After years of dreaming, and 2 years of planning, the Lucy family has finally arrived in Cozumel, Mexico. God has opened the door for us to go on the mission field and work with the local orphanage, Ciudad de Los Angeles as well as other organizations on the island and the Yucatan peninsula to provide humanitarian aide through agriculture, sanitation and construction.

June 28th Eric and Tonka, (our 150 pound, 68 kilos, Boerboel dog) arrived in Cozumel to set up the household and site check with the orphanage. He was welcomed with customs agents, police and soldiers taking photographs with the dog. Gia and Kailea followed 2 weeks later.

After finding a home, Eric began his work at the orphange by breaking ground and aerated the plot which will be the revitalized garden.  One of our goals is to create an organic garden, teach composting and worm farming.  Most of the fresh produce on the island comes by ferry, so it very expensive and often substandard.  Soil on the island is expensive as well. I believe the plot of land (see below) cost 15,000 pesos, or $1,250.00. By creating our own nutrient rich soil, we might begin to help not only the orphanage, but the surrounding neighborhood as well.

Future site of the next home.

The orphanage currently has 44 children but would like to bring in another 40 children from central Mexico. We will be helping to build three new homes, and a transition house for kids graduating from the orphanage and going to local College.  We are also working on some water purification solutions and of course continual maintenance.

The staff is phenomenal and the volunteers, extraordinary.  We are starting out slowly, building trust as we go. If you know Eric, this is driving him nuts.  But it is the right way to go about it.

We are starting seedlings at our house and hopefully will be able to plant them once they can stand up to the monsoons.  We have been practicing our Spanish and working on our Immigration status.  One thing is the same as the states.  It took two weeks and then four days waiting at the house to get the cable guy to hook us up.  Some things cross all borders.

Thank you for your continual prayers, this is a great island and wonderful people surround us but it is still a bit scary.  God is good.