Reflection

Here is a short reflection I wrote to comlete the requirements for the course entitled, Paradox on the Border. (Josh)

Paradox on the Border

If there were a way to summarize my whole experience on the border in a single word, I suppose that word would have to be paradox. This word first came to me before I ever left Holland for Tucson. I had been reading some articles on immigration and a thought occurred to me, and the thought was – the people who are migrating north to cross illegally are dying to live. The dire economic circumstances of Mexico and South Central America coupled with the desperation of the migrants have forced them to traverse desert terrain in hopes of a better life in America. These people are so desperate that they are willing to risk everything they have – including their lives – so that they might live in a land which they believe has better opportunities. These people are literally dying to live, and this is a paradox.

The paradox of dying to live is described three times by Jesus (Mk 8:34-5; Lk 9:23-4; Mt 16:24-5). The Luke 9 narrative says, “Then he [Jesus] said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.’” When I usually read this narrative or when I’ve heard sermons preached on these passages, the focus tends to be on the denying of ones self and taking up the cross to follow Jesus. Now when I read this passage after seeing what I have seen and hearing what I have heard, it seems to me that the key to understanding what Jesus is talking about rests in understanding what it means to die to live. I think what Jesus is saying is that if I really want to live a piece of me (a piece of myself) has to die every single day. In other words, I have to die to myself in order that I might live in Christ. I think my understanding of the die to live paradox has grown so much in light of our trip to the border.

I was deeply touched (and blessed) by the people we met who tied their faith to their work. I’m thinking in particular of Mike Wilson, Pastor Brandon, Enrique, the Padre, Pastor Mark, as well as the staff at CRREDA. It seems to me that for these “faith in action” kinds of people, the issues surrounding Mexican government, economics, and immigration are so big and so complicated that only God can bring restoration and justice. And that is no small statement. I was so blessed when the director of CRREDA said that every day the food they eat is a gift from God. They don’t know where or when food is coming, but by faith they trust that it will be provided. And as a result of their faith, God has responded faithfully by giving them what they need.

Mike Wilson and Enrique from CAMEYN made it a point to share with us the words of Jesus from Matthew 25:35-6, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” These words that Jesus spoke are a driving force for their ministries. And if I remember correctly, Mike Wilson said that you just never know which one of these immigrants could be Jesus. Not only do I feel blessed to have met Mike Wilson, Enrique, the Padre, and others, but I was also challenged by them. The very words of God, as shared by our friends of the faith, were convicting. This trip provided a raw context necessary to better understanding of the words of Jesus and the prophets.

Switching gears for a moment, from an academic perspective, I learned a lot about the economics of the U.S. and Mexico, specifically how the wake of NAFTA has been more damaging than helpful for the people of Mexico. I am deeply troubled by the corruption and passivity of the Mexican government and their seemingly lack of concern for their people. I learned that the average migrant attempting to cross in to the U.S. illegally is male between the ages of 15 and 45, and roughly two to four thousand migrants make it across the border every day. Many of these migrants are fathers just like me. They are doing what they think is best for their family. They are going to extremes so that they might put food on the table and a roof over the heads of those they love the most. I can relate to that. As a dad and a husband, I like to think that I put my family first in my life, and that I’d go to great lengths to provide for them. And if it came down to it…I’d jump the wall if I had to.

Challenges
There were so many challenges that I can’t possibly describe them all in such a short space. However, I will attempt to describe a few challenges that impacted me the most. I can’t describe how incredibly difficult it was to leave home for 10 days to go on this trip. I confess that I did not want to go for so many days, but at the same time I just wanted to get it over with. So, the first challenge for me was to overcome the sense I had of abandoning my family. My heart was with them the whole time I was gone. I don’t think I was ever distracted from being “in the present” with the group, but I never stopped thinking of my family.

The next challenge I faced was (and still am) trying to figure out how faith intersected with the BorderLinks organization. As I already mentioned, I was most affected by those people we met who weaved their faith, calling, and ministry in to their work. So, perhaps I don’t know enough about the organization, but BorderLinks refers to themselves as a “faith-based” organization, so I was disappointed in the disconnection between faith and border issues. A prime example of this was on the very first day when Dell responded to the young lady from Hastings College who asked her how important she thought it was to have a set of beliefs to live by. I really thought Dell would take the opportunity to share Christ with this young lady. Instead Dell responded by telling this young woman that it’s important to have a set of commandments to live by. Perhaps, I’m being a little too harsh on Dell, but I found her response bothersome. The young college woman had opened a door wide open for Dell to share the Gospel with her and ultimately did not. The question I’d like answered is how exactly does faith intersect with what BorderLinks is trying to accomplish? And if faith is so important, why isn’t it more prevalent and unmistakable? I have a hunch, and my hunch is that since Rick Ufford-Chase has left the organization, the faith component to BorderLinks has lost some thrust and focus.

The final challenge that I am coming to grips with is now that I’m back in Michigan, what am I suppose to do with what I have learned and what I know. To be honest, I’m not sure. I believe that I can pray and I will continue to pray for the migrants. But I’m wondering if there’s something else I should do. One small conclusion I came to is to start to share my experiences with my friends and family. God willing I will have some significant conversations with people I know about border issues. And perhaps I will be led to write to my Congressman or Congresswoman. Or perhaps I may be led to join John Fife and make the spiritual pilgrimage this summer. As of right now, I don’t feel led to do that, but I’m open to the possibility.

In summary, I learned too much about border issues to be able to describe everything that I desire in five pages. This reflection paper has only begun to scratch the surface of this very complex and hotly debated issue. There is no doubt in my mind that only God can bring complete restoration to the people of Mexico and South Central America and resolve this terrible crisis. I pray come Lord Jesus come to the border. I’m very grateful for the experiences I have had along the border and I pray that I never forget them. Now that I am home I feel as though I have something significant to contribute to this ongoing conversation. When people ask, I will do my best to tell them about what I experienced on the border.