Face of Jesus in a Child
SUE INGERSOLL
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them.” - Matthew 19:14
The Sunday before Christmas, in his sermon, Josh mentioned friends putting out water in the desert in Mexico so that migrants had something to drink. I knew in that moment that we were headed south. Lewis, who was on the security team, had moved a few rows ahead of me. He turned around, looked at me, and I knew he felt the same. Every day for at least a month before this, I had listened to the old hymn, Have Thine Own Way, Lord, Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Cynnandra Hilde mentioned in Advent Conspiracy class that she had gone to Mexico to volunteer when she was in college. Ask her about the groups with which she served. Between her and Josh, that's all we needed to hear.
That evening, Lewis googled migrants, volunteer, southern border. Annunciation House, the largest hospitality house on the border, stood out. Mother Teresa named it when she came to visit years ago. Lewis emailed our two-week availability and experience. We both were studying to be Salvation Army chaplains for disasters. We had helped after a hurricane and also a tornado. We had four months’ experience in Israel working and living with Muslim families from Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria, and Gaza. Their children needed operations correcting congenital heart defects. We loved the work, but we fit better with the progressive Catholics and humanitarians in Texas.
Christmas Eve, we got our acceptance. Christmas morning, we jumped in the car and began a three-day drive to El Paso. Best Christmas ever! We trained the Sunday after Christmas with the other volunteers: two nurses, two nuns, and a law librarian specializing in immigration law. We were advised to take Airborne immune support supplements. We were the only ones who did and the only volunteers who didn't get sick. Some volunteers knew Spanish, but we relied on google translate and went all day between Portuguese, Spanish, and English.
The first day of training, two busloads of migrants driven by ICE pulled up behind the large warehouse where we were to live for the next two weeks. Ten port-a-potties and a large trailer with 16 showers were the first things they saw. The group was led inside and saw 500 cots, a soccer area, and play equipment for young kids. Every family had energetic kids, so happy to be out of the detention center.
All of us gathered in another big room so each family could go up to a table with a person that spoke either Portuguese or Spanish. That person would call the U.S. contact for the family and make sure travel by bus or plane and a place to stay had been secured. We gave everyone a bottle of water and snacks. Someone handed me a pair of scissors and said to cut the detention bands off every migrant adult and child. I saw the tragedy of these beautiful families from Honduras, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, and Brazil. I could have wept. I felt God must be weeping. I said, "Libre, you are free."
On the second day, Border Patrol brought in three people with broken bones, a man and a pregnant woman had fallen from the 18-foot wall. Another woman broke two bones crossing the Rio Grande River. We gave them wheelchairs. Someone had donated $1,000, which paid for five wheelchairs. We used three that day.
Santa was a little late delivering presents this year, but he made it to Annunciation House with presents for each child. We played Spanish Christmas carols on Spotify while each set of parents came in and picked out presents. It was a blast. Each migrant received a fresh set of clothes from the ropería. That clothing room was well-organized with donated laundered clothes. Medical attention was given if needed, and a doctor was on call.
We volunteers loved carrying their babies or trays so parents could get their meals. Migrants and volunteers pitched in and cleaned up afterwards. Travel bags with food and toys were prepared for each family as soon as they were ready to go on their way after leaving us. Lewis drove families to the airport or to one of four bus stations. Four washing machines and eight dryers ran all day, every day. Clean blankets, towels, and sheets as well as personal supplies were given out to all.
On slower days, we could open the playroom. Many kids gathered at the long table for art projects. Even though this was free time for parents, they came to socialize and let out their artistic side. The walls were covered with paintings and drawings. One mom wrote Salmo on hers. I now know the word “Psalm” in Portuguese. With so many kids around, fun was always in the air. With Spanish guitar music playing in the hall, who could not break out in a little dance? Boys wanted the same jacket in the clothing room. They decided the second one I found was just as good, and both hugged me around the waist. A little girl pulled on a ballet tutu over her dress and wanted to keep it as well as another tutu in her arms. Yeah, she left happily with both. A boy with a big smile asked for four big books from the shelf. “They do not need to be returned,” I replied. God blessed the Annunciation House with some big-hearted ideas. Everything is donated, everything goes, no questions asked.
May I share a little Spanish with you?
Igual que a nosotros nos escandaliza hablar de la esclavitud o de los campos de concentración, en el futuro nos van a mirar y nos van a decir: no se dieron cuenta de que eran seres humanos.
Just as we are shocked to talk about slavery or concentration camps, in the future they will tell us: Did you not realize that they were human beings?
Sue is married to Lewis, her partner in non-crime. She loves Jazzercise, Imago Dei, their 26 grandkids, 9 kids, and adventure.