5/11/16

Today is the last day of our official Ubuntu Journey on the Border. The theme for this journey has been “A Walk in the Light-Journey with Us on the Border.” This was the perfect tag for this past week. This has been a journey for each of us. We each came to this Ubuntu with different expectations but with one similar goal to learn more about the Border issues and we did. We are going home to share what we have learned and hope others will follow our footsteps to come to the Border and learn as Joann said ... I know that many see the (along the Border as an) issue as simple – black and white but I now understand even more fully that it is far from simple and consists of many shades of gray.

We said good-bye to our Manos Juntas family with promises to return when we can.  Before we left, Iva shared her devotion with us. The basis of her thoughts were from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book “Life Together” and the verse from Luke 10:27: He answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor as yourself.” She shared that we are to thank “those who have touched our hearts” and “to help quietly and with love”. We as Ubuntu sisters are in a ministry of ‘sharing burdens”. I could not agree more with her assessment of our ministry of this past week.

The border crossing was uneventful. But we remembered those we met on our day at Sacred Heart Refugee/Immigration Respite Center and how difficult their crossing of the border was for them. We hope and pray their travels to their new homes are not as fraught with fear and danger as was the beginning of their journey. We wish them god-speed and safe travels.

Back at McAllen First, we met up with Susan. She fed us lunch and filled is in on the afternoon and evening plans.

Susan and Willie (Manos Juntas, Director) explained their roles with the Methodist Border Friendship Commission (MBFC). Prior to the creation of the Methodist Border Friendship Commission (MBFC), resources from the UMC (in the US) were not connected to the Methodist Church (in Mexico or US) or were not directed to priority of the needs of the Church. Many resources went to the areas where the needs were visible, or due to verbal requests made but not necessarily where identified needs existed as determined by the Church officials of the area-Bishops and District Superintendents from both sides of the border. As a result, MBFC was designed to coordinate, develop and organize resources to meet the needs of the UMC/Methodist Church and ministries along the US/Mexico border. 

 

Our first stop was to visit with Romana Casasa at ARISE-South Tower. This is a community based program which works with low income families to help them create a better future for themselves and to work to be contributing members of society.  ARISE provides educational programs for children and youth and adults. They engage their communities in civic participation. The goal is to encourage families that with an education the world is in their hands. To learn more about this ministry: www.arisesotex.org

Our last stop of the day was to the beautiful Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle. Famous the mosaic mural of Jesus introducing Mary. Crafted by two Italian artisans the mosaic is 45 feet high and 34 feet wide. The mural also depicts the Rio Grande Valley with Rio Bravo running through it. On the grounds of the Basilica are the fourteen stations of the cross. These life-size states are crafted in bronze and resin. The path where the stations are located is almost a mile long. People come from all over the world to walk the stations and see the Basilica.  We left the Basilica to have our last ‘official’ meal together and say good bye as we head back to our respective homes.

This has been quite a week, filled with laughter and tears. I would like to thank everyone we met for their love and caring of this very special group of women. With special thanks to Becky our fearless leader, for bringing us all together. We were each where we needed to be this week. Susan for her friendship and great organizational skills which made this journey so wonderful.  To our hosts across the border- Willie and Julian and the staff at Manos Juntas. Your faith and dedication to the ministry of Manos Juntas is truly inspirational. We all thank you for getting us to the sites for our visits-even if it did mean riding in an ambulance! The hospitality at Manos Juntas was extraordinary. We thank all of you who took such good care of us, our meals, and sleeping arrangements. We all agreed it was our home away from home.  To Alicia for her amazing knowledge of the UMW, her outgoing personality, faith and love of her God. May you always have a song in your heart. To Kathy for her steadfast faithfulness and care for all of us. Safe travels as you journey to Japan. To Mary who proves age is just a number, and a reminder to keep on keepin’ on! There is still work to be done. To Joann for her quiet faith and wisdom and picture taking par excellence!  To Kevin the best roomie ever. I am forever in your debt for your gift of friendship. To Iva for her grace and wisdom and for being our song leader. May we all take a page of her book on grace.  

This has truly been a Journey of lifetime for me. It has been an honor and delight to get to know these ladies who truly have become my sisters. We laughed and cried. We oohed and awed over beautiful babies. We were shocked and horrified at the terrible stories we heard about journeys to get to the border. And the lengths people will go for a new life. And we became family through this time together.

I have enjoyed sharing our time along the Border with you. Thank you for your faithful reading and caring of us while we have been away from home.

‘May the Lord bless and keep you,

May the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.

May the Lord life up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”