Departure Day

We're heading tothe airport to go back home :( . I mean my Rhode Island home... I only say this because throughout this week, I have called San Miguel High School in Tucson, Arizona my home. If someone asked me what was next in out schedule, I would reply ''Blah blah... Then we're going home.'' No ones really awake righr now so all that there is to do is just look out the window. I can't believe how fast I got used to seeing the red tones in the sand, the cacti, the distant mountains and immaculately clear skies when I woke up each and every morning. I don't want to leave! It's not that I don't miss my family ( especially my dog and bed), but I absorbed and gained so much knowledge on this trip, gained new friends and hons with lasalle and non-lasalle people that it seems so hard to believe that I'm leaving. It feels like we're going to another reservation or ranch to learn more about immigration.... I guess on the bright sode, I loved Arizona so much that I truly do wish to return one day! Thank you to Arizona and all the people that helped us throughout this journey in Arizona. May God bless them and grant us safe travels. Bye- bye Arizona. 😘
- Adianna

Migrant Shine

Today we participated in a water drop at a shrine made by migrants. A gallon of water weighs approximately 8 pounds, plus we carried our own water and a back pack. The journey was hard, the ground rocky, the trail was narrow and steep. We walked for only two hours and were exhausted. Leaving water and cans of frijoles for the people passing through was more than just a humanitarian mission. For us it was personal. We, for a short time, walked in the shoes of a migrant. And it was scary.

Shura Wallin's Home

These were all items that we were fortunate enough to see, thanks to Shura!

The Morning with Laurie and Jillian

See if you can spot the well camouflaged Horny Toad.

Monday

I keep thinking about all  the undocumented migrants who were captured by border control, that we saw on Monday. We first saw hundreds of people locked in a cage when we were getting a tour of the border patrol. Every person looked unshowered, malnourished, sad and the stench was strong. We were told that they were fed with Burger King hamburgers but food seemed no where in sight. The thing that stuck me most was the shackels they were contained in. They were handcuffed at hand and feel and had a charin around their waist. Why so much restriction for a misdemeanor crime ? Later that day when we went to streamline court, 70 other undocumented immigrants were being put on trial. Each person, man and woman were also shackled. They too looked unshowered, malnourished and their smell was significant. The fact that they were so tied up just really bothered me, do you think it's right ?

Day 4

The best part of yesterday, Wednesday the 17th of April, was visiting Shura Wallin's home Green Valley. So far, the one thing I never want to forget is her passion towards helping immigrants. Shura co-founded the Green Valley Samaritans. This group goes out into the desert for hours carrying water jugs and food in the hope of finding an immigrant in need that they can help. Shura and the other club members are not young chickens, and if they are anything like Shura, they are small, fragile, and weak looking. However, their heroic actions do not match their physcial appearances. It takes serious strength to lug around food and water in the desert for long amounts of time. They have to be strong in order to deal with the criticism and threats made by others who fear immigration and those that help immigrants. They have to be strong to deal with the possible outcomes of the immigrants they help out. Even though it is a slim chance, they have to hope that the immigrans they help will meet a happy life in America and live their desired dreams of freedom and liberty. Shura not only told us what she and her fellow Samaritans do for immigrants, but she also shared with us some of the more interesting and striking objects that she has found in the desert that immigrants have left behind. These posessions varied from jeans, yound child and infant clothing, a baby's bottle, tortilla cloths, shoes wrapped in blankets, carpet shoes, religious items, make-up, treasured photos, keys, burlap-covered water jugs, and a diary. She told us stories that she pictures goes with each of the objects with so much zeal and excitement. It was contagious! The significance of Shura showing us these possessions made us realize that these immigrants led normal lives before they made the long journey crossing the border. They didn't always plan on crossing the border but had regualr worries and cares. The objects also taught us the ingenious inventions came up with to prevent detection and ensure survival. They covered their shoes to avoid making tracks, they kept their water jugs covered with burlap to keep the water cool. They made many objects more convenient to carry. Her talk about the lives she associates with the various objects, her passionate stories made the stuggle of the immigrants and those that go out of their way to help them so much more real to me.

-ADIANNA