From Feb 17-21 member Paul Walman attended a National Immunization Day Polio trip to Caborca Mexico.
“There were 8 of us from District 7080 that met up in Tucson on Thursday, then travelled into Nogales Mexico the next morning meeting up with fellow Rotarians from the city of Caborca which is about 2.5 south west from Nogales.
Saturday was National Polio Day so our team met up with about 75 other Rotarians from clubs across California, Nevada and Arizona at a local clinic in Caborca for orientation. The American clubs have had a strong relationship with Caborca over the past 20 years, donating a mobile operating unit and state of the art equipment at the local hospital. The head of this hospital is also the spouse to an active local Rotarian. After orientation we all went our way to separate districts out in the Senora province, south west of Caborca.
My team went to a tiny enclave called Rancho El Cerrito, surrounded by acres and acres of asparagus farms and cactus as far as you could see in the mountainous distance. We walked through the dusty dirt streets along with the Mexican health care workers and our fellow Caborca Rotarians calling out for children who required inoculation. Most of the parents were out working the asparagus fields so we were met typically by either a grand parent or older sibling that gave us the authorization to administer the vaccine. Overall our team inoculated 23 children ages 6 months to 4.5 years old.
After we completed our emotional and very rewarding mission, all of the Rotarians met up just down the highway and were treated to a sea shore lunch at a fishing village called El Disembogues, on the Mar de Cortez. A good Rotarian is allowed to have fun as well!
We were graciously looked after and very well fed each evening at the Caborca Rotary club house. On Sunday we 8 District members along with our Caborca hosts did a civic project in their main downtown and painted the intersection along with our Rotary logo. This intersection is now known as the Canadian crossing. More fun after a hard previous days work.
I can’t express how heart-warming and eye opening this experience was for me. I encourage any of our members to sign up for the next trip in 2021 so please don’t hesitate to speak with me if you have any questions or are thinking about participating next year.
Respectfully
Paul
