Prayer “To Those Who Have Died in the Desert”

In memory of those who went to look for a better life, yet only encountered death…

In memory of those who risked everything and lost everything…

Of those who went with hopes in their eyes and challenge in their souls…

The sun burned them and the desert devoured them

And the dust erased their names and faces.

In memory of those who never returned…

We offer these flowers and say with the deepest respect…

Your thirst is our thirst,

Your hunger is our hunger,

Your pain is our pain,

Your anguish, bitterness, and agony are also ours.

We are a cry for justice that no one would ever have to leave their land, their believes,

Their dead,

Their children,

Their parents,

Their family,

Their roots,

Their culture,

Their identity,.

From out of the silence comes a voice that speaks…

So that no one will ever have to look for their dream in other lands,

So that no one would ever have to go to the desert and be consumed by loneliness.

A voice in the desert cries out…

Education for all!

Opportunity for all!

Jobs for all!

Bread for all!

Freedom for all!

Justice for all!

We are a voice that will not be lost in the desert…

That insists that a nation gives equal opportunity to a dignified and fruitful life to all its children.

Somos nepantleras

Submitted by Nikki Hertel Meirose, President of Project Puente Board

4/18/10

We were very careful in choosing the name of Project Puente. We wanted something that truly spoke to our vision for achieving a more just world. We believe that a better world is possible by connecting people to each other- buy tearing down walls and replacing them with bridges, by allowing people to form relationships with those who they consider “others,” people who are different than themselves. The word puente is bridge in Spanish. We consider our immersion trip experiences the foundation to incredible bridges that are built as relationships are formed. Our hope is that when we bring groups from the interior of the United States to the border, they will meet immigrants, people from a different country, who speak a different language, who have grown up in different conditions; and they will recognize the many ways in which they are the same. They will recognize their common humanity. And in that experience, we all become more human.

In preparing for the annual strategic planning meeting of the Project Puente board of directors, I came upon a quote by Chicana activist Gloria Anzaldúa. In This Bridge We Call Home- Radical Visions for Transformation, she writes:

“Bridges are thresholds to other realities, archetypal, primal symbols of shifting consciousness. They are passageways, conduits, and connectors that connote transitioning, crossing borders, and changing perspectives. Bridges span liminal (threshold) spaces between worlds, spaces I call nepantla, a Nahutl word meaning tierra entre medio. Transformations occur in this in-between space, an unstable, unpredictable, precarious, always-in-transition space lacking clear boundaries. Nepantla es tierra desconocida, and living in this liminal zone means being in a constant state of displacement—an uncomfortable, even alarming feeling… Though this state links us to other ideas, people, and worlds, we feel threatened by these new connections and the change they engender… I use the word nepantla to theorize liminality and to talk about those who facilitate passages between worlds, whom I’ve named nepantleras. I associate nepantla with states of mind that question old ideas and beliefs, acquire new perspectives, change worldviews, and shift from one world to another.”

Somos nepantleras. We are nepantleras. We are creating experiences of the in-between space of transformation. We are facilitating passages between worlds. And this is our vision for a better world for all human beings.

]]> http://projectpuente.org/?feed=rss2&p=613 http://projectpuente.org/?p=611 http://projectpuente.org/?p=611#comments Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:34:29 +0000 West Cosgrove http://projectpuente.org/?p=611 We are posting this letter from sectors of the Catholic Church in Ciudad Juarez.

To the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon Felipe Calderon Hinojosa

To the Attorney General of Mexico, Arturo Chavez Chavez Chavez

To the Governor of the State of Chihuahua, Jose Reyes Baeza

To the Mayor of Juarez, Jose Reyes Ferriz

To the people of Mexico and to the International Community

We, along with many in this city, the state and the country, seek to hold accountable all those in public office who have sworn to loyally carry out your duties on behalf of the people of Mexico

The insecurity, the violence and death that is the result of the war against the drug cartels in Ciudad Juarez has reached unimaginable levels. There have been nearly 5,000 murders, the majority which have not been resolved, in only 25 months. This city of workers is immersed in the anguish of not having a job, nor having access to medical services, or enough food, only poverty; of businesses that are closed because of the violence, the ignored and constant murder of women, likewise the kidnappings and the extortions that make one afraid to even answer the telephone.

Ciudad Juarez is a hospitable community, where we work and respect the order of law. We accepted and believed that your decisions were for the common good and we therefore received the “Joint Operation for Juarez”, which was later called “Joint Operation Chihuahua” and today called the, “Coordinated Operation Chihuahua”.

With respect and also with much energy we say to you that your programs have failed, they are ineffective, the history of death from April of 2008 to today is a witness of this, and if this is not enough we ask the families of the Villas of Salvarcar why their sons and daughters and parents were massacred in a manner that one only sees in a war.

The Juarez community has done much in our search for peace. We have shown our solidarity in peaceful ways, such as marches, forums, Catholic Masses, vigils, visits, by forming groups and organizations or movements of young people, students, doctors, women, people of faith of different religions and of common citizens who themselves have suffered from the murders, the kidnappings, the unemployment and who have felt the suffering of all the victims of the violence.

We do not accept that you have closed the case (of the massacre) based on declarations without much evidence and we repudiate the insensitivity of the government in stating that the massacre was a result of a fight “between gangs”.

We do not accept the declaration of war against no one in particular, the result being permanent mourning and daily funerals in our city.

Murder and this violent life cannot be justified not even for the delinquents, (for this we have laws, a government and a constitution that need to be respected), but even more, this incomprehensible death for a group of neighbors, mostly young people, who after taking precautions, decided to celebrate a birthday in their own neighborhood, is an event that defies explanation, where there are no words to explain.

Making the pain of the families of Salvarcar our own, as well as the pain of the thousands who have lost children, parents and family members, and the pain of those who have been kidnapped and have suffered extortion, the pain of the unemployed and the pain of a city who has had its very life kidnapped, we demand the following:

1. The immediate clarification of the massacre of the 16 people of Salvarcar

2. Specialized medical attention for the wounded.

3. Protection for the families who are receiving threats and professional attention for those who need it.

4. A public apology for the declarations that insulted the memory and the dignity of the young people and the other victims of the massacre.

5. End the impunity for the gangs, the police and the military.

6. The removal of the military from Juarez.

7. An efficient, transparent and measurable program that will provide security for the citizens of Juarez. That this program be permanently observed and evaluated by citizen groups and by other national and international observers.

The Workers Social Ministry of the Diocese of Juarez

Catholic Charities of Juarez

Incarnate Word Parish

I want to share a short 10 minute video with you called Exiled in America It is the story of the Santibanez family of San Antonio. It is the story of Sergia, the mother, being deported back to Mexico, even though she was a legal permanent resident of the United States and had lived  in the U.S. for 25 years. She has five U.S. citizen children.  She was charged and convicted of transporting illegal aliens. What she did was give some friends a ride in her car.

This short video consists of interviews with her children.  It portrays our increasingly harsh immigration laws that continue to separate families, in spite of our rhetoric regarding family values.

Madeline Santibanez, one of the children seen in the video, is living with us this year at Casa Puente  and attending UTEP.

When you have 10 minutes, check out this video.

Peace

West

Thank you Carlos, for sharing this reflection with us.

Dear Brother/Sister,

My mind torments me wishing that I had been there for you, now it is too late and you are gone. I pay you my respects and bring you this ofrenda, I made it thinking of you. I hope that this lights may guide you through the obscure solitude of your journey, I offer you water, my timing is horrible, I can picture you my brother/sister fighting the most important battle of your life. I can almost feel your increased heart rate, increased respiration, extreme fatigue, racing pulse, confusion, a confusion that lead you to believe that you could continue fighting, but it was too late, and my heart aches because I was not there for you when you needed me. I offer you food that would satisfy your need for justice, I offer you music that might give you joy throughout your journey, I offer you flowers that might guide your journey back every year, I will be here for you. I cry out of despair now that you are gone, I blame my self for that. I should have told you that you did not stand a chance, but I think that you knew that, your prerogative of a better life and a better future for your people made you delusional. You are a true crusader of this world, you journey ended abruptly, but you fought until the last minute, the last second, the last grasp of air, your legs slowly weakened, and your will starting giving up, but your soul never stopped fighting, it was a fight so beautiful and so meaningful because it was a fight greater than any politics and any barriers, it was a fight for love

Until we meet again,

Carlos M

José murió el jueves, 2 de julio. Fue el cumpleaños de Pedro. Pedro es el hijo de José, ya tiene ocho años. José y Berta, la mamá de Pedro y la esposa, compañera y mejor amiga de José por 22 años, salieron para comprar cosas para la fiesta del cumpleaños. Ya saben el resto de la historia. José se encontró en una situación que ocurre 12 a 15 veces al día en Ciudad Juárez, mi ciudad hermana. En la tienda dónde compraba el helado, ocurría un robo. Y cuando trataron de robar a José, lo mataron a balazos y ya no está con nosotros. Berta, Beto, Ivonne, y Pedro y todos nosotros ahora tenemos que vivir sin él.

La muerte de José, su asesinato, es una tremenda tragedia, una tremenda injusticia. Me hace querer enfurecernos contra el cielo y contra la tierra. Era una persona muy, muy buena. Quiero llorar y quiero gritar. Pero- recordemos que la muerte de José es solamente una quinceava parte de la tragedia cotidiana que es Ciudad Juárez hoy.

Así que lamentamos y extrañamos a José, pero se ha perdido mucho más y hay que lamentar y enfurecernos contra todo lo que se ha perdido. Tenemos que lamentar y enfurecernos contra la pérdida del juicio y la pérdida de dignidad humana que precede la gente matando uno al otro en tantos números. Tenemos que lamentar y enfurecernos contra las condiciones que dan al comercio de las drogas ilegales un espacio para operar. Tenemos que lamentar y enfurecernos contra la pobreza, la falta de trabajos, y los sueldos bajos para los trabajos que sí existen en Ciudad Juárez, mi ciudad hermana.

José ya no camina entre nosotros, pero muchos creemos que sigue vivo. Lo que es cierto es que nosotros, tú y yo, seguimos vivos. Y cómo seguimos vivos importa. ¿Viviremos como vivió José, amando a su familia y sus amigos/as en cada oportunidad? ¿Viviremos generosamente, compartiendo todo lo que tenemos con los demás? ¿Viviremos con nuestros ojos abiertos al dolor y a las necesidades que nos rodean, respondiendo en maneras que muchas veces no se notan? ¿Viviremos vidas que traen curación a nosotros mismos, a nuestras familias, a nuestros amigos/as, al mismo planeta que nos carga y nos sostiene?

Yo creo que así viviremos. Soy una de las personas que cree que José sigue vivo. Creo que como Jesús, Gandhi y Muhammad, José y todos los caídos siguen vivos y están con nosotros. Nos levantan, nos soportan, nos ayudan a correr cuando pensamos que no podemos caminar, nos ayudan a mover más allá del miedo que seguramente nos sentimos.

Quiero que vuelva José. Pero más que eso, quiero que su muerte, y todas las muertes injustas que nos rodean sean la gota que derrame el vaso, que sean lo que se necesita para motivarme a mí y a todos a tomar acción. Quiero que su muerte sea lo que se necesita para levantarme y no aceptar más muerte, sino dar todo lo que tengo a la lucha por la vida. Eso es lo que querría José. Es lo que necesitan mis amigos/as en Ciudad Juárez, mi ciudad hermana. Es lo que la justicia y el amor y nuestro/a Dios exigen.

~ West. 7.7.09.

]]> http://projectpuente.org/?feed=rss2&p=506 http://projectpuente.org/?p=503 http://projectpuente.org/?p=503#comments Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:05:39 +0000 West Cosgrove http://projectpuente.org/?p=503

José died on Thursday, July 2. It was Pedro’s birthday. Pedro is José’s son, now eight years old. José and Berta, Pedro’s mom and José’s wife and companion and best friend for 22 years, went out to buy supplies for the birthday party. You know the rest of the story. José found himself caught in the middle of what happens 12-15 times a day in Ciudad Juárez, my sister city. In the store where he was buying the ice cream, a robbery was taking place. And when they tried to rob José, they shot him and he died and he is gone. Berta, Beto, Yvonne and Pedro and all of us now must live on without him.

José’s death, his murder, is a huge tragedy, a huge injustice. It makes me want to rage against heaven and against earth. He was a very, very good person. I want to cry and I want to scream. But remember that José’s death is only one fifteenth of the daily tragedy that is Ciudad Juárez today.

So we mourn and we miss José, but so much more has been lost and we must mourn and we must rage against all that has been lost. We also must mourn and rage against the loss of sanity and the loss of human dignity that precedes people killing each other in such numbers. We must mourn and we must rage against the conditions that give the illegal drug trade a space to operate. We must mourn and we must rage against the poverty, the lack of jobs and the low pay for the jobs that do exist in Ciudad Juárez, my sister city.

José no longer walks amongst us, but many of us do believe that he lives on. What is certain is that we, you and I, do live on. And how we live on is important. Will we live as José lived, loving his family and friends at every opportunity? Will we live generously, sharing all that we have with others? Will we live with our eyes open to the pain and needs around us, responding in ways that most often go unnoticed? Will we live lives that bring healing to ourselves, to our families, to our friends, to the very planet that holds and sustains us?

I believe that we will. I am one that believes that José does live on. I believe that like Jesus and Gandhi and Muhammad that José and all the caídos live on and are with us. They now hold us up, support us, help us to run when we feel that we cannot walk, help us to move beyond the fear that we will certainly feel.

I want José back. But more than that, I want his death, and all the unjust death around us to be the last straw, to be what it takes to move me and all of us to action. I want his death to be what it takes for me to STAND UP and NOT ACCEPT more death, but rather to give all I have in the struggle for life. It is what José would want. It is what my friends in Ciudad Juárez, my sister city need. It is what justice and love and our God demand.

~West. July 7, 2009.