It is hard to put in words what God did those 6 days in my life and the lives of all of us who were part or Borderlands, and I am also hesitant to write because not even a week has passed since we finished. What I can truly say is that it has been one the most significant experiences I've had in student ministry. We had students and staff from very different backgrounds (and countries: USA and Mexico) come together, work together, really get to know each other, talk politics, cry, pray, worship, share the gospel, seek justice and reconciliation, and be trained in the big issue of migration. I was deeply moved by the real partnership and collaboration we had, modeling equal relationships in the kingdom of God; and this was true both for staff and students. For me as Compa staff it was a blessing to host, share, and bless my brothers and sisters from IV because we gave ourselves to them and they did the same for us. I think the friendships that were started and/or cultivated will be key to God's kingdom in the coming years as we seek for God's love and justice in the issue of migration in our countries.
We spent the first 3 days in Tijuana, Mexico. The first night we slept at a shelter for immigrants, heard their stories of pain, separation from their families, poverty, suffering and hopelessness. We prepared some food to share the next day in the central bus station, shared our first impressions, and prayed for God to really break our hearts for all this. The second day was a full day. After giving food to migrants and homeless people, we got to hear more stories, some of them of hope and of what Christians are doing to love their neighbours. We took a tour around Tijuana, shared how we do student ministry, the uncertain political context of our country and more of our lives and struggles. We ended the day with a party: bible study, food, worship, community, prayer and music! Students and staff from IV stayed at the homes of Compa staff and students, and came to our churches the next day. On sunday, we even got to share God's Word in my church and challenge others to not only be hearers but to live out the Gospel with concrete acts of love and service.
On the third day we crossed the border to San Diego, leaving behind more than half of the Compa students who participated in the project, because they don't cover the requisites to ask for a visa. It was a different experience to cross and suddenly see how a border has the capacity to make us feel different. As Mexicans we don't feel welcomed in the US, there is a feeling of inferiority rooted in our shared history, and we felt suddenly overwhelmed by the differences in our countries. But our new friends made us feel welcomed, love and cared for. That night at the beach we all prayed together for the political unrest in Mexico; we all cried to God as one. The next day we met Enrique Morones, a social activist that fights for the rights of the migrants, and went to the desert to put gallons of water for the people who walk for days in order to cross into the United States. We went to a cemetery in which there are more than 700 unidentified people that died trying to cross the border in the desert. It was a very powerful experience, that lead me and others to think about the urgent need to do something. At the end of that day we spent time with God thinking about the challenges and reflecting about all the pain and injustices of our broken systems.
On the fifth day we were trained by Alexia Salvatierra on how to advocate for undocumented people. It was a full day of training and sharing life and experiences. It wasn't only in issue of laws; during those days it became clear we were dealing with people and families, and with our responsibility as Christians to love and care for the stranger. The love that grew between Compa and Intervarsity people became a statement of how God's love brings down any barrier and enables us to care deeply for one another. That night we dreamed about how this Borderlands project can continue to be an instrument for God's kingdom in bringing together communities to to do mission together in Gods's world. On the last day we got to share with one another what we were grateful for, what we saw God doing in our lives and a challenge we felt God was asking us to take. I was amazed at the miracle God made in our lives. He lead us to see, care, have compassion, love, and He also brought us together as a body.
I can just pray and hope for projects like this to continue, and that we can Iive like true communities of disciples that testify about God's kingdom in this World and the World to come. I am sure that God will use experiences like this to shape our lives and continue to challenge us to love our neighbors as ourselves as an expression of our love to him.
Some highlights and personal lessons:
· Real cross-cultural partnership for God's kingdom is a challenge, but it is definitely worth it. We get to know more of who God is and who we are.
· Bringing together students and staff from Intervarsity and Compa was an opportunity for God to work within our hearts things such as: compassion, reconciliation, racial identity, and cultural understanding.
· Migration is much more than a topic for the "borders", it is a global issue that affects us at different levels, and requires that we as Christians get involved also at different levels.
· Having Compa and IV work together helped us all see the issue with different eyes and exposed us to a more complete idea of life in both sides of the border.
· Friendship is key to continue working on this kind of projects.
· God really gave us a gift from this experience, and it includes things for my personal life and the way I do and understand student ministry.
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