Elissa at Gloria's home..... a shrine for the Virgin of Guadalupe at Gloria's.......... Jake with some local kids
03 February, 2007
More Pictures
Elissa at Gloria's home..... a shrine for the Virgin of Guadalupe at Gloria's.......... Jake with some local kids
Here are some pictures of the trip so far (from Dagan)
The Group at Gloria's house with the flowers we made. The group at Borderlinks in Nogales.
Trip update, Saturday, February 3
We miss you all and think of you often.
The past few days have been profound and will take much more than an email to describe. What we have done up to this point has been to study the immigration issues.... first in Arizona with a few experts, Ken Kingsley and John Fife, then to speak with the border immigration on the US side. This completed the US perspective.
Then the Mexico perspective. It seems that from 1994, when NAFTA was created, Mexico has suffered from large business bottoming out prices for agriculture, forcing many Mexicans off their farms. Simultaneosly, companies came to border towns like Nogales to create large un'taxed factories that pay a wage of about $25 per week....hmmmm. This still exists, but working conditions have improved. the problem is that wages generally haven´t.
so, while in Nogales, we visited a factory, which was interesting. A bit of a shock to notice that people would be confined to doing the same repititive task all day long, five days a week, 51 weeks a year, with 1 week off for vacation. Phew! The factory we visited made garage door openers. Made up of men and women, men mostly did the heavy lifting, while women worked on the electronics line, where their generally smaller hands were better able to place wires on boards. Many conditions have improved over the years at Chamberlain, the factory we visited. They have a daycare on site (that would usually cost around $25 per week), protection gear, lunch paid for by the company (cost of around 90 cents), and a bus to take shift 2 employees home at 2am. Still, for the pay, I can´t imagine how anyone could escape poverty.
We spent the day before yesterday visiting No Mas Muertos (no more deaths) and Gloria Moroquez (I think this is spelled wrong). This was a balance of the most heart wrenching experience and the most loving enviornment one could find. Gloria is around 85 years old. She got up at 3am to prepare for ALL of us a meal that consisted of mole and chicken, vegetables, rice, fruit, and a variety of other goodies. She excels at making paper flowers and has the energy of a child. Around 8 months ago, she was nearly killed when a flood engulfed her car and she barely escaped with her life. She spent the next 3 months in bed recovering and today you wouldn´t know that anything ever happened to her. Upon leaving, every student had made a large colerful flower and couldn´t stop talking about Gloria.
To balance this wonderful experience, two groups took turns going to the No Mas Muertos tent at the border crossing. The concept of this group is to help immigrants as they are dropped off at the border. Each day, nearly 1000, yes one thousand, immigrants are left with only their clothes to cross back to Mexico to a life they desperately tried to leave. Anyhow, this experience has left its mark on all of us. What is hard to explain about the experience greeting people coming across the border is the level of futility and uselessness we felt. It was as though we were providing only a band-aid to what desparately needs a better solution. Having said this, without this group, immigrants were crossing back to Mexico without having eaten for a number of days, penniless, likely robbed and without any of their things, as they were confiscated by the border guards. So, the mix of people included Polleros or Coyotes, those who were paid money to guide them across. This is a form of slave labor where each Pollero pays the other from the original payment to take the group across. For instance, each pollero may require $200 from a person and by the end of the trip a person has paid $4000 - 6000. The money is not likely to be made in Mexico. In most cases, people, friends, family from the US pay. If the person is unsuccessful, they need to start all over, which is why many never return to their villages, because of the shame of not having achieved their goal and the expectation that their families have for them to send money from their new found jobs. One woman, seven months pregnant, arrived having fallen on her knee. She had two pairs of tights to ward off the cold. These needed to be cut, to reveal that she had more money (about $50 pesos) hidden. She was in tears and without hope. She arrived with two other girl friends. Two of their male friends had not arrived yet. They hadn't eaten in more than 14 hours, which wasn't bad compared to others. Her knee was badly bruised and needed to be bandaged. She had difficulty eating, as she was badly dehydrated. She phoned her family and they were not willing to provide her any help. It was heart wrenching to work with her and yet this group of people were the first people who had treated her humanely in days. Hers is not an unusual story, and likely she will do what she can to try to cross again. Many have no idea of where cities are located or how to get to them. Many come with hope or stories told by those in their towns. What is hard to imagine is what it takes for someone to want to leave their town, what economic circumstances must be to reach this level of desperation?
The following day we went to Altar. This town is the staging point for the immigrants..... and the polleros. The town was once a quite town of 8000 people, mostly farming, with 2 hotels. Now, in 10 years, it has transformed to a town of 15,000, with 3000 new arrivals each day. Here the polleros and immigrants meet and drive 2 hours to a border crossing in Sasabe, where the immigrants begin their trek across the Arizona desert. Depending upon what they pay, their trek could be from 1 day to 5 days. Those 5 day treks often end up with someone dying in the desert, as the migrants have only been told that they would be walking about 4 hours. In this way, they have only carried water for that amount of time. The town now hosts more than 90 hostels for immigrants, 15 or more hotels, supermarkets, and all industry to support migration, including some of the more seedy ones. It is like a modern fronteir town. Where we stayed, the church has created a haven for immigrants. They have created a compound where immigrants can come for up to 3 days. They take them overnight, provide medical care, a bed, shower and consultation with them to determine their needs and whether their rights have been violated along the way. Most migrants have suffered psycological damage from US police. Border guards have been generally good to them, just doing their job. The stories of abuse mostly were told about the police in the US, particularly mestizos, who were racist against immigrants. One story was told about a man who left Chiapas in the south of Mexico. He has a family of three children. He is expecting to be away for 5 years to earn a living. His goal was to reach his brother in Denver. He made it an hour from Denver before he was caught. Maybe is was the fact that all he wore was a tank-top..... so, he will try again. Another, a 10 year old from Honduras came up under the seat of a truck. Hidden, they passed him water for a number of days until they reached Altar. As Altar in on-route to Tijuana, many trucks pass through. In Altar, he was found playing and sleeping in the park. He has no family and they are currently trying to negotiate his situation with the government of Honduras. He is 10 years old with the experience of a 30 year old. Others include those who have tried and failed and are trying desparately to gather the money, couples who are hopeful of a new life but unaware that they will be crowded up to 40 in a 15 passenger van for a trip to the border, only to have to walk to the US to find what?
The experience of working with the migrants has been fulfilling and will likely leave an indelible mark on us all. This leaves me hopeful that if more people were aware of this situation it may be one that both the US and Mexican goverments could help to resolve. To do so is not to have more walls or support groups, but to have those in power make some substancial changes that would allow people to live in their towns, that they would prefer not to leave in the first place.
Now were are at the beach in Kino. We are staying at the compound of Prescott College. This is a fine place and an opportunity to shift gears towards our family homestays that begin on Sunday. We have met with Lilia, a local indiginous woman who described much about the history of her people in this area and some of their customs. At every turn, we are able to learn so much. For now, we have all enjoyed this small break in Kino to wash clothes and process our trip thus far.
I am not able to post pictures, as this connection is dial-up. Sorry.
Bruce
The past few days have been profound and will take much more than an email to describe. What we have done up to this point has been to study the immigration issues.... first in Arizona with a few experts, Ken Kingsley and John Fife, then to speak with the border immigration on the US side. This completed the US perspective.
Then the Mexico perspective. It seems that from 1994, when NAFTA was created, Mexico has suffered from large business bottoming out prices for agriculture, forcing many Mexicans off their farms. Simultaneosly, companies came to border towns like Nogales to create large un'taxed factories that pay a wage of about $25 per week....hmmmm. This still exists, but working conditions have improved. the problem is that wages generally haven´t.
so, while in Nogales, we visited a factory, which was interesting. A bit of a shock to notice that people would be confined to doing the same repititive task all day long, five days a week, 51 weeks a year, with 1 week off for vacation. Phew! The factory we visited made garage door openers. Made up of men and women, men mostly did the heavy lifting, while women worked on the electronics line, where their generally smaller hands were better able to place wires on boards. Many conditions have improved over the years at Chamberlain, the factory we visited. They have a daycare on site (that would usually cost around $25 per week), protection gear, lunch paid for by the company (cost of around 90 cents), and a bus to take shift 2 employees home at 2am. Still, for the pay, I can´t imagine how anyone could escape poverty.
We spent the day before yesterday visiting No Mas Muertos (no more deaths) and Gloria Moroquez (I think this is spelled wrong). This was a balance of the most heart wrenching experience and the most loving enviornment one could find. Gloria is around 85 years old. She got up at 3am to prepare for ALL of us a meal that consisted of mole and chicken, vegetables, rice, fruit, and a variety of other goodies. She excels at making paper flowers and has the energy of a child. Around 8 months ago, she was nearly killed when a flood engulfed her car and she barely escaped with her life. She spent the next 3 months in bed recovering and today you wouldn´t know that anything ever happened to her. Upon leaving, every student had made a large colerful flower and couldn´t stop talking about Gloria.
To balance this wonderful experience, two groups took turns going to the No Mas Muertos tent at the border crossing. The concept of this group is to help immigrants as they are dropped off at the border. Each day, nearly 1000, yes one thousand, immigrants are left with only their clothes to cross back to Mexico to a life they desperately tried to leave. Anyhow, this experience has left its mark on all of us. What is hard to explain about the experience greeting people coming across the border is the level of futility and uselessness we felt. It was as though we were providing only a band-aid to what desparately needs a better solution. Having said this, without this group, immigrants were crossing back to Mexico without having eaten for a number of days, penniless, likely robbed and without any of their things, as they were confiscated by the border guards. So, the mix of people included Polleros or Coyotes, those who were paid money to guide them across. This is a form of slave labor where each Pollero pays the other from the original payment to take the group across. For instance, each pollero may require $200 from a person and by the end of the trip a person has paid $4000 - 6000. The money is not likely to be made in Mexico. In most cases, people, friends, family from the US pay. If the person is unsuccessful, they need to start all over, which is why many never return to their villages, because of the shame of not having achieved their goal and the expectation that their families have for them to send money from their new found jobs. One woman, seven months pregnant, arrived having fallen on her knee. She had two pairs of tights to ward off the cold. These needed to be cut, to reveal that she had more money (about $50 pesos) hidden. She was in tears and without hope. She arrived with two other girl friends. Two of their male friends had not arrived yet. They hadn't eaten in more than 14 hours, which wasn't bad compared to others. Her knee was badly bruised and needed to be bandaged. She had difficulty eating, as she was badly dehydrated. She phoned her family and they were not willing to provide her any help. It was heart wrenching to work with her and yet this group of people were the first people who had treated her humanely in days. Hers is not an unusual story, and likely she will do what she can to try to cross again. Many have no idea of where cities are located or how to get to them. Many come with hope or stories told by those in their towns. What is hard to imagine is what it takes for someone to want to leave their town, what economic circumstances must be to reach this level of desperation?
The following day we went to Altar. This town is the staging point for the immigrants..... and the polleros. The town was once a quite town of 8000 people, mostly farming, with 2 hotels. Now, in 10 years, it has transformed to a town of 15,000, with 3000 new arrivals each day. Here the polleros and immigrants meet and drive 2 hours to a border crossing in Sasabe, where the immigrants begin their trek across the Arizona desert. Depending upon what they pay, their trek could be from 1 day to 5 days. Those 5 day treks often end up with someone dying in the desert, as the migrants have only been told that they would be walking about 4 hours. In this way, they have only carried water for that amount of time. The town now hosts more than 90 hostels for immigrants, 15 or more hotels, supermarkets, and all industry to support migration, including some of the more seedy ones. It is like a modern fronteir town. Where we stayed, the church has created a haven for immigrants. They have created a compound where immigrants can come for up to 3 days. They take them overnight, provide medical care, a bed, shower and consultation with them to determine their needs and whether their rights have been violated along the way. Most migrants have suffered psycological damage from US police. Border guards have been generally good to them, just doing their job. The stories of abuse mostly were told about the police in the US, particularly mestizos, who were racist against immigrants. One story was told about a man who left Chiapas in the south of Mexico. He has a family of three children. He is expecting to be away for 5 years to earn a living. His goal was to reach his brother in Denver. He made it an hour from Denver before he was caught. Maybe is was the fact that all he wore was a tank-top..... so, he will try again. Another, a 10 year old from Honduras came up under the seat of a truck. Hidden, they passed him water for a number of days until they reached Altar. As Altar in on-route to Tijuana, many trucks pass through. In Altar, he was found playing and sleeping in the park. He has no family and they are currently trying to negotiate his situation with the government of Honduras. He is 10 years old with the experience of a 30 year old. Others include those who have tried and failed and are trying desparately to gather the money, couples who are hopeful of a new life but unaware that they will be crowded up to 40 in a 15 passenger van for a trip to the border, only to have to walk to the US to find what?
The experience of working with the migrants has been fulfilling and will likely leave an indelible mark on us all. This leaves me hopeful that if more people were aware of this situation it may be one that both the US and Mexican goverments could help to resolve. To do so is not to have more walls or support groups, but to have those in power make some substancial changes that would allow people to live in their towns, that they would prefer not to leave in the first place.
Now were are at the beach in Kino. We are staying at the compound of Prescott College. This is a fine place and an opportunity to shift gears towards our family homestays that begin on Sunday. We have met with Lilia, a local indiginous woman who described much about the history of her people in this area and some of their customs. At every turn, we are able to learn so much. For now, we have all enjoyed this small break in Kino to wash clothes and process our trip thus far.
I am not able to post pictures, as this connection is dial-up. Sorry.
Bruce
29 January, 2007
Visit to City School, Tucson, Arizona
sorry for not being able to post any pictures, but I have about 10 minutes to give the first on-the-road update about the trip...
This morning, we arose at around 6:15 am..... everyone. We dressed, packed the tents, our things, ate breakfast and packed the two large vans. And went to City Highschool in Tucson. We were presented to by Mike Wilson, star of the documentary, Crossing Arizona, and by the students. Students presented on border issues from their City Works Class - a community service class that involves students with the community in a constructive way, including collecting garbage off of properties affected by immigrants. Some reactions from Compass Students include: Amelia and Jake - "it is a lot like Compass feel, the kids have style, more city style, good energy", Emily "I don't want to leave....a ton of positive energy, great outlook on school, everyone has something good to say about their school and how they contribute, great artwork in the alleyway next door.... it is just amazing". Livvy "I didn't know what to expect.... after meeting the students and teachers, I realize that they really are similar schools to Compass, striving for the same goals as Compass - they are involved in the community with their "exploratories".... they choose something they want to do, they connect with their teachers on a 1-1 basis.... it is a lot like Compass' big sister". Cal "nice and small and really cool, when you talk to the teachers, they are open-minded and cool people".
Needless to say, the group enjoyed spending some time with their peers.
A quick summary of the past two days....
Saturday was a long day, as many heard, not getting in until late....
More on Sunday later....
This morning, we arose at around 6:15 am..... everyone. We dressed, packed the tents, our things, ate breakfast and packed the two large vans. And went to City Highschool in Tucson. We were presented to by Mike Wilson, star of the documentary, Crossing Arizona, and by the students. Students presented on border issues from their City Works Class - a community service class that involves students with the community in a constructive way, including collecting garbage off of properties affected by immigrants. Some reactions from Compass Students include: Amelia and Jake - "it is a lot like Compass feel, the kids have style, more city style, good energy", Emily "I don't want to leave....a ton of positive energy, great outlook on school, everyone has something good to say about their school and how they contribute, great artwork in the alleyway next door.... it is just amazing". Livvy "I didn't know what to expect.... after meeting the students and teachers, I realize that they really are similar schools to Compass, striving for the same goals as Compass - they are involved in the community with their "exploratories".... they choose something they want to do, they connect with their teachers on a 1-1 basis.... it is a lot like Compass' big sister". Cal "nice and small and really cool, when you talk to the teachers, they are open-minded and cool people".
Needless to say, the group enjoyed spending some time with their peers.
A quick summary of the past two days....
Saturday was a long day, as many heard, not getting in until late....
More on Sunday later....
23 January, 2007
Expedition Itinerary
Border Expedition Proposed Itinerary
Saturday, January 27
Gather at Compass from 8:00am, Depart from Compass School at 9:00am
6:00pm Arrive Tucson, rent vans, food shop, get to campground -
Camp Gilbert Ray Campground
Sunday, January 28 Trip Orientation
*Desert hike with ecologist Ken Kingsley
Food shopping
*Guest Speaker- John Fife, Isabel Garcia or another
Monday, January 29
AM: Meeting with Mike Wilson and students at City High School in Tucson
PM: Drive to Nogales, Sonora. Tour of Nogales with Teresa Leal.
Stay at Borderlink’s Casa de la Misericordia
Tuesday, January 30
AM: reflections on past days, Meet with Kiko Trujillo, Director of Nogales Borderlinks
Serve lunch to children at "The Casa"
PM: Explore Nogales in small groups: No More Deaths tent/ Gloria’s house
Stay at Borderlinks
Wednesday, January 31
AM: Small group Nogales explorations, continued
PM: Market Basket Survey
Border wall art
Visit Maquiladora* (trying to set this up)
Thursday, February 1
AM: Drive to town of Altar (where 1,000-2,000 immigrants pass daily on the way to the United States) 3 hour drive
PM: Meet with Belén and Padre Priciriano from the CAMYN shelter. Visit town plaza, talk to immigrants.
Stay at CAMYN.
Friday, February 2
AM: Drive to the beach (5 hours)
Shop for food in Hermosillo on the way
PM: Down time, reflection
Stay Prescott College
Saturday, February 3
Homestay prep, Spanish review, possible visits to Seri jewelry maker and/or environmental activist,
Stay Prescott College
Sunday, February 4
AM: Pack, clean-up, final activities
PM: Drive to Carbó after lunch
Meet homestay families in the school and begin homestays
Monday, February 5
Homestays
Visits everyday from Andy, Elissa, or Bruce.
Activities may include: tortilla making, piñata making, visiting a ranch, craft making, cooking, going to school, whole group compass meetings, and more…
Tuesday, February 6
Homestays
See above
Wednesday, February 7
Homestays
See above
Thursday, February 8
AM: Closing circle
Leave Carbó, drive north, lunch in the Plaza of Magdalena
Debrief homestays
BORDER PATROL
Camp Forest service land in Arizona
Friday, February 9
Dawn hike with Don Garate
Drive to Tucson
Camp Gilbert Ray Campground, Tucson
Saturday, February 10
To Be Determined by students
Sunday, February 11
Flight at 7am to Vermont!
Saturday, January 27
Gather at Compass from 8:00am, Depart from Compass School at 9:00am
6:00pm Arrive Tucson, rent vans, food shop, get to campground -
Camp Gilbert Ray Campground
Sunday, January 28 Trip Orientation
*Desert hike with ecologist Ken Kingsley
Food shopping
*Guest Speaker- John Fife, Isabel Garcia or another
Monday, January 29
AM: Meeting with Mike Wilson and students at City High School in Tucson
PM: Drive to Nogales, Sonora. Tour of Nogales with Teresa Leal.
Stay at Borderlink’s Casa de la Misericordia
Tuesday, January 30
AM: reflections on past days, Meet with Kiko Trujillo, Director of Nogales Borderlinks
Serve lunch to children at "The Casa"
PM: Explore Nogales in small groups: No More Deaths tent/ Gloria’s house
Stay at Borderlinks
Wednesday, January 31
AM: Small group Nogales explorations, continued
PM: Market Basket Survey
Border wall art
Visit Maquiladora* (trying to set this up)
Thursday, February 1
AM: Drive to town of Altar (where 1,000-2,000 immigrants pass daily on the way to the United States) 3 hour drive
PM: Meet with Belén and Padre Priciriano from the CAMYN shelter. Visit town plaza, talk to immigrants.
Stay at CAMYN.
Friday, February 2
AM: Drive to the beach (5 hours)
Shop for food in Hermosillo on the way
PM: Down time, reflection
Stay Prescott College
Saturday, February 3
Homestay prep, Spanish review, possible visits to Seri jewelry maker and/or environmental activist,
Stay Prescott College
Sunday, February 4
AM: Pack, clean-up, final activities
PM: Drive to Carbó after lunch
Meet homestay families in the school and begin homestays
Monday, February 5
Homestays
Visits everyday from Andy, Elissa, or Bruce.
Activities may include: tortilla making, piñata making, visiting a ranch, craft making, cooking, going to school, whole group compass meetings, and more…
Tuesday, February 6
Homestays
See above
Wednesday, February 7
Homestays
See above
Thursday, February 8
AM: Closing circle
Leave Carbó, drive north, lunch in the Plaza of Magdalena
Debrief homestays
BORDER PATROL
Camp Forest service land in Arizona
Friday, February 9
Dawn hike with Don Garate
Drive to Tucson
Camp Gilbert Ray Campground, Tucson
Saturday, February 10
To Be Determined by students
Sunday, February 11
Flight at 7am to Vermont!
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