February 21st, 2020

We started out the day at 8:15 with a hearty oatmeal breakfast completed with sausage and fruit. We were running a bit late because of some misjudgment of how long it would take to clean the mongo pot. We then hopped in the van and headed to the border wall/fence. We spent time there talking about our favorite genres of music, and exploring the surrounding area. The fence dividing the border dominated the landscape behind a group of buildings. On the other side of the wall we could see a canal between the wall and the Rio Grande. Everyone started a lively game of groundies and basketball while we waited for the border patrol agent to arrive. When the border patrol agent arrived we sat down and listened to a short presentation about their day to day responsibilities. While they were giving a presentation a woman with two small children walked up to the wall and sat down. The agent noticed them and we later found out that they had been seeking asylum at the wall. The family had come from Honduras and a smuggler had just dropped them off. We headed to the van to take cover from the wind and visited a mural that had been painted to honor the 22 people that died in the Walmart shooting. We meandered back to the church and had a delicious home cooked lunch that consisted of Honduran beef stew and tostadas. We played a community building game that helped us to understand leadership roles before going to Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services (DMRS). We met with a lawyer that helped us to understand the laws of immigration and how immigrants are processed. Our group found out that the process is long and complicated and we will be sure to share the details when we return home : ). Back at the church we spent time with Pastor Rose Mary honoring the people that bring light to our lives and the people that have made an impact on us this week. It was emotional and a bonding moment for our group. Then we went to a delicious Mexican restaurant and shared a fun meal while being serenaded by the mariachi group. The night ended with leadership stories helping to shed light onto our peers lives. Today was filled with facts, emotion, and fun. 

-Colin, Danielle, Kai