Posadas, Posadas, Posadas... y adios...

Posadas here in Mexico are a big deal. For the past two years Kino has put on a posada (a celebration of the birth of Jesus) that is in the name of the migrants. Inviting groups from both sides of the border, volunteers that have seen and served at teh comedor flocked to Nogales, Sonora to spend an evening celebrating, eating, and sharing with eachother and the migrants.








There were roughly 300 people there. 60 of whom were migrants. They were awfully thankful for not only the third, fourth, and fifth helpings, but the words and opportunity to share that they were provided with.


We rented a donkey that is usually downtown just off the border gate. Usually it stands next to the gate under a big sign that says Bienvenidos a Mexico in an attempt to get gringos to take a picture with it. Today it was the head of our caravan as we made walks from one place to another singing and praying. It was pretty neat.


Me and my man Isabell


Dancing ensued...


A pinata...


I guess group bonding and dynamic games are a big part of posadas too. I can see why. They were a blast.




We made bunelos. They are a Mexican desert. Like fried dough, but with holes I guess. We gave them to all of the servidores and to different groups that have supported us.


It was a long process. We were in the comedor from 530 pm until 2 am. But we got em done and they tasted too good. We were all very happy whenever we made a mistake. It gave us a chance to eat some more...










We made well over 1000, prob 1300, but I thought that 1000 had a better ring to it.



The day before I left a women who had been staying at our shelter for two weeks had her baby. She had been pregnant and attempted to cross the border because she wanted to have her baby in the states. Bless her and her baby (still has not been named) they were safely delivered in Nogales, Sonora hospital. She spent the day I left resting. Erin will send me some pictures and I will post them asap.

Thank you for following me these past couple months. I have enjoyed writing these. They have kept me grounded. I hope that I was able to share a bit of my experience with you all...

Adiós...

Well early this morning Montse and Adolofo hopped on the bus to head home for the christmas holidays. THey are spending a week in Guadalajara with the other Jesuit Volunteers and then they have some time with the family, and then they are back to work. Adolofo is making his way back here for six months. Montse however is headed to a house for migrants in Saltillo in Central Mexico. She will be really missed here however the migrants in Saltillo are damn lucky to have her.


We were at the bus station at 430am. Even the fella behind the desk was sleeping.




Lupita, the women who works at teh comedor in the mornings and basically started the services for the deported migrants in Nogales (she gave out sandwiches everyday under a bridge a short way from the comedor) celebrated her birthday the other day. We got her a cake and all the migrants gave her a big birthday chant. It was really really nice.


Given that we are close to christmas, people are trying to cross into the US (legally) like crazy to do some shopping. Today the line to cross was over 4 hours long in car. I crossed in 5 minutes on bike...


Our medical clinic, while operational, is not quite as busy as we thought it may be. That has allowed us to do other things with it. Last Tuesday Montse and I projected the movie the Color Purple. While it was long and had nothing to do with migration, we had quite a few migrants stop by, grab a snack, and spend an hour or so watching the movie. We had several people stay for the whole thing and we talked a bit afterwards about what we liked and didnt like about the movie. It was a very simple project that provided them with somehting to do while they were waiting for their bus, money order, or phone call.


Nestor headed out this past week too. He probably arrived in Guadalajara yesterday. Here is getting his hair colored by Lupita (in the comedor kitchen). I guess he wanted to look tan padre for when he returned home. It was sad to see him go, but it was the best road for him. He was telling me for weeks about a chili recepie he knew. On the last night we went out and bought the stuff and made the chili. It was damn good and we ended up having a great time with all the volunteers and sisters in the comedor chatting and remembering fun times...


Nestor giving his goodbye speech.
















This is Don Isabell. He has replaced Nestor and is watching the comedor at night. Isabell arrived in Nogales in February after he tried to return to his family with his daughter. He could not cross and he was deported to Nogales. However his daughter was put in jail. She is to be released in Jan of 2011. Isabell has been working here in Nogales selling papers making just enough to pay for a room, his cell phone, and one meal a day. Thanks to God he came back to the comedor and we asked him to wash plates so he could eat for free. He is an incredible man and after only a few days we knew he would be a great replacement for Nestor. Anyway, his family, 5 other daughters and his wife are still in PHX. One of his daughters just got married yesterday. While Isabell was extremely happy for his daughter, he was quite sad at the same time. I tried my best to spend as much time as I could with him. I cannot imagine not being able to be at my own daughter's wedding... I am so blessed to have gotten to know Isabel and I look forward to spending my last week here in Nogales with him.

17th Edition of Una Parada En El Camino:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/66333823/UPC-12-14

Todavia estoy aprendiendo...

While I am only here for 14(yikes) more days, I am still learning about the services here in Nogales for migrants and what the future holds in store for Nogales.


Sister Engracia invited me to accompany her to a meeting amongst all of the service providers in Nogales that work with the migrant population. Grupo BETA, the shelters, the Mexican Consulate, the bus companies, the people that work with the deported children, everyone was there. It was the yearly meeting to discuss the year and what kind of plans are in store. I really wish I had been at this meeting last year or at least before I arrived to Nogales. One very significant thing that is going to happen that I cannot wait to return and see is the development of a shelter/comedor right at the exit of the gate that will welcome the migrants as soon as they are deported. What I found yesterday was that while there are many services for the migrants here, they are so spread out that often migrants miss them completely. The construction of this complex will be a great addition to Nogales. Further Kino will be the comedor, which is great great.


A City Year shirt! I am happy to see that they are going some where. I remeber in Cleveland there were literally hundreds of shirts just like this one siting in the office basement beacuse we were not aloud to pass them on beacuse they had already been branded. Right on to whoever donated this one. It ended up with a really really nice guy who, after two days of trying, finally connected with his mother in Michoacan and headed home yeserday.


Thanks mom and dad for the jacket... Its cold.

So while I do my best to trust everyone and while I would like to think that everyone has good intentions... Anyway, the other evening a man came to the comedor and told us that he and his wife arrived to Nogales a month ago from Gurrero with the intention to cross the border. He said she was pregnant when they arrived and the day after they arrived she had two twins. He said he had been working selling newspapers while they were staying in a cheap room but that selling newspapers was not enough to get by. He asked us for some food. Engracia and I drove him home with the food and he ran in the room while we waited outside. He came back out (without the food) and said that the wife took the kids to the hospital. Of course we were suspisious, but what could we say? We returned the next day in the moring and chatted with a neighbor who unfrtunatly told us that the man is rather flojo (sleezy) and there was no wife or kids. When I asked the man if he works in Nogales, the man told us yes, he works, but for the mafia so for that reason he was around to chat. I guess a sixteen year old looking gringo and a nun are not threatening enough to deter one from telling his their true profession...


They have a Lunetas candy here! Montse told me she was looking everywhere for them. Eventually she found them and bought a bunch. They are like m&ms.


This group has been incredible. Everyother Sunday they supply the food. They are incredibly nice. While serving they take the time to sit with the migrants and chat and share a meal with them.

16th Edition of the Newsletter:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/65800551/UPC-12-7

And other sad news is that Nestor is heading out on Wednesday. He is headed back to Jalisco for the holidays and then he tells me that he is going to try and make his way to New York. Grandma and grandpa, think we have a room for him?

Aprovechando

La Roca, my nightly destination for the past two months has closed to men. I am not sure why, but they are only making their services available for women. However they opened a new shelter in the other side of the city. I set out one afternoon in bike to find the shelter.

I found it after a couple hours of biking and questioning... It was quite barebones and I guess they have not been too busy beacuse nobody knows of their services. I will start bring people there...

I stumbled upon San Juan Bosco as well. It is the government supported shelter I have been trying to find for the past couple weeks. I went back the following morning to meet the managaer but was told she would not be back until the evening. I made my way there that evening and was met by a fiery women who runs the shelter. She is something else... Anyway, I asked if I could stay the night at the shelter to help out and learn about the services. While she was hesitant, she welcomed me. For that I put myself to work right away. As the migrants are deported through the gate in Nogales, they are brought to the shelter by either Grupio BETA or the Mexico Immigratino Agency. Many of the men and women who arrived came without shoes, sweatshirts, or jackets. And it is cold. Anyway, I welcomed them, told them the rules I learned just two minutes before, and sat them down for hot coffe and cookies, which was very much welcomed. We had groups arrive at 6 in the afternoon, 10 at night, 1230, and the final group at 1 in the morning. It was chilly, even inside, but the migrants were certainly thankful to have a roof and some blankets...
I was able to learn a lot and I am eager to return. While the atmosphere there is a little cold and impersonal, I am eager to learn more about this place that really is one of the principal services for migrants here. Further, I was reaffirmed of the importance of our services at the comedor. It is not until they step through the doors of the comedor that they are welcomed with a hearty meal and a warm welcoming environment.




While the men did have to share beds, we did not have to roll out the mattress. I guess a month ago they were lining the floors with the mats and even sleeping people in the kitchen.

We celebrated thanksgiving in the Jesuits house in Arizona...

Father Pete and the turkey. He and Adolofo spent most the day working on it.

Una Parada En El Camino Edition 14
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/64023160/UPC-11-22

One Month Left...

Hello all, as of today I only have one short short month left here in Nogales. I cannot cannot cannot believe it.

I returned from DC to hear the bad news that Nestor, my best friend here in nogales and the man who watches over teh comedor at night had not been seen in three days. I was worried that he had left but it never occured to me that I should check the prison. It turns out Nestor was picked up by the police for not carrying an I. Hardly an offense that sounds worthy of jail, but he had to spend 36 long hours in jail. No food and no sleep. To make matters worse, word got out that he was not in teh comedor at night and the robbers returned. They stole ten turkeys we were saving for tahnksgiving, a fridge full of eggs, a stereo and they even tried to get out with the microwave. Nestor returned just as they were leaving with teh microwave. He chased them down but was attacked by the men who stole it. They tried to stab him but thanks to three friends, Nesotr was able to wrestle the knife and microwave away. Needless to say I was very happy to see him the following morning. (He was pretty upset with me that I did not go to the jail to get him. I certainly dont blame him...)

Nestor and his new t-shirt. It is a shame that a corrupt action like throwing somebody in jail for three days for not carrying ID could end so terribly...

Today we organized a bazar or yard sale to try and tell off a bunch of clothes that we have in our bodega. We have so many clothes for ninos and women that they were literally flooding our bodega. So a local church that is very supportive of our efforts helped organize the bazar...

We did not sell quite as much as we wanted to so we had to take it to another church in a poorer section of town. They will give the clothes away to people who truly need it. For this I am glad they are going somewhere...

En route to the other church...

There was some pretty crazy stuff we were trying to sell. I was digging these PJs and Montse liked the hat.

Getting Montse on her B-day. It was mighty cold that day and I felt pretty bad, but I guess it is tradition. And she took it well!

13th Edition of Una Parada en el Camino: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/62990934/UPC-11-18