Written by Gabi El-Massri (Border Trip 2023)
Morning at Keystone Heritage Park: El Paso Botanical Garden
Around 9 am, the group departed to venture around a local botanical garden that used to be a part of the Rio Grande River but has dried out due to land development. Scattered around the area were placards explaining the history of El Paso, trails weaving through indigenous vegetation, and intricate artwork. As we ventured, many raced to avoid the colonies of spiders rooted in the trees cluttering the trail. A few of us ventured up a rocky hill to capture a glimpse at the terrain, where the border wall was visible.
Presentation on Catholic Social Teachings by Father Rafael Garcia, pastor of Sacred Heart and director of the Encuentro Project
In this talk, we were introduced to the theology guiding Sacred Heart in their support of immigrants. So much of the world’s population lives on less than $1.25 a day. Scripture calls for Catholics to assist. A majority of the population Sacred Heart is currently serving are from Venezuela, a country plagued with a leftist dictatorship and unending persecution of its citizens. Catholicism preaches careful reflection on the complex realities of human existence, aims to interpret these realities, determines their conformity with or divergence from the lines of the gospel teaching on man and his vocation. They aim to accurately see the issue by praying, analyzing, comparing, and acting. They wholeheartedly believe that faith without action is meaningless. Four principles guide their assistance: human dignity, promoting the common good, subsidiarily helping those most affected, and solidarity for those suffering. Humans deserve to pursue opportunities in their homeland but also deserve to pursue them in foreign countries if opportunity is unattainable domestically. They see that while sovereign nations have a right to protect their land, fully developed and wealthy countries have a responsibility to accommodate immigration flows due to the opportunity they provide. They recommend a five part plan of outreach to migrant and asylum seeking persons: learning all you can about the situation, find out who is already providing assistance, attempting to connect your community with those providing help, prayerfully discerning a plan of action, and possibly joining the Jesuit Refugee Services. We were also informed that the Department of Homeland Security was in the area, offering to process and parole immigrants today and tomorrow but alerting them that if they did not come peacefully in the next two days they would be detained and deported following the lifting of Title 42. This has led to hundreds of immigrants vacating the surrounding properties out of fear of deportation. It is important to note that law enforcement traditionally affords shelters and churches sanctuary status, shielding migrants who are inside.
Next, we ventured to Elfugon, a local Mexican restaurant. Again, we blindly navigated a fully Spanish menu using our in person google translators. If I were Rosa, Evely, or Nicole I would be exhausted with our neediness. Again, dishes were mistaken for others but regardless we relished the authentic Mexican cuisine. I do not know how I will ever eat Chipotle again after experiencing the real deal and Tres Leches cake will never be the same.
Serving in the Shelter at Sacred Heart
On the walk leading up to the location, it was apparent how many immigrants had fled the area due to the aforementioned law enforcement threats and presence. Dozens of news crews surrounded the church, documenting the effects of Title 42’s removal at the hub of El Paso migration. We entered the shelter space, a converted gym. As we took in the sight, families stared at us with hopeful eyes glazed with apprehension- rooted by the actions of “well meaning Americans.” As I had to use the little girl’s room, my jaw dropped as I saw the abysmal conditions of the bathroom. This is to no fault of Sacred Heart, rather the impact of hundreds of women and children using one shower and three toilets. My heart broke for the first but not the last time. Pensively, the group awaited further instruction. Finally, three groups emerged: one following Diana and Mary into the kitchen to start preparing dinner, one attempting to make sense of the chaotic clothing room, and the other starting to play with the children. A dinner of hotdogs, authentic Venezuelan slaw, and beans slowly started to form. The clothing room gained infrastructure as migrants started to replace their tattered travel wear. Laughter filled the gym as students played duck duck goose, catch, soccer, and a game of my own invention Zombi (1. there is no e in Spanish and 2. consisted of us “dying” by either toy dinosaur or zombie, performing chest compressions, and chasing each other). Before we knew it, these children were our best friends. Appreciative mothers relished in the relief of childcare by resting and watching us interact. Even those of us who know little Spanish were able to connect and communicate. I even picked up a few new terms and phrases by asking “como se dice” to just about everything. We then served dinner, both to those inside of the shelter and those on the streets. Play resumed once the meal time was over. As we exited, overwhelming feelings overtook the group: gratitude and a desire to return earlier than we are scheduled to.
Leaving the Shelter
Outside, dozens of people peacefully and nearly silently gathered to protest the inhumane treatment of immigrants. They carried black crosses and signs, with candles of the Virgin Mary ablaze. Two students took the opportunity to interview protestors, as local news filmed it as well.
To conclude the night, we shoved once more into the van and headed to Whataburger. We ended the night traveling up to an overlook and holding a group devotion where we all reflected on what we had encountered. From a bird’s eye view, the sister cities of Juarez and El Paso are seamless.
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