Over
the years I've discovered the secret to creating a vibrant and relevant
organization. The trick is to keep one eye on who we are, and the
other eye on whom we can become. This year, "who we are" is more exciting
than it's ever been before!
Cecilia Guzman Receives Award
The National Association of Social Workers Arizona Branch 11 held an awards luncheon in March of 2006 during which BorderLinks trip leader Cecilia received their Corazón De La Frontera Award. Social Worker Josefina Ahumada teared up as she presented Ceci with a plaque honoring her long history of work in the Sanctuary Movement, with troubled children who lived in the tunnel between Nogales Sonora and Arizona, and most recently for eight years as leader of BorderLinks experiential educational programs. The award is presented to community activists who work to improve their community, and this was the first time the NASWAZ reached across the border to honor a counterpart in Mexico. Ceci, in her usual humble and generous way, gave all the honor to God for carrying forth this work.
More program space in Tucson
In 2000, we expanded our facilities in Tucson by negotiating with
First Christian Church to rent two additional newly remodeled homes
adjacent to the one we've occupied for the previous six years. By
2004, as we neared the end of our five-year lease, it was apparent
that we had outgrown this additional space. Following a long search,
our Board of Directors located and purchased a property on the south
side of the city, closer to the Hispanic community. We moved into
the new facility, a 6000 square foot building housing the administration,
the delegations and the semester programs, in July of 04.
Our expanding
staff now has office space, and we can house two groups totaling more
than forty people simultaneously. It is good to have everyone in one
facility where there can be interaction. Come see our new home at
620 South 6th Avenue.
Academic programs for credit
The expansion of our facilities in Tucson and Nogales has allowed
us to develop a variety of semester academic program that began in
2001.
Our adjunct faculty teaches classes on the history of the border,
global economics, philosophy and culture of the borderlands, intensive
Spanish, peace and justice studies, immigration policy, and border
theology.
For details about the program, click here.
Ecumenical Christmas Posada and Advent Party
Each year the Casa de la Misericordia hosts a Christmas party for staff, volunteers, and community children who participate in Casa programs. In years past up to 1400 local children gathered to be served a meal and receive gifts from volunteers from southern Arizona.
This past year, the Casa staff asked that the party be more representative of the overall community and culture of the Casa. In order to achieve this goal, the Madres led us on a traditional Posada while Presbyterian staff member, Jeanette Pazos did a moving reflection on the Advent wreath and the symbolism of each candle. Despite Santa’s absence, (Santa is not part of the Mexican tradition of Christmas) Spirit was definitely present.
Please help us continue this valuable experience that honors Mexican cultural tradition and weaves together Catholic and Protestant religious practices. Churches and organizations are invited to donate non-violent, culturally appropriate toys and gifts of an approximate value of $10. Donated gifts are bundled into family packages and presented to each family at the annual party. Cash donations are also welcome.
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BanComun comes of age
Our joint project with the international Catholic Relief Services
is coming of age. Begun in 2004, each agency pledged $100,000 to start
this community lending micro-finance project. Within the first year
there were fifteen neighborhood banks with over four hundred borrowers.
During
the second year we received significant grants from Morgan/Stanley
Chase Foundation and US AID Mexico and began the process of becoming
incorporated. This activity will allow us to expand rapidly and plant
other offices in Ciudad Juaraz, across the border from El Paso.
You may
read of their work at
BanComun.org.
The budget
As our sense of mission and our educational and community work expand,
so do our responsibilities. Your partnership is critical to help us
meet those obligations! In nine years our annual budget has grown
from $100,000 to almost $1,000,000, and we depend on donations from
you and other individuals and churches to provide forty percent of
that income.
We depend on you
There are thirty BorderLinks staff people in Mexico and the U.S.,
most of whom have families and who see this work as a vocation.
There are three hundred and fifty kids who now depend on us for a
hot meal each day, thirty-five pre-schoolers in our guarderia at the
Casa in Nogales and thousands more who challenge us to strengthen
our community development and assistance work, and to do it better
than ever before.
In 2005, 1300 people participated in our educational projects and
carried what they learned about the challenges confronting our world
back to their own families and communities and encouraged them to
respond.
There is the excitement and the joy of working every day to make the
world a better place, and your support is critical as we carry on
that work together.
Thanks for your enthusiasm for the task of crossing borders!
Delle McCormick
Executive Director of BorderLinks
