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

Long Overdue

A blast from the past now that the cold weather has really set in... The volunteers at the desert museum in Tucson.

A million thanks to Le Moyne and Beth and all of Campus Ministry at Le Moyne for giving me the chance to go to DC this past weekend to present and learn at the Ignation Family Teach In. It was an incredible weekend. I got to catch up with good friends and I learned so so much. The weekend focused on Immigration and Climate Change issues. I was scheduled to give a presentation about my time doing an alternative study abroad and about the Kino Border Initiative. I enjoyed giving the presentation but my favorite parts were presentations by Sister Helen Prejean (author of Dead Man Walking and national leader in movement to end the death penalty) and Sister Diana Ortiz (director of Torture Abolition Support Coalition International). I did not love them because I feel particularly called to ending the death penalty nor do I feel called to ministering to those who have been tortured, but I was amazed at their enthusiasm and ability to clearly state what they felt passionate about. I want, one day, to have a passion like those two sisters did for their life's work.

Further we had a chance to speak with one of Senator Gillabrand's staffers concerning the senators position on the Dream Act and Immigration Reform. It was the first time I had done any lobbying and it was an incredibl experience for me. Learned a lot and it gave me a better idea of things for the future for me. Another great part of the weekend was touring DC and simply spending time with some very close friends. (Pictures to come...)


A week and a half ago the volunteers and I made a trip to Tucson to spend the night at the All Souls Presecesion. A yearly march where all sorts of people come out to walk, watch, run, skip, hop, pretty much anything. We joined the No More Death's float and marched with them. Afterwards we spent the night with some friends in Tucson then high tailed it back here.



This morning I arrived back to Nogales, AZ at 130am. I could not cross so I had to stay the night here in AZ in the Jesuit house. However I simply could not get warm. I was freezing the whole night and didn't sleep more than 2 hours. Then in the morning I had an hour twenty walk to the comedor. I got there pretty cold and unhappy however Ingracia met me with a huge hug a Como te fue? and a big bowls of beans and rice. Soon after that we were welcoming the guests and I felt incredible. It is amazing what this place can offer not only the migrants who pass through, but the volunteers who serve each and every day.


We celebrated Moset's birthday last week. 18! She is legal in Mexico! Her parents came up this past weekend but I was in DC and did not get to meet them. Pictures look like they had a blast though!


The alter we made in the comedor for Dia De Los Muertos.




Montse and I at la feria celebrando El Dia De Los Muertos con un juego! The man who was running the machine was in the comedor that morning and afternoon for the meals! All of the employees at teh fair were migrants. They put the rides together and operated them. They prob had no experience in the ride business but it goes to show that they can do literally anything. From plumbing to amusement park maintenance...

Numero 12: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/62131091/UPC-11-8

Accompaniment

As a volunteer here at KBI, I have realized that simply being present is a gift greater than food or a pair of tennis shoes.

Loura and Tommas arrived to Nogales after a nightmare of a trip through the desert. After spending half a week walking through the desert with only one other women (their coyote abandonded them) they were picked up by border patrol. However Loura and Tommas were carrying with them the money to pay the coyote to take them to Chicago where Loura has family. The border patrol took that money, all $6,000 of it, and Loura nor Tommas have seen it since. I have spent a couple afternoons treking to immigration with them to try and find someone who would help. Eventually we managed to reach the Tucson Border Patrol offiice and they are "working on the case." (Whatever that really means) Anyway, Loura and Tommas are staying with KBI in our shelter for women. I have been blessed to spend so much time with them. They asked me to take and print pictures so they could show their friends back home in Guerro their gringo friend and so that I could show my family my two little grandmas (their words!) I truly hope things work out for them. UPDATE: The money has been found! It should be here in Nogales by the end of the week. Thanks to the hard work of No More Deaths, they were able to track down and hound border patrol in Tucson.

Reyes arrived from Matazlan and passed a week in Nogales trying to connect with his family to send him money so he could take the bus back home. He too tried to cross close to Nogales however with no luck. I had the pleasure to spend a lot of time with him. He, like many of the other migrants I have gotten to know, ran out of days in the government sponsered shelter and needed a place to stay for a few nights. I have been taking 5, 10, 15 men each night to another shelter. It is a nice 20 minute walk and it is an incredible chance to get to know some of these men and let them know that there are many people, grinogs included, who really care for them. Anyway, Reyes makes those boats inside of bottles. He tried to explain to me the process but I was utterly losed in translation. Anyway, Ma and Dad, I gave him your address and if you get a ship in a bottle from Mexico, you can thank this fella. Reyes was unable to get money for a bus back home so he left in the train. It is about a 5 day trip to Matazatlan in train from Nogales. He should, ojala, be getting in tomorrow...

A walk to the Roca, the other shelter, with Reyes, Tommas, Loura, and two other fellas...

This is Maria and Luiz. I know very little about them. They were in the comedor a week and a half ago with the intention to cross. However they were caught and sent back. They are sister and brother and both are deaf and mute. They communicate through sign language and with others through hand gestures. Incredible. The life of a migrant is hard enough... Anyway, I had a moment and I pulled out my notebook and we "talked" for a couple seconds. Heres how the talk went.
Me: Are you going to try and cross again?
Luis: If we try again we will be in the Arizona jail for 20 years.
Me: So that is a no... Are you going to eat in the comedor this after noon?
Luis: A gentlemen is going to take us to some showers so we can wash. My father is heading here right now to pick us up and bring us home.
Me: Where are you going?
Luis: We are going to Mexico D.F. City. It will take two days.
Me: I know. I took the bus from D.F. to here. Long trip.
Luis: Yes.
Me: Good luck and much health.

Migrants hard at working writing for our weekly bulletin.

The originals stories of the migrants.

The Day of the Dead, November 2, is a big big day in Mexico. Here in Nogales it was no differnt. I stones throw from our apartment the festival was set up around the city graveyard. It was great to see a bunch of people out and about enjoying themselves well into the morning. I will have more pictures from that later.

10th Edition of Una Parada en el Camino:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/59546495/upc-11-1

What a Great Weekend

My parents, bless them, made the trip down to visit Nogales. After getting lost crossing the border and an hour of phone calls and missed turns, they finally arrived at the comedor. They whole gang waited around to say hello. When the finally arrived I was so so happy to see them.

We spent most of the weekend walking, talking, and serving in the comedor. It was great catching up with them and simply spending time with them. Even walking around Nogales, AZ, a pretty boring town with hardly anything to do, I was still on cloud nine simply because I was with them.


Not sure why but my dad was really digging this picture...



Chatting with gramps on my moms phone.
We managed to get a call out to the grandparents which was really nice. And I was able to wish my brother a happy birthday. 19...


My mom also put together a bunch of soccer gear that David nor I use anymore. There is an orphanage that some of the other volunteers spend time at and we brought the gear over and spent un rato playing with the kids and meeting the sisters that run the place.




My parents took the whole crew out to eat one night at El Torro. A steak house which people got a kick out of because both my mom and I are vegetarians but we found mooore than I fair share of food there.




The following night the sisters invited us over for dinner. We had a great great time. Two bottles of wine and two cases of beer later we made our way back to bed after an amazing night of talking and just enjoying eachothers company.


I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to pass a weekend with my parents. My mom had a chance to practice her spanish and my dad still had plenty of chances to talk with the men and women that passed through teh comedor because, to be honest, many have better english than me! After sitting in the line to cross the border with my mom, a quick yoga session, and then a rapid meal in the comedor, it was hard to say goodbye. However I am happy that they got to spend time with me doing things that I feel truly passionate about. Thanks guys...


See you in two months!

10 Edition of Una Parada en el Camino:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/58693448/upc-10-27

All is well for me in Nogales...

Nothing really new here. I have been walking groups of men to a shelter each night. I really enjoy the time to joke with the men and learn a bit more about their stories. The newsletter is coming along great too...

I never found out their names, but this couple from Gurrero was incredible. Male deported migrants here in Nogales have 5 nights of shelter. After 5 nights they are forced to the streets. For women they can take advantage of the Kino shelter for up to 15 days. This couple spent the first five days in the shelter, however on the 6th day they were forced to seperate. The wife stayed in the Kino shelter while I walked the husband to house that occasionaly takes in migrants and was able to convince the owner to shelter the husband for the night. However the husband was clearly distraught. He was extremely concerned about his wife. At 6 the following morning I was out and I saw him waiting at the comedor door. The meal is not till 9 but he was nervously waiting for his wife. The women of the shelter eat breakfast together so she did not come to breakfast in the comedor. The husband did not even touch his food. I thought he was going to cry. When his wife finally showed up to the comedor after breakfast it was like they had not seen eachother for years. He was almost crying he was so happy to see her... That has got to be love.


My back made it into the city paper. Aldo, a fellow volunteer did an interview about the comedor. A cameraman and reporter came in. I was walking past a service for teh migratns when a fella who has spent a couple days in the comedor ran up to me with the paper. "Anew! Anew! (Andrew is a very tough name to say) Your back is famous!" is what he told me.

For my moms birthday, instead of asking for gifts, she asked for indgredients to make bag lunches for a soup kitchen in Boston. Her and her friends got together the other night and made some incredible lunches to be past out to the soup kitchen. Awesome Awesome stuff. My parents are coming to visit Nogales in 2 days. I am really looking forward to seeing them!

New Kino Border Initiative Blog:
http://www.kinoborder.blogspot.com/

9th Edition:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/57858792/UPC-1018

This is the life of a migrant... Many arrive, others no, but while borders and poverty exist there will always be people looking to find a better quality of life. While still others decided to spend their lives intimidating and robbing those very people trying to escape poverty of not only their money, but their dreams. However, there many more here to help like the Kino Border Initiative and No More Deaths. They offer more than food. They offer hope...

Bean Coffee

This is Yerlin and Sergio. They both arrived to Nogales about two weeks ago. They are from Honduras. Remember Sergio? Yerlin left half a week ago and Sergio left yesterday. I accompanied Sergio to immigration because he was looking to get a bus ticket back to Honduras. It is almost impossible for a Mexican citizen to get service at the immigration office. And it is impossible for a Honduran to get any sort of attention. So I went there to throw my gringo weight around and after thirty minutes of being denied service and being told to move to the next window and the next... We finally spoke with a fella who agreed to pay for the majority of Sergio's ticket home.

The Samaratins from Arizona came once again with a boatload of shirts, toothpaste, belts, hats, you name it...

Hermana Rosealbe is one of my best friends here in Nogales. She reminds me so much of my Aunt Marie... Anyway, we have been having nightly English classes and she is making incredible progress. Those two cups are our alternative to coffee in the morning. Water from the boiling beans and diced to tomatoes. I love it and I guess it is a favorite from Rosealba's home in Colima, Mexico.

8th Edition:

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/57297251/upc-10-11

A couple of translations...

-The truth that I cannot be with my family is very sad...

-I left my home in Michoacan because my mother is sick and there I could not pay for her medication. -Emmanuel Jesus

-In all of my life I have never recieved help as beautiful as the help I have recieved at the Kino Border Initiative. The people are very friendly and make me smile. Thank you for the help. You are all very special and I will never forget this place. -Jessie Perez

-I left my home in Honduras to help my family because we are in need and are poor. Thank you Kino Border Initiative for opening your doors to help me when I needed it most. -Yerlin Acosta