Joy among deported migrants on the US-Mexico border
So I spent last week serving a few meals at the Kino Border Initiative's (KBI) comedor in Nogales, Mexico. I mentioned that most of the migrants come to KBI emotionally and physically exhausted. Some of them have spent eight days walking in the desert when they were only told to prepare for four. However, KBI does some remarkable work. The migrants come for breakfast or dinner but while they are being served, they are laughing, signing, praying, and working.
The migrants are first introduced to KBI and the services that it provides. They can help with some minor first aid treatment; help migrants cash checks; and make phone calls home. If the migrant is traveling with cash while picked up in the US, they are given a check for that amount that can only be cashed in the US. That obviously doesn't make sense as the US sends them over the border with no ability to cash the check. It's really a racket for the US taxpayer. From what I understand, "we" keep the money of those un-cashed checks.
They are given some do's and don'ts about safety in Nogales. The area between the comedor and the border is controlled by the mafia. They were referred to as the narcos last time I was there but now the mafia. I couldn't get an answer as to why the name change; it's the same group. They will assault or kill migrants who passed without having purchased permission.
The migrants they participate in icebreakers. Sometimes they sing and make animal noises; other times they break into teams and race to pass tennis balls around two circles; other times they are making silly hand gestures. On Wednesday, they sang three birthday songs for a colleague of mine who was serving them food. It was an emotional moment as they were signing let's eat cake.
They prayed for their families and the other migrants who were not so lucky to be eating food that day. The comedor makes it a point to encourage the migrants to treat the comedor as home for an hour. Eat only what you can and if for some reason, you are not satisfied with the food or drink, tell them and they will try to accommodate you.
Finally, there was no shortage of help when the staff at the comedor asked for volunteers to clean up after the meal was done. All visitors brought their plates and glasses to the sink and then four to six men and women worked to clean up all the dishes. They might have been sleeping on the street (not so safe) or in the cemetery (safer) that night but they were happy to help with the cleanup. Volunteering had no bearing whatsoever on whether they received services but they were more than happy to contribute.
Volunteering on the border, even for a very short time, is a very moving experience.
The migrants are first introduced to KBI and the services that it provides. They can help with some minor first aid treatment; help migrants cash checks; and make phone calls home. If the migrant is traveling with cash while picked up in the US, they are given a check for that amount that can only be cashed in the US. That obviously doesn't make sense as the US sends them over the border with no ability to cash the check. It's really a racket for the US taxpayer. From what I understand, "we" keep the money of those un-cashed checks.
They are given some do's and don'ts about safety in Nogales. The area between the comedor and the border is controlled by the mafia. They were referred to as the narcos last time I was there but now the mafia. I couldn't get an answer as to why the name change; it's the same group. They will assault or kill migrants who passed without having purchased permission.
The migrants they participate in icebreakers. Sometimes they sing and make animal noises; other times they break into teams and race to pass tennis balls around two circles; other times they are making silly hand gestures. On Wednesday, they sang three birthday songs for a colleague of mine who was serving them food. It was an emotional moment as they were signing let's eat cake.
They prayed for their families and the other migrants who were not so lucky to be eating food that day. The comedor makes it a point to encourage the migrants to treat the comedor as home for an hour. Eat only what you can and if for some reason, you are not satisfied with the food or drink, tell them and they will try to accommodate you.
Finally, there was no shortage of help when the staff at the comedor asked for volunteers to clean up after the meal was done. All visitors brought their plates and glasses to the sink and then four to six men and women worked to clean up all the dishes. They might have been sleeping on the street (not so safe) or in the cemetery (safer) that night but they were happy to help with the cleanup. Volunteering had no bearing whatsoever on whether they received services but they were more than happy to contribute.
Volunteering on the border, even for a very short time, is a very moving experience.
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