A Jaunt in the Desert

The Taller Nacional, a yearly workshop concerning immigration was held this year in Nogales. I am so lucky to have witnessed this event and meet some of the men and women that lead the services for migrants in Mexico.


We went on a "field trip" into the desert (everyone from the event... like 120 people) to see where teh migrants cross and experience just a taste of what hundreds of men and women crossing to the states face on a daily basis.


The border fence two hours West of Sasabe. There is a small house that sells cokes and chips to migrants that pass through. There were dozens of groups from all over Central America waiting until darkkness to cross.


Fellow volunteer Aldo kicking it in the states for a few seconds before he jumped back over.


We had bus problems on the way back. A lot of bus problems. In fact we had to hire a group of coyotes, the people who charge migrants huge sums of money to "safely" ferry them across the border, to drive us to the highway. Here we are packed 23 into a unmarked white van. It was a good experience though just a shame we were forced to support some interesting people.


El grupo... 120 or so strong.


An interesting shot at the Sasbe border. Mexican Flag, cross dedicated to the men and women who have died trying to cross, the border fence, and then a US flag...

I was biking around the center and I passed a door that said "Migrantes entran aqui para comida." I knocked and was welcomed by Sister Louisa, an amazingly nice women who introduced me to this no frills soup kitchen that serves migrants. After a quick prayer, the thirteen men ate a large meal of rice, beans, tortas con peanut butter, and tortillas... I returned today to help serve and learn more. There were less migrants because as Sister Louisa told me, they were still recovering form either a night of drinking or getting started on another night...

This is Fransico. I ran into him after serving at Sanctuario Guadalupe. He arrived from Honduras after 25 days of travelling on the train. He told me about some of the trails he expeienced while passing on the train. Like how he hung from under teh train for two hours only by his arms as he passed through Districto Federal. If he was telling the truth about half of them, which Im sure he was, his 25 days on teh train were harder than my whole life. He has two kids back home that he is trying to support. He asked me for a map because he is eager to cross as soon as possible. He also asked me for a shirt. He certainly needed the shirt more than I did so we traded. I got his shirt that he had not changed since Oaxaca in Southern Mexico and he got a polyester jersey that I have maybe worn four times since arrivng to Nogales. However I would make that trade any day with a man like Fransico...

tuesday I am hoping to put out another newsletter. Thanks for reading and take care everyone.