Wednesday, I had my 7th/8th grade Religion class in the church journaling. I was sitting in church looking out the big glass window in the sanctuary, where you can see the mountains- a beautiful view. All of a sudden I saw about five men in front of the window on the church lawn. They didn't look like men from the neighborhood and they were lurking around. I quickly put the 9th grader in charge of the class and went to make sure all the gates to the school property were locked. Then I went to the parish office to ask the secretary to help me.
They were undocumented men who crossed the border. We went to see if they needed food or water. When we got out to the lawn they were gone but a border patrol vehicle was speeding by church. Before we knew it we had about five border patrol vehicles all around us.
I took my class back to their room. They didn't say a word. About a half hour later I saw a border patrol in our parking lot. He told me it was safe for the students to come out for recess-they rounded all the men up.
I took the students out for recess and there were about six border patrol vehicles still lined up on the dirt road next to the playground and by the wash that is right behind the school. I was told that the undocumented often hide out in the wash and that our church used to be the pick-up point. My 7th grade girls then told me that they saw the men too from where they sat in church. They also told me about the time the undocumented were fed in the school cafeteria by the former pastor and then he hid them on the stage while the students came in for lunch. People protested this and as a result we have the gates around school.
I really pondered my first experience here with the undocumented and the border patrol today because that morning before school started I read on the internet that about 35 bodies were dumped in the busy street of Mexico City-work of the drug lords. With all the violence in their country they risk their lives trying to escape to the U.S. knowing that they might get "rounded up" by the border patrol or die in the desert or the mountains. What is the better life for them? If Jesus were on our church grounds on Wednesday what would He have done?
The fact that your parish's bulletin includes an invitation from the Social Justice Committee to take action on the realities and evils of slavery in today's world are impressive. Jesus is among you supporting the passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time with the US Border Laws. While we need to protect ourselves from criminals and drugs, in actuality most of the illegals crossing the border are just hard working men and women that are trying to find a better life cor themselves and their families. What if I was the main provider for my parents and children and I knew that if I could somehow get into the US, where I could increase my income from $10 a day to $50 a day? If I could get across the border, then I could send all that money home for my family to have a better life. What would I do? It doesn't seem very Christian to "round up the illegals and ship them home" when all they are trying to do is find a better life for themselves & their family. Don't all of us want the best for our children? What would Jesus do to solve this problem?
ReplyDelete