Future Presentations

Some of you asked about another time to hear part of the story if you missed Sunday evening at  the PY Methodist Church ... (the meal was amazing!!! ) Over $900 was raised to assist Annunciation House and help with financial support of future volunteers!

If you are interested and missed that presentation please join us for any of the following:

• Sat. March 2nd at St Marks Episcopal Church at 6 pm ( meal included) sponsored by PY Coalition
• Thurs. March 14 at United Church of Christ in Bristol NY 6 pm (Lenten supper included)
• Sun. March 24 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church following 10 am joint service
• Wed. April 10 at Keuka College at 8 pm. Location TBD...Sponsored by chaplain and student group.

I am truly humbled! Thank you all!!

"Anne's presentation was eye opening... on what is really going on at the border. Made me realize how many wonderful people there are out there willing to help their neighbors... Anne included!"

"Anne's presentation [Feb 17 at PY Methodist] was excellent and truly moving! Her experiences and commitment are inspiring."

Here's a description of my presentation:

Border Wall or Border Welcome

For three weeks Anne Meyer-Wilber has been serving at Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas, as a volunteer to help welcome immigrant families seeking asylum in the US, who are being dropped off by ICE after they have been processed at the border. Anne has been blogging of her experience at Life's Adventures 2019, and she will be coming to share her experience with us and the community (see dates and places above). A free will donation will help to cover meal costs, support for Annunciation House, and for mission scholarships for people who may feel called to go and offer their help in welcoming our neighbors at the border.
 

Wrapping Up and Following Up

One of my fellow volunteers for Annunciation House at Mesa Inn was Marjorie Margolis. After spending two weeks in El Paso, she has written an article for a local newspaper in her home region, Keene NH. Because her experience parallels mine, I want to share her entire article with you:

Migrants Face Dubious Fate, by Marjorie Margolis, in the Keene Sentinel, February 10, 2019

Marjorie writes:

There is no illegal immigration crisis at the southern border. However, there is a human crisis of migrants escaping violence and poverty who immediately turn themselves in to the Immigration and Naturalization Service upon reaching the border. Unfortunately, our country is grossly unprepared to process the hundreds of immigrants who turn themselves in each day.

Annunciation House, the residents of El Paso, and the many volunteers who serve there are doing an incredible job of managing, as best they can, this situation that our government is, as Marjorie says, "grossly unprepared" to deal with. People are stepping up to help, as they have been at Annunciation House and in El Paso for four decades now.

Supporting the efforts of these full-timers are the local volunteers and visiting volunteers like myself, many of whom are nuns or active Catholic lay people (got to love that Dorothy Day ethos) who regularly minister to the poor in a variety of settings. Others, like myself, came also to serve at the border as an act of protest against the hateful political discourse that scapegoats the poor and powerless.

Like Marjorie, I feel immense gratitude at having the opportunity to learn about the situation at the border first-hand, and to help in whatever way I could for the three weeks I was there. I'll be sharing some of my experience and reflections on my time in El Paso at the United Methodist Church this Sunday, February 17th. Here's their announcement:

Border Wall or Border Welcome

For three weeks Anne Meyer-Wilber has been serving at Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas, as a volunteer to help welcome immigrant families seeking asylum in the US, who are being dropped off by ICE after they have been processed at the border. Anne has been blogging of her experience at Life's Adventures 2019, and she will be coming to share her experience with us and the community on Sunday, February 17th in the fellowship hall of the Penn Yan United Methodist Church. We will begin with an authentic south of the border meal prepared by Estella and Sirene Garcia and others at 5pm, followed by Anne’s presentation at 5:30pm. A free will donation will help to cover meal costs, support for Annunciation House, and for mission scholarships for people who may feel called to go and offer their help in welcoming our neighbors at the border.

A Warm Welcome Home!

Ralphie’s welcome home sign ... so sweet! 

Jan 31- Feb 1: Departure and Homeward...

Backpack ready to roll...
left clothes and extra pair
of shoes for someone to select!
Check those mountains in the background! 

Left most of my clothing, extra pair of shoes for someone who has so little... the price of freedom.

Riding in van and on way to airport...
looking out from this side of the wall...

Hoping to get to Annunciation House this morning but didn’t want to stress the system! So caught a ride to airport with 2 families... one heading to Florida and one to Tennessee... while in 3rd seat Ralphie was calling and texting that flight out of El Paso and flight from Chicago had both been cancelled due to weather...  

Yes Deb it will be another adventure!

Playing games while we waited in airport for their flight...
heading to Florida ...note gloves .. 
kids loved these... laughing as we tried to get them on!!!

They were able to reroute me thru Denver then DC (overnight in airport), then arriving in Rochester tomorrow [Friday] a.m... I spent 3 hrs with my family, a beautiful mom and her 10 yr old son... from Honduras... We were playing tic tak toe! They were really good... taught them a stick block game... 

We seemed to gather another woman from Honduras...(then I broke out Spanish translator because questions were too numerous)... Then [we picked up] a man who spoke Portuguese but some English... and 2 men from Guatemala ... Think about it... no money, no phone, no  one who speaks Spanish, and your first time in an airport getting ready to fly!  

No luggage... so hope they make connections! Annunciation House guests get bags packed with sandwiches and snacks for them. Folks were so willing to share them if someone came with no food! They are leading such brave lives... so joyful... gracias gracias gracias... Left El Paso just after they did as our gates we next to each other.... 

So on I went to Denver... and just made connection to Washington DC .... Haven’t spent night in an airport in several years... United folks were wonderful... food vouchers, blanket, overnight kit! Time to rest just like home with basketball game on!!! But Ralphie turns it down.!... 

This entire trip has renewed my hope in man and womankind!!!

Jan 29-30 Ending my tour here

Hard day yesterday! 2 buses, last one of especially sick kids! Low number of volunteers. But [they are] so thankful to be here! Full house tonight...

Here’s what the place looked like as we closed last night at 10 pm. Bags are labeled with first name, # of folks and destination... They contain water, snacks, sandwiches, and little candy, and if we have them a nice warm throw... Some folks have a 2-3 day bus ride.... they are so excited.... Some folks go by avion... so no water or throw and less food... all donations.... including the bags! 

23 bags packed for morning send off... 

A group of religious sisters drove down from the Midwest and they have been invaluable. They speak Spanish, are willing to work for nothing, and have a van which we are using to transport people to the airport in the bus stations. Many volunteers who live in El Paso often are called and drive folks to the bus station or the airport. Again feeling so blessed to be surrounded by such caring generous people.

Starting to decide what will fit into backpack and plan to leave the rest here... mostly clothing and a pair of sneakers for housekeeper...

Reentry will be difficult... no news, no trump talk for 3 weeks! No tv... just focused on what I can do here... and now!

My flight leaves tomorrow! Feeling blessed again today... Sending sunshine from El Paso. Please stay safe and warm as the wintery weather hits.

Feeling...

Feeling this, so many times a day!

Jan 27: Shoelaces and More!

Dollar store special on shoelaces...bought 80! 

Some ICE folks but not all ..take folks shoelaces away... They see women and kids as threats... and men and boys as high security risks... Not one of the hundreds we have housed here while they are waiting for bus or plane tickets bought by their families has been anything but gracious and kind ... They want to help us in any way they can... sweeping, carrying cases of water, moving tables and chairs, garbage bags... etc. Ask one and three come running... they are so thankful to be here where it is safe! 

Yesterday a woman arrived with one plastic jelly shoe... They took other because it was torn... 2 kids with no shoes! I went to Dollar General and bought her a pair but when I got back she was gone... ride to bus station with one shoe! It’s not an easy road but they are still joyful!!

Also got some warm hats and lots of socks, with about 80 shoelaces! as we were totally out.  Your donations at work! Gracias! 

Kids and punchie balls... cautious on balloons with so many little ones in this group.... perhaps today’s bus load will be older and I can give them out! 

Yes today’s busload was lots of ninos and ninas and only 4 of us to care for needs of 53 additional folks...  Not many! Only 2 Spanish speakers to do intake, room assignments, clothes, set out meal, clean up, room delivery.. meds etc ... we will all sleep good tonight! 

2 families that went out to bus station missed bus. Both do miss info in translating Spanish and recording either on our end or the families when they call back here to give long confirmation number or date... adding another day to trip of weeks of getting this far....

Broke out the balloons as families waited patiently for intake... kids were laughing and slowly parents started chatting and smiles spread across their faces... I rubbed balloon on my hair to show static electricity and held balloon to wall... they laughed and tried it... didn’t work but after they are clean and hair washed we can try again! Laughter is a universal language! 

Hope you can spread some joy today with the cold you're snuggled into!