Much to Tell~

These last two weeks have gone by fast and there is so much to share.

Rachel and I mobilized the mobile camp and went to hang out more in the middle of no where: right at the base of the Cierro Colorado Mountains, with the full(ish) moon. Camping out here would enable us to reach places faster in the morning. We mapped many new trails, which will be rated and then allow volunteers to know which ones to patrol in the future. Our last morning out we rose at 4:30 to finish before the sun got too harsh but ran into a man who was in desperate need of help. The entire ball of his foot was skinless. Once border patrol arrived they lectured us for about 45 minutes on... I really don't know what, how to give a person directions who doesn't know how to read maps. He claimed they needed to get these migrants out fast to get the medical care they needed. When I suggested we stop talking so we can get him out fast, he turned to me and said "he's fine."

Yesterday myself Rachel and Cyril went out on patrol and what ended up happening was a slew of serendipitous events. At a point where we would soon turn back we realized our hike that morning was going to be disappointingly short, so Cyril suggested we explore the wash a ways up. As we continued it became that situation where you turn one bend and see the next, and keep going just to see what's around the corner. When it was time to turn back Cyril, for no logical reason proposed we go out of the wash and in a bush whacking manner climb over the hill. Once we got over, he yelled out (Hola Amigos, Somos Voluntario de la iglesia, tenamos agua y comida.... apologies for my spelling!). The day before we had just been talking about how no one ever returns those calls, but sure enough this time, about a half mile off the trail, up a hill we hear a yell. Margarita had been out in the desert for 12 days (in that time, deported once to Nogales, but headed right back out), she had been alone for 4 days, hiked during the days and hid at night (fear of rape), she was 23, had a baby back at home, and her toes were raw. She wanted to keep going, but that just wasn't an option. After considering all the options, she got back to our camp and we called 911 (she was a strong lady, she walked out- even faster than some of us, we thought we'd have to get a helicopter right there on that ridge). In the end she was airlifted to Tucson to get the medical attention she needed.

So something I've been thinking about a lot is how many people claim that immigrants are using up all our tax money. It's true, tax money does go to these things, but in the last three weeks, four individuals have had to been airlifted out of the desert in emergency situations, the first time, two ambulances and a helicopter showed up- a plethora of vehicles that defiantly was not necessary, especially because in all the time it took to figure these things out, we could have had them in our cars and driven them to the hospital ourselves, with our money and faster! (we can't do that though, that's why those two were arrested in 2005). The other huge thing to think about is that it would be cheaper to fix the trade agreements than to have this much enforcement. In addition, these huge towers have recently been put up to monitor the border, costing our country billions of dollars.

Friday morning we came across Jose. He wanted to go home, and never come back, concluding that even if you are living near poverty, it is still far more important to be near your family, than a country in which many clearly don't value fundamental human rights. We called border patrol and waited with him. Four phone calls and five hours later, the BP officer arrived and Jose was on his way home. What use are these towers when we are staring straight at them, calling BP, begging them to pick up this man and deport him, and they dont show up for 5 hours?

Privilege is also something that comes up quite a bit (white, American, economic class, etc.). I pretty much have it all. One night last week three guys stayed with us (I was actually begging to feel like we were running a B & B). They were some of the sweetest people I've ever met, very chipper and chatty! We had a good time and got them plenty of food, water, and clean clothes so they could continue on their journey. It's weird how attached you can get to people in only 24 hours, when you can't even speak the same language. When it was time for them to continue on, we all stood around and stared at each other for a little while, they prayed for us, hugged us and waved as they walked off. After they left it felt so weird to me, these people who we had just been eating and laughing with were going off to take on the desert at night, and we were off the Gadstens to listen to music and drink smoothies.

One last thought (I wish I had time to write about more of our experiences)- I'm ashamed of myself. While me and Rachel sat with Margarita waiting for Cyril to bring back a Spanish speaker, we could listen to her talk, watch her cry and try to understand what she was communicating to us. I am so ashamed that I can't speak the language that our neighbors speak.

I'll be spending next we at the immigrant resource center in Agua Prieta.

Odds are if you're reading this, I miss you. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!