Laura Polk, REYWT Core Class of 2010, shares a reflection about her trip to the Border

January 9-14, 2009, NNPCW hosted a delegation to the U.S.-Mexico border with BorderLinks, a bi-national, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to raising awareness and inspiring action around the global political economics.

BorderLinks was co-founded by the moderator of the 216th General Assembly, Rick Ufford-Chase, in 1987 in an effort to educate those who seek justice in the borderlands between Mexico and the United States. BorderLinks programs focus on cross-border relationship-building opportunities, issues of immigration, community formation and development, and social justice.

The NNPCW delegation with BorderLinks specifically focused on women’s issues and theological reflection.

Core members Laura Polk and Samantha Reyes engage in conversation with migrant workers at a shelter in Nogales, Mexico. Photo by Noha Khoury

When I embarked on this trip to the U.S./Mexico border, I tried not to have too many expectations about what I would encounter or experience, but instead tried to be open.

When I arrived in Tucson and stared out the window at the beautiful Arizona scenery, I was struck by how a place that seemed so peaceful and serene could be the site of such conflict.

At the Borderlinks offices the dorms were incredibly efficient, consisting of office cubicles converted into sleeping space. Our meals were from ingredients that were organic and locally produced, and were delicious. The orientation we received from our leaders was incredibly thorough — I especially appreciated the way that they emphasized the importance of observing and reflecting on all that we saw.

Our first stop was at a local community college to view sculptures of women who were searching for loved ones who had crossed into the desert. Inside, we talked with the executive director of Borderlinks, who shared her own journey and also talked about what we would be experiencing in the next few days. 

Following her talk, we headed back to Borderlinks for a talk with a university professor about the history of the border crossing. What stood out to me about this particular talk was that the U.S./Mexico border was only recently such a controversial subject. In reality the border remained fluid and relatively conflict-free until the early 1990s, coinciding with the development of NAFTA. With this new agreement, more migrants who had been pushed into poverty were forced to make the harrowing journey across the border in order to feed their families. Also notable was that the concept of vigilante groups.

I had anticipated visiting migrant shelters in the Mexican border towns, and possibly talking with migrants who were using the shelter’s services. What I wasn’t prepared for (but should have come as no surprise) was to speak with people who had lived in the United States for several years and were fairly fluent in English. One young man had spent much of his adult life in the United States. and had left behind a girlfriend. When we were conversing with him and another man staying at the shelter (who had also left a life behind) I started to feel self-conscience about our presence there. The men were not expecting us to be there; and were likely already feeling overwhelmed about their experiences, only to sit at a dinner table with a dozen bubbly, cheerful college women yacking about their lives in a country these men have been shut out of. I wanted to ask (being the direct person that I am) what they really thought of that. But I couldn’t find the right words. So I mostly remained silent and joined occasionally with the other conversations.

The dedication and passion of the volunteers in the migrant centers and churches was the highlight of the trip. It was inspiring to talk with them about the work they did every day, and a privilege to be able to hear them share their joys and frustrations with us. The recurring theme from each visit and conversation of this experience: no one wanted to cross the border. This was not a choice that was made lightly; but rather out of necessity.  For those who survive the journey into the United States, at times any even more difficult journey awaits them.

I returned with a fresh perspective on the need for comprehensive immigration reform, as well as a renewed resolve to educate others about border issues.

Something struck me during our conversations with volunteers at migrant resource centers. One center was located right next to the checkpoint in the border town of Agua Prieta. Migrants who were recently deported came to this center to get clean clothes, food and other resources; there was also a telephone in order to call family members. The volunteers informed us that sometimes border patrol agents who dropped the migrants off directed them to the center. This one single act of compassion was such a contrast from everything else we had heard (and other reports I had heard from others) about the U.S. Border Patrol. It is easy to want to view them only as heartless enforcers; however, this forced me to view them in a whole new light. This simple act demonstrated the use of power to show compassion. I thought about the various ways that I have been empowered, through education, socio-economic status, nationality, etc. and about the ways that I used that power to show compassion or empower others.

Laura Polk is a member of REYWT’s Core Team, Class of 2010.