January 18, 2020
Border Ministries Update
Updates:
-Christmas with Asylum Seekers
-Santa Fe Bridge Ministry Comes to an End
-New Opportunity to Support Pan de Vida Shelter (Juárez)
Pictured Above: El Calvario volunteers at El Buen Samaritano. Photos taken by Janet Smith.

Pictured Below: Camino al Cielo volunteers, taken by Nicole Crouch.
Far left picture: from left to right:America Fierro, Pastor Juan Fierro, Junior Calderon.
Christmas & Epiphany
with Asylum Seekers
On Dec 20, 2019, volunteers from El Calvario visited El Buen Samaritano Shelter in Juárez to surprise the children of asylum seeking families with a visit from Santa, presents, and some delicious food.

Volunteers from El Camino al Cielo (a Mex. Methodist Church in El Paso) and Rev. Nicole Crouch also visited the shelter on Dec 21 for a time of children's activities and handing out presents and a sweet treat of donuts and milk.

El Buen Samaritano is the Mexican Methodist Shelter in Juárez and is run by Pastor Juan Fierro (pictured below) with his wife America, and a few other volunteers.

On January 6, volunteers from El Calvario (Las Cruces) and St. Mark's (El Paso) visited Pan de Vida Shelter in Juárez. They celebrated Epiphany or Three King's Day with the families there with a rosca de reyes (king cake), hot chocolate, and read the Three Kings Story. The children also enjoyed chocolate gold coins, they got to smell frankincense and myrrh, and received presents provided by St. Mark's.
Photo Courtesy of Triny Rivera
Santa Fe Bridge
Ministry Ends:
Asylum Seekers Removed
Our mission to the Juarez Santa Fe bridge to serve the asylum seekers came to a halt last Tuesday (Jan 7) when Mexican authorities removed the families from camping on the streets. 

Although they were taken to shelters where they are safe, warm and fed, the process of removing them was harsh. They were told last minute that they had the option to move, but if they didn’t move their children would be taken away. 

The street where they camped was crammed with police, soldiers, men in different uniform and suits. Reporters placed their cameras between the families as they hurried to pick up their scarce, precious belongings while garbage trucks waited to dispose of whatever the families couldn’t take. 

Children cried as their beloved stuffed animals fell to the street.

We are proud to have been there, serving our asylum seeker families from the first day that they settled at the Santa Fe bridge until the last day when they were removed, and plan to continue serving them in whatever way we can.

-Triny Rivera, El Calvario, Las Cruces
Photo Courtesy of Triny Rivera
New Opportunity to Support Asylum Seekers: Pan de Vida Migrant Shelter
Following the end of the Santa Fe Bridge Ministry, El Calvario has established a new relationship with a migrant shelter in Juárez.

Pan de Vida Shelter is the third largest in Juarez. It has the capacity to house 350 refugees and has done so. It currently houses 160 immigrants that are waiting for their immigration appointments. 

It is located in Anapra, one of the poorest areas in Ciudad Juarez and has great needs, the families live in duplex type houses that have 2 bedrooms, bathroom and a simple kitchen with a stove and a sink but no refrigerator. These units also do not have hot water.

El Calvario has committed to provide a weekly supply of provisions and raise funds for water heaters.

El Calvario is inviting the community to contribute to its fundraising to provide three more water heaters for Pan de Vida Shelter.
Each tank-less water heater costs $184 and will provide hot showers for 12-16 people.

Further help is requested by the shelter to help pay the gas bill.

Please contact Triny Rivera if you wish to contribute at 575-650-2938.

Triny Rivera, El Calvario, Las Cruces
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Border Ministries is an emerging conference wide ministry to love our neighbors by both supporting immigration ministries at the border and immigrant communities throughout the New Mexico Annual Conference.

For more information, please contact Rev. Nicole Crouch, Director of Border and Missional Ministries,
at deacon.ncrouch@gmail.com or 571-512-2641.
For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment,
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Galatians 5:14