to have comida.

The kids settled in and around the surrounding areas to eat and trade stories.

After lunch some tried their hand at clay/pottery making

Some wandered around the exhibits.

And some wandered around the grounds, discovering a small house/hut

just down the hill.

Some found tools that were used when the area had been populated.

Others tried out the house for size.

Our time at Guachimontones growing short, we visited the gift shop.

Late afternoon we prepared to return to our bus for the ride home.

Josue made sure everyone was accounted for and we rode home

in style.  The children, excited after their field trip, did not

sleep a wink.

We'd like to thank the 5th and 6th grade classes from 

our local public schools for all their fine and hard work.

Also our paint sponsor, Prisa Paints for their generous contributions.

Our Axixic Michicihualli Crew and our tireless volunteers who make this possible.

A special 'gracias' to our friend, Regidor Juan de Dios Garcia Velazco 

for all his support.

And lastly, a warm thank you goes to Erika Blanco, Directora del Centro Interpretativo Guachimontones 

for arranging such a professional, attentive welcome and visit for our children.