Category Archives: Community

Interaction with the community of Falfurrias

A group of people standing on a dirt road in front of a metal wall.

Day 5: To the Border

Community, Environment, Human Rights, Migrant Death

Winter excavations have their own unique set of challenges. Today the high was in the 30s, it was very windy and rainy. It was the kind of weather that made me question whether we were actually in South Texas. We decided the risk of working wet in freezing temperatures was too great and decided to take the day off to go to McAllen. We loaded up the cars, got a bag full of Whataburger breakfast taquitos “to go” and started driving south on 281.

A poster for Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response Working to Reduce Poverty in America
Sacred Heart Church Humanitarian Respite Center

Our first stop was the Sacred Heart Church where the Humanitarian Respite Center is located. Sister Pam and Sister Norma talked about the function of the center: “The center provides a place for the countless men, women, children, and infant refugees to rest, have a warm meal, a shower, and change into clean clothing as well as receive medicine and other supplies, before continuing onto their journey.” We learned they were averaging 400 asylum seekers per day before Christmas and about 100 per day now in the New Year.  We divided up into groups that sorted donations, made small bags of toiletries and baby supplies, helped in the kitchen, held babies and played with children so parents could shower, located new clothing for families and a variety of other tasks. The center runs solely on the kindness of volunteers and donations.

Looking along the rusty pillars of a border fence.
The border wall in McAllen, TX

Once the morning’s group of families finished rotating through the center we drove to the border wall. This part of the wall is more of a fence made of iron beams repurposed from Vietnam era military materials. After approximately 6 minutes at the wall we were approached by a Border Patrol vehicle. At first we were nervous we would be asked to leave immediately, but instead the officer welcomed the opportunity to talk with us and answer questions. He told us stories of his experiences with patrolling the wall and the people he encountered.

We left McAllen and began our drive north on 281. We needed to go through the Falfurrias Border Patrol Station on our way home. While we had no trouble getting through the large three lane traffic checkpoint, the wait in line provided us a moment to reflect on the fact that this is the reason we see so many deaths in Brooks County. It is this checkpoint that migrants are attempting to circumvent as they enter the brush land that surrounds the station, resulting in many of them loosing their lives.

Smoked meat in a smoker
The smoked feast

We ended the day at La Cope Ranch in Encino for dinner provided graciously by the Ed Rachel Foundation. Their mission statement is taken from the last will and testament of the Foundation’s benefactor: “I devise and bequeath the rest and residue of my estate of every kind and wheresoever situated real, personal and mixed, to such corporation to be used exclusively for the benefit of charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes within the State of Texas“. The foundation has generously supported Texas State‘s work in migrant identification over the last few years. The meal was amazing and the representatives of the foundation were so nice and genuinely interested in the work we are doing towards migrant identification. The day off from digging allowed our muscles to rest and our minds to recharge. We are ready to jump back in to excavations in the morning.

~KEL

Eight people sitting a standing on a mound of dirt holding up four fingers.

Day 4: Why We’re Here

Community, Human Rights, Migrant Death

Today was a really hard day, both physically and mentally.  It seems like each step forward had their associated two steps back.  Whether it be digging, searching, or mapping, nothing went as we expected.  The phrase “expect the unexpected” definitely rang true today, and we had to really work as a team to adapt to the challenges and changing situations we encountered.  In addition to these mental challenges, today was also physically challenging.  Yesterday consisted of hours upon hours of digging.  As one could expect, getting out of bed this morning was not a piece of cake.  In addition, another 10 hours of shoveling and hauling buckets today proved extremely difficult and physically taxing.

As the morning went on, exhaustion began to set in.  We were taking measurements in the western part of the cemetery when a large car approached.  As this cemetery is still frequented by family members visiting their loved ones, we thought nothing of it. However, they came to a stop right where we were working.  The door opened and a small dog hopped out, followed by two women carrying plastic shopping bags.  These bags were full of bread, lunch meat, cheese, oranges, donuts, and bottled water.  The women repeatedly thanked us for the work we were doing, and said that the work being done was nothing short of extraordinary.  We graciously thanked the women and they went on their way.

Team member dumping a bucket of dirt.
Erica helping refill the excavation area

Later in the afternoon, we moved back to the eastern part of the cemetery and continued to work in the area we begun the days prior.  After we were about halfway through refilling the excavated areas, the same women approached us once more.  This time, they told us that they would love to make us a hot meal and bring it to the cemetery for us to eat.  They said it was the least they could do, again expressing their gratitude for the work being conducted.  Witnessing the pure emotions of these women was truly a humbling and emotional experience for me.

Today reminded me that despite being sore and experiencing setbacks and challenges in the field, the work we are conducting is making a huge impact in the community.  The fact that these women would give up their time, money, and energy to bring lunches and make a hot meal for over 30 volunteers is nothing short of amazing.  This aspect of today really brought things back into perspective for me.  It’s easy to get frustrated when things don’t go as planned, but at the end of the day, the work being conducted here in Falfurrias is truly an amazing humanitarian effort in response to a crisis whose effects are felt community-wide.   Despite all of the challenges and trials faced in the field today, this one small act of kindness reminded me why we are here.

–Leann

What We Leave, and What We Take

Community, Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

Travelling to Texas over the past few summers is always challenging.  We usually try and pack in as much as humanly possible.  This applies not only to our luggage, but also our time in the Lone Star state.  Every day is crammed full of experiences to ensure that no second of time is wasted.  This year we completed 17 skeletal analyses (alongside the fine people of Texas State University), participated in “Missing in Harris County Day”, and even managed to have a little extra time to construct and fill water stations in Brooks County.

A woman smiling in front of a field.
My beautiful wife, Jessica.

Every time I travel I cannot help but think about what I’m taking and what I’m leaving behind.  Leaving Indianapolis, my first instinct is to pour over the trivial things… like did I bring underwear? or how much deodorant do I need for 10 days?  Those thoughts soon give way to the more meaningful.  The first and most important thing I leave behind every time I visit Texas is my beautiful wife.  Everyone who knows me will tell you that I’m not always the easiest person to get along with.  Jessica and I have been married for nearly 9 years now, which places her level of patience and understanding on par with saints.  It may seem silly, but I always feel like part of her is with me on my journey.  She understands that the work we do is meaningful and important, and I could not do it without her support.

A brown and white dog
Watson is on the case.

I left something new at home this year… This 3-year-old basset hound mix Jessica and I adopted from the Indianapolis Humane Society.  We changed his name to Watson, a fitting name for an intelligent and loyal side kick.  He has already become a member of our family, and I look forward to our future lives together.

The last thing I left in Indianapolis was my case knife.  I forgot that it was in my jacket pocket before the TSA security checkpoint.  It may sound trivial, but I loved that knife.  I am also glad that the TSA is doing their job so well.  I hope you enjoy my knife (although I suggest you clean it before using it).

The things that I take and leave from Texas are much more ephemeral.  If I had to choose one material thing to take back to Indy, it would be HEB grocery stores (sorry, everything else, its’s HEB!).  Alas, like most of the wonderful people and places in Texas, I am forced to leave them all behind.  I leave behind friends who treated us like family.  I leave behind families still searching for loved ones.  I also leave behind an amazing group of individuals that continue to fight for human rights, and aid in the identification of the missing.  People like the wonderful faculty and students of Texas State, and Eddie Canalez and Ryan Strand of the South Texas Human Rights Center show us what we can accomplish if our hearts and minds are in the right place.

I hope that I have taken part of that fight with me.  Although it seems that we are thousands of miles away from issues on the border, these issues permeate our entire country.  Even with this perceived separation, it is how we act now that that will that will continue to shape our great country.  Our country was founded on the magnanimous ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  I believe that everyone should have access, after all, todos somos inmigrantes (we are all immigrants).

Justin