Dano in Mexico: Brenda Sonrisa

Brenda is one of those people that is a joy to be around. I have nicknamed her “Brenda Sonrisa” (Brenda Smile) because she is always smiling.

She is one of those people that has purposefully made a decision to be happy with where she is and her situation.

She is 22 and has been here 11years.

She has jobs that she performs at the orphanage like cooking, cleaning, helping the girls get dressed and ready for school, helping with homework, doing laundry, as well as sorting the donated food at times.

Often the donated fruit and vegetables are going bad or have gone bad and need to be used right away. How would it be to have random different food show up daily? You don’t know what will show up and often it must be used right away. That would be a difficult task for any cook, I would think. In America we would make a TV show with a challenge for aspiring cooks with random ingredients (wait, I think we actually have that!).

Brenda brings more than a smile to the faces of the people around her, she brings joy.

As we ride in the back of the pickup truck (down the road next to the police, which isn’t a big deal), you can get a sense of Brenda’s smile and attitude toward life. She is the one in the purple hoody and short hair.

They are trying to get me to say a tongue twister (similar to: “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck

if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” or “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”).

Who do you know that brings joy to everyone around them?

Why are we not more like Brenda Sonrisa?

Is that a choice or is it just who she is inside?

I think it’s a choice. I think she made a choice long ago and it exudes from every part of her.

Because I know her, I believe that it is her love of Christ that has brought this out in her.

I propose that we (you and I) have “Brenda Sonrisa Day” tomorrow and smile all day, no matter what.

Even though hers is genuine and ours may be forced, I still feel that there is value in it. When you are around someone that smiles all of the time, you can’t help but to smile back. Which in turn causes them to smile more, which in turn causes you to smile more.

Remember the giggles you and a friend use to get as a child when you would go on and on giggling and laughing and laughing over a silly thing (or nothing at all)? That is still alive and well here in Mexico especially with Brenda.

I think we were made to be in community with others and we are better when we share a smile together.

Brenda sonrisa is my friend, she makes me smile.