December 3, 2003

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace.
Ephesians 2:14

Dear Friends,

Working outdoors one day, I look up when I hear the sudden sound of dry weeds crunching, and see two men running into the desert field. Knowing they’ve been seen, one is frightened and runs faster. The other stays on the road, pretending he’s just out for a walk.

While driving one afternoon, I see two women and maybe three men quickly lie down flat on the desert floor, hoping not to be seen.

Another time, my family is flagged down by three hungry, cold, and desperate men who take their chances about whether we can be trusted. We do the same and give them a ride, some pocket change and our package of lefse—Norwegian flat bread—which they devour in seconds.

Countless times we have seen men sitting on the ground in handcuffs under the watchful eye of “la migra,” waiting to being processed for their return to the other side of the border.

One spring day, our teenage daughter confronts a frightened man outside our house. He’s alone, with only the clothes on his back and two pesos in his pocket. He asks for a ride to the home of friends who are nearly four hours away. When she tells him how far it is, his eyes fill with tears, and he says in his native language, “Then maybe you could take me to New York instead.” After learning how impossible that would be, he begs her to call the authorities, and they arrive to pick him up within a half-hour.

Where are we? Have these scenes played out in some far-flung corner of the globe? No, all of the vignettes related here took place in the United States, near our border with the state of Sonora, México, where we are mission co-workers.

As eyewitnesses to the flood of immigration, we know that some will die from hypothermia, where just weeks before deaths in the desert were from heat and dehydration. We know that many will be caught and returned to Mexico. We know we will hear many of their stories when we help serve the “migrant meal” offered at “Sol de Justicia,” the Mexican Presbyterian church in Nogales, Sonora. There, men who have been sent back by the U.S. government experience the love of God in a welcoming atmosphere. Church members often try to dissuade the migrants from crossing the border without documents, due to the many risks.

When we arrived here over two years ago, some things appeared to be easily resolved—the solutions seemed so black-and-white. But the longer we are here, the more “gray” everything seems, because there are no easy answers to the problems of the Mexican economy, the poverty, the injustice, the smuggling of drugs and people, the maquiladoras, the migration issue and all the rest.

When we look out into the desert each night, we pray for those who find themselves there, most likely for the sole reason of trying to feed their families and to survive. We are humbled by their desperation and their determination. Many cross the border multiple times. Many come from places much further south in Mexico or other parts of Latin America. Those who cross the border successfully, although without documents, find their way to nearly every corner of the United States. They are living and working near you now, sending large portions of their paycheck back to their families.

As Christians, we are called to show compassion and to work toward reconciliation and justice. The name of our mission program, “Compañeros en Misión,” means “partners in mission.” We invite you to be partners in this ministry, to pray with us and to work for justice, reconciliation, and understanding in the community where you live. This isn’t just a border issue; it’s something that deeply affects both countries. Join us in praying that the governments of the United States and Mexico find better ways to respond to this crisis, and that God’s peace prevail.

Susan Thomas

The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 138