According to the local folklore, the drama at Sacred Heart in McAllen all started with what a few saw.
A little over a month ago, a few sharp-eyed Catholics noticed a gathering of dirty young women at the bus station. Maybe it was a passing glance. Maybe it was out of the corner of the eye. But they chose not to look away. Instead they decided to bring some of those women back to the parish to wash.
It must not have taken long to notice these women were not alone. These mothers were accompanied by babies and small children; many were carrying children in their wombs. The Catholics must have witnessed that the families were scared. They were lost, thirsty, and many were sick. The witnesses could see that these people could not speak English. Soon they would perceive that these families were not from the United States.
Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley [CCRGV] had discovered what only a few others in the Border Patrol then knew. This year we have seen an exponential growth in people (especially families and unaccompanied children) crossing the border without documentation. Most of these families are fleeing gang violence in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. A Bush-era law allows fleeing children to remain in this country until they can be tried. Since there are not enough judges to process their pleas for asylum as quickly as the children are crossing, these families will remain in this country for a while– facing trial.
The truth is, this has become a daily reality of life in Central America and South Texas. But when the Sisters of the CCRGV first discovered the crisis, most of us were still turning a blind eye on this reality.
I first discovered the crisis in a short newspaper article when I flipped up on my cell phone. For a couple of reasons, the news hit me more personally than most. My heart has been touched by the people of Honduras and El Salvador when I volunteered in those countries in years past. McAllen, Texas, is only minutes away from my childhood home, where my parents still live. The organization at the forefront of the crisis, Catholic Charities is an organization I am quite familiar with and support.
When I went to see what was going on in my hometown, it initiated what may have been the fastest discernment in my life. I knew God wanted me to head home. But while my heart raced ahead, my head hesitated. I’m not a medical professional, and I don’t speak Spanish. What I could do to help? The last thing I wanted to do was just “show up” unannounced in McAllen, Texas, and add chaos to an already chaotic situation.
At least that’s what I thought, right up until they answered the phone from Sacred Heart Parish. Instead of instructing me as to the best way I could help, the women at the other end of the phone abruptly started reciting the parish address. The receptionist seemed convinced the hardest part of this humanitarian crisis was just finding the place. If I could find it, if I could see for myself, I would know what to do. That seemed to be her assumption. When I talked to my father in person a few days later, he seemed to be thinking the same thing.
He was also a little concerned that I wouldn’t be able to find the place. You see, my father works for the city of McAllen only a few blocks away from Sacred Heart Parish. My father was very aware of what was going on inside Sacred Heart Parish.
On any given day, between 100-200 new families could arrive at Sacred Heart Parish. From there CCRGV would make sure they were fed, clothed and all their medical needs were taken care of before sending them on their way. Experts were estimating that over 39,000 families [and 52,000 children] have passed through the border this year. Since June Sacred Heart has been one of the largest entry points.
But my father insisted that if you didn’t know that was happening there, you would never be able to see it. The night before my arrival, just to see, my father had driven around the parish to scope it out. The parking lot had three large military tents in it. They were directing volunteers to park next door. This would have been the only sign that there is a “humanitarian crisis” in McAllen, Texas. A block away from those tents, business in the Texas border town continued as usual.
The gospel says that one day Jesus will come to us and we will ask Him, “when…. when did I see you?” When did I see you a stranger? When did I see you hungry? When did I see you needing clothes? When did I see you sick? Right now, as you read this, a little girl is on her way to Sacred Heart Parish in McAllen, Texas. When she arrives, she will be a stranger. She will be hungry. Her clothes will be dirty and stained. She may have the chicken pox. But most people in McAllen, Texas, will never see her. Most people won’t know where to look.
When I volunteered at Sacred Heart Parish, my favorite job was serving as the Pedialyte distributor. For those of you that don’t know, Pedialyte is pediatrician- designed, foul-tasting Gatorade. It is apparently the best stuff available for children who are grossly dehydrated. When the families were brought in on the trolley, all the volunteers would stand up and clap [welcome the stranger]. The first place they would go would be “intake,” where they would discuss bus routes in Spanish while the Pedialyte manager would rush around and make sure everyone had something to drink. I loved the position because it was so simple and tangible. I was literally giving drink to the thirsty.
But the most powerful part was being able to look into the eyes of each family as they walked through the door. It was an experience I can only call heartbreaking. Faith doesn’t need to be complicated; seeing is believing. The question we should ask the Heavens isn’t when will we see, but how can we see? CCRGV set up three tents in the parking lot. Two were for families who had to stay the night either to catch an early bus the next day or to wait for their doctor’s permission to travel.
The third tent was the “media tent.” While I was there, NBC sent a full camera crew. But all the other volunteers told me I was lucky to arrive when I did because at least the “{expletive deleted} politicians are gone.” I’m not sure what those NBC cameras pick up, but I can tell you our leaders have some blurry vision.
They pose beside mothers and small children and see terrorists and drug dealers. They meet families fleeing their homes and see calculated political opportunists. They come face to face with tired and downtrodden families and see a threat to national security. They see the need to build fences and to hire agents, but they don’t see the need for food and clothing. When will they see the “least of these”?
It feels good to know Catholic Charities saw this crisis early, and they saw the crisis with moral clarity. Their good works are a blessing today. But they never should have had to bear such a heavy burden. The leaders of at least five nations [El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and the United States] all failed to see this crisis coming. When the weight of global justice falls on the shoulders of volunteers in a local parish in a poor midsize town in Texas, it is our duty to look at the root causes of the crisis.
Most of these families are fleeing powerful drug cartels. Ultimately, the drug cartels get their power from the American consumer. If you’re surprised by that statement, you need to think it through. Drug cartels don’t make their money by selling to the rich suburbs in Nicaragua. The force that’s driving the violence is market demand at its purest.
As Catholics our immediate duty is to treat these refugees with dignity. We must see “the least of these” as Christ in disguise. Our second equally important duty is to do what we can to weaken the drug cartels and strengthen the economic future in Central America and Mexico. We must look past our political agendas to see the real causes of injustice. Even before they arrive at our doorstep, this injustice in Central America has pierced the entire body of Christ. If we can see that, perhaps we can make our news and our leaders see that.
My challenge to you this post is to see Christ at the border. Now you see Him as a stranger. Now you see Him thirsty. Now you see Him sick. If you cannot see Him, you cannot ask Him “when?”.
Below this post I have provided more specifics on how you can help the families at the border as well as links to commentary by the Texas Catholic Conference, the political advocacy organization for the bishops of Texas.
Sr. Leticia Bebavides of the Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley says they can use all forms of help, monetary, donations, volunteers and of course they appreciate your prayers.
The Texas Catholic Conference has made a list of ways you can help here
To make a monetary donation:
Visit the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville website.
To donate other goods:
Saint Marys Cathedral Young Adults are having on July 20th after the noon mass at the Cathedral
Requested Items Include:
-
Spanish Children’s Books
-
Snacks
-
Over the counter medicine
-
Pillows, Duffel Bags
-
Back Packs
-
Diapers
-
Basic Hygiene products for mothers/children/infants
To Volunteer:
Go to the back of Sacred Heart Parish in McAllen [306 South 15th Street McAllen, TX 78501]
Volunteer orientation is approximately at 8:30 am every morning [or whenever they have a new group of volunteers]
….or… you can try to contact them first Catholic Charities RGV
If you would like to know more about the churches position on immigration use these handy websites->
|
|