by Holly Herman
A couple weeks ago, Rich Doerrer-Peacock, Randy Mayer, Bill Lyons, Susan Valiquette, two National staff visitors, and I took a trip to Casa de la Misericordia in Nogales, MX, a mission project of the UCC, Lutherans, and Episcopalians. It is an amazing place. Sister Lika Mejia is the director and has been there many years. She has organized a refuge for asylum seekers, a place to heal, rest, and prepare for the next step of their journey.
When migrants first arrive, Lika walks them through the labyrinth, helping them leave behind the pain, homesickness, and trauma as they make their way toward the center, leaving it all there, then walking out of the labyrinth toward hope and a new life. The murals around the labyrinth are of the sea, helping to create a calming area for them to come back to as often as they like.
She has a US map in the office with push pins where each family can show where they are headed. The map on the exterior wall gives a perspective of distances travelled so far and distances yet to go.
She has a graduate student intern from the local university studying psychology/therapy to work with children having experienced trauma. She herself works with adults.
Sister Lika has formed teams of residents to cover all the “chores” around the campus (cooking, repairs, maintenance, gardening, childcare, teaching, laundry, etc) and has a leader for each team. The team leader is responsible to train the other team members. When the team leader crosses the border to claim asylum themselves, the team leader or Lika appoints the next team leader to take their place. There is constant turnover in the team as new people come in and others leave, but the jobs are completed consistently because everyone on the team has the same training. The other benefit to this is that everyone has a job. The job gives purpose, companionship and a sense of accomplishment.
A local yoga instructor comes periodically to lead both adults and children in relaxation techniques.
Local professionals (electricians, plumbers, barbers, hair salon workers, gardeners, etc) come 2-3 times a week to teach some basic skills to groups of adults so that they might find temporary jobs, or potential training opportunities, when they arrive in the US. There is also a room where women learn sewing, embroidery, and other skills.
A garden provides fresh produce and a calm area to sit and relax.
Handwork and other crafts/artwork are for sale. Sister Lika herself is an artist and paints work depicting refugees, their journeys, and their hopes and dreams.
English classes for children and adults are taught by residents themselves or volunteers from town.
Each asylum seeker writes out their individual stories to give to legal assistant Ishmael to help him put together their asylum case. We saw areas around the campus where people could sit quietly and write in their notebooks, make notes, edit their stories, journal, write letters, etc. Ishmael has built a relationship with Immigration and, when a family is ready to cross, he sets up an appointment and actually accompanies them to the border in case there are any last minute issues.
There was one building where they made tortillas to sell and augment income. The building was damaged in a recent storm and the SW Conference has offered to help repair it.
