Crammed into the back of the chapel at San Juan Bosco Migrant Shelter, Alex and I watched as people streamed in for the special evening mass. It was January 31, the Feast Day of Juan Bosco and also the date when, 38 years ago Francisco (aka “Paco”) and Gilda Loureiro first opened their hearts, hands and an empty warehouse next to their home to those desperately seeking a better life. Every day since January 31, 1982, the Shelter has been open to those in need, all because of the dedication of Paco and Gilda. Tonight, we came to pray, to show our respect and perhaps catch a glimpse of what inspired them. Because of the swelling crowd, the doors to the chapel were still open when the priest welcomed the gathering of neighbors, friends, migrants and strangers. Alex whispered to me that we were the only Americans. The chapel began to feel like sacred space. The priest was in a good mood. He taught us a little song about Juan Bosco, and later, in his homily, told stories about Bosco, an Italian priest who dedicated his life to helping lost children and delinquent youth. When the mass was over, an official came forward to read a proclamation, honoring Gilda and Paco before presenting them with a medal and a certificate. Then Paco spoke. For the last two years, he’s spent quite a bit of time in the hospital, battling diabetes and other health complications. Sometimes during the last year, we weren’t sure if he would make it to this annual celebration. But he did, and when he spoke, he spoke with passion. He shared his love for the people he and Gilda serve. He talked about the migrants and their struggle to get to the United States. Then he talked about the Central Americans. Sometimes in Mexico they are looked down on, as if they were not worth helping. Paco wanted nothing to do with that attitude. He said that even if he would only have one more year to live, he would dedicate his life to care for them. Alex and I were deeply moved by his courage. When he finished, Gilda and daughter-in-law Norma began greeting people in the crowd, thanking them for coming. Suddenly, the crowd stirred. Into the crowded chapel a mariachi band somehow squeezed into the aisle, with trumpets, violins, guitars and guitarrón pounding away. This was Mexico, after all, and it was time to celebrate! 

The Salesian Preventive System... When Juan Bosco (+1888) reached out to troubled youth, he drew on the teachings of Francis de Sales, a Genevan bishop who died in 1622. Later on, Bosco founded the Salesian Order, in honor of the man whose wisdom he admired. Here are some quotes from Frances de Sales that I find inspiring even today:

Be who you are and be that well.

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.

Have patience with all things, But, first of all with yourself.

Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.

Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.

This is the spirit I find in Paco and Gilda, and in the youth center (Deijuven), also named San Juan Bosco. May your life be strong and gentle today!

Jerry

FORESIGHT 2020…

BCA’s Board of Directors has prepared a report with recommendations for this new decade and we’d like to share it with you, donors, members and friends. Join us on Tuesday, February 11 at the Tubac Community Center, 50 Bridge Road, at 1:30 pm for light refreshments and conversation about the nonprofit’s future.

Join us! Cecilia Quade, President; Susan Scott, Secretary; Alex La Pierre, Program Director; and Jerry Haas, Executive Director

As a new addition to the well-received "Let’s Speak Spanish!" program, BCA is offering a one-week program for Spanish learners to increase their “hands-on” experience with the language. 

This five-night, six-day program will be held in the town of Banámichi located along Sonora River, which bestowed its name to our neighboring Mexican state of Sonora. Staying at the historic boutique Hotel La Posada del Río Sonora, we will meet each morning for four hours of structured language practice with an experienced teacher and capable facilitators. Afternoons can then be spent exploring the town of Banámichi, meeting and conversing with native speakers, and exploring Sonoran culture. As a special treat, we also will participate in a cooking class to learn more about the unique features of Sonoran cuisine. We will also provide several afternoon excursions to interesting sites along the Rio Sonora. Each evening we will meet as a group for dinner and have the opportunity to share our experiences. 

This program is designed for established beginners and intermediate speakers of Spanish – learners who are familiar with the basics of Spanish pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar, but need help in building confidence to converse in Spanish. A good prerequisite for the program would be the completion of one or two basic Spanish courses, including BCA’s six-week Lets Speak Spanish program. It should be noted that all teachers and facilitators in the program will be bi-lingual in Spanish and English in order to provide the best assistance for beginning and intermediate learners. 

Maize In Times Of War traces the yearly cycle of four Indigenous maize plots (called milpas due to the diversity of crops they entail) in different regions of México. This film draws the exceptional process of growing maize, the delicacy of selecting seeds and preparing the land that will receive them, the tenacity and the nuances involved in taking care of the whole process, until the harvest arrives after working for months and the family enjoys the vital uses of its fruits.

FREE EVENT

Feb 21, 2020

1:30 - 3:00 PM

After listening to an inspiring talk about the Birds of the Borderlands and seeing amazing images of the same, you’ll have a chance to see some of these birds right outside along the Santa Cruz River. In field groups of 10 to 12 people, you’ll get a chance to wander and wait in silence for the feathered friends close by. Bring your binoculars and a sack lunch and be ready to go right after the morning lecture.

Mar 13, 2020

12:00-2:00 PM

BCA was honored to have Dr. William Beezely as our key speaker at our annual “Breakfast at the Border” meeting, January 14, 2020. Dr. Beezley is Professor of History at the University of Arizona and a leading expert on the history of Mexico, it’s culture, and its people. 

During his presentation on “How Mexico Sees Itself, and How We Should See Mexico,” Dr. Beezley related that he was currently involved in a video project to tell the story of indigenous women in Mexico who have used an ancestral tradition of embroidery to communicate and assert important human rights too often been missing in their lives. The project is called “Bordando mis Derechos" (“Embroidering My Rights”), which was the title of an exhibition of 27 embroidered cloth pictures of silk and woolen yarn at the National Museum of Popular Cultures in Mexico City in 2017.

The embroidery was the work of indigenous Nahua Women from the Sierra Negra in the state of Puebla, who formed a collective and made the embroidered pictures, roughly 48 X 24 inches, to express their fundamental rights to democracy, freedom of expression, the right to vote, a life without violence, an education, a healthy environment, access to technology, and equality. 



Currently, a brief preview of the video project is available, and although Dr. Beezley tried to present this video at our breakfast meeting, we experienced technical difficulties and we were unable to adequately present the video. Fortunately, we now have an online link to the video so that everyone can look at this important initiative. Dr. Beezley stated that the full video production, including the inclusion of additional groups of indigenous women using embroidery to express their rights, should be completed later this year. When this full video is available, we look forward to working with Dr. Beezley to present it at a suitable forum for our Borderland community.

In the interim, we invite you to watch the 6-minute preview by following this link:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1981046528631997

Border Community Alliance is issuing membership cards starting in January 2020 to all of its members, whether individual, family, booster, entrepreneur or founder. To pick up your card at the office, please call A.J. Hernandez at 520.419.1960 so your card will be ready when you stop by. Office hours are 9:00 to noon, Monday thru Friday.