College of Bishops takes part in immersion experience along US Mexico Boarder
During the last week of July, 2007, we the College of Bishops of the Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church gathered along the Arizona and Sonora, Mexico border. We traveled to this area to immerse ourselves in the experience of the immigrant journeying from the South into the U.S. What we saw was both disturbing and hopeful.
We walked in the 60 mile area between the southern border of Arizona and the city of Tucson, a beautiful yet unforgiving desert area where between January 1 through July 25 of this year 152 undocumented immigrants have died in their effort to come to the U.S. These deaths reflect a 16% increase in the deaths of undocumented immigrants in this desert in 2005 and a 25% increase for the same period in 2006. In spite of about 70 water stations that have been placed in the desert by Humane Borders an organization committed to saving lives in the desert and reforming U.S. immigration policy, men, women and children continue to die in the desert. While there are definitely drug runners and criminals who cross the border through the desert, the majority of those who travel this way are the poor who continue to risk possible death in order to live.
The undocumented immigrants who are entering the U.S. through our southern border are coming for very basic reasons. They are seeking work in order to feed, cloth, house their families and educate their children. Some among them are coming so that they can be reunited with family members who are already in the U.S.
Traveling to Altar we saw how immigration has impacted communities south of the border. Only a few years ago Altar was a small Mexican town of 1,500 inhabitants. Today it has a population closer to 16,000. This growth has been brought about by the movement of peoples to the border. Persons seeking to immigrate into the U.S. gather in Altar to await guides who will transport them to the border. Houses of hospitality have gone up in this community to provide lodging for these immigrants. For about $7 dollars a day an immigrant can receive a bed and a bit of food as they wait patiently for their guide.
The local Roman Catholic Church has demonstrated great compassion toward the immigrants who arrive daily in Altar. Located in the heart of the town’s central plaza, the immigrants literally arrive at the doorsteps of the church. It is estimated that during the months of January to May, the peak season for immigration, as many as 4,000 immigrants arrive in the plaza every day. The church has also built a house of hospitality for immigrants, but does not charge for its services. It considers serving the immigrants to be a fundamental part of the ministry that God calls them to be about. When we visited this church’s house of hospitality we were pleased to see the bundles of UMCOR blankets that we United Methodists have contributed to this ministry
One day we carried blankets across the border at the Nogales, Arizona border crossing. The blankets were for the humanitarian work being done at the border to assist undocumented immigrants who have been repatriated to Mexico after having been detained in the U.S. There we saw Mexican and U.S. volunteers collaborating in bringing much needed relief to immigrants, many of whom had spent as many as three to four days in the desert before being detained by the U.S. Border Patrol. One young immigrant was being attended to by two women who were treating his badly blistered feet. He looked exhausted, his skin showed the signs of severe sunburn and dehydration and he seemed to be in shock. When we asked him what he was going to do he said that he needed to call home but had no means to do so. We gathered round him and prayed for him assuring him that the volunteers caring for him would help him, and confirming what he himself expressed – that God was with him.
At another center that also serves repatriated immigrants who have been detained in the U.S. and returned to Mexico, we were able to see more immigrants. They were from all over Mexico and Central America. They were primarily young men between the ages of 13 and 22, but we also saw older men, women, and children. When we were taken to see the food pantry of this center we saw the typical food supplies of such a center; beans, rice, cookies and crackers. What surprised us was to see cases of baby food. When we asked if the center received many babies we were told that on the average 30 immigrant babies and toddlers arrived at the center every day. Our hearts broke as we realized that fragile, tender babies are also making the arduous trip across the desert.
During our immersion experience we were able to spend time with our sisters and brothers from the Methodist Church of Mexico. We joined them in worship at the Methodist Church of Magdalena, a Mexican town about a two hour drive south of the border. We worshipped together, shared a meal and then entered into conversation with Bishop Jaime Vasquez of the Methodist Church of Mexico and his two district superintendents. Our conversation was about how we can work together. National borders cannot separate us for we are together the people of God whose greatest allegiance is to the reign of God that stands sovereign above al nation states.
We left that table of fellowship and conversation having committed to work cooperatively and collaboratively in service to God’s people who live on both sides of the border. As United Methodists we committed to persevering in the work of comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. Our colleagues from the Methodist Church of Mexico pledged to share pastoral leaders with us to fill the growing need for leadership in our Hispanic/Latino churches.
Finally, we visited El Mesias United Methodist Church in Nogales, Arizona. They were celebrating their vacation bible school. The laughter and songs of children and young people filled the air just as surely as did the delicious aroma of tamales, menudo, rice and tortillas. We met the oldest living member of the church, a woman in her late 90s. She had come wanting to be part of this historic visit. Never had so many bishops visited her church, she said to us with obvious joy. We also met the newest member, a woman who had just joined the church but who was already serving at table. The newest member lives in Mexico while the oldest member is a native Arizonan.
El Mesias UMC is an international church with members from both sides of the border. It has been a faithful church from the time when there was no border to limit our Methodist work.
Today young people from Mexico lead El Mesias’ praise band. Many of the children of this church live and study in Mexico, but worship and are being discipled in Arizona. This congregation reminded us of the many Hispanic/Latino congregations in United Methodism all across the U.S. that are made up of immigrant children, young people, and families. They are congregations where the Spirit of God is experienced through the eyes of the immigrant experience, an experience not unlike that of the Christ Child who was taken to Egypt to protect his life that he might bless us all.
Through this both rich and disturbing life experience we were moved by the witness of immigrants; their love of family, their deep religious faith, and their trust in God who journeys with them. We were inspired by the many volunteers who are giving of their lives through ministries of care and compassion to our immigrant brothers and sisters. Immigrants and volunteers both gave us hope that if we confront this situation with courage and love we can bring resolution to a deadly and dehumanizing situation.
Our experience in the desert led us to write to Governor Janet Naplitano of the State of Arizona asking her to open up Arizona state land trusts so that volunteer organizations can place water stations in the desert and thus help save lives in the desert. We asked her to intervene in the deportation of women and children during the night, a time when they are most susceptible to assault and abuse. More importantly we implored her to be a moral voice in the immigration discussion.
We left the border convicted of the need to speak a prophetic and urgent call to The United Methodist Church to live its commitment to justice. Now more than ever The United Methodist Church needs to work for comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. that will bring justice, God’s own justice.
Written by Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño on behalf of the Western Jurisdiction of the College of Bishops of The United Methodist Church
During the last week of July, 2007, we the College of Bishops of the Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church gathered along the Arizona and Sonora, Mexico border. We traveled to this area to immerse ourselves in the experience of the immigrant journeying from the South into the U.S. What we saw was both disturbing and hopeful.We walked in the 60 mile area between the southern border of Arizona and the city of Tucson, a beautiful yet unforgiving desert area where between January 1 through July 25 of this year 152 undocumented immigrants have died in their effort to come to the U.S. These deaths reflect a 16% increase in the deaths of undocumented immigrants in this desert in 2005 and a 25% increase for the same period in 2006. In spite of about 70 water stations that have been placed in the desert by Humane Borders an organization committed to saving lives in the desert and reforming U.S. immigration policy, men, women and children continue to die in the desert. While there are definitely drug runners and criminals who cross the border through the desert, the majority of those who travel this way are the poor who continue to risk possible death in order to live.
The undocumented immigrants who are entering the U.S. through our southern border are coming for very basic reasons. They are seeking work in order to feed, cloth, house their families and educate their children. Some among them are coming so that they can be reunited with family members who are already in the U.S.
Traveling to Altar we saw how immigration has impacted communities south of the border. Only a few years ago Altar was a small Mexican town of 1,500 inhabitants. Today it has a population closer to 16,000. This growth has been brought about by the movement of peoples to the border. Persons seeking to immigrate into the U.S. gather in Altar to await guides who will transport them to the border. Houses of hospitality have gone up in this community to provide lodging for these immigrants. For about $7 dollars a day an immigrant can receive a bed and a bit of food as they wait patiently for their guide.
The local Roman Catholic Church has demonstrated great compassion toward the immigrants who arrive daily in Altar. Located in the heart of the town’s central plaza, the immigrants literally arrive at the doorsteps of the church. It is estimated that during the months of January to May, the peak season for immigration, as many as 4,000 immigrants arrive in the plaza every day. The church has also built a house of hospitality for immigrants, but does not charge for its services. It considers serving the immigrants to be a fundamental part of the ministry that God calls them to be about. When we visited this church’s house of hospitality we were pleased to see the bundles of UMCOR blankets that we United Methodists have contributed to this ministry
One day we carried blankets across the border at the Nogales, Arizona border crossing. The blankets were for the humanitarian work being done at the border to assist undocumented immigrants who have been repatriated to Mexico after having been detained in the U.S. There we saw Mexican and U.S. volunteers collaborating in bringing much needed relief to immigrants, many of whom had spent as many as three to four days in the desert before being detained by the U.S. Border Patrol. One young immigrant was being attended to by two women who were treating his badly blistered feet. He looked exhausted, his skin showed the signs of severe sunburn and dehydration and he seemed to be in shock. When we asked him what he was going to do he said that he needed to call home but had no means to do so. We gathered round him and prayed for him assuring him that the volunteers caring for him would help him, and confirming what he himself expressed – that God was with him.
At another center that also serves repatriated immigrants who have been detained in the U.S. and returned to Mexico, we were able to see more immigrants. They were from all over Mexico and Central America. They were primarily young men between the ages of 13 and 22, but we also saw older men, women, and children. When we were taken to see the food pantry of this center we saw the typical food supplies of such a center; beans, rice, cookies and crackers. What surprised us was to see cases of baby food. When we asked if the center received many babies we were told that on the average 30 immigrant babies and toddlers arrived at the center every day. Our hearts broke as we realized that fragile, tender babies are also making the arduous trip across the desert.
During our immersion experience we were able to spend time with our sisters and brothers from the Methodist Church of Mexico. We joined them in worship at the Methodist Church of Magdalena, a Mexican town about a two hour drive south of the border. We worshipped together, shared a meal and then entered into conversation with Bishop Jaime Vasquez of the Methodist Church of Mexico and his two district superintendents. Our conversation was about how we can work together. National borders cannot separate us for we are together the people of God whose greatest allegiance is to the reign of God that stands sovereign above al nation states.
We left that table of fellowship and conversation having committed to work cooperatively and collaboratively in service to God’s people who live on both sides of the border. As United Methodists we committed to persevering in the work of comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. Our colleagues from the Methodist Church of Mexico pledged to share pastoral leaders with us to fill the growing need for leadership in our Hispanic/Latino churches.
Finally, we visited El Mesias United Methodist Church in Nogales, Arizona. They were celebrating their vacation bible school. The laughter and songs of children and young people filled the air just as surely as did the delicious aroma of tamales, menudo, rice and tortillas. We met the oldest living member of the church, a woman in her late 90s. She had come wanting to be part of this historic visit. Never had so many bishops visited her church, she said to us with obvious joy. We also met the newest member, a woman who had just joined the church but who was already serving at table. The newest member lives in Mexico while the oldest member is a native Arizonan.
El Mesias UMC is an international church with members from both sides of the border. It has been a faithful church from the time when there was no border to limit our Methodist work.
Today young people from Mexico lead El Mesias’ praise band. Many of the children of this church live and study in Mexico, but worship and are being discipled in Arizona. This congregation reminded us of the many Hispanic/Latino congregations in United Methodism all across the U.S. that are made up of immigrant children, young people, and families. They are congregations where the Spirit of God is experienced through the eyes of the immigrant experience, an experience not unlike that of the Christ Child who was taken to Egypt to protect his life that he might bless us all.
Through this both rich and disturbing life experience we were moved by the witness of immigrants; their love of family, their deep religious faith, and their trust in God who journeys with them. We were inspired by the many volunteers who are giving of their lives through ministries of care and compassion to our immigrant brothers and sisters. Immigrants and volunteers both gave us hope that if we confront this situation with courage and love we can bring resolution to a deadly and dehumanizing situation.
Our experience in the desert led us to write to Governor Janet Naplitano of the State of Arizona asking her to open up Arizona state land trusts so that volunteer organizations can place water stations in the desert and thus help save lives in the desert. We asked her to intervene in the deportation of women and children during the night, a time when they are most susceptible to assault and abuse. More importantly we implored her to be a moral voice in the immigration discussion.
We left the border convicted of the need to speak a prophetic and urgent call to The United Methodist Church to live its commitment to justice. Now more than ever The United Methodist Church needs to work for comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. that will bring justice, God’s own justice.
Written by Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño on behalf of the Western Jurisdiction of the College of Bishops of The United Methodist Church
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