| "God has come to be in relationship
with us-to know us and so that we can know him."
As I reflect back on my four years on the border, this first
Bible study continues to form how I understand my calling, our
mission as Christians and as a border ministry. Whereas, it is
more comfortable to keep our distance from the hurts and pains
of the world (and we even at times try to keep our distance from
our own hurts and pains), God shows us a different path. We are
to follow God who enters into the joys and suffering of a broken
world to be in relationship with us and witness to God's love,
justice, and peace.
The biggest sorrow that I continue to experience is the division
that is so evident here on the border and the way in which we
as a government are pouring millions and millions of dollars into
"stopping the flow of migrants" on the border while
our economy in the interior of the States is still "asking"
them to come. We have a two-faced policy as a nation and it is
painful and frustrating to feel so overwhelmed.
During this year, I have had the terrible privilege of being
with dozens of migrants who have risked their lives in our deserts
only to be returned to Agua Prieta: without having accomplished
their goal. I want to share a few of their stories:
Roberto Bernal from Veracruz gave witness to God's provision
in his time of despair. After three days walking in the desert,
three hours of vomiting on the side of the highway waiting for
someone to stop to help him, and countless cars passing him by,
including our border patrol, Roberto prayed to God thanking God
for his life and asking God to take care of his family. A few
minutes later a Good Samaritan stopped and provided care and a
ride to Roberto. Roberto found his way to the Lily of the Valley
church and was nursed back to health and provided bus fare for
him to return to his family who he never thought he would see
again. Roberto gave thanks to God because he had saved his life
again and because people cared enough to put "flesh on the
gospel" in his time of distress.
Miguel Angel a young man from the Mexican state of Puebla arrived
desperate at the Lily of the Valley Church building searching
for his two brothers. They had come to Agua Prieta a month earlier
to cross the border to arrive at construction jobs that awaited
them in Atlanta, Georgia. They had called home before crossing
but have not been heard from since.
Miguel Angel showed up at the Lily of the Valley Church because
his two brothers were Presbyterians from Puebla and he hoped that
they had sought refuge in the church. After talking with the Mexican
consulate, checking all the migrant shelters in Agua Prieta, Miguel
cried in the praying arms of members of the church and cried out:
"If only they would return their bodies! That would be better
than nothing. What is my mother going to do?" In his time
of distress, he found a caring church that wept together with
him.
Maria Concepcion was returned on a cold, rainy night last December
with four other women and five young men. They had been lost in
the desert for four days. Many in the group feared for their lives,
but Maria invited them to trust in God. She witnessed to them
in the midst of their distress to God's provision. Upon being
released they were met at the border by Healing Our Borders/Sanando
Nuestras Fronteras, a bi-national, ecumenical group that I and
Frontera de Cristo belong to. We provide blankets and something
hot to drink to migrants who are being returned by our border
patrol, and we provide information on where they can find a warm
and dry place to stay in Agua Prieta. Maria's group did not even
know what city they were being returned to and said they needed
a place to stay. A couple from our group opened up their homes
and hearts to them. Maria came to me and said: "Ustedes son
angeles. Yo sabia que Dios iba a proveer. La mayoria de nosotros
somos cristianos y sabemos que en la vida y en la muerte somos
de Dios, pero los dos muchachos alli, Maria y Ismael, han rechazado
a Dios, pero ahora estan pidiendo que los leemos la Biblia y compartir
con ellos mas de la Palabra de Dios"
("Y'all are angels. I knew God would provide. The majority
of us are Christians and know that in life and death we belong
to God. Those two young folks over their, Maria and Ismael, had
rejected God, but now they are asking us to read them the Bible
and share with them the Word of God,")
Despite the cold, the rain, the tiredness, the injuries, and
the unrealized dreams, we celebrated that night because God in
His mystery had brought family together and had witnessed to His
provision to two folks who had rejected Him.
I have been privileged to see with my own eyes and experience
with my whole being a church that enters into the joys and sufferings
of the world. Only in entering into the joys and sufferings can
we "put flesh on the gospel."
A record number of human beings have been found dead in the Arizona
deserts this year. More people have been known to die migrating
in the United States in the last 12 months than people have died
in the suicide bombings in Israel in the last 20 months. Our worst
fear is that Miguel's brothers have died in our deserts and will
never be found-along with countless other human beings.
There is a silent massacre occuring on our border. I continue
to give thanks to God for my position with Frontera de Cristo,
and I am particularly grateful to be in a position which can help
the border ministry, the larger church, and our community grapple
with the realities of the crisis here on the border and confront
the brokenness with the love and justice of Jesus Christ.
Please pray for us as we seek to be faithful. Please pray that
we will find a better way.
May God grant us eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to serve, feet
to follow, and hearts to trust Emmanuel throughout this year!
Mark Adams
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