By Marilú González

Revolution is a good word to describe what happens inside the young people who travel with us to the border between Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora. The young adults, who come from diverse cultures and join the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Immigration program, experience a profound change that teaches them God has a purpose in their lives.

They are young Anglos, Koreans, Filipinos, and third generation Hispanics, who also affirm their identity as descendants of immigrants and as children of God. Some think they are going to provide a service but throughout the journey they discover the greatest pilgrimage is internal. The observe injustices, the tragedy of crossing the border, and the complexity of having someone in front of you and showing him or her compassion simply because they are human. But this trip is not an easy experience.

It is not to be missed. The program is directed toward an education in compassion and the personal vulnerability discovered when you discover it in others. The border experience includes visits to an Arizona court, which has one of the toughest systems in the country, deporting over 75 people daily. In court they see the men and women in chains. They see their tired, sad faces and the uncertainty of a dark future.  The young people speak with a judge to understand the scope of the law and come into contact with organizations that advocate for immigrants, such as Borderlinks and Good Samaritan. One of the most impactful experiences is the journey through the desert, which is crossed by undocumented, and where sometimes they encounter people in fear and they cannot help them because it is against the law. They simply pray for them and send them off with a blessing.

After crossing the border, the young people come into contact with Kino, the Jesuit center that provides shelter and protection to women and where they are advised on the risks of crossing the border. For some, this advice is already known. In the center there are women who have been raped, deported and pregnant. They remain in the center until a family member can pick them up or until they give birth to their baby.

Finally, there is a visit with Homeland Security, which provides details on the border fence and the security measures, and a visit to a detention center. Before ending the journey, there is an encounter with Bishops Kicanas of Tucson where the church’s perspective and the dilemmas from being a border city are examined.

The young people enter this world and leave transformed. Some commit to working with projects in defense of immigrants or in the struggle to fight for the reform of immigration laws. Sharing meals, dialoguing, and walking together, transforms them, but not just for the external battles. They realize everything begins with them: they must change inside; they must give more of themselves; gain awareness, above all of their own humanity. A total revolution.

For reflection

Do you know where you are from? Do you fear the unknown? Would you become involved in a project like this one?