Ashley's Imagine Grant Trip to Arizona, Mexico and Nicaragua

The Kids

2006-08-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

The Visual Effect

2006-07-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

Our group at the airport in Omaha before the trip.

Dad and a patient at our second clinic.

Dad's office at our third clinic.

Jeff and me counting pills in the pharmacy at our third clinic.

A tiny little kitten I found at our third clinic...the first cat I had seen all week.

Our pharmacy at the third clinic. Techs on the right, distribution in the middle, supplies in the back.

The doctors' offices at our last clinic.

Dr. Joe (with me assisting) removing a cyst from a man's wrist.

Me by the church's well at our last clinic.

More pics!!

2006-07-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

Dad and me during Thursday's clinic.

Dad and me at the volcano crater.

Grandma, Jeff, Dad and me at the banquet restaurant.

Reflection on Nicaragua

2006-07-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

I love the people in Nicaragua. The pollution is bad though, and the poverty worse. Driving through Omaha today, I was struck by how luxurious some neighborhoods seem...ones that most folks in the city wouldn't consider fantastic. Running water is a luxury, air conditioning is a luxury, a floor other than dirt in your home is a luxury...

70% of the world lives without luxuries that most "Americans" don't think twice about. As I mentioned previously...when we booked the hotel rooms in Managua, the hotel boasted of running hot and cold water, air conditioning and tile floors.

The doctors in Nicaragua just finished a 10 month strike. Many people have had no access to medical care for a year, even if they desperately needed it. They need volunteers, medical, construction, mostly medical, to help ease some of the need.

The animals down there are in even poorer shape. Dogs with every bone sticking out.

The need is great, global...and not going away any time soon. Dr. Catherine, one of our pharmacists and a professor at the School of Pharmacy at Creighton is from Kenya. Her words paraphrased..."This is good compared to Kenya. People there are lucky to find a box." Dr. Joe is from Sudan...next year he's taking a team to Darfur to try to aid a few. While Darfur is probably too dangerous for most folks (myself included), there is a need and many of us have skills.

If you can read and can count to 150, you can serve as a pharm tech under a pharmacist. If you can paint or hammer nails, you can work on construction. If you can walk, you can go on patrol on the border to find lost, injured, dying migrants. If you can travel, even if you cannot stand, you can still hand out food and supplies to hungry, tired, blistered migrants arriving back in Nogales...or to refugees at a refugee camp elsewhere in the world.

One of this summer's greatest lessons....

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" (Theodore Roosevelt)

...whether at home, on the border, or on the trail...

Catching up

2006-07-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

Hello! My sincere appologies for not catching this up sooner... Free time dwindled to nearly zip towards the end of the week and upon returning home, I was horizontal for three days with respiratory and stomach issues most likely due to the trash-smoke polluting the air in Nicaragua and the anti-worm medication, respectively. (We hope we didn't pick up any parasites, but the doctors felt it was smart to treat all of us anyway.) =)

The grand total for the week... 1,053 patients seen... 4,000+ prescriptions filled!! Woohoo!! =)

Tuesday... 'Saw a bunch of my tag friends! =) They hung on to me during my lunch break and didn't want to let go when I had to go back to the pharmacy. Grandma and I made quite a team sacking meds throughout the day.

Wednesday... We were in a very rural, remote location. The roads to the village would have been more fun in my Ford Ranger Off-Road, but we made it nonetheless. The doctors and nurses set up shop under mango trees while the pharmacy took over the church structure (cinderblock and dirt floors). It was hot...very hot and muggy. We dripped with sweat all day.

Highlights... Jeffro got to switch from the construction crew to the med team, so we got to see him during the day. He joined me as a pharm tech counting pills, measuring out mud-colored liquid allergy medication and mixing up lots of lovely, pink, amoxicillin suspensions for kids. Mmmm!

Dad pulled me out a few times to show me cool issues that folks had. 'Got to listen to a child's stomach...tons of bubbly, blurpy sounds. This points to parasites because the digestive system is hyperactive. Dr. Joe had a woman who claimed to be paralyzed with illness who still had good muscle tone. The final suspected diagnosis? She's faking it! She was an interesting one. We had one person with a blood sugar of 429...yeah...that's very, very high. Another lady had a blood pressure of 182/118...very, very high, too.

What I'll remember most from Wednesday is a pretty 27-year-old. Before I found out how old she was, my impression was that she was about 16, and afraid. Her illness? She had been raped. A mother of two had been raped. Dr. Susan gave her a shot and some other medications to cover her for STDs.

Thursday... We were in a location even more remote than Wednesday. The bus crossed streams and drove down a riverbed that serves as a road (when it's not full of water) to get to a small village church. There weren't many tables in the church and the pews had taken a beating (we even found a scorpion under one of them), but we go where people are and there were people here. The doctors set up pews outside along one wall of the church and the nurses did the same for triage on the other side. We rigged a few tables and a pew together in the church for a pharmacy.

This day was my favorite of the four because I got to assist in two minor surgeries. The first was the removal of a grape-sized cyst from a man's wrist. The second, the removal of what was essentially a mole-gone-nuts...a mole on a woman's side, right at her bra line, had turned into what looked like a prune hanging off of her. Dr. Joe let me take it off with a scalpel.

Other patients... A boy with a sternum that scooped inward. A young girl with Vitiligo (the same skin condition that Michael Jackson has). Her face (as well as her mother's) dropped when they were told that the blotches on her legs and neck not only would not go away, but would continue to spread until, at some point, she looked caucasian.

The highlight of the day was a housecall I made with my dad and Dr. Joe. We were informed that an elderly man needed a doctor, but was too weak to walk to the church. Upon arrival (after traveling down an even more river-like riverbed) we found an extended family. Grandma and Grandpa have been married for nearly 70 years. The grandfather is on his deathbed, very anemic, white from vitiligo, and has been cared for 24/7 by his family for a few months already (he probably has some kind of cancer). Dad and Joe listen to his chest and find that he also has pneumonia. On our way out of the house and back to the clinic to get meds, I ask the granddaughter if I can pet their horse who's nibbling his way across the yard. She takes me over to him and shares that they also have two parrots. Grandma joins us and says that they need a doctor to look at the granddaughter, so I call my dad back. It turns out that the granddaughter has a very bad ear infection.

When we come back with the meds, we bring my grandma, too, who was on the med mission team. She's the same age as the grandmother we had met and was able to talk with her a bit about losing her husband (my grandfather) six years ago. The two of them were soul sisters from the moment they met. The granddaughter brought Tonito (little kisses) in for me to hold and then showed us their other, larger parrot. We got to meet their chicks, kittens and saw family photographs from years past. My dad's translator, who's a young local pastor, prayed with the family and comforted them. Dad gave the grandfather two shots of an antibiotic and instructed the grandmother and daughter how and when to give him the other medicines. When told that the grandfather needed to be upright for a little while every day to try to fight the pneumonia, grandma piped right up and said "I've got a sheet. I'll tie him in the chair!" She's such a sweetheart. Their family will always stick with me. Who knows? If I go back next year, maybe we can catch up?

Friday... Friday was our touring day. We drove to a lookout point and got to gaze over a ridiculously large lake that's probably an ancient crater. Amazing! We did some shopping (incredible wood and ceramic work) and then drove to another market in Masia. Here we shopped some more and caught bits and pieces of the World Cup. BIG BIG DEAL down there!!! I think we all became bigger soccer fans during the week! =)

After shopping, we drove up to an active volcano and looked down into the crater. Ok...it was REALLY FREAKIN' HUGE!! The sulphurous gases made it so that we couldn't stay any longer than 15 minutes, but it was worth it. On our way back down the volcano, dad and I hopped out and got a photo beside a 20-foot tall rock that had gotten launched a half mile away from the volcano when it last erupted in the 1700s.

Friday night we had a group banquet at a nice restaurant. My favorite part, besides the plaintain (banana) chips were the geckos on the ceiling. Ever since Australia, I've been partial to geckos. =)

Saturday... We flew home...but not before cheering against England (we had no choice...everyone else in the airport was cheering for the other team) while sitting on the floor infront of three big screen tvs near our gate. Great experience! =)

We arrived in Houston and began our 5 hour expected layover. At 8:30pm, we noticed that our departing time had changed from 9pm to 11:30...and so began more delays. Our crew had gotten stuck in Mexico. Due to the later take-off time, the crew expired on their allowed flying hours, so the airport had to find us a new crew and some pilots. A long story short...we got home around 3am...BUT not before teaching most of the med team how to play "BS" and "Spoons"...we must have killed a good 3 hours between the two of them...perpetual laughter. =)

Tic-Tac-Toe

2006-06-25T22:33:00.000-07:00

My stuff came! Yay, more underwear!! =)

This morning, we attended an extremely charismatic and energetic church service. The folks were pleasant and very warm. I'm pretty sure I shook hands with each church member following the service as they all came over to our group to wish us well as brothers and sisters in the faith.

Afterwards, we went to lunch at...yeah, I'm not kidding...a Burger King! 'Had a hamburguesa con queso, papas fritas y una coca...basically, a numero dos combo meal. =) The tray liners had a hungry Tom Hanks stranded on a deserted island (yep, Castaway, the movie) and choosing to brave the ocean in order to reach a Burger King. Our favorite part...Wilson was pictured, too! =)

Irony...our ketchup packets were made in Omaha, Nebraska. Go figure!

This evening, we attended another church service where I actually spent most of the two hours teaching a bunch of kids outside how to play tic-tac-toe (big hit! they've dubbed it "cerro equis" or "zero x") and then was invited to join a game of tag. Funny how you seem to become an easier target when you're twenty as opposed to when you were eight! =) It was a blast. Oooo, and cameras! These kids see one come out and all of a sudden fifteen of em are crowding around to get in the picture...and they're all absolutely adorable! Not to worry, I'll be posting some as soon as possible. The wireless connection here in my room isn't as strong as it is in the lobby...so I'll upload them there tomorrow.

More stories tomorrow! 'Gotta get some sleep so I can function in the morning. It looks like I'll be working as an interpreter/translator for the pharmacists for the day.

Buenas noches,
Ash =)

Hola de Nicaragua!

2006-06-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

Wow! Already an exciting start to the week! We arrived here in Managua to discover that three personal bags and ten medical supply boxes didn’t make it. It just so happens that my bag is one of the lost! In Omaha, the bag checkers put two random bags on each person’s boarding passes, so we had no way to directly determine which serial numbers belonged to the missing bags. Luckily, my trusty VAIO made the trip in my backpack! I pulled it out and started cataloging bag serial numbers as well as sticker serial numbers from people’s boarding passes as Megan, another college student on the trip, called them out. A quick spreadsheet sorting and we were in business! Within ten minutes we had the numbers of the lost luggage, woohoo! We’re hoping to have them back by tomorrow night (when the next plane comes in from the U.S.) If they don’t show up then, I’ll just continue “camping” until the end of the week. Thus far, dad’s loaned me scrubs, Jeff had brought me back an “I Love N.Y.” t-shirt, and Megan’s loaned me some of her clothes (we’re the same size…even shoes!). So it’s all good. I’m just thrilled to get a shower! Earlier this month, I went five days without seeing anything that looked remotely like a shower…so this is luxury!

Tomorrow, we’re splitting up and attending different church services, depending upon where a volunteer preacher from our team is going. I’m not sure what the afternoon holds, but there’s another church service in the evening. If our medical supplies and equipment don’t arrive tomorrow, we’ll take Monday off as our free day instead of Friday and keep our fingers crossed that things show up soon. =) Good news…the 58 pound piece of luggage full of vitamins made it! LOL If only we had the real pharmaceuticals! =)

A shout out to my traveling mentors back at HC, Dr. Meyer and Dr. Wilhelm… It’s amazing how quickly “be a traveler and not a tourist” can calm people down! I took it up as a mantra this evening when half of the group was about to strangle some poor Spanish-speaking baggage boy because a quarter of our stuff didn’t show up. Folks chilled out and decided that it really was ok to have to wait for a bit. =)

Hasta manana!
Ash =)

A face I will never forget

2006-06-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here's the little girl from the shelter, being held by Julie.

...A face I will never forget.

Photos

2006-06-22T21:27:00.001-07:00

To the left...Steve and me at the No More Deaths apartment before he left for Borderlinks. We ran into each other the next morning at the airport. Good times.

Above...Rashawn hanging out in the living room. We had a good time watching M.A.S.H., Animal Cops, random old tv shows, Cold Case Files...anything relatively interesting that came on. =)

I'm going to miss you guys! Have a great summer, both of you!

Home Sweet Home

2006-06-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

It's great to be home! 'Been sleeping, catching up with the fam and receiving lots of kisses from the puppies. =) I'm about to throw some laundry in the washer and start packing for the Nicaragua trip.

In Managua, we'll be working in a church with dirt floors and dealing with both the heat and mosquitos. I'm seriously considering getting one of those mosquito net hat/face mask thingamobobs. =) Our hotel, on the other hand, has running hot and cold water and air conditioning, so I have absolutely nothing to complain about!

I'll check back in before we take off on Saturday...

Hasta luego, Ash =)

Leavin' on a jet plane...

2006-06-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

I’m at the airport!!!

‘Had an interesting experience this morning. When Rashawn and I went outside to get in the car, we realized that the passenger side door was ajar. Upon further inspection, we found that the coin tray was pulled out and the center compartment lid was up. Unfortunately for someone, the Exploder wasn’t very exciting to break into. All that was in the car were some wrappers, a first-aid kit and a Club bar in the back. Veddy interesting! =)

I have tickets all the way through to Omaha and should be there by 3:45pm. It’ll be so good to be home for a few days! I’ve started developing a cough that I’m attempting to suppress. Maybe I’ll end up with a full-blown case of “Valley Fever” (a fungal lung infection) before everything’s said and done. =)

OOOOO, I’m watching F-16s take off. According to a pilot who’s sitting near me, there are three F-16 squadrons here at the airport.

Wrappin' it Up

2006-06-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

Since returning from the Borderlinks delegation (hi guys!) I’ve been volunteering with No More Deaths at the office doing administrative odd-jobs. Yesterday, for instance, Steve-o (who’s in town this week) and I drove all over the city with $70 on a mission to buy as many socks as possible from thrift shops. We came up with 58 pairs. Woohoo!!! Our wide assortment included orange tube socks, Christmas designs and some squishy knitted ones. =)

Today, I spent a couple of hours sorting through three large Rubbermaid tubs of random medical supplies that had been donated to No More Deaths. I have no idea why an NGO that rarely performs more detailed procedures than basic first aid needs ten catheter kits. Baffling! I also found an “Emergency Chemotherapy Spill Clean-up Kit.” ??? Luckily, I was able to fill up one of the tubs with gauze, rubbing alcohol and plastic gloves which should prove to be helpful on a regular basis. =)

This last month has been a well-balanced one. I have experienced desert heat, dust storms, ants, getting stuck by a jumping cholla, dehydration, migraines, stomach sickness, walking for miles, eating lots of beans, staying with a host family in Nogales, a feeling of empathy for an injured cockroach, sleeping in the desert, sleeping in a bed, not getting a shower for a week, showering in a solar shower (water in a bag suspended above the ground), showering in Nogales where you have to use as little water as possible, driving the “Exploder” which lacked a working driver’s side door and air conditioning, not getting run-over by a runaway van, fire ant bites, bartering with merchants, finding a monk in a box, hanging out with three key members of the Sanctuary Movement and a scientist whose lab proposed several theories I studied in cell bio last semester (map kinase cascade and work with g-protein receptors…hi ken, erin and kerri!), meeting migrants at various places along their journeys, patching up lots of feet, visiting the desert camp and migrant shrine, running into friends over and over again, ice baths, carrying ? Gonzales-Galirdo’s cross from Sasabe to Tucson, sage ceremonies with Maria, hand-washing, sorting medical supplies for No More Deaths, 7am meetings at Sarah’s, dum dum dum, Miriam’s puppy, the taste of a McDonald’s quarter-pounder with cheese, driving the port-a-potties, the freakin’ steep hill with wires and the port-a-potties (yay for Team Ashley and Laura!), modern dance in the mornings, CPT’ers, the dumpster-divers, barking unchained pitbull, Mark, felon nuns who are really cool, bush hunting, Diet Coke, “Presente“…

I’m hoping to catch a standby flight home tomorrow to get an extra day and a half of rest and a few more malaria pills down my throat. =)

Next week in Nicaragua should bring yet another perspective to the issues I’ve seen here on the border since many migrants come from extreme southern Mexico and Central America.

Dios todavia habla (God is still speaking)

2006-06-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

The following are a couple of psalms that have taken on new meaning for me over the course of this experience on the border. Psalm 22 is read as a migrant who is struggling through the desert, running a gauntlet of heat, snakes, cactus and bandits to have an opportunity to create a better life for oneself and his/her family.

Psalm 22:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress?
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; by night as well, but I find no rest.
Yet you are the Holy One, enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
Our ancestors put their trust in you; they trusted, and you delivered them.
They cried out to you and were delivered; they trusted in you and were not put to shame.
But as for me, I am a worm and not a man, scorned by all and despised by the people.
All who see me laugh me to scorn; they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,
“He trusted in the Lord; let the Lord deliver him;
Let God rescue him, if God delights in him.”
Yet you are the one who took me out of the womb, and kept me safe upon my mother’s breast.
I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; you were my God when I wasstill in my mother’s womb.
Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.
Many young bulls encircle me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me.
They open wide their jaws at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water; all of my bones are out of joint; my heart within my breast is melting wax.
My mouth is dried out like a pot-sherd; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; and you have laid me in the dust of the grave.
Packs of dogs close me in, and gangs of evildoers circle around me; they pierce my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them; they cast lots for my clothing.
Be not far away, O Lord; you are my strength; hasten to help me.
Save me from the sword, my life from the power of the dog.
Save me from the lion’s mouth, my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls.
I will declare your name to the community; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
Praise the Lord, you that are God-fearing; stand in awe of the Lord, O offspring of Israel; all you of Jacob’s line, give glory.
For the Lord does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither is the Lord’s face hidden from them; but when they cry out, the Lord hears them.
My praise is of God in the great assembly; I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship the Lord.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall give praise: “May your heart live forever!”
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to God, and all the families of the nations shall bow before the Lord.
For sovereignty belongs to the Lord, who rules over the nations.
To the Lord alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; all who go down to the dust fall before the Lord.
My soul shall live for God; my descendants shall serve the Lord; they shall be known as the Lord’s forever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn the saving deeds that God has done.

Psalm 23 is read from the same perspective with an emphasis on the fact that the valley between the two mountain ranges in southern Arizona is referred to as the “Devil’s Highway.”

Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.
You make me lie down in green pastures and lead me beside still waters.
You revive my soul and guide me along right pathways for your name’s sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.
Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Nothing like getting knocked out

2006-06-17T19:42:00.000-07:00

A bunch of friends came over for a grill-out this afternoon and cheered on the U.S. as they played Italy. We'd all like to know what the deal was with the referee. =)

Yesterday, (Friday), I rode with Sarah and Geoff to Arivaca. We checked out a volunteer's land for a potential site to host our medical volunteers for dispatch. After a good chat with Laura and her husband, we stopped by the volunteer camp (a 45 minute trip off the highway) and helped the guys program contacts into their brand new desert phones. (They even have a walkie-talkie function!) =) (To the left, me at the desert camp...Below, the Migrant Shrine at the desert camp.)

Last night, Rashawn and I drove downtown to meet some friend's at Che's. The group was running late, so we went for a walk and ended up in Antigone Books (which we discovered is a feminist bookstore). Crazily enough, I suddenly felt horribly sick and ended up in the bookstore bathroom where I passed out and got knocked out from the fall for a good 7 minutes. At least, that's the best I can figure because by the time I finally came-to, the bookstore had been closed for a while. My knees, right shoulder, right temple and the back of my head hurts. 'Try to figure that one out! Ug. =)

Tomorrow, I'd like to catch church at Southside if I can get myself moving (slept most of today). Around 2pm is Desert Training so that I can go out on Samaritan patrols later in the week. Only a few more days and I'm flying home. Where's the month gone?? (To the left, you can see the Border Patrol cruiser that watches the No More Deaths camp every day.)

Hasta luego,
Ash =)

Just for laughs...

2006-06-15T23:07:00.000-07:00

Some fun photos from the drive back to Tucson...

Ashley the Sheep...

Ann and Rachel...zonked out after a major giggle fit resulting from Ann dumping most of her nalgene all over herself when we hit a bump. =)

Reflection

2006-06-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

This week, we observed life on the border, spending time with permanent residents as well as migrants. Four faces have been etched upon my heart: the migrant sister, Ruben (the 14 year old), Jeanette (the abandoned girl) and a meek woman in downtown Nogales who asked me for enough pesos to buy milk for her baby. These faces spoke loudly to me at the time and are still speaking. They ask for understanding, for compassion, for the chance to have a shot at a life to be proud of. They are sisters, daughters, sons, mothers…all living on a prayer.

I feel challenged to meet these needs in some way, shape or form. They are myriad in nature, but not infinite. Starting with small actions, a movement could be created that would span the globe over time. What gifts do I have to contribute to the cause?

I was glad to meet the Grupos Betas guys. (Us talking with them at their El Tortugo out post in the desert [first photo] and a van full of migrants being transported to the border [second photo]). To see an agency on the Mexico side of the border reaching out to people with humanitarian information and aid was reaffirming of the job No More Deaths and others are attempting on this side of la fronterra. In partnership, we could do even more, though sadly, we could work forever without affecting the issues that have led to the current migration of workers. Policies must change. The Mexican government needs to begin protecting and advocating for its own people. The United States government must take a more humanitarian stance on its foreign trade policies. To continue the corporate rat race without attention paid to those at the bottom of the ladder will lead us to a place we may never recover from.

Migrant Prayer at CCAMYN

2006-06-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

The flowers speak... (my translation below)

To Those Who Fall in the Desert of Death:

In memory of those who look for a better life
Who only enounter death there
In memory of those who where all adventurous and all forgiving
Who lived with hope in their eyes
And challenge in his soul

The sun burns them, the desert devours them
and the dust erases their name and their image

In memory of those who will return no more
We offer these flowers
To them with respect we say:
Your thirst is our thirst
Your hunger is our hunger
Your pain is our pain
Your anguish, your bitterness and your agony
Are ours as well

We are a shout that demands justice...
So that no one, not one more will be abandoned to the land
Your beliefs, your deaths, your children, your parents, your family,
Your roots, your culture, your identity...

We are a silence that has voice
So that no one will have to look for a destiny in other lands

So that no one will have to go to the desert
And waste away in loneliness

We are a voice in the desert that cries out:
Education for all!
Opportunities for all!
Work for all!
Bread for all!
Liberty for all!
Justice for all!...

We are a voice that the desert cannot drown out
To demand that the homeland will give the same to all of our children
The opportuny of a dignified and decorated life...

"For the right to a life in peace"
Mexico, Winter of 2004
Othon Perez

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

2006-06-14T22:57:00.000-07:00

Just finished dinner with four migrant friends from Mexico City. I sat with Dulce-Maria who is a twenty-five year-old mother of two (ages 2 and 6). She’s on her way to meet her husband in Phoenix. He’s been able to find work as a carpenter and has arranged for the coyote who helped him across to guide her. Her front teeth are broken off, though her face is absolutely beautiful. She and her husband do not plan to bring their kids up to the United States because it’s so dangerous, so they’re staying with Dulce-Maria’s mother who is very afraid for her daughter as she now faces both the Border Patrol and the U.S. Army National Guard. She has a long journey ahead of her.

The writing on the wall...

2006-06-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

Two writings found on a stretch of border wall in downtown Nogales... (Still fiddling with the translation, so it's a bit choppy...you'll easily recognize the second prayer.)

Senor has que mas ca en
Nuestros corazones el
Espiritu de servicia
Has que nuestras tarea
Sean mas difiles para
Recurred a ti en busca
De for taleza y sea su
Voluntad y la nuestra
De vivir para servir

The Lord makes it fitting that We love the
Spirit of service
He makes it that we work
It is difficult for us to know
Appealing to you he looks For talent and knows your
Volunteerism and the [commitment] Of life for service

Dios concede me la serenaded
para aceptar las cosas
que no puede cambiar
Valor para cambiar
Equellas que puedo y sabiduria
Para reconoser la diferencia
Agases su voluntary
Y no la mia.

God, give me the serenity
To accept the things
That I cannot change
The courage to change
[the things] that I can and the wisdom
To recognize the difference.
[Sincerely] your volunteer
And not my own.

Heat of Altar

2006-06-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

We have arrived in Altar and the air is so hot that it burns. I’m guessing that it’s at least 115 degrees. ‘Can’t find a thermometer to find out for sure. We’re in an air conditioned (thank goodness) migrant shelter lounging around. Our speaker should be here in an hour or so and then we’re pretty much free for the evening.

Today, I picked up a ‘Kino in a Box’, as I like to call him. It’s a monk, (probably actually St. Francis), and is a sacred object for many in Magdalena. I found it amusing that there were miniature monks in glass coffins for sale, so I’m going to add him to my collection of amusing religious paraphernalia which currently includes a Jesus action figure. =)

I also picked up a pretty blue/purple crystal rosary. I’m not Catholic, but the idea of meditation in a Taize style interests me, so I’ll use them in my own sort of way. Something uber sweet about the rosary…there’s a cross with a crucifix, but behind the crucifix is a robed person holding up the cross and Jesus…God…resurrected Jesus? I’m not sure, but I like it.

I saw Padre Kino’s remains again. ‘Just as interesting as last time (interim trip 2004 with Babcock and Adrian). I found it kinda neat to see that the cross he wore around his neck 300 years ago is slowly oxidizing (must have been copper) and leaving a turquoise tinge on his left clavicle (collar bone). There’s also a small button settled on his sternum.

We had lunch in a restaurant called ‘Las Gorditas’ in Magdalena after shopping and ate a variety of gorditas and quesadillas (chili, cactus, pork, cheese…). I was most excited about the half-liter coke bottles!!

Side note…we saw a Wal-Mart in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Hmm…

The UCC group really seems to be growing up. Even the youngest ones (12 years old) are taking a critical look at border issues and immigration. Over the course of three days, our group reflections have gone from a purely meditative period to a time of intense sharing of emotions. They don’t like what they’re seeing and want to do something about it. It will be exciting to see how this experience affects the course of their lives.

Beans

2006-06-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

Monday…
This morning, we visited a shelter for children who have been abused, abandoned or deported without being accompanied by family. Little Jeanette is only two or three and doesn’t talk as she curls up in her soft pajama jumper and stares blankly across the room. She does not talk to anyone. She is alone and afraid. The shelter believes they might have tracked down her mother who is probably an alcoholic. It was so hard to leave her and walk away.

During free time downtown, I made some great purchases and thoroughly enjoyed myself while bartering with various merchants. One man saw my No Mas Muertes (No More Deaths) t-shirt and asked if he could give me a hug. He wants one, too. =) Later, a very small woman who reminds me of someone, though I can’t figure out whom, tapped me on the arm and asked if I could spare a few dollars so that she could buy some milk for her baby. She looked like a migrant…homeless, afraid, desperate. It’s amazing how a movement so young can reach out to so many with hope.

In elementary school, I took some summer Spanish classes. We were all given a list of Hispanic names to choose from to give ourselves a name for the duration of the course. I chose Socorro, mainly because it sounded like ‘soccer’ and I was completely obsessed with the sport at the time. Today, I learned that it means ‘help’ or ‘assistance’. It appears that there indeed has been a guiding force at work in my life for quite some time.

‘Saw my fellow broncos again this afternoon when we stopped by the Casa de la Misericordia. They were engaged in digging up a section of hard desert dirt for a garden. ‘Workin’ hard.
I’m in another house waiting for my homestay mom to pick me up. The rest of my house group is giving food to migrants at the border until 10pm. There are ants crawling on the wall, though the rest of the house is really pretty cozy.

I would be thoroughly thrilled to see a pizza. Food has been tortillas, refried beans, rice and other veggie-type side dishes for nearly every meal. They have some very creative drinks down here. Besides Tacate, which all of the over-18’ers enjoyed the other night… =) …there’s oat drink (tastes like banana break/cookies), orchata (cold, sweet, kinda cinnamon-like), cucumber juice, orange-flavored water, and a very good chilled chocolate and banana drink we had with breakfast this morning.

‘Just finished “The Wounded Healer”…loved it. Now, I’m starting on “The Sanctuary Experience: Voices of the Community” which is about the churches in Tucson that took in refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala during their civil war in the 1980s. Some went to jail for it. I’ll elaborate later.

Time to go to my host family’s house!
Adios =)

Snapshots

2006-06-14T22:52:00.001-07:00

Sunday night…

Snapshots of the day…

A cockroach speeding down the sidewalk.

Suave, Pantene ProV, Colgate, Sponge Bob (Bob Sponja), McDonald’s, Scherwinn-Williams

Fresh water

Quinceanos photos

A nap after lunch

We saw the family from the viaduct at the bus station and chatted with them some more. The fourteen year old is excited to be able to study in the U.S. if they can make it. If the family goes home, he will not study…he will have to go back to work.

Dogs everywhere…everyone has one.

Tacate with lime on the rim…yumm!!!

A shower…cleanliness is great.

Struggling with my Spanish and getting better all the time!! =)

Homes on the inside.

Derechos Humanos pamphlets from Grupo Beta.

Phone card needed.

Migrantes

2006-06-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, I took a nap beneath a viaduct. We waited in the shade until busloads of deported migrants arrived from the U.S. side. Ultimately, we handed out tortas (sandwiches) and agua (in our case, orange-flavored water) to just under 100 people once the crowd started coming through.

One family consisted of a 14 year-old boy, a 19 year-old girl and mom who was 50. They had been hiking in the desert for a day and a night. Two sisters we met at Grupo Beta this morning hiked for 4 days and had been in their coyotes car near Pheonix for ten minutes when they were caught and deported. Originally from Chiapas (the Mexican state next door to Guatemala), they had made quite a journey. When asked whether they had been assaulted during their travels, they said no, but that one night they heard women screaming nearby. What most likely happened was that a desert gang that preys on migrants attacked a group of travelers and was raping the women.

I’m leaning towards working at one of the border migrant aid sites rather than at a desert camp. With No More Deaths, I would be able to bandage feet and treat minor wounds, as well.

At the moment, we’re on our way to the bus station to observe the goings-on there. When migrants are dumped at the border, they have no food, no water and no where to go. Some can catch a taxi ride for $15 to a coyote if they plan to lie low and attempt to reenter in a couple weeks or months. Others, like the sisters, discovered the serious dangers that await migrants in the desert and have decided to go back home.

May they all have safe travel.
Ash

Vamos a la Fronterra

2006-06-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

We have arrived at La Casa de la Misericordia in Nogales, Mexico. The stop in Arivaca was great! ‘Got to catch up with a bunch of MTW and NMD folks. =) We had a ceremony at the migrant shrine and then hit the road for the border. The trip from Arivaca here took a good two and a half hours due to the condition of the roads we traveled off of the interstate.

The view from the Casa is tremendous…street lights dazzling everywhere…latino drum music playing in the background from someone’s stereo. I can only imagine what scene will meet us as we gaze down the hill in the morning.

Darkness enshrouds the reality of the border.

The group of UCC’ers is great. I’ve had fun getting to know Pastor Serino and the parents, as well as the youth group members. Humor for today…one of the moms is a diet coke addict. So, on our way out of Tucson, we stopped at a grocery store so that she could stock up…she returned from the trip into the supermarket with two fridge packs, a Styrofoam cooler and a couple bags of ice. After setting up the cooler system and discarding the trash in the parking lot, the group was prepared to depart at last. It will be very interesting to see what sort of spiritual forces will be at work throughout the delegation. I have an inkling that we will all be identifying our own ‘diet coke addictions’ throughout the week. What is it that we think we need, but don’t? What can we do without? What are we determined to carry with us that is best left behind?

The light in the dorm room that I’m sharing with six of the UCC’ers doesn’t work. So, we’re camping in the dorm with our flashlights, hehehe. Creating our own light…

Blessings,
Ash =)

The UCC'ers

2006-06-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

Here's the UCC Group! 'My family for the week. =)

For those of you in Missouri...here are your friends and family. They arrived a couple hours ago and would like to go to bed...but we've got a whole day ahead of us yet!

Our orientation thus far has included a name game and an introduction to border issues. The group is singing meal blessings at the moment, and then lunch will start. In an hour or two, we leave for Arivaca to help set up a No More Deaths camp and then it's on to Nogales and the Casa de la Misericordia.

Blessings,
Ash =)

Teddybears

2006-06-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

Ah, it's wonderful to feel rested!! I slept very well last night, though I woke up with two mosquito bites on my arm. =) The delegation should be here in a half hour or so. I've already showered and nearly finished packing. 'Bout time for some breakfast.

I thought I would share something I learned at a meeting that really makes me sad. When migrants are deported, all of their possessions are taken away from them...and they aren't carrying much to start with. For an adult carrying a backpack with a bar of soap, a toothbrush and maybe a rock or two he/she picked up along the trail, this is not as terrible as losing a family heirloom. For a child though, having your teddybear pried from your arms as you cry and cry and cry...it's tragic. Who would take a child's stuffed animal away from him or her? Who would be capable of such an atrocity?

One of the items I'm bringing home was found along a migrant trail in the desert...a tan teddybear.

-Ash

An NGO Experience

2006-06-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

This last week has been quite different from the Migrant Trail Walk. The press conference Wednesday evening was great. Several reporters came and Margo (lawyer) kept things short, sweet and humorous, at times. Whitney, Rashawn and I are getting better and better at navigating Tucson the more we get lost. =) (Rashawn and me to the left.)

Yesterday (Thursday), we had our regular 7am meeting, then went out to Millipede (a volunteer house on a street called Millipede) to reorganize the garage. Due to a stomach bug I've had for the last couple of days, I was horizontal on the couch while the rest of the crew got the job done. Yesterday evening was the kickoff for Shanti and Daniel's tour with speaker Hemma Lopez and a couple musical groups. It was a good evening.

Today, I went to the morning meeting and then Whitney dropped me off here at Borderlinks where I've been decompressing and getting ready for the delegation I leave on tomorrow. (Me in front of our NMD apartment to the left.)

I finished the book The Devil's Highway and would recommend it to anyone curious about the type of issues we're encountering down here. I'm now working on The Wounded Healer by Nouwen. In a nutshell, it discusses how one can use the pain one sees and experiences in the world to be a healing force for others. Great so far.

My personal task lately has been to investigate further how a physician would fit into the humanitarian realm in a global sense. How exactly do I see myself continuing some of this work through my career? Doctors Without Borders has always looked good...Christian Peacemaker Team...other volunteering opportunities. Do I want to be a physician in the traditional sense at all? Or would I rather do something else? (To the right, me at Borderlinks, trying to find a company to donate iodine water purification tablets to NMD.)

How will these experiences become a theme for my life rather than a one-time experience?

I will try to post again tomorrow morning with some photos of my delegation teammembers. I will most likely not be posting again until next Wednesday afternoon, at which time I'll share my experiences with Borderlinks. (To the left, an example of a cubicle room here at Borderlinks.) (Above, Steve and Micah at the Millipede house volunteer get together Tuesday night.)

Shalom,
Ash =)

NMD Projects

2006-06-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

Today we had a 7am No More Deaths meeting over at Sarah’s house. The joke is that the houses and organization buildings are bugged, so every once in a while, someone will turn to an air vent and say “Did you hear that, guys?” Fun times. =)

After packing up all of my gear, I said goodbye to everyone from the Migrant Trial Walk who’s still at the dorm and then moved over here to the No More Deaths apartment. Whitney, Rashawn and I are sharing it…very roomy and comfortable. =) I borrowed the volunteer car in our car port and ran to Walgreen’s to stock up on food and supplies (my digital camera eats batteries).

This evening, Whitney and I went to a Samaritans meeting and listened to the patrol reports…who patrolled which roads…how many migrants were seen…how many aid packs were distributed, etc, etc. Very interesting.

Josh had a great point when we were discussing a Hastings follow-up event to this summer’s work…that we already have Fiesta es Unidad. The more I think about it, the more I want to work on awareness and fundraising for Shanti and Daniel’s trial. They were arrested last year for taking a few migrants to a health clinic located at a church. (When migrants are picked up for medical reasons, Border Patrol is not called, nor are the migrants given transportation assistance anywhere else besides the clinic.) Whether they choose to turn themselves in, or to walk away, it’s up to them.

So, I think I might start a conversation with some of the church communities in town to get the border humanitarian story out. I have several migrant possessions that we picked up along the desert trail to share with people, too. There’s something about seeing a shirt that has been ripped to shreds by cactus, or a child’s teddy bear in the desert sand , that makes this struggle even more human.

Tomorrow’s the first of several weekly press conferences held at Southside to let the public know what No More Deaths is doing to reach migrants in serious need. At some point in the next week, a press team from London will also be coming to report on the struggle.

Hasta manana,
Ash =)

Washing the Desert Out

2006-06-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

Laura, Josh and I are chilling out at the Laundromat. (Borrowed Renee's hybrid to drive down here...really cool car!!) We’ve put most of the laundry through the wash and into the dryers. It’s a beautiful day outside. Sleeping in this morning in a clean bed with clean sheets was absolutely heaven. I am completely content. =)

I feel like this experience has been a “thin space” journey. It seems as if I keep running into the people I need to network with…a medical interpreter and anthropologist, a seminary student, a senator and a legislator, a friend who practices an alternate spirituality, a friend who grew in a “Friends” religious community, friends who’ve traveled extensively, a Christian Peacemakers Team. We were an extremely cohesive team. If there was a needed skill along the trail, someone in the group was an expert. Amazing. Incredible conversations that are just beginning to sink in. A thirteen year old who’s faced death from a neurological disease and survived. The current moderator of the Presbyterian Church. Mets. A police officer. Shanti, who was arrested last year for transporting an immigrant to a hospital. Friends who have kids of their own, grand kids. A Sister of Loretta…72 years old and made it the whole week.

Later in the day…

I just got out of a No More Deaths meeting. It looks like I’ll be helping to set up a health clinic in Arivaca where medical professionals will be stationed in case they’re needed for medical emergencies in the desert, or to respond to rollover accidents. Maria (from the Walk) works in the ER at the med center here in Tucson and said they have a couple coyote van rollovers a week. These are particularly bad accidents since many migrants are packed in to the vehicles for transportation further into the United States. Sometimes, the rollovers result from high speed Border Patrol chases. Just a few weeks ago, there were was a husband and wife couple who were deported after an accident, one had been made a paraplegic, the other a quadriplegic. They don’t have health coverage and there’s nothing for them in Mexico. Try to image what their future looks like.

On Wednesday, there will be the first No More Deaths press conference to kick off the summer. Shanti and Daniel’s trial will not be discussed, though they are about to launch a Freedom Tour to raise money for the court costs. The two of them were arrested after transporting an injured migrant from the desert to a hospital last year. Their trial is set to begin in October.

I’m putting some thought into organizing an event on campus to raise some funds for them. If we could get Rick Ufford-Chase and Shanti to come speak, ROC could potentially help to get the church community in town involved. More thinking to do on this…

Josh and I are ordering pizza for a late lunch. Tonight, I have another NMD meeting at 7pm. If I can’t get a ride across town to it, we might just walk a block or two down to 4th Avenue and do some shopping. I’d like to get to a post office sometime this week to send a box of stuff home. ‘Gotta find out where one is.

There’s an awesome poster here where someone used a computer to put the stock market into Congress…so it appears that the president is giving the State of the Union Address on the floor of the stock market…very interesting!

The Vanderbilt Seminary group is here and a bunch of them are playing Scrabble…I’ve had to look up some words for them to see if they’re even words, LOL.

I’m finally starting to feel as if I’m decompressing from the walk. Tonight would be a great night for some theological conversations with some of my fellow walkers. Laura leaves tomorrow for a solitary meditation experience in the desert. I’ll go to the NMD volunteer house and potentially leave from there to go to Arivaca for a few days. Josh will stay here until Steveo and Sunshine arrive on Thursday.

Another stage of the journey begins…
Ash =)

Our Desert Family Disperses

2006-06-04T23:57:00.000-07:00

Today was a very meaningful day. We got up at 6am (slept in!!!) and participated in a Navajo closing ceremony with another sage blessing and a water offering. From the cliff we had climbed to the ceremony, we could look across the desert we had just hiked. It was a powerful view. Afterwards, we had a hand washing where one could wash the hands of a friend. Laura gave mine a good cleansing for doing my best to keep her on her feet all week. =) It was a tearful time.

The hike today was hot, as usual, though this time we had many more marchers. Sixty some folks fromTucson joined us for the last leg of the trip. Interestingly, many of them forgot to bring water! One of our vehicles picked up several cases of water bottles...we handed out most of them. Only one of the new-comers passed out on the road...woohoo! =)

Yep, I was the port-a-potty captain again today. Tom, our vehicle commander, wanted me to remain as the driver since we were facing a whole lot of fast traffic and several new walkers along the highway.

We stopped at a church a few blocks from Kennedy Park (our official ending point) and those of us who'd been driving were able to put on our CamelBak water packs and join the group. Our street theatre team did an amazing job creating a scene of death and loss along the side walk using actors to pretend to be migrant walkers, and others to be his/her family. Josh was a migrant who had succombed to heat stroke.

At the park, we were greeted by applause...it really made me smile. =) There were a few hours of songs, speakers, Native American dancers, and, best of all, free professional massages!!!

Following the time at the park, we had to say goodbye to some of our friends who needed to catch plane flights. The rest of us returned to Southside Presbyterian to pick up our gear and say more goodbyes.

I'm currently at the Borderlinks Headquarters in Tucson. We got here, showered (picture an Herbal Essences commercial) and got checked in. This evening, I joined some friends for a Christian Peacemakers Team litany at an alter dedicated to migrants a few blocks from here. Afterwards, we went to a Mexican restaurant nearby and had dinner...margaritas, Mexican beer, etc... In summary, it was a perfect way to relax, wind down and enjoy each others company (of those of us who are left).

So many questions and ideas are buzzing around my head that I still feel as if I'm in a bit of a fog. Over the next few days, I'll try to sort these thoughts out and share them with you.

For now, adios and ten cuidado,
Con amor,
Ash =)

Climactic Event

2006-06-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday was hot, hot, hot and our campsite was very rocky. I drove the camper with the port-a-potties for most of the day due to some nasty ant bites I had picked up at a water break in the morning. (See the official handing-over-of-the-port-a-potty-key ceremony below.)

We arrived on the outskirts of Tucscon around noon and proceeded to sit around and back for a few hours. I got another migraine and treated it. Someone brought us Eegee's (slushy/sorbet/sherbet), which has become quite a hit amongst the members of our group. Rootbeer floats also showed up. I think the goodies were donated by family members of Tucson marchers.

In the evening, when we were just beginning to enjoy the slightly cooler temperatures (less than 110 degrees), a storm blew in. It took all of us to strip the tarps off of the frames of our shade structures, throw all of the loose gear into the U-Haul and then tackle flying tents. The storm blew sand and dust at us in extremely powerful gusts. Some rain came down...felt wonderful! There was one full rainbow, a second rainbow above it and a GORGEOUS sunset to the west. What a way to top off our last night together! I took a bottle of saline around and rinsed eyes while the rest of the med team got feet ready to go for the next day as everyone else reset-up the camp. Fun times!

Caryn and I shared Xavier's tent and had a truly enjoyable time reflecting on the week, laughing about things that only people who'd been slowly cooking for a week would find funny and eventually sacked out. (One of my tent poles snapped while packing Thursday morning.)

Saturday was a good day.
Ash =)

Heartstrings

2006-06-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

We’re up!! This morning’s wake-up call was at 4:30am. I’ve been shuttled the 8 miles from our campsite to the highway with the first round…we have a good 40 minutes to wait until the rest of the folks make it because the roads are so bumpy.

Folks are getting grumpy and stressed so there’s definitely a new push for civility. Wow, this computer’s starting to accumulate some dust…I’ll have to give it a good wipe down at the church tonight.

A new hawk (or maybe yesterday’s again) has been following us…we’re thoroughly blessed. =) Called home and got to talk to my family for a few minutes last night. I only had reception in an area roughly 5 feet in diameter, but it worked! =)

I’ve made so many great friends this week and have gotten to know Josh a whole lot better. How fun! I got to thinking last night about Sunday. When the walk’s over, we’ll all go back home to our normal lives. Hopefully, we’ve been able to make a statement by living together and walking together that will enrich our lives, and indirectly, those who are suffering the world over.

Later Day 6: We made it to Serenity Baptist Church! The air conditioning allowed us to take a wonderful nap this afternoon, though we got kicked off of the stage area at the front of the church because some folks felt it was irreverent.

The walk was full of injuries, mostly blisters, though Mike tore a bicep and someone had an MCL that was giving her trouble. Mike’s in a sling and doing well. The temperature reached 110 today and it was humid with the moisture that fueled this evening’s rainstorm.

The significance of what we’re doing here on the border is slowly sinking in. I feel as if a path is being made clear to me…a desire to work for immigrant rights as a physician. Maria shared several stories of migrants arriving in the ER injured, paralyzed from high speed car wrecks, some with no skin left on their feet from the hike down the Devil’s Highway. Alisha picked up a small teddy bear on the side of the road. It breaks my heart to think that a child was here…or a parent carrying it in memory of his/her child walked through. Children suffer dearly as a result of poor economies, and in our case, border policy that leads to such desperate attempts to enter the U.S. for work. What parent wouldn’t be determined to do everything in his or her power to provide for his/her kids? …or die trying?

We have a perfect mix of walkers to generate some serious social change as we all progress through our careers and lives. The connections we form now are destined to be relied upon again and again as we strive for true social justice. There will always be ignorance. There will always be injustice. But, hope remains as long as someone continues to carry the torch of a human vision; one of peace, love and dreams fulfilled.

I’ve decided to begin working on a project for the HC campus. I’ve collected some migrant possessions that had been discarded along the trail, including a backpack, water jug and toothbrush. Items such as this in conjunction with pictures and testimony may inspire other sparks to join the walk for justice.

“This little light of mine…I’m gonna let it shine…This little light of mine…I’m gonna let it shine…This little light of mine…I’m gonna let it shine…Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!”
Si, se puede!!

The medical team is really working together well to cover all of our health and injury needs. We now have 3 EMTs, a nurse, a nurse practitioner, a med tech, a guy who can tape and me. It’s unfortunate that the week’s coming to a close now that we’re getting the hang of things!

It’s 9:50pm and wake-up is later than usual, at 5am. Time for some sleep! Tomorrow’s 11 miles. My computer’s losing battery power, so I’ll catch up on blogs on Sunday.

Adios,
Ash =)

“The Day of the Hawk”

2006-06-04T19:05:00.000-07:00

Today was our early morning. We were up at 3am and walking by 4:20am. We covered nearly 17 miles before noon. Our trip took us to the northern most edge of the Buenos Aires Wildlife Preserve and then on to the highway. We encountered a Border Patrol checkpoint where we were all asked our name, birth city and state. Those members of our group who are Hispanic were questioned more rigorously and had to have valid identification confirmed. Later on down the road, one of the BP’s caught up to us when he was off duty and took some photos. ‘Said he’d seen us on the news. =)

Injuries today…shin splints, a bad knee, a couple cracked heels, a burned hand and too many blisters to count, involving five that I chose to lance and treat because of their sheer volume. I’m now referred to as the “Blister Queen” by the group. =) Roy fell over a water jug tonight and hurt his back…already has three busted disks. He’s hanging in there.

As I type (with a nose bleed from the dust), I’m curled up in my sleeping back under a canopy of diamonds. I’ve never seen so many twinkling stars like this…I can actually pick out several constellations…the lines seem much more solid than when you can only see a few of the stars.

Ponderings thus far… We’ve discussed the future of Harry Potter and Hogwarts. =) Horse ownership. Alternative religions. Pastoral ministry. Deadly desert plants (don’t eat Saguaro or Evening Nightshade). We’ve sung "Bingo" while walking along the highway (There was a farmer, ‘had a dog and….). Most seriously though, we’ve been discussing the many intertwining and related issues that lead to the situation that South American, Latin American and Mexican migrants face when attempting to cross this blasted desert. It’s not called the Devil’s Highway for nothing.

Hiking this last week with water, food, security, vehicle support and medical care is only a minute taste of the experience migrants encounter here. Yesterday, we found out that a woman was found on the side of the highway with a broken ankle claiming to have been crawling and scavenging for 25 days!!! It’s a miracle that she’s alive. People…PEOPLE, HUMAN BEINGS, should not be reduced to this, particularly in a country claiming to be so charitable. There are many issues with the Mexican economy that we cannot remedy…but there are some that we can…and that is the goal we should be walking towards.

Quote from Rick, from the book Sanctuary for All Life, The Cowbalah of Jim Corbett,
"It is as difficult to imagine a humanity in which no one is an alien as it once was to imagine a civilization in which no one is a slave.
"It is as difficult to imagine a civilized humanity than is no longer exiled from Nature as it is to imagine a civilization that ceases to enslave life on earth.
"As civil association under the rule of law, nonviolence is more than practicable; it is essential to a truly human life, and we will be able to live a fully human life only when no one -- including every nonhuman being -- is excluded as an alien."

Maria says that hawks bring blessings. Today, a hawk, crying out across the parched earth every few minutes, leap-frogged us for miles flying ahead to another phone pole as we hiked the edge of the pavement.

Showered and still kickin’,
Ash =)

Gellin'

2006-06-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

Today was intense. We covered 11 miles and it was hot, go figure. My Dr. Scholl’s gel inserts were definitely worth their weight in gold. We saw a migrant out in a field and sent some folks to take him food and water. He caught up with us later in the day and then followed us into camp this evening. He’s tired of walking and ready to turn himself in to the Border Patrol.

The trip was dusty with several washes and arroyos that we had to climb out of. One person cramped up, so I had her put on a truck for a bit of rehydration and stretching. This evening, I succumbed to the Devil’s Highway. Hot, tired, with a migraine and nausea, I tried to stick it out in the M.A.S.H. tent, but eventually ended up in the van in air conditioning. My friends Chad, Josh and some others checked in on me and fed me electrolytes, an orange and slushies. My migraine meds kicked in and the air conditioning brought my temp down after an hour or so…feeling much better now.

This morning, we had a terrifying ordeal. Long story short, our van got stuck in reverse with the gas pedal down and rolled over its hitch, a mesquite tree and three campsites before coming to a stop 150 feet from where it started. The only casualty was a rain stick one of the guys was carrying. I’ve decided that I’d love to have another Navajo blessing!! =) As I stood still waiting to see whether I needed to dive to the right or left, all I could think of was “We have two EMTs, two nurses, a med tech and me…we’re too far from Tucson for a quick evac…this is NOT going to be good.” After making sure that the driver hadn’t had a heart attack…just panicked…I was pretty angry. The poor driver feels awful…he’s been hiding most of the day. It’s funny to talk about now, but it wasn’t remotely humorous at the time.

My campsite has ants. There are ants all over my stuff and my tent. Yuck! I’ve tried spraying OFF on them, but it doesn’t seem to work. Other folks are having the same problem. Maybe I’ll sleep in the van tonight.

The Humane Borders guys are here to give us water. Dinner should arrive soon. We’re currently having a Medical Team meeting to determine a strategy for tomorrow’s 16 miles.

Sweaty with a layer of dust,
Ash =)

“Si, se puede!!” (Yes, you can!!)

2006-06-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

Hola! It’s freakin’ hot!!! We’re enjoying what shade we can find at our second campsite. We got up at 4:30am and covered 14 miles before 1pm. The Border Patrol visited our camp last night at 1am and 3am and somewhat harassed our night patrol about our reasons for camping out here in the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge. They had warning from our event coordinator that we’d be out here, but apparently the memo didn’t get to everyone.

At our 10 mile stop, I was on my way the “latrine” and got pieces of a jumping cholla (“choya”) stuck in my foot. Scott, our head of security, and my fellow med team members arrived after seeing me waving an orange bathroom cone above my head and got the cactus out of my foot. Interesting experience. ‘Saw some quail at another restroom. It’s a really unique experience to be doing your thing in the middle of the desert and see some quail walk by. LOL =) Speaking of latrines, we now have “pee buddies,” a friend on the walk who helps us to monitor our bodily functions in order to detect dehydration as early as possible. Josh O’Bannon and I decided to be each other’s “pee buddies” so every couple of stops we confirm that our “bush hunting has been successful.” =)

Once again, it’s freaking hot! My leg’s in the sun and it’s burning up! We just found a cooler with ice in it, jackpot!! Cool liquid is like gold out here.

I carried a blister kit today and patched up several feet at our different stops. Folks are really starting to get some nasty blisters. Hopefully, if we can stay up on evening treatments and keep folks taped up, we can stay ahead of the game. ‘Definitely feel like I’m back in the trainer game again. One of the nurses complimented me on my knee injury advice this evening. Woohoo, I love med!! =)

Along the path today, we found a trail that had fresh migrant tracks. We’ve also been finding .380 (38) and .220 (22) caliber rounds, so someone’s been doing some shooting, most likely at people. It would most likely be the Minutemen or locals, though the Border Patrol might take a shot at walking figures every now and then. We’ve also seen many water jugs and articles of clothing dropped by migrants. I can’t imagine what it would be like to try to hike this valley with no support vehicles or dependable water supply. Suicide.

I want to sleep, but it’s too hot. Hopefully, the sun will drop behind the mountains within the next hour or so. The nights out here are quite chilly, but I’ll take that over the heat!
Tomorrow, we hike 12 miles and Thursday we’ll cover 17 miles. The exciting news is that we get a shower Thursday night! Yesssss! Even with the wipe-its, we’re getting smelly.

Hope you’re all doing well! Miss ya!
Ash =)

The Journey Begins...

2006-06-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

Hello! I’m in my tent…and a moth just landed on me…must have snuck in while I was bathing with wipe-its. Ok, I’ve tossed him out. My tent is cozy…all of my stuff fits in with just enough room left over for me to sleep! =)

We got up this morning and said “Hello” to the homeless folks who’d arrived for the weekly showers the church provides. After a breakfast bagel, we got our name tags, loaded up the gear and rode an hour and a half to Sasabe, on the U.S./Mexico border. In Sasabe, we had lunch and then an opening ceremony at a church. It was run like a very short funeral with three coffins to represent all of the men, women and children who have died in the desert. Back at the border, we were given a traditional Navajo blessing and then began the first leg of the walk…5 miles.
I’m so tired.

Tomorrow, we get up at 5 am to begin a 14 mile trip. Hopefully, we’ll be able to keep a brisk enough pace that we’ll arrive at the next campsite before it gets uber got. I’m on the medical team and will be one of the folks carrying a first aid/blister kit during the week. Med team members wear yellow arm bands so we’re easily identifiable in case anyone needs to be patched up.

Wow, the stars are beautiful. I’ve rarely seen so many…breathtaking.

For some humor…it’s been interesting learning to use mother nature as a latrine…men have it sooo much easier!!

More tomorrow…I’m exhausted!
Ash =)

Driving While Stoned

2006-05-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

I'm in Tucson!! Josh and I arrived here at Southside Presbyterian around 10am this morning. After meeting some church folks, we checked out the compound (which is really gorgeous), had a good conversation with a guy who just arrived from Mexico yesterday and met Mark. The best way to describe Mark...well, let's just say he inspired today's blog title. =) He's an ex-hippie who works here at the church and lives on foodstamps. Josh and I walked two blocks to join him and his buddies at a soup kitchen for lunch. Good food! More on Mark later...

The internet connection is dialup without a separate modem, so I can't upload my photos until we arrive back in Tucson next Sunday. At that point, I'll add a week's worth of blogs that I'll be keeping throughout the week.

As for the Migrant Trail Walk... We leave tomorrow for Sasabe, Mexico and will begin the 75 mile trek back to Tucson in the afternoon. Each 1.5 miles, we get water, and each 3 miles we get snacks, a 15 minute break and a hole in the ground to use as a restroom. Someone excitedly announced that there will be a portable TP to cover the hole...woohoo!! =) At night, we set up camp, dig more holes and settle in. The last I heard, I'll be a volunteer on the medical team, so I'll be patching up blisters and such along the way. Our longest day is about 16 miles with the average being 10 a day.

Hope you're all enjoying the air conditioning! =) I'll catch up with you in a week!

Shalom,
Ash =)

Packing

2006-05-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

Hello! This is Monday of my free week...squeezed in between the end of finals and the beginning of my summer adventure to Arizona, Mexico and Nicaragua. Thus far, I've purchased a variety of camping supplies that will need to be strategically packed in my bag before the end of the week. The most interesting addition to the assortment of essentials is a snake bite kit. Ever watch "Venom ER" on Animal Planet? Yeah, that's filmed in a neighboring desert...so, I'll be keeping an eye out for various kinds of rattlesnakes and scorpions. My blacklight arrived today...scorpions are fluorescent under a blacklight. Hopefully, I'll be able to find any congregating around my tent before I hop into it at night!

My plane takes off early Sunday morning. Plans for the next five days include reading "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince," sorting through the mountain of items that came home with me from campus and enjoying time with the family.

Until this weekend...
Ash =)