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Back to blog, not back from death. I have ever been there. And when I said there, it means there-there. Many interesting things have happened in the last two weeks of january.

First. My health. Incredible change. I don´t know if it was the fall I had or my hormones found their way. Definetely I feel much better. Incredible better! Today is CD1 and I am amazed that I don´t even have a little pain. For first time in many years I didn´t need to dialogue with fogginess and dizziness during these hours. Eventhough fybromialgia has not dissapeared, pain seems to be less. So, what happen!? I still don´t know. I don´t have complete factors in my mind to explain. Key issue here is that I feel as a regular human being and that I am enjoying it.  Really enjoying!

Second. Consequence of health I have been very efficient. That means that I have slept, worked, kept the house, spent time with DH and children, had all my meals on time, prayers, daily Mass, Rosary... ...and many other activities without feeling to be hurtening my adrenals. How could I lived all these years feeling so bad?! It´s very clear the difference bettwen "before" and "after". The only words I have in my mouth are: Thank you Lord!! Thanks, thanks, thanks.

Third. In one day (January, 26th) I agreed 3 paid jobs! My prayers were answered.

In one hand, I am very clear that I need to raise my children with quality time and mind, but in the other I know that I need to work. Not because I need the money, but paid is good for me and I love to earn good money. But also because I know how to do things. God gave me very specific talents that have a professional market and I need to dedicate them to serve because are useful to create a better community, and finally a better world for my family. What I hadn' t found before is a client that allows me to work only for 3 days a week and be enough payed.

In this way, I will have time to dedicate to my beloved volunteer jobs!

The first job is asked by a client that comes to me completely tailored: I will be working on establish the fundraising function for the leading national network of adoption agencies.

Clearly is an organization that I share values with: is catholic and the leading one. I feel like fish in water. I have began talking with some of the adoptive parents and is incredible to have the same language! That gives me many advantages in aspects such as Case development, training people to raise, raise big donors, understand beneficiaries.

In fact, my new client is not only an "adoption agency". It's much more. The first step of their program is to receive young or helpless pregnant women. And mission begins with convincing them to keep their children. Last year there were 909 women pregnant having their babies! Yes! 909 babies that have been saved from abortion!! And there were 221 babies given in adoption. That means that 688 mothers decided to raise their children and 221 make an extraordinary long-life gift of love to the baby each conceived. You have to see the houses were these women are invited to live during pregnancy! They receive what they need: praise to human dignity, care, quality medical services, food, catechism, pastoral attention, friendship... ...something they never , never had... ...in that circumstances they can really talk to God and understand their mission and vocation. Be a mother o be a biological mother. Whatever they choose.

It's important to explain that Mexico follows Hague's protocol on adoption, which means that biological mother, onces she has decided to give her child, she loses completely legal filiation on behalf child wellbeing. So what this organization has done during last 30 years, is to promote full adoption as a public policy. In this way, since Mexico signed Hague Convention in 1992, full adoption is recognized at constitutional law level throughout the country.

Other advantage is that recently recruited CEO for this organization, is my friend and I feel very good working with her. She is professional, young and experimented, catholic, married woman with four children! Somebody that understands me because we have same circumstances. It is better that any payment to work with people that understand you, having a chief that you have to convince about your life or faith is a mess. And I have confirmed that almost all of the board members, specially with the ones that I will lead, as well about staff members that share values and beliefs. It´s a good beginning to raise funds succesfully!

Something is not easy to find in a nonprofit or in a social project these days is that they have a budget! A little one, but at least a budget. Is not a budget to invest in fund raising, but they have to pay me a decent seed money to raise the development budget. Give me a lever and will move the world!!

And finally, for first time in my professional life, they were searching people to work in fund raising according to AFP- Association of Fund Raising Professionals code of ethics.  This is very important to me because there are very few nonprofits in Mexico that have this frame. I know about this because my father was first latinamerican member of this organization and back in 1970´s he hold membership number 65.  He confirmed with his long life experience with mexican nonprofits that is possible to apply and use succesfull fundraising used by USA major universities, colleges, hospitals and other nonprofits. Despite, today AFP has more 16,000 members in USA and Canada, in Mexico we reach only 50 individual members.

In fact, my father become the first Certified Fund Raising Executive in 1985 and during many years, until latest 90´s, he was the only mexican maintaining that certification. Then 4 more professionals become certified. It´s all. One passed away, my father also, so today there are only 3 that maintain certification. Principal reason is that to get the certification you need to show you have the results at the levels USA nonprofits raise funds. So if in Mexico, we don't show that results, very few professionals can achieve certification. This situation ilustrates a little about the reality of mexican third sector and the omnipresence of welfare state in a country which its society consumes until create  richest man in the world, but at the same time has poverty and violence as most undeveloped countries in the world. What is like a coke in the desert is that the Fund Raising Comitee President of my new client, had AFP's reference for the recruiting interview I had with him. My client has at least the correct frame, when there are maybe only 10 or 30 nonfprofits in Mexico that believe in ethical fundraising and that follow succesfull principles and techniques, as I learn in theory by my father's experience and mine since 1997.

With this on desk I don`t want to address to the only issue I don't like: I have to drive almost 30 kms to arrive each day. Very against factor. Depending on hour, I can make 15 mins or 1 hr... But I am allowed to do a lot of homeoffice.

Then, what else can I ask for a job?!

The second job is to do exactly the same for a catholic rural school for girls. Amazing, right?!? It´s a 50 years old nonprofit and they need to develop their fundraising program inmediately. For first time in their history the institution have money (no too much, but it has) to invest on development. This was my golden dream for years. Despite having almost 20 years more than VI.FAC, the institution is not in the same level. Anyway I hope it will be opportunity to develop a long-term client for my firm. I have to day that I have not completely make the agreement, but I think is not so difficult to set final terms soon.

Definetely I must recruit at least a very reliable personal assistant. With a higher salary last one had. So inmediately I asked today to Our Lady of Guadalupe to help me find a good one. And maybe there will be need to recruit two or three students to help with Vi.Fac initial phase. Also asked to Our Lady in urgent mode...

As you can see, both of my brand new projects seems to be related in many things. They are related with my voluntary responsibilities and will help with Na.Pro in Mexico. Also, they fit as a glove with a project I have working for the last six months addressing to family financial and consuming needs. This gives me a lot of peace. I doesn't seem that I am just leaving what we have been investing lately.

Besides, I have our family foundation support, because both projects impacts in fundraising and civic participation strengthening. I have to note that DH and I stablished foundation about I am telling, so is not a RICH one. It has been created to spread, study and apply my father´s professional legacy and with the purpose of economically support our work when cannot be payed at market level. So that doesn't mean that I live as John Carter in E.R. OK!?

I resigned to third job before begin it. I was asked to teach (payed) "human values class" (cathecism) to a community hospital nursery school. Despite I was very motivated to do that because of Na.Pro, feasibility to achieve my other commitements is my priority. So I called a very good friend and proposed to do that job. She accepted and because of personal circumstances I feel that this will be very good for her in this moment. She will begin with this tomorrow!! And Na.Pro don't loose this forum because she knows about what AMTTBM and I have been doing and she knows about women health issues.

Precisely, this friend will read this publication, because is follower. Two weeks ago, she told me that I was the worst blogger she ever know. I promised myself I would try to publish again, but I couldn't. I was involved in setting up again a very complex logistic and ordering family life including new tasks. Today, when I could ate at time, went to my accupuncture, went with my children to art classes, have a very long meeting organizing Vi.Fac 2011 campaing, went to Mass and had time to blog, I decided that I have returned, even I never left. I was there-there. What I have been doing, explains everything. Good justification and a good motivation to find my blogging rithm again. Biological rithms to every dimension to help life to be connected by itself... ...re-connected.

Let's see!