As an American citizen it’s so easy to lose sight of other people’s struggles amidst the daily routines we create for ourselves. We see a homeless man at a freeway exit and think that we’ve just seen the true face of poverty, but the fact is that the poorest person in America is far richer than many people in other countries.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel with a small, close-knit team to Mexico. We took with us many pairs of shoes, toys and other items to give to the children there and it wasn’t long before we ran out of everything. And despite living in conditions that many of us would consider uninhabitable I was blown away by the sheer joy on each of these kid’s faces. For many of these children we probably gave them the first pair of shoes they had ever owned.

Although I only spent a few days there, I was truly touched by the generosity and kindness of the people of Mexico and I can’t wait to go back.

Photos courtesy of my fellow team members.

A Weekend In Mexico originally appeared on More Than A Brand - Art for People's Sake on May 7, 2010. Tweet This.