Sunday, September 15, 2024

FINAL POSTINGS ABOUT MEXICALI, MEXICO

 Happy Sunday to you.

I think this will be my final posting about my 11 years of being a part of the Kitchen Crew in Mexicali, Mexico.  I could go on and on but I hope these photos will give you just a glimpse into some very fulfilling things I was able to be a part of.

Everyone brings their own folding chairs.  These become multi use seats.  they are for devotions, eating, evening programs and just trying to take a load off now and then.


Fortunately we had electricity so there was sound .


Thankful for the most important beginning to the day.... coffee ...hot chocolate ... and tea.

First crew begins the day preparing thousands of pancakes at 3AM.
EVERY DAY!
They have to go into the warmers so the first construction teams can begin eating, and be on their way.


As you can see its dark for the morning prep time.  A little chilly and that first cup of coffee really gives us a boost.



The local women from several churches made thousands of handmade tortillas for our taco night dinner.  They were so GOOD.



Carol was our Salsa Queen.  Gallons and Gallons of that goodness was made everyday.  I loved putting it on my scrambled eggs.  Yummm



Everything is done assembly line style.  When one is making that many meals its the only way to have everything come out at the same time.


So many hearty and delicious meals were made.  Stews, tacos, spaghetti, chicken and rice and the list goes on.

Prepping for the Hawaiian Chicken with pineapple sauce.



Huli Huli chicken Hawaiian style.  All meals were served by us.  We could serve 1200 people in just under an hour.  Many hands make light work.


Pans and pans of noodles.


Sheets and sheets of brownies baked on those tiny smokers.  Everyone was well fed.




Believe it or not one night we had ice cream sundaes.  Our giant freezer was a life saver.  This was a fun way to talk to the campers as they came through the line.  That's me 3rd from the left.


The kids were so hungry and thirsty after being out and about all day that a simple thing like peach halves was like "gold" to them.  They gobbled them up as fast as we could serve it.
That's me in the foreground.


Ok, enough of those shots.
Here's what my main job was for the week.  Every day scrambled eggs with sausage bits and cheese was on the menu.  Of course there were plain eggs for eating too. We always gave them a hearty start to their long hard working day.  they had oatmeal with berries, eggs, and pancakes.  Every Day!  We called the oatmeal "CRACK"  those who didn't like oatmeal loved this stuff.  It was sweet and creamy and stuck to the ribs.

At O'Dark Thirty our day began..4:30 am. 
Ruben began stirring the eggs we had cracked the day before.  that's a lot of gallons of eggs. A paint stirrer was the best way to get things mixed.


These little propane stoves can do up the eggs in no time at all.  Huge heavy pans and us stirring like crazy.




Chopping the sausage to add to the eggs


Me getting the pans ready to go into the warmers.





All food cooked and in warmers, tables ready with all the condiments servers ready behind the long tables and ready to feed them by 7AM.  No later.  We really were busy bees.  Each person had their job to do and it all worked.

The last night we had a fancy meal and we all tried to look like Real Chefs.
Gotta have some fun too.


Some of my Besties and partners in crime.



Then Covid hit and leadership changed .  Some friends moved and its just different.
I hung up my apron and now I am saying "what's next Lord?"
So
I guess you could say To Be Continued...
Who knows.  I don't have a clue except to be with my wonderful husband and family.
Thanks for looking. Some photos are best seen enlarged.

Remember

Always be grateful
Always be Kind

15 comments:

Mevely317 said...

I love each and every one of these photos, Sue. I never dreamed that anything like this initiative existed. I don't know how long ago this trip took place, but looking at the photographs, does it take you right back?

What's best I think is everyone's big smiles. Now you're making me hungry for salsa and scrambled eggs.

Pamela M. Steiner said...

Such an amazing journey and adventure! You really had to have some energy to do all of that! I am sure God have you what you needed as you needed it. I think about all of that work every day and marvel at how it all got done! Only God could orchestrate such an amazing project for His honor and Glory. Amen. Thank you again for sharing this with us. I am in awe of what God did.

Great-Granny Grandma said...

All those pancakes, and "We could serve 1200 people in just under an hour."
This all sounds so impressive, and the pictures are great.
Were you feeding a combo of construction workers and kids at a camp?

Debby said...

Just amazing. All of it and serving 1200 people is quite an accomplishment but in a hour is just amazing. It really looked like you all were having fun. I’m glad you have these good memories todo you could share them with us.

MadSnapper said...

wow on the amount of eggs and pancakes, it is mind boggling to consider how much work went into all those meals you provided. I can see everyone was having a fun time together while doing all that work.. amazing is what it is

Donna said...

My goodness you all really worked hard! We love warm tortillas with butter! Yum!!
hugs
Donna

Marie Smith said...

Such great work! It must have been exhausting yet exhilarating at the same time.

Sparky said...

You've done so much. I feel like an absolute slug for sharing the Gospel. Well done you! 💙

photowannabe said...

Sparky, Yes Dave and I have done a lot but I'm not an evangelist or a preacher. I'm more of a behind the scenes, going about my business just showing God's love and being a good listener. Who knows that may be the seed planted in someone's life.
Sue

Chatty Crone said...

What a sweet, sweet, sweet story and way to live your life. Now it is time for you to be with hubs. I love the photos and how everything worked for 1200 meals three times a day. Still seems hard to believe. What a wonderful experience for you.

Michelle said...

I love reading about your work and seeing these photos. So many people in need across our planet.

diane b said...

Wow how well you all did. you are wonderful people.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Sue that is just so amazing to learn how your crew of chefs worked and how you fed so many people in such a short time. (I think you really were real chefs during that time). Because I'm catching up and reading backwards, I'm still looking forward to finding out more about the reason the chefs and eaters were all there! Off to do that now.

Rose said...

Sue, I cannot imagine all the work that the cooking involved. Just so much of everything. I have sure enjoyed hearing/seeing it all.

sandy said...

Amazing times you must have had - and the service you offered...how great is that...wow.