Abundant Life?

So much has happened since I have last updated my blog, I don't even know where to begin or what to deem relevant enough to write about.  WARNING: This could be a long post in order to catch up! 

I'll start with some work related items.  Habitat for Humanity Tucson is a wonderful fit for me!  As I continue to get deeper into my work, I am reaffirmed that I am where God wants me to be this year.  I am loving the challenges of building community in the Sunnyside neighborhood and am getting a good amount work sent my way in the areas of green building and structural design review for two new floor plans Habitat is starting to build. 

Between my days spent working with neighborhood revitalization, I have been able to keep pretty busy with other YAV related activities/experiences/opportunities.  Last week(end) we were joined in Tucson by about 20 other YAVs and DOOR volunteers from the west for a delegation with Borderlinks.  Borderlinks is an organization that runs educational experience trips for groups wanting to learn more about border and immigration issues.  Our group went on a 4 day delegation and participated in workshops and experiences both in Tucson and Mexico.  The most impacting parts of the delegation were attending Operation Streamline and visiting Mexico and the border. 

Operation Streamline is a controversial act of our judicial system in Tucson which moves 350 immigrants through the court in a week.  Each afternoon on Monday through Friday, 70 people picked up for the crime(?) of "entering the country without inspection", or not entering at a border checkpoint, are given the opportunity(?) to plead guilty to their said crime, waive their right to a formal trial and be sent back to their country of origin.  This might not sound like a horrible situation to some who are reading, but wait there's more.  These 70 people are moved through this system in a maximum time of two hours, but depending on the judge could be in a mere 30 minutes.  If you do the math, that is less than half a minute for each person pleading guilty.  The immigrants enter the courtroom shackled, tired, hungry and dirty from their journey through the treacherous desert.  They are all wearing translation headphones and are called seven at a time to the front of the court room.  There the judge confirms their name and asks a series of questions which are answered in unison, "Si, Senor" or "No, Senor."  At the end of their time in front of the judge, they have all agreed to pleading guilty and are sent back home with no chance of ever being able to attain residency or a work permit in the U.S.  No matter what your stance on immigration issues, I hope you can agree that human beings, people born to the same earth (maybe only 50 miles south of you), should not be treated this way.  It is simply inhumane.

The other most impacting part of the delegation was our trip to Nogales, Mexico.  The most gut-wrenching moment of the trip was when we approached the border and I could see as far as the horizon, miles of wall built at the border.  I was immediately brought back to memories of my time in Belfast last year.  As I looked at the wall, I realized how impersonal my feelings were towards the segregation in Belfast.  I truly felt for the people of Northern Ireland and Ireland, was touched and changed immeasurably by the relationships I built there, and learned how to come together on common ground and strive for peace in an atmosphere of division.  However strong my feelings were though, I never felt the way I did when we approached the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.  My heart was filled with sadness, anger, shame, and humiliation for my ignorance of the situation at the southern border of the country I grew up in.  Sure I have not always turned a blind eye to immigration issues, but I always listened to the news and talked about the issues in a dehumanized manner.  So much of the conflict around border issues is reduced to economics and job availability.  The debates that take place surrounding immigration are often carried out as if we are not even discussing human beings and their right to an abundant life through Christ (John 10:10).  During our delegation, we entered into conversation about the injustice taking place in our backyard and centered our conversation around more than just money or employment issues.  We didn't do anything tangible to help the situation over the weekend, but we did start the conversation and become far more educated, which is a good start.

Pictures of the border

We returned home from Mexico on Sunday with just enough time to get ready for one of the biggest gatherings of people in Tucson for the All Souls Procession.  The All Souls Procession is a huge event held to remember those who have passed from this world.  People dress as skeletons, painting their faces to resemble the bones of the dead, and walk in a parade honoring passed loved ones.  There were probably over 15,000 people out for the event and our whole house took part.  My housemate, Sarah, is a tremendous artist, and she painted our faces for the procession.  She painted my face in memory of my Gramie Jo.  Before painting, she asked me to describe Gramie.  I told her about her love of hummingbirds and the color purple, about her life giving energy and her ability to bring our extended family together.  Sarah painted my face depicting a hummingbird feather and life-flowing vine sprouting with purple flowers.  It was a beautiful depiction and I was pleased to have the opportunity to share it with my new YAV family and the city of Tucson.

Karl was remembering his Grandfather and I my Gramie

Karl with Ellison who was walking in honor of Belfast

House photo!

Well, there you have it.  The longest post yet!  Thank you all for reading and for supporting Karl's and my experiences this year.  We feel truly blessed to be where we are and to have this time to discern God's will for our lives.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers.