May 5, 2023 — Whetstone Mountains

Today was a doubly sad day for those of us who walked in the desert of the Whetstone Mountains to remember two friends who passed on to new life.

One we never met in this world, but, nonetheless, we gathered to remember and pray for him and his family. Even though we do not know his name, we do know that he risked his life for his family and especially for his children, and we will carry his spirit with us as we leave these mountains where he died.

The other person we gathered to remember is well-known to all of us. Her name and spirit is written on our hearts: Peg Bowden. Peg was a committed mother, grandmother, wife, immigrant advocate and friend of SO many. Peg spent the last years of her life dedicated to listen to the heartbreaking stories of hundreds of migrant travelers and she spoke out, especially through her writings, about the injustices they suffered because of our inhumane immigration policies.

Peg’s cremains were placed in the grave with the cross for our unidentified migrant traveler. Peg’s life is now fully intertwined with the life of those she so faithfully loved.

March 24, 2023 — Chiricahua Mountains

On a piercing cold day in February 2022, SILVESTRA GARCIA ESPINOBARROS, age 31 was overcome by the icy wind and falling snow of the soaring Chiricahua Mountains.

Many tourists come from far away to enjoy a challenging hike in the peaks of this alluring Sky Island, but Silvestra was walking through these canyons and ravines holding on tightly to her dream to provide a better life for her children and family. We can almost hear her brokenhearted cries for her loved ones as she realized her life and dream would end, all alone, on this treacherous mountain.

The death of Silvestra should weigh heavy on our consciences as citizens of a country that upholds the value written on our national icon of justice “give me your tired, your poor”.

As the Franciscan blessing that we prayed today says: “May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that we may work for justice, freedom and peace”.

February 23, 2023 — Guadalupe Canyon

JOSE PERALTA NOPERI was 28 years old when he froze to death on the ridge of the harsh Peloncillo Mountains, to the east of Douglas, AZ. Jose was dropped off on Hwy. 2 in Sonora, MX and walked toward the Guadalupe Canyon, where he climbed the 30 foot wall to enter the United States. He probably walked for days through the Peloncillo Mountains, before he succumbed to the ice and snow that he encountered on the trail. We have no way of knowing if he died alone or if the group that may have accompanied him stayed with him until his death. What a horrific loss for his family, who still mourns for their son, grandson, brother, husband, father.

The group that gathered today to honor his courage and pray for his family, including 4 students and a teacher from the Academy of Holy Angels in Demarest, New Jersey, promised to carry the memory of Jose into their lives, always remembering his deep love for family that called him to risk his own life for the full life of those he loved.

January 23, 2023 — Central Hwy., near Douglas

On a bitterly cold snowy morning a group of committed and prayerful women and men gathered near a cattle pond, where an unidentified woman drowned in mid-November of last year. This woman, who was a daughter, maybe a wife and mother, and maybe even a grandmother, was probably waiting to be picked up by someone who would take her to Phoenix, where she would eventually be joined with her family somewhere in the United States.

The medical examiner in Tucson said this woman drowned. How can this be? She may have been waiting for a day or maybe more and was without water and decided to drink from the cattle pond where the cattle, also, were drinking. She may have slipped on the steep slope and was too weak to escape from the muddy pond. We have no idea how this courageous woman drowned in this cattle pond, but we do know that she risked her life for a dream of a new life, a dream that drowned with her this same day.

May the suffering of this woman not be forgotten. May her suffering urge us to continue to do all we can to prevent these needless and unjust deaths in our desert.

December 21, 2022 — Solstice — Tex Canyon Road, Hwy. 80

On this frigid yet sunny day in the desert near the Chiricahua Mountains, we gathered to hold in our hearts the memory of JOSUE CARDENAS PADILLA, age 26, who died on April 4th of this year, after walking for days through the mountainous desert of southern Arizona. We prayed and sang to the beat of drums and the blasts of conchs, celebrating the life and dreams of this young man who believed that he could offer a fuller life to his family, if only he could overcome the hunger, thirst and exhaustion that finally stole his last breath.

We were accompanied by two stalwart and wise women who shared their gifts of song and prayer with us. We all were moved by their loving presence.

Each of us left this “grave site” of JOSUE saddened, yet committed to continue to do our utmost to put an end to this travesty of justice.

A poignant poem written by Eduardo Rahbe was shared. Here it is:

hope-is-an-old-adobe-wallDownload

November 2, 2022, El Dia de los Muertos, Memorial Garden at St. Andrew’s Church, Sierra Vista

On this very special day, a group of religious men and women, from a sabbatical program in Tucson, gathered in this memorial garden to honor the life and dreams of Ireny Perez Escalante. Only 23 years old, her body was found on September 28, 2020, near the Walmart in Sierra Vista, having died of dehydration. The participants in this ceremony of remembrance prayed for Ireny’s loved ones, who are surely thinking of her today, only 2 years since she tragically lost her life. The group expressed thanks to the parish who made room for this special cross in their sacred garden. Here Ireny, most likely a migrant-neighbor with family in Mexico, can be acknowledged by the family members who placed the ashes of their loved ones in the columbaria that surround her cross. Here will be Ireny’s name, among the many others, whose earthy pilgrimages are tenderly remembered.

October 24, 2022 — San Pedro River

We gathered at the edge of the San Pedro River, a familiar immigration route, to remember Heriberto Garcia Perfecto, aged 28, found in the heat of June, 2021, having died of complications to hyperthermia. We were for the most part, a group of year-long, young adult volunteers with the Presbyterian Church and with the Mennonite Voluntary Service . Imagining his dreams of securing work in order to support his family, we prayed that Heriberto’s family would know some peace in the prayers we sent, lifted by the burning of sage and copal. We felt privileged to connect with Heriberto, aware that even in death one may be a witness to the struggle of so many brother and sister migrants. We are inspired to commit our hands and hearts toward service.

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August 19, 2022 — Douglas, AZ

On May 24, 2022, ABIGAIL ROMAN AGUILAR, age 32, was brought to the Copper Queen hospital in Douglas, AZ after he fell from the 18 foot wall and was seriously injured on his face by the concertina wire that was rolled in three huge circles on the wall, to discourage migrants from seeking their dream of a better life for their children and family. Upon leaving the hospital, there was an altercation with the Border Patrol agent who was accompanying Abigail, and he was stabbed in the chest two times and died near the McDonalds in front of the hospital. Abigail’s death is being investigated, at the moment, by the FBI and the BP Office of Professional Responsibility.

An inspirational group of men and women from the organization Witness for Peace, a transnational grassroots movement that builds solidarity to resist U.S. and corporate policies that contribute to violence, poverty and oppression in the Americas, joined by about 20 Douglas residents and friends from Tucson, prayed for consolation for the family of Abigail and genuine peace and justice for all in our divided country.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging”. Psalm 46

August 9, 2022 — Paul Spur, Hwy. 80 West

Today , we remembered ROBERTO COVARRUBIAS RAYGOSA, AGE 41. We imagined that maybe Roberto was an abuelito, surrounded by his young nietecitos or maybe Roberto was on his way, to some place en el norte, to meet his new born nietecito. All we do know is that Roberto had a dream that he thought was worth risking his life for.

Roberto’s dream, that gave him courage to face the hardship of days in the unforgiving desert, died on the side of a lime mine outside of the town of Douglas, AZ.

We gathered today, from many places, to honor Roberto’s dream for a peaceful life, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. We prayed for Roberto and his loved ones he left behind and pray that, one day soon, the scales from our eyes will fall and we will see that we are all one .

July 19, 2022 – Central Highway, near Douglas, AZ

Under the scorching July sun of the Sonoran desert, an incredibly committed group of young women and men, sponsored by the Mennonite Central Committee and the Mennonite Mission Network, of Goshen, Indiana, gathered to remember and pray for a young man, close to their age, who perished near the homes of Douglas residents, because he had no water.

All we know is that KEVIN LOPEZ TORRES, age 20, died of hyperthermia on May 27, 2022, all alone, far from home and exhausted. We don’t know if Kevin knocked on doors asking for water and was refused, or if he had no strength to do even that.

We prayed that Kevin be at peace and that his mourning family has laid him to rest in their village. May God have mercy on our country and turn our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.