Day Nine, Breakfast Between 4150 and 5130

Every Festival about this time there is a District Wide meeting we are invited to attend. Most of the Mexican Clubs have representatives.

We sat mixed at tables, here on the right is Luis, a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Coquimatlan, many of us had not seen Luis in the past two years.

Also at this table, seated on the left was Rotarian  Rafael Gonzalez of the Arandas club who was an Ambassadorial Scholar to the US in the early 70's. He went to school in Georgia and eventually Oaklhoma. He was so grateful and impressed with Rotary that he joined when he returned to Mexico and has been a Rotarian ever since.

The program was about Dia De Los Muertos as celebrated in Michoacan. The celebration, there more commonly known as the Noche de los Muertos, is complex and beautiful.  This alter honored Lic. Fernando Silva, a 93 year old Rotarian from Telquepaque, who died 3 months ago. He was a popular and influential Rotarian who hosted a luncheon for us two years ago when we visited. The respect and careing offered to Fernando, his club and family was touching.

Then the most amazing thing happened. Elvia Osnaya, traveling with us from the Rotary Club of Cloverdale, whose father was a Rotarian from Guadalajara, encountered a group of Rotarians who had known her father and been in his club. A bit surprised and emotionally moved, she stands here with her father's early friends.

Finally there were gift exchanges between our District Governors and their wives. A wonderful event.