DAY 5 - BORDER IMMERSION in EL PASO - February 8, 2023

Nancy Ott-Pinckaers


Puppies and kids. Always endearing images, right? The story behind them is bittersweet and heartbreaking, however.


Juarez, Mexico is a large city of 1.5 million people just south of El Paso, Texas, a city of about 700k people. My guess is that everyone reading this has seen pictures of the border between Juarez and El Paso. Today Pastors Juan and Rose Mary took our group in a large van with food and supplies to a refugee shelter in Juarez, Esperanza Todos Cara, meaning hope for all.


This privately-owned shelter's 40-year-old director, Grisel, found this space, which previously was a childcare center, rented it and set up a shelter to hold about 100 people. She has had over 250 people at one time. Today census was 187. She has no governmental aid and survives on donations and a 10 dollar a week fee for each family. If they can't pay it, they still can stay. Currently the center is 160k pesos behind on their electric bill. There is running water, toilets and showers but the tap water is not drinkable. They used to be able to serve meals but are unable to do so due to lack of funding. The families now cook for each other. Rice and beans are available.



Who stays at the shelter? Families that are seeking refugee status in US and haven't started paperwork, have started paperwork, and families that have been turned away at the border.

The stories are harrowing. 


A Venezuelan family with a seven-year-old boy, 3-year-old girl and 3-month-old baby, born in Ecuador, arrived today. They survived the treacherous Darien Gap trail in Panama and Columbia that has thick mud, Cartel gang member attacks, poisonous snakes and dangerous rivers to cross. The seven year old walked the trail himself. The other children were carried by their parents. Both parents described seeing dead bodies, hearing cries for help and not being able to help those crying out. After the gap, they would stop intermittently and work to earn money during their 4-month journey. They are hardworking parents that want stable work and a better life for their children. There is nothing for them in Venezuela.




We made food at Christo Rey Lutheran Church, brought and set up the lunch of Italian pasta salad, Bolivian Salad, taco chips and watermelon at the shelter. We didn't run out of food and had extra for seconds!





Then we set up tables to distribute socks, underwear, children's clothes, blankets, backpacks, feminine hygiene products, diapers and formula. We did run out of these supplies.

All in all, the people we meet are kind, willing to work hard and resilient; both asylum seekers and the people that work to help them. This experience is renewing my faith in humankind.






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