“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Who am I but the dust of the Most High; drifting like a leaf in the summer sky; hoping one day you will see; that what’s inside of you is what’s inside of me?” -Trevor Hall About a week ago, I was walking down Central Avenue and found myself passing many people struggling with homelessness who were hanging out near the bus stops next to this highway. I suddenly became intensely aware of the expensive laptop in my bag and this looming fear of being robbed crept up within me. I then walked faster and farther away from these people, trying to keep my head down, not to make eye contact. While these grim thoughts fought for recognition, I heard this little voice inside of me (I know we are all well aware of this voice), which kept saying “this isn’t right, Beth. Why do you keep running away from your shared humanity? Do you care more about the material things you carry, rather than confronting these egotistical thoughts of assumed hierarchy which separate you from them?” I then slowed my pace, took a deep breath, and witnessed the limiting lenses of my clouded perceptions dissolve into Earth. As I let go of my attachments with the laptop, the true essence of my identity once again became visible through the many faces surrounding me. As Nobel Peace Prize winner, Priest, and Theologian Desmund Tutu explains, “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together”. Continuing on my walk with gratitude, I watched as Holy Spirit stood by, offering a genuine smile and wave. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you. You can read more from Bethany here.
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The chimes of my alarms awake me at 6:30 AM, but I don’t rise until 7:00 AM when Bethany pops her head in my room to make sure I’m awake. I throw on gym clothes and then head downstairs to grab a cup of coffee before we head to the gym. Working out has been one of our favorite ways of self care as Bethany and I have been training for a 5K and hope to run a half-marathon before our time in Albuquerque comes to a close. The kitchen is one of my favorite places as it is our morning meeting place before the five of us scatter our separate ways. It is a place of sanctuary and time to connect and offer support before facing some of the tough realities of the world. Our community has become more like a family through sharing of food, emotional support, and friendship. In the early morning, we also cross paths with the other volunteers who live in our building, Teacher’s Hall, on Menaul school’s campus. Volunteers in Mission (VIMs) are retirees who have committed to serving at different organizations for a period of six months. There are six VIMs living in Teacher’s Hall, and their presence has provided a great opportunity to create a multi-generation community in addition to our YAV community. After the gym, I drop Bethany off at work and then head home before I myself need to go to work.
While three of the YAVs work a typical 9 to 5 schedule, Claire and I both work afternoon and evenings. During my free time in the morning before work I have been trying to study to re-take Medical College Admissions Test or do chores such as laundry, cleaning, or grocery shopping. Claire and I will eat lunch together around noon in the great room of Teacher’s Hall before heading our separate ways to work. I had been biking to work since my work site is less than a block away but with the cold weather, busy road and darkness of night when I leave, I find it safer to drive. To get onto the Albuquerque Opportunity Center (AOC) campus I punch in the familiar gate code, grab my walkie-talkie to communicate with other staff throughout the evening, and head to my office in one of the back buildings. The first thing I do is check the bed reservation report—a list of who is staying in each of the 103 beds at the shelter, how long they have been there, when they are due to exit, and any urgent notices taken by other staff members regarding each resident. I go through the list and highlight my clients, making a list of who needs to be seen and topics for discussion. I often find new residents I need to meet with or mysterious disappearances of clients I thought I had just begun making progress with. Each week I make a schedule of appointments so that I can meet with each of my clients at least once per week. Each day I make appointment reminder notes for those who are scheduled and place them on their beds. Residents are allowed to enter the shelter’s campus at 5:00 PM, so I meet with clients between 5:00 and 9:00 PM. Typically I have between 15 and 20 clients that I am working with and try to meet with each once per week. After reviewing my schedule for the evening, I review each client’s Individualized Development Plan. Upon entering the AOC, an extensive interview, also called a Personal Needs Assessment (PNA), is conducted with each resident. The purpose of the PNA is to determine the needs of each individual in order to create an Individualized Development plan to address each of those needs. In addition to asking the client about their healthcare, health status, income, education, and more, I also incorporate their own desires and goals through a goal setting worksheet–what is it that they want to accomplish during their time at the AOC? After I have all of this information, I create a general outlined plan with the obstacles and solutions that will hopefully help them exit homelessness. Before each appointment, I look at their plan and my notes from last appointment to remind myself of what sorts of things we had agreed they should work on this week and if there were any resources I should prepare before their appointment. The bulk of my afternoon is spent planning for these appointment—calling different service organizations, printing out information packets or apartment listings, and thinking about the best way to broach difficult subjects such as anger issues, substance use disorders, mental health issues, and past felonies with my clients. In the evening I meet with clients, check in on their progress, and write down what we discussed in their chart. At 9:00 PM I head home and try to wind down and get some sleep before the next day of work. Click here to read more from Audrey! Written Monday, Feb. 5, 2017 // Escrito el lunes 5 de feb.
I’ve been searching for the words and motivation and energy to look inward and write something meaningful to share with you. But in reality, throughout this search for motivation, I’ve been feeling rather weak lately. // He estado buscando las palabras y la motivación y la energía de mirar hacia adentro en mi interior y escribir algo significativo para compartir con ustedes. Pero en realidad, a través de esta búsqueda de motivación, recientemente me sentía bastante débil. \\ This morning (Monday), Pastor Chad via ZOE Church podcast shared some motivation I needed to hear from yesterday’s sermon – “It Could Happen Today”. // Esta mañana (el lunes), el Pastor Chad de la iglesia ZOE compartió una motivación que necesité escuchar en el sermón de ayer: “Podría pasar hoy”. \\ Well, what happened today? // ¿Pues, que pasó hoy? Today, was our first community day of the month, which is guided by our supervisor Luke. However unfortunately, I wasn’t able to be very present. I wallowed in frustration and tears of being so tired of feeling sick and not being able to give 100% of my energy to my community and work placement. I returned to the urgent care clinic for the second time in about 2 and half weeks, with a few good and almost-recovered days in between until new symptoms of a likely sinus infection quickly arose over the weekend. // Hoy fue nuestro primer día de la comunidad del mes, que está guiado de nuestro supervisor Luke. Sin embargo y desafortunadamente, no pude estar muy presente. Me sumía en la frustración y lágrimas de estar tan cansada de sentirme mal y no poder dar el 100% de mi energía a mi comunidad y mi lujar de servicio. Volví a la clínica de atención urgente por la segunda vez en aproximadamente 2 y media semanas, con algunos días buenos y casi recuperada en medio, hasta que los nuevos síntomas de una posible infección sinusal llegó durante el fin de semana. \\ Post-Dr. visit, we all gathered to brainstorm some reflection ideas as us YAV’s have been given the opportunity to speak during the sermon next Sunday at the local Second Presbyterian Church. Upon reading Mark 9:2-9 about the transfiguration on the mountain top, we searched ourselves for our own moments of transformation, either within oneself or something we’ve witnessed outside of ourselves, like within our new communities. // Después de la visita de la clínica, todas nos juntamos para compartir algunas ideas de reflexión porque nosotras YAV’s tenemos la oportunidad de hablar y presentarnos en el sermón el próximo domingo en la Segunda Iglesia Presbiteriana. Después de leer Marcos 9:2-9, sobre la transfiguración en la cima de la montaña, buscaamos nuestras propias momentos de tranformación, dentro de una misma o algo que hemos presenciado fuera de nosotras mismas, como dentro de nuestras comunidades nuevas. My fuzzy and congested-minded self was really struggling to look farther beyond the past month of being back here in Albuquerque, trying to find moments of transformation year-wide, when I felt lack of transformational-movement in those recurring, but yet spirit-filled (and yet very unfulfilled) resolutions, hopes and goals of this New Year. // Mi mente borroso y llena de congestión estaba luchando por mirar más allá del último mes de estar aquí en Albuquerque, desde regresé. Estaba tratando de encontrar los momentos de transformación durante todo el año, cuando en realidad yo sentí la falta del movimiento transformacional entre mis resoluciones del Año Nuevo, algunos que están repitiendo, pero aún llenos de espíritu (y aún todavía vacios y no cumplidos) de mis resoluciones, esperanzas y metas del año. \\ The words of Pastor Chad, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. That is true for my life and yours – our spirit wants to do this, but our flesh is lulled to sleep…” (and while being sick, I assure you, I’ve been very lulled to sleep a lot lately… // Las palabras de Pastor Chad, “El espíritu está dispuesto, pero la carne está débil. Eso es cierto para mi vida y la tuya – nuestro espíritu quiere hacer esto, pero nuestra carne está arrullada para dormir…” (and durante el tiempo que he estado enferma, te lo aseguro que he sentido el llamado de dormir mucho últimamente… \\ But I’ve been searching myself for motivation and energy, despite this time of waiting and being in an extended delay to recover – Pastor Chad prompts this question: ‘How to combat the dull of delay, falling asleep, or feeling bored… How to instead be comforted, convicted, lead and guided – and AWAKE on this earth – to not get dulled in the delay?’ // Pero estaba buscando yo misma la motivación y la energía, a pesar de este tiempo de espera y de estar en un retraso prolongado para recuperarme – El Pastor Chad me lleva esta pregunta: ‘¿Cómo combatir el aburrimiento de la demora, quedarse dormido o sentirse aburrido… ¿cómo ser consolado, convencido, y guiado – y DESPIERTO en esta tierra – para no embotarse en el retraso? \\ Three of Pastor Chad’s seven points caught my attention in how to handle delays: // Tres de los sieta puntos del Pastor Chad que me llamaron la atención en como aguantar los retrasos: \\ {Rejoice Always // Regocijarse siempre} This morning in my wallowing, it felt as if I was failing to see the bright-side, the God-sent moments, and the people rejoicing alongside me through their comforting hugs. Not only do I have plenty of things to rejoice in, I’m especially joyful in the moments of compassion that filled the rest of my day – like the kindness and timeliness of the doctor, the arms of Ann and my fellow housemates, the words from family, and the phone call from my boss and pastor Guillermo, as he reached me to see how I was doing, in perfect timing before I had the opportunity to reach out to him. // Esta mañana, mientras me sumía en como sentía, lo sentió así que no fuera capaz de ver el lado positivo, los momentos enviado de Dios, y la gente que se regocijó a mi lado a través de sus abrazos reconfortantes. No solo tengo muchas cosas para alegrarme, sino que estoy especialmente feliz en los momentos de compasión que llenaron el resto del día, como la bondad y la puntualidad del médica, los brazos y abrazos de Ann y mis compañeras de casa, las palabras de mi familia, y la llamada de mi jefe y pastor Guillermo, cuando me llamó para ver cómo yo estaba, en el momento perfecto antes de que tuve la oportunidad de comunicarme con él. \\ {Pray without Ceasing // Orar sin cesar} This phone call ended with a strong prayer for rest, healing, and recovery, which I felt deeply in my soul, and prayed that my body will decide to listen too! And by evening, I smiled at the seemingly simple text of “Thinking of you and praying for you!” from Ms. Gini, which represented something so much more – I can’t help but feel that sometimes the portion of praying ‘without ceasing’ amidst handling delays, is sometimes best felt and heard when you know without a doubt that others are interceding on your behalf, when sometimes you’re still searching for motivation… // Esta llamada terminó con una oración fuerte por el descanso, la curación, y la recuperación, que sentí profundamente en mi alma, y oré que mi cuerpo decidirá escuchar también! Y por la noche, sonreí al texto simple que dice “Pensando en ti y orando por ti!” de la Rev. Gini, que representaba mucho más – No puedo evitar sentir que a veces la parte de orar ‘sin cesar’ en medio de aguantar los retrasos, es que a veces se siente y escucha lo mejor cuando sabe sin duda que otros están intercediendo en tu nombre, cuando a veces solo está buscando la motivación… \\ {In everything, Give thanks! You cannot get prepared for the thing God has for you with a complaining spirit… I THANK YOU FOR ‘BEING UNDER CONSTRUCTION! // En todo, da gracias! No puede prepararse para lo que Dios tiene para usted con un espíritu quejoso… DOY GRACIAS POR ‘ESTAR EN CONSTRUCCIÓN!} I want this point to speak for it’s self… It’s been crappy feeling bad, but I don’t want to do it with a complaining spirit, and I truly am grateful for each person and God-sent along the way! // Quiero que este punto hable por sí mismo… Ha sido horrible sentirme mal, pero no quiero hacerlo con un espíritu quejoso, and realmente estoy agradecida por cada persona y cosa enviado de Dios en este camino. \\ And I look forward to sharing my own reflection on Mark 9:2-9, after service next week, because while today’s brainstorm session was challenging – I AM CONFIDENT I can see beyond this month and into those moments of transformation I’ve felt during the past half-year of service! // Estoy emocionada de compartir mi propia reflexión sobre Marcus 9:2-9 y mi experiencia, después del servicio la próxima semana, porque a pesar de hoy fue desafiante – ESTOY SEGURA que puedo ver más allá de este mes y en los momentos de transformación que he sentido durante el último medio año de servicio. \\ Prayers appreciated, as always! // Estaré agradecida por las oraciones, como siempre! Claire Click here to read more from Claire. Intentional community is one of the core tenants of the YAV program. During the first week of orientation, we were given this description for what it might look like and what it might mean to live intentionally with the other YAVs at our sites:
YAVs explore what it means to be a Christian community with one another and their neighbors. While some will live in housing together and others spread throughout their country, all YAVs will reflect together on their service and explore their relationship with God, the church, and their ministry in a broken world. On November 3rd, we started our week-long border delegation to Tucson, Arizona and Agua Prieta, México to learn about the realities of broken and oppressive systems in the shadow of the physical border than exists between the United States and Mexico. On the first night of the trip, the ABQ YAVs stayed at an intentional community called Sitting Tree in Tucson, Arizona. Co-founded by Rick Ufford-Chase, one of the orientation leaders that led our bible studies at Stony Point in August, Sitting Tree is an intentional community made up of a diverse population of families that have committed to living, struggling, and sharing together. While each family has their own living space or apartment, the community as a whole shares a meal each week and meets twice a month to coordinate issues that come up regarding common spaces, budgeting, etc… as they live in such close proximity. I continue to be amazed at the incredible love, awareness, and sense of solidarity that I felt during our one night stay with these families. Below is a reflection that I wrote surrounding these feelings while the families were getting ready to share a meal together: Sitting at the picnic table that overlooks the common yard at Sitting Tree, I feel like this place is the intersection of so many places I’ve been and of so many people I’ve met. Maybe it’s not where I’m supposed to be next or what I’m supposed to do next, but who I’m supposed to meet and love and learn from next. That makes the most sense of anything to me. Strung up lights, reverse osmosis water, line-dried clothes, the smell of community dinner on the stove. It’s humble, but enough. It’s a little chaotic, but restful and at peace. I sit in this place and I jump back and forth in my mind to the conversations and places and people who have ultimately led me here – right here. I think about organic hospitality and the conversations I had with Chuck Bailey and Craig Cera at Wednesday night bible study. Pienso en Don Juan y nuestras conversaciones sobre las maneras que vemos a Dios y el temor que la gente tiene para el uno del otro. I think about cul-de-sacs and the ways in which Rick Ufford-Chase challenged my perspectives. Pienso en Doña Marta y el descubrimiento del tigre del hambre y de la humildad. I think about the sense of strength and resilience and joy that I felt during the “Thanksgiving dinner” that I ate with my family in August before I left for this year of transformation. I don’t know much about this space or much about the people who live here, but I know that it is a sacred space. And that God is very close here. I thank God for the intentional community that I have here in Albuquerque, New Mexico this year. For a community with whom I can sit and grieve and figure out my privilege and my complacency and my hopes for this world. To quote Tucson YAV Leah Bishop, “It is so life-giving to be surrounded by people who are willing to and want to challenge white supremacy and all the related systems.” I hope and pray that I will seek out people, instead of places or jobs, who I can learn and love and grow from next. Read more from Taylor on her blog. Estamos buscando a… // We’re looking for… *Title and the two bolded quotes in the intro are credited to Paul Turounet, and his photographic representation of the migrants journey (read more at end of post). We were able to see a large-scale version of his art and installation, while in Tucson, AZ. I entered the Southside Presbyterian Church, known by many as the birthplace of the Sanctuary Movement (read more about the movement that opposes the deportation of immigrants), to hear from Pastor Alison, which left me with the question, “How does my faith ask me to take risks?” // Yo entré en Southside (la Iglesia Presbiteriana), conocido como el lugar de origen o cuna del Movimiento de Santuario (lea más del movimiento que se opone a la deportación de inmigrantes), para escuchar al Pastor Alison, que me dejó la pregunta: ¿Cómo mi fe me pide que tomar riesgo? \\ The next six days of the joint YAV Border Delegation of Albuquerque, Tucson, and Austin sites gathering in the borderlands of Arizona-Mexico were ‘a quest for a greater understanding‘… 1) Of the journey and life of those of migrate here to the United States; 2) Of the systemic flaws and lack of injustice; 3) Of how my call and heart for the Latino community plays a larger role in my vocational discernment. // Los siguientes seis días de la Delegación de la Frontera de los sitios de YAV de Albuquerque, Tucson, y Austin donde nos reunimos en las tierras fronterizas de Arizona-México fueron “una búsqueda por un mejor entendimiento”… 1) De la jornada y vida de aquellos que emigraron aquí a los Estados Unidos; 2) De los defectos sistémicos y la falta de injusticia; 3) De como mi llamada y corazón para la comunidad latina hace el papel y rol más importante en mi discernimiento vocacional. \\ Realizing that ‘we are all migrants in search of something profound and meaningful to our being‘… I entered with expectations and hopes, accompanied with the fears and questions. I expected to have my eyes and heart opened, and even broken, I hoped to see togetherness and unity of community, despite being in the land of borders, and I feared not knowing where to go after encountering everything I was about to witness and take in. // A través de darme cuenta de que “todos somos migrantes en la búsqueda por algo profundo y significativo para nuestra ser”… Yo entré con expectativas y esperanzas, acompañado con los miedos y las preguntas. Esperaba tener mis ojos y mi corazón abierto, e incluso roto, tenía la esperanza de verla unión y unidad de una comunidad, a pesar de estar en la tierra de las fronterizas, y temía que no yo sabría a donde ir después de encontrar todo lo que estaba a punto de presenciar. \\ I carried with me the hearts, personal stories and struggles of the people who’ve first-hand experienced the pains and joys of moving to the United States from Mexico, and every wall thereafter that they’ve faced… The people that I love and care greatly for, like my best friend and her family… My second family. // Yo llevaba conmigo los corazones, las historias personales, y las luchas de las personas que han experimentado de primera mano los dolores y las alegrías de mudarse a los Estados Unidos de México, y cada muro que han afrontado en el tiempo después. Las personas que amo y me importa mucho, como mi mejor amiga y su familia… Mi segunda familia. \\ “Soy culpable” We sat quietly in the back of the Tucson Federal Courts to observe Operation Streamline – Please read A Day in the “Assembly Line” Court that Prosecutes 70 Border Crossers in 2 Hours for an appropriate play-by-play of the process. // Nos sentamos en silencio en la parte de atrás de los Tribunales Federales de Tucson para observar la Operación Streamline.- Adjunto es un articulo que describe el proceso, se llama “Un día en el Tribunal de la “Línea de Ensamble” que procesa a 70 personas que cruzan la frontera en 2 horas”. \\ We witnessed this form of mass sentencing and deportation of young men and women, until nearly 70 passed before the judge, waived the rights, saying “soy culpable”, I sat there trying to comprehend how this is our justice system, when sure, yes, they’re guilty of entering as ‘undocumented’ and guilty of being caught. But in reality…. ‘Son culpables’ // They’re guilty of seeking refuge from their home-countries, guilty of seeking better opportunities, guilty of wanting a better future for themselves and their families, guilty of actually making it successfully across the border and through the desert, guilty of defying the ‘Prevention through Deterrence‘ strategy, which uses the desert as a death weapon and leaves immigrants guilty of surviving. ‘Soy culpable’ // And I’m guilty of having no idea that something like this even existed. // Fuimos testigos de esta forma de sentencia masiva y deportación de hombres y mujeres jóvenes, hasta que casi 70 pasaron enfrente del juez, retiraron sus derechos, diciendo que “soy culpable”, y yo me senté allí tratando de comprender cómo esta es nuestra sistema de justicia, cuando sí, obvio que son culpables de entrar como ‘indocumentados’ y son culpables de ser atrapados. Pero en realidad… Son culpables de buscar refugio de sus países de origen, culpables de buscar mejores oportunidades, culpables de querer un futuro mejor para ellos mismos y sus familias, culpables de haber logrados cuando cruzaron la frontera y atravesaron el desierto, culpables de desafiar la estrategia del gobierno “Prevención a través de la Disuasión”, que utiliza el desierto como arma de muerte y deja a los inmigrantes culpables de sobrevivir. Y yo soy culpable de no tener ni idea que algo como esto haya existido. \\ We arrived in Douglas, AZ and were hosted by Frontera de Cristo, a bi-national ministry that serves, educates, and shares immersion experiences to help individuals and groups have a greater understanding of the border realities, migration and what the world of borders represents. After being dropped off at the nearest stop sign at the AZ-Mexico border, we walked across the border into Mexico, walked around the block and back into the United States, challenging us to observe that process – to read “Bienvenidos a Agua Prieta” and a sign which spoke about their country’s doors always being opened to welcome you, and to hear the US Border and Customs Agents say “Wow, real passports” as my group of predominately white US citizens re-entered the States, to watch the young children in school uniforms pass by, coming from school in the US and entering home into Mexico, to feel a community that lives, works, and plays on both sides everyday, to be divided by a wall as their rush-hour traffic, and to plainly see and realize just how privileged we are and how easily we’re welcomed into another country and what few questions we were asked as we returned. // Llegamos en Douglas, AZ y fuimos recibidos por Frontera de Cristo, un ministerio binacional que sirve, educa y comparte las experiencias inmersiones para ayudar a los individuos y grupos para tener una entendimiento más profundo de las realidades de la frontera, la migración y que representa el mundo de las fronteras. Despues de dejarnos en la ultima señal de pare, la mas cercana de la frontera de Agua Prieta (AZ-Mexico), cruzamos a pies la frontera, caminamos alrededor de la cuadra y regresamos a los Estados Unidos, desafiándonos a observar el proceso – Para leer “Bienvenidos a Agua Prieta” y un letrero que hablaba de las puertas abiertas de su país que están siempre abiertas para darle la bienvenida, y para escuchar a los agentes de aduana de los Estados Unidos dijeron, “Guau, pasaportes reales” mientras mi grupo de predominantemente estadounidenses blancos reingresábamos a los Estados Unidos, para observar a los jóvenes y niños en uniformes de la escuela pasan, como vienen de la escuela de EEUU y entran a Mexico, para sentir una comunidad que vive, trabaja, y juega en ambos lados cada día, para ser divida por muro que representa su forma de trafico de hora punta, y para darme cuenta como privilegiados somos y como tan fácil nos daban la bienvenida en otro país y las pocas preguntas que nos pidieron cuando volvimos. \\ We drove and walked along the United States side of the border wall for a 6-mile-stretch. With Border Patrol at my backside on an overlooking hill watching us, my face in between the bars of the wall, watching the sunset off in the Mexico horizon, I cried, as our liaison spoke about his journey accepting this wall – our wall – not only as a barrier, but as a place of encounter. Explaining the pain and anger he once felt at the people in green and the policies that choose death as a deterrence, and the love he deeply feels for the community and people on the other side, he reminded us that this wall is built for me and by me… Urging us to take a moment holding OUR wall… The wall built for my benefit and my protection, and by my government, supported by the Border Patrol and policies that our taxes pay. // Nosotros manejábamos y caminábamos a lado del muro en los Estados Unidos por 6 millas. Con la migra atrás de mi mientras nos miraba; mi rostro estaba entre los barrotes de la pared, mirando al atardecer en la distancia de México, y yo lloré, mientras nuestro guía hablaba sobre tu jornada de aceptar este muro… nuestro muro, no solo como una barrera, pero como un lugar de encuentro. Él explicaba el dolor y la rabia que sentía en contra la gente en ropa verde y las leyes que estaban escogidos por la muerte como una disuasión, y también el amor profundo que siente por la comunidad y la gente del otro lado. Él nos recordó que este muro está construido para mí y por mi… nos impulsaba a tomar un momento abrazando NUESTRO muro… El muro construido para mi beneficio y mi protección, y por mi gobierno, apoyado por la migra que trabaja por mi gobierno y quienes están pagado con nuestros impuestos. \\ 14 “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his fleshthe law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one . 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” – Ephesians 2:14-20 14 Porque Cristo es nuestra paz: de los dos pueblos ha hecho uno solo, derribando mediante su sacrificio[a] el muro de enemistad que nos separaba, 15 pues anuló la ley con sus mandamientos y requisitos. Esto lo hizo para crear en sí mismo de los dos pueblos una nueva humanidad al hacer la paz, 16 para reconciliar con Dios a ambos en un solo cuerpo mediante la cruz, por la que dio muerte a la enemistad. 17 Él vino y proclamó paz a ustedes que estaban lejos y paz a los que estaban cerca. 18 Pues por medio de él tenemos acceso al Padre por un mismo Espíritu. 19 Por lo tanto, ustedes ya no son extraños ni extranjeros, sino conciudadanos de los santos y miembros de la familia de Dios, 20 edificados sobre el fundamento de los apóstoles y los profetas, siendo Cristo Jesús mismo la piedra angular.” – Efesios 2:14-20 I’m still pondering the question of how my faith is asking me to take risks, but I’ve re-worded to question to “How does my faith ask me to be ‘at risk’?” after hearing insight from Pastor John Fife and how he shared that being ‘at risk’ asks you to risk your privilege in order to stand with and in support of the communities facing injustice. Because in reality, it’s not about me taking risks, it’s about those how need us to understand what it feels like to be ‘at risk’. “To read the Bible is to encounter immigration. To read the Bible is to encounter the God who journeys with people—in scarcity and abundance; from death to new life. To read the Bible is to encounter the God who crosses borders. Jesus enters our human world, loving us, walking with us. When we recognize the God whose love crosses borders, we recognize the dignity of every human being. My prayer is that we don’t think of the people on the border as objects or victims, but fellow citizens in the Reign of God.” (God Across Borders) “Para leer la Biblia es encontrar la inmigración. Para leer la Biblia es encontrar al Dios quien viaja con la gente en la falta y la abundancia, desde la muerte a la vida nueva. Para leer la Biblia es encontrar al Dios que cruza las fronteras. Jesús entra en nuestro mundo humano, amándonos, caminando con nosotros. Cuando reconocemos al Dios y su amor que cruza las fronteras, reconocemos la dignidad de cada ser humano. Mi oración es que no pensemos en las personas en la frontera como objetos o víctimas, sino como ciudadanos en el Reino de Dios “. There’s still so much that we experienced, that I haven’t even touched on… Stay posted for Part 2. Here are some other photos from our Border Delegation. “Solo, buscando lo escencial… Es que podremos encontrarnos.” // “Only searching for the essential… So we can find ourselves” *“Estamos Buscando A” (“We’re Looking For”) is an account of the human cost of the various impediments — walls, fences and natural features — along the Mexico-United States border… Turounet’s little book shows things largely from the Mexican side, mostly in Sonora, which borders Arizona. It features a number of portraits of migrants or would-be migrants and written accounts of what the photographer himself saw over many years of studying their crossings. The book, with text in Spanish and English, is ingeniously put together in the form of a guidebook, the kind of thing an NGO or government might issue to people thinking of walking across. The text warns them not to do it, counseling them, instead, to seek legal means of entry. But, wise to human obstinacy and desperation, it also offers them advice on how to proceed if they must, whom to avoid, how to prevent heat stroke and so on. Alongside Turounet’s photographs are a number of illustrations by Tim Schafer. It all makes for an unforgettable act of witness in a compact package. You can read more from Claire here
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