Hot Dogs for Autism

OK,,,Where is ths one going and what do Hot Dogs have to do with Autism? A couple years ago I was driving down the street, and as usual I’m always looking for a good place to take friends and groups to eat at (tough job, but someone has to do it!). I would always pass this hot dog stand that always had people standing there eating and the guy making the hot dogs had on this big Hot Dog Hat. So one early evening Deb and I headed out to get something to eat with no clear direction and then thought entered my head—”the guy with the hot dog hat!” So we headed over there and had these very good hot dogs. After a couple visits we stopped in with our intern

Han's new Hot Dog Cart

crew on the way back from a work project and I ordered a Double Hawaiian Burger—and fries, and it just about Killed me as it was one of the biggest burgers I had ever eaten. We love the way he would serve his food and he calls everyone “Han”, such as the name of his Stand, and he calls his Hot Dogs, HANdogs,,,and hamburgers, you guessed it–HANbergers.

Last summer I thought it would be fun to load up some of the youth pastors and their leaders into the Plymouth and to take them for a Hot Dog Experience like non other. Over the summer we got to know Han a bit better, and in turn, he got to know us. We enjoy

His new Cart is Outa-sight!

driving by and even if you don’t stop to eat you simply HONK and returns it with a very attentive whistle. As we got to know Han (his real name is Ruben by the way) we also learned that he had an Autistic son. One day as I walked into a store to buy some drywall mud Ruben was there buying supplies for his new Hot Dog Cart, and he also told me of a school that he worked at,,,well, he’s actually the Principle, and it’s the school for Autistic Children. Right away this caught my attention as he was also asking me if I knew where to look to get a truck donated,,,but I laughed,,,we laughed, as I told him that I need to find that same place.

As we came into this year I had let Ruben know that I was very interested in seeing his school, and that we had and intern from last year, Hanna Morse,  who was involved with Autistic children, so she to might be interested in seeing the school as well. After countless invites from Ruben we finally made it over there and his story blew me way.

Where it all began, 1997

At the time Ruben learned his son was Autistic he returned to Ensenada to search for help and to see if there was a school that his son could attend and he was shocked to hear that no such school existed. After attending a seminar and learning more about it he teamed up with 10 other families and started the ground work for school that would cater to the needs of Autistic Children. This was not an easy task as Ruben had no knowledge of what it would take to get this school started. Eventually the he obtained some land to start the school and the first structure was an old mobile home that was given to him through Telefone, kind of like a Telethon organization. Ruben also struggled trying to start the school and keeping a very good job that he had, so eventually something had to go—his job. He opened a small shoe store, tanked,,,Candy store,,,tanked and then I guess one day it hit him—HOT DOGS! And, he used his store space to prep what is needed to cook and sell his hot dogs (those of you that have been there know what I’m talking about). Not only do the hot dogs help him meet his personal needs, but also the needs of the school as social workers need to paid as the Government provides no financial assistance.

Today we grabbed Hanna and drove on over and Ruben took us on a tour and I was amazed with what’s been done and the vision that is hanging on the walls of his school. The old trailer has been sold as they now have a nice building where they work with the children, and there is more in the plans to be built. The teachers work one on one and the classes they use are designed to address their special needs—all the way down to the types of desk they use. Although they have a nice big room for Physical Therapy, non of their workers are trained to work with Autistic children in that manor. At this time they are hoping that if they

The Physical Theropy Room,,,shy a Theropist.

can get a physical therapist that the workers he has can get the needed training. So there are still many needs and Ruben seems so positive and energetic as he continues to not only help his own son, the the son’s and daughters of others in his situation.

So when ever you come to Ensenada to build a house or to simply visit you can bet that you will be going to eat a HANdog and enjoy Han’s company, but you will also be supporting a great cause. I’m not sure what this means for us as a ministry, but I did extend my hand to Ruben and let him know that we’d be willing to help and in some way help make a difference. I know what it’s like to drop what’s comfortable, and profitalble in order to follow your hearts desire, or in our our case, your hearts Calling.  So what are you waiting for!!!! For every HANdog you eat you’ll be helping an Autistic Child!!! So,,,come on down!

Let us know if you would like more information, or interested in helping.