The Cruisers & the Orphans

Is there a group of people any more deserving of love and help than children who, for one reason or the other, don’t have parents or a family member they can live with and who cares for them? We don’t think so. As a result, we’d like to give a special shout out to Katrina Liana of Marina Riviera Nayarit in La Cruz, and local cruisers, who on January 6 put on a special King’s Day Party for the 25 children of Manos de Amor (Hands of Love) Orphanage. ‘Kat’, as she’s best known, founded the event six years ago when she was an active cruiser. Now that she works for the marina, she continues to head up the event, with the enthusiastic support of the marina.

The children were brought to the marina from the orphanage in Bucerias and given a free meal at the Marina Deli. Then they got to play with the marina’s many ‘boat kids’, doing things like making crafts and painting each others’ faces. Finally they were all given gifts in one of the 30 backpacks brought down from the States by cruisers Richard and Donna Pomeroy of the sailing vessel Flying Carpet.

As much as the children loved the gifts, what they really appreciated was the attention and love of other humans. As Doña de Mallorca remarked, “I’ve never been hugged so hard in my life.”

Latitude 38 salutes everyone who helped bring a little sunshine into the lives of these innocent kids, who have started life having being dealt such a bad hand. We know this is just one of many cruiser programs to help the less fortunate in Mexico, so we also salute all of you who help in other similar events. The world is a better place because of your time and love.