7
Spending Holy Week in Arizona this Spring Break could not have been
more transformative and impactful. Being there to learn about immigra-
tion issues from people that witness it first-hand was eye opening. I heard
of the immigration struggles before, but I was, for the most part, oblivious
to the actual situation.
One of these transformative moments was the day spent in Douglas, Ari-
zona. One could see the impact the new, more stringent immigration laws
have had on this border city. A once lively city was now very barren. Al-
though we were only in Douglas for one day, there were many moments
that called to me.
It was there that we met Frontera de Cristo, a religious organization dedi-
cated to helping immigrants in need. In a shelter they run on the Mexican side of the border, one of the things they did was
wash the feet of migrants, feet that had travelled hundreds of miles through harsh conditions. Being Catholic, this spoke to
me deeply as this was the Bible coming to life since later that week we experienced the Gospel for Holy Thursday of Jesus
washing the feet of his disciples. It was calling me to live the Bible out, to see Jesus in everybody I meet.
Another transformative moment in Douglas was the vigil in remembrance of the
immigrants that lost their lives crossing the desert. Seeing the wooden crosses with
the names of people who died that were fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, husbands,
wives, daughters and sons, made everything real. I may not have known them per-
sonally, but when I was calling out their names aloud I felt pain for the family of the
deceased. People do not deserve an end like that.
Another powerful moment in Douglas was the talk we had with Tommy Basset, one
of the co-founders of Café Justo, a cooperative selling fair-trade coffee owned by a
cooperative of Mexican families. This helps address one of the root causes and keeps
people from making the treacherous journey. His talk inspired us to act and become
aware that every purchase we make will influence other people’s lives.
This trip was packed with so much information it felt we were there for more than a
week. Not only that, I do not think that any of us came out of the trip the same way
we entered it. We were all transformed or moved in one way or another. And now,
we are called to act, to spread the word and not stay quiet. The trip was very dense
and draining emotionally, but it also gave me a new desire, a calling from God to help
the cause. Even though I cannot be there personally at the moment, I am able to work
from here and make some change.
Angel is a Junior from California studying Mechanical Engineering. He is also a part
of the Catholic Leadership Team for the Catholic Community at Stanford.
we were all
transformed
or moved in
one way or
another. and
now, we are
called to act,
to spread the
word and not
stay quiet.
spending holy
week in arizona
could not
have been more
transformative
and impactful.
