I was lucky enough to get to go to the Mentors charity event the other night.  It was wonderful of course!  It was semi formal so we all dressed up and that made it kind of exciting too.  When we arrived I learned that some of the fans had gotten there early and had been allowed into David’s sound check!!!  (Note to self, show up early.  LOL)  They saw him dancing but weren’t sure if he would actually dance for the program.  (I was thinking, “Kill me now, I could have seen David actually Latin dancing!”)  Also he was asking his mom and fans about which songs he should sing.  Should he sing “Things Are Gonna Get Better?”  They (Jonerz) told him yes, to sing it.  (Duhh David, and thank you, Joni, and whoever else said to sing it!)  TAGGB is a PERFECT charity event song.  The dancing information certainly heightened the anticipation!  Would David dance with his mom or not????

We all had name tags and assigned tables, and soon the doors opened, and we were allowed in.  Our table was far to the right, but on either side of the center of the stage were large screens, so we knew we would be able to see David.  At each place setting was a card with a story of one of the people Mentors had helped to start a business and a carved gourd ornament on a string (which will be on my Christmas tree from now on) produced by a small enterprise fostered by Mentors International in Chile.  This was the largest order they had ever received.  We were served a gourmet dinner starting with salad, then steak wrapped in a crust, kind of like mini beef wellington, and a delicious pumpkin cheesecake with raspberry sauce for dessert.  I was sitting with some very lovely fans of David and the excitement you could feel during dinner, waiting for David, was palpable.  Oh what fun this David experience always is!

Dinner finally ended and we were ready for David!  But no, there were talks and awards to be given.  Surprisingly, despite the anticipation for David to come out, I really enjoyed the presentation.  We were told about Mentors International and shown pictures of the people that are being helped.  The goal is to help them help themselves.  Mentors helps the people start and run small banks, which give the people small loans to help them get started, and teaches them skills they need.  There is an amazing 96% payback rate on these loans!  When David came out he had them put up slides of people he knew from his trip.  He loved these people and called them by name as he talked about how little these people had compared to what we are used to, yet how kind, loving, hardworking, and optimistic they are, and  how willing they were to share what little they had.  He talked about a smiling lady in one picture that sewed purses to support her family.  He had his mother hold up the purse she had given Lupe, and told how long it took this lady to make each purse, and that she just wanted to give it to his mom.  You could tell David was deeply affected and moved by this trip and these people. David spoke well and eloquently before his songs.  He was truly inspirational.

When they were showing a slide show with David, one of the mentor people talked about David, and said David brought hope, and light, and joy, to these people. I liked how they used the word “light” since David seems to just exude light.  We, his fans, all know he “glows.”  I was impressed with this organization that David supports, and I will continue to support it in any small way I can.  None of the money you donate goes to administrative costs.  It goes to the people.  One point a speaker made is, that instead of giving money you don’t have, just give up something each day that you do have.  Give up buying a coke a day and that dollar can support a family for a day.  I can do that.  🙂

Time for David!  “Angels!”  You all know what David sang by now.  He was incredible and I think that he put a little extra into his songs because this charity is so very real to him.  He did this performance for free.  He feels such a connection to these people.  As he says, it is his blood.

David sang, Lupe sang, then an epic duet, “A Puro Doror” with David doing incredible runs, howls, hunkerdowns, AND LATIN DANCING!!!!  David has some moves!  It is in your blood David, and won’t be denied.  Ha! (Thank you Lupe!)  Oh yeah, the camera man was driving me NUTS!  He would show just Lupe while David was dancing or David from the just waist up!  What was he thinking???  Come on cameraman!  Full length shots of this epic moment PLEASE!!!  We just need to watch every second of David dancing.  LOL

Another moment I loved was when David introduced a very special person in his life, his mother Lupe Archuleta and the look of love he had on his face. David truly loves his mom.

I hope you all hear “Contigo En La Distancia” live someday.  It is just heartbreakingly beautiful.  I thought life couldn’t get much better at that point.

I heard some comments about how sparkly David’s eyes are!  I think it was because of the emotion he felt so strongly on this evening.  Before the last song in particular, I could see his eyes well up with tears as he spoke one last time, of his feelings for these people and this cause.  He is such a loving, tenderhearted person.  I have to say, I could see a few teary eyes at my table too.  For his final number he sang “Dream Sky High.”  We have all heard a young David sing this song, but a now more mature David took it to a whole new level!  It was one of those performances where he just laid his heart and soul right out there for you.  I got chills, had tears in my eyes, and my heart was filled.  His ability to communicate the feelings he feels is like nothing I have ever experienced.  There is simply no one like him.  This David Archuleta guy is one incredible human being!!!

A funny thing happened the next day when I was telling my husband about the evening.  I had told him I was going to a charity event that David was singing at on the 8th.  I started telling him about Mentors International and their purpose and what a great charity it is.  “Mentors?” he says.  He grabs his computer and looks up his email and proceeds to read me an email from his law firm.  They represent Mentors and had bought a table up front and had offered him tickets, but he turned them down because he knew I was busy at a “David Archuleta thing” that night.  I could have been right upfront???  LOLOL!  We need a little better communication skills at our house apparently.  Oh well, it was so great to enjoy it with friends who love David too.  What an amazing, memorable night!