On Saturday, May 7, we headed to the Turquoise Valley Golf Club, Arizona's oldest, in Naco, a 
tiny village of about 800 people, on the border with Mexico about 10 miles SW of Bisbee. We had breakfast there at a "fundraiser" for Episcopal Border Ministries. At $10 a pop for breakfast, we expected some fruit and yogurt to be set out with coffee, but we were seated and served a sizeable breakfast burrito with a side of beans. We quickly learned that EBM isn't very good at fundraising, as $10 was their cost for breakfast, and if we desired, we could give them a little extra when we bought our tickets, but they didn't make a big push. As a non-profit worker myself, I was floored that they weren't shaking people down. We saw a video and learned about what EBM's efforts along the border.
tiny village of about 800 people, on the border with Mexico about 10 miles SW of Bisbee. We had breakfast there at a "fundraiser" for Episcopal Border Ministries. At $10 a pop for breakfast, we expected some fruit and yogurt to be set out with coffee, but we were seated and served a sizeable breakfast burrito with a side of beans. We quickly learned that EBM isn't very good at fundraising, as $10 was their cost for breakfast, and if we desired, we could give them a little extra when we bought our tickets, but they didn't make a big push. As a non-profit worker myself, I was floored that they weren't shaking people down. We saw a video and learned about what EBM's efforts along the border.After breakfast, we crossed the border in our rental van. We passed by the very attractive old 
border station (at right) that sits on the US side, and were stopped by Mexican officials. Sometimes Mexico stops drivers entering from the US, but generally they don't, and I had never previously been stopped. But as violence in Mexico's drug wars escalates, authorities there (and also, amazingly, US Border Patrol when people head south) are increasingly checking for caches of weapons...or caches of cash. Because of Mexico's restrictive gun laws, most of the weapons used by cartels come from the US. Mexican border agents were nice, but they did have us all leave the van while they pounded on it and opened up every possible compartment.
border station (at right) that sits on the US side, and were stopped by Mexican officials. Sometimes Mexico stops drivers entering from the US, but generally they don't, and I had never previously been stopped. But as violence in Mexico's drug wars escalates, authorities there (and also, amazingly, US Border Patrol when people head south) are increasingly checking for caches of weapons...or caches of cash. Because of Mexico's restrictive gun laws, most of the weapons used by cartels come from the US. Mexican border agents were nice, but they did have us all leave the van while they pounded on it and opened up every possible compartment. When we got to Naco, Sonora, MX, we went into the desert east of town (it's not much of a town, 
although it's much larger than Naco, AZ) to visit a water station that prevents migrants of dying from dehydration. I was not aware there were such water stations on the Mexican side. I know they have been controversially placed on the US side by human rights groups, and while there are some closer to Tucson, I was told there aren't any in Cochise County as folks who don't approve have vandalized the water tanks. We hiked about a quarter mile off a road to the water tank, which is easily identifiable for migrants by its tall blue flag that rises above the mesquite. As this was only a 
quarter mile from the border wall, it seems the flag would not only signal water for migrants, but for US Border Patrol, would signal the location of migrants. I never got a good answer for why they put the water station so close to the border. From the water station, we hiked up to the wall, finding abandoned water bottles, clothes, and packing of various sorts 
along the way. We saw evidence of campfires. We were at a point where the old wall meets the new wall. The new wall consists of ~15' tall metal beams sticking out of the Earth, filled with concrete, so they cannot be rammed down easily with a truck. The beams are placed very close together, with enough space between them to let flood waters flow (in fact, where we were standing was a drainage wash) and small animals migrate through. Humans and larger animals cannot get through, including jaguars which historically inhabit the Chihuahuan Desert, but which are almost never seen in Arizona anymore. The old fence was about 7' of solid but thinner metal, with horizontal corrugation that allowed it to be easily climbed. In fact, one of my fellow travelers did so to test it out. We were accompanied to the desert by a Mexican family that was refilling the water jugs, and mom had stayed behind while her boys hiked with us to the wall. My heart skipped a few beats when the Mexican boys saw my co-traveler Rob climb the wall, and decided it looked fun enough for them to try. As they got to the top and their heads peaked over, I pulled them down.
although it's much larger than Naco, AZ) to visit a water station that prevents migrants of dying from dehydration. I was not aware there were such water stations on the Mexican side. I know they have been controversially placed on the US side by human rights groups, and while there are some closer to Tucson, I was told there aren't any in Cochise County as folks who don't approve have vandalized the water tanks. We hiked about a quarter mile off a road to the water tank, which is easily identifiable for migrants by its tall blue flag that rises above the mesquite. As this was only a 
quarter mile from the border wall, it seems the flag would not only signal water for migrants, but for US Border Patrol, would signal the location of migrants. I never got a good answer for why they put the water station so close to the border. From the water station, we hiked up to the wall, finding abandoned water bottles, clothes, and packing of various sorts 
along the way. We saw evidence of campfires. We were at a point where the old wall meets the new wall. The new wall consists of ~15' tall metal beams sticking out of the Earth, filled with concrete, so they cannot be rammed down easily with a truck. The beams are placed very close together, with enough space between them to let flood waters flow (in fact, where we were standing was a drainage wash) and small animals migrate through. Humans and larger animals cannot get through, including jaguars which historically inhabit the Chihuahuan Desert, but which are almost never seen in Arizona anymore. The old fence was about 7' of solid but thinner metal, with horizontal corrugation that allowed it to be easily climbed. In fact, one of my fellow travelers did so to test it out. We were accompanied to the desert by a Mexican family that was refilling the water jugs, and mom had stayed behind while her boys hiked with us to the wall. My heart skipped a few beats when the Mexican boys saw my co-traveler Rob climb the wall, and decided it looked fun enough for them to try. As they got to the top and their heads peaked over, I pulled them down.
We had a conversation about the wall throughout our trip. Many border and humanitarian activists are against it (and some environmentalists). The Douglas Chief of Police and the Vicar of the Episcopal parishes in Bisbee and Douglas referenced Hadrian's Wall (the Vicar was heading to England and it was on his mind), which did not completely stop conflict or strife between England and Scotland. A more recent example is the Berlin Wall, which had far more guards than this border wall, guards who shot to kill. Yet many still defected across it, and many others died attempting to do so. We heard stories of teenagers using simple catapults to smuggle drugs over the US border wall, and boats going around the wall at Tijuana, where it goes into the ocean. There are certainly examples of walls improving security, including at parts of the US-Mexican border, and between Israel and Palestine, where the wall has reduced terrorist bombings but does not stop mortar fire. But while walls can improve security, they do not end conflict. They are not a permanent and final solution, but they serve as a stopgap measure when humans can't seem to figure out (or don't want to) what the long term solution is.After visiting the wall, we visited a Casa Saludable, Spanish for "health house." Here a nurse's
assistant helps residents of Naco, Sonora, get preventive care by managing their diabetes and providing pap smears along with a few other basic health services. The Casa Saludable appears to be funded through Mexican public health funds as well as support from various border ministries. Mexican border towns, due to the transient nature of their inhabitants, are widely believed to be undercounted in Mexican censuses. This means that border communities in northern Mexico often do not get their rightful share of resources. Compounding this is a great rural divide. Many urban dwellers (as I am) do not understand the urban-rural economic divide within our own country, and the Mexican middle class (whose existence certainly surprises many in the US, I'm sure) seems concentrated in bigger cities. We heard stories of those in Agua Prieta, Naco, and Cananea a little further in having to drive four hours to the Sonoran capital of Hermosillo to get their kidney dialysis. Things are a little better in the US, but urban residents in our own country likely don't think much of the great lengths rural residents have to travel to get specialized medical care.
assistant helps residents of Naco, Sonora, get preventive care by managing their diabetes and providing pap smears along with a few other basic health services. The Casa Saludable appears to be funded through Mexican public health funds as well as support from various border ministries. Mexican border towns, due to the transient nature of their inhabitants, are widely believed to be undercounted in Mexican censuses. This means that border communities in northern Mexico often do not get their rightful share of resources. Compounding this is a great rural divide. Many urban dwellers (as I am) do not understand the urban-rural economic divide within our own country, and the Mexican middle class (whose existence certainly surprises many in the US, I'm sure) seems concentrated in bigger cities. We heard stories of those in Agua Prieta, Naco, and Cananea a little further in having to drive four hours to the Sonoran capital of Hermosillo to get their kidney dialysis. Things are a little better in the US, but urban residents in our own country likely don't think much of the great lengths rural residents have to travel to get specialized medical care.Still later, we participated with about 30 others who crossed the border at Naco for an interfaith 
procession together with our neighbors. Perhaps 80 or 100 Mexicans met us on their side of the border, and we marched around town with balloons and a banner that said "God Has No Borders." It was a feel-good event that ended in the town plaza, where vendors sold us paletas (Mexican fruit popsicles), menudo, various other food items, and handicrafts. A mustachioed man who reminded me of Congressman Raúl Grijalva (no, it wasn't him) came up to tell us that the man driving the train full of children in the procession is himself a mafioso. I certainly wouldn't dismiss the allegation, nor would I take one person's word, not knowing who may have an ax to grind against whom in this town. The man that told us was a Vietnam veteran who had lived on both sides of the border, and had recently moved to Naco, Sonora. The Mayor, a diminutive but energetic man, was present throughout the procession and in the plaza after. The Mayor's wife heads the social services for the town, not due to nepotism on his part, but this job is traditionally given to the Mayor's wife in Naco.
procession together with our neighbors. Perhaps 80 or 100 Mexicans met us on their side of the border, and we marched around town with balloons and a banner that said "God Has No Borders." It was a feel-good event that ended in the town plaza, where vendors sold us paletas (Mexican fruit popsicles), menudo, various other food items, and handicrafts. A mustachioed man who reminded me of Congressman Raúl Grijalva (no, it wasn't him) came up to tell us that the man driving the train full of children in the procession is himself a mafioso. I certainly wouldn't dismiss the allegation, nor would I take one person's word, not knowing who may have an ax to grind against whom in this town. The man that told us was a Vietnam veteran who had lived on both sides of the border, and had recently moved to Naco, Sonora. The Mayor, a diminutive but energetic man, was present throughout the procession and in the plaza after. The Mayor's wife heads the social services for the town, not due to nepotism on his part, but this job is traditionally given to the Mayor's wife in Naco.The day ended with reflection, relaxation, and good conversation over dinner in Bisbee, an old mining town 10 miles north of the border.
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