Mexico

This month marks the 20th anniversary of the Healing Our Borders Vigil in Douglas, Arizona.  The vigil remembers the people who have died in the Cochise County desert – where Douglas is located – while attempting to enter the United States.  There are now over 300 crosses representing these lost lives.  Mark Adams, one of the co-founders of the vigil, has said that the spiritual discipline of calling the names of those who have died is one way that we remain hopeful while living and working at the US/Mexican border.

In February of this year, Ernesto and Maria* arrived at the CAME (Centro de Atencion al Migrante Exodos) migrant shelter in Agua Prieta, Sonora. Fleeing extortion and threats of violence from the organized crime groups in southern Mexico’s State of Guerrero, they hoped to present their asylum claim at the U.S. Port of Entry and to live with family members in Indiana while they awaited their asylum hearing.

It's easy to get lost in the daily needs, or discouraged by the magnitude of the crushing oppression on the U.S.-Mexico border.  CPT's mission to back partners as a part of transforming violence and oppression requires us to attend to the details of the immediate situation, and to the sources of the oppression that grows into violence.  Between the specifics and the systems, our presence and action strategically strengthen the forces for good.

They dared to leave before they were killed.  They dared to look for refuge in the belly of a beast that had a great part in creating the conditions of violence in their land.