Build bridges of communication; not barriers

AMERICA/UNITED STATES - MISSION AND EMIGRATION - “La valigia con lo spago”: Lucrezia crossed the desert with her children, which the “coyote” that led them said: “The children slow you down. Leave them behind!,” but she did not leave them and she died in their arms


Rome (Agenzia Fides) - “The wall between Mexico and the United States has claimed 10,000 lives as of today. Marco, a 5-year-old, was hidden in the back of a truck, on a desert road, along with his father. He felt great thirst. He asked his dad for water, but he did not give him any. He asked another man, and another...he asked 18 men, but none of them gave him water. They all died. Every day people die. For the poor, the Visa is not easy.” This is the testimony of Enrique Morones, President and Founder of Border Angels. “We started providing water in the desert in 1996, but there is still not enough even though many organizations are working on it.”Lucrezia crossed this desert with her children: Jesus and Nora, both 7 years old. The coyote who led the group told her: “The slow you down. Leave them behind! That way you can go on your own.” But she did not leave them. Should she continue on or turn back? It was the same either way. It was the same distance. She decided to continue. And there she died in the arms of Jesus, her son and Nora, her daughter. Nora and Jesus were left alone in the desert. The border police found them. They were saved! Their grandfather traveled to the desert. His daughter had died! One body, and then another, and another, and another...and finally, there she was – his daughter. If one person alone can find so many bodies...how many are there? And the 10,000, 20,000 handicapped? Inhumane! Inhumane! Inhumane! 1% are delinquents, and 99% are hard workers. We should make them legal. We are the same human race. On Sunday, Mass is celebrated in the canyon. There are vagabonds living there, hiding from the police and those who hate them. They hide, but they are the same people who take care of our fields, look after our children, build our homes. They live there because they do not have papers. They protect themselves. The Mass in the canyon is a sign of closeness, because the Lord makes us understand the love we should have towards our neighbor. Brothers and sisters. We build bridges of communication, not barriers. We offer the Word of the Gospel! We will have a better world. (Luca De Mata) (television program trailer “La valigia con lo spago”: a series of 4 programs: an investigation into migratory flows and new slavery in the world: Rai Uno July 20th , 2nd evening feature). (Agenzia Fides 15/7/2009)
Links: “La valigia con lo spago”http://www.lavaligiaconlospago.tv/