Day of the Holy Innocents

Today is a special day in Mexico. Today we celebrate Día de los Santos Inocentes, or Day of the Holy Innocents. In a number of ways, the holiday is like a Mexican version of April Fool's Day. The day is filled with jokes and pranks. According to my tíos, if you are lent something on this day, you don't have to return it. [Warning to my friends, family and co-workers: don't trust me today. I won't play nice.]

As "joshing around" comes quite naturally to me, I am excited for today's shenanigans. But, what is Day of the Holy Innocents anyways?

A quick google-search revealed that it is the day we recall the innocent baby boys executed by King Herod near Bethlehem after Jesus' birth. M. Daniel Carrol shares

Not long after Jesus was born, he and his parents had to leave Bethlehem. The Gospel of Matthew informs us that Herod the Great wanted to kill him [Matt. 2:13-14]. Herod had been told by the three magi that they were on their way to see the newborn king of the Jews [2:1-8]. Herod was fearful and jealous of any rival to his throne. When the magi did not report back, Herod ordered the slaughter of all the young boys in the area around Bethlehem [2:16-18]... 

Joseph, Mary, and the child Jesus sought asylum in Egypt. There was a large Jewish population in Egypt, especially in Alexandria, so it was natural that they go there. They left in haste after the angel's warning and probably took few possessions with them in order to be able to travel quickly and avoid Herod's troops. There are no details of this sojourn in Egypt, and Matthew is the only Gospel that records it. Apparently, the stay in Egypt was short, perhaps no more than two years. An angel informed the family that Herod had died [2:19-21; 4BC]. They first had wanted to go to their ancestral town, Bethlehem, but Herod's son Archelaus was reigning now over Judea. His reputation for cruelty was reminiscent of his father's [2:22], so Joseph took the family northward and returned once more to Nazareth in Galilee. 

The joy of the nativity scene and the wonder of the visit of the magi are overshadowed by the unhappy account of the senseless death of innocent children and the flight of refugees. The migration of this family locates the Jesus story within a movement that spans history, of people desiring a better life or escaping the threat of death.*

The Migrant Train.
Apizaco, Tlaxcala, Mexico. Photo Cred: John Doering-White

While we tend to view Christ's birth as a beautiful, tranquil event, this story reminds us that the setting around Christ's birth was anything but calm. Not long after his birth, the holy family fled for safety. Rev. Lindsay Mack shares that in a number of ways Jesus' birth was the peaceful "eye of the storm" in the midst of a hurricane of political chaos, corruption, oppression and violence. In a number of ways, this setting was not so different than today's Syria or Central America where corrupt politics, religious extremists, gangs and oppressive economic systems thrive. Two thousand years later, people are fleeing violence just as the Christ child did. So, as you read the headlines about Syrian refugees or hear stories about Central American immigrants, remember that the baby Jesus could be among those seeking refuge.


*M. Daniel Carrol R., Christians at the Border, p.115-116.

"Newborn Beginning... after Caesar"

The Christ Child is about to be born,
The one promised by the angel.
Mary's "fullness of time" has arrived.
Except that the birth is scheduled according to the emperor:
A decree went out that all should be numbered.

Caesar decreed a census, everyone counted;
Caesar intended to have up-to-date data for the tax rolls;
Caesar intended to have current lists of draft eligibility;
Caesar intended taxes to support armies,
Because the emperor, in whatever era,
Is always about money and power,
About power and force,
About force and control,
And eventually violence.

And while we wait for the Christ Child,
We are enthralled by the things of Caesar -
Money... power... control,
And all the well-being that comes from
Such control, even if it requires a little violence.

But in the midst of the decree
Will come this long-expected Jesus,
Innocent, vulnerable,
Full of grace and truth,
Grace and not power,
Truth and not money,
Mercy and not control.

We also dwell in the land of Caesar;
We pray for the gifts of your spirit,
That we may loosen our grip on the things of Caesar,
That we may turn our eyes toward the baby,
Our ears toward the newness,
Our hearts toward the gentleness,
Our power and money and control
Toward your new governance.

We crave the newness.
And while the decree of the emperor rings in our ears with such authority,
Give us newness that we may start again at the beginning,
That the innocence of the baby may intrude upon our ambiguity,
That the vulnerability of the child may veto our lust for control,
That we may be filled with wonder and less of anxiety,
In the blessed name of the baby we pray.

*Walter Brueggemann, Prayers for a Privileged People

Trail Magic

A major theme of my time in Mexico thus far has been justice – or should I say, the lack thereof. Since being here, my eyes have been opened to various injustices in the world. I know there has been injustices around me my whole life, but much of it has been covert or discreet. Plus, I have been fortunate to not have to experience injustices because of my privilege. Now, in Mexico, corruption and injustice are often blatant and highly visible. The beating and robbing of migrants by police, migra, gangs, and others. The disappearance of Mexicans by cartels and police – especially those Mexicans who are politically active or who denounce corruption. The economic practices of transnational corporations, paying Mexican laborers paltry wages while making exponentially more off their work.

This past week has been especially heavy. I watched a documentary on YouTube this week called “Pimp City,” which details the trafficking of people from Tlaxcala to the United States. My mind was blown that thousands of people in my new home have been deceived into the sex trade, where they have then become modern day slaves, and have been sent to cities across the U.S. Even more bewildering, is realizing that many of these people will pass through my hometown in the U.S. as they travel to Austin, Dallas, Houston, and across the United Sates.

I also read a book this week about the massacre of nearly a thousand civilians in El Mozote by the U.S.-backed El Salvadoran government during the civil war in the 1980s. The incident was particularly troubling as both the El Salvadoran and U.S. government ignored the massacre – and other similar incidents in following years -, while playing it off as propaganda from the opposing guerillas. I was bothered by the fact that the United States government ignored this situation in order to maintain their policy – supporting the El Salvadoran regime in order to combat communism – while ignoring the effect that these actions had on innocent people. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated circumstance of U.S. intervention. The same power of the United States can be seen in Mexico today as funds given to Mexico for Plan Mérida – and covertly to Plan Frontera Sur – are leading to increased violence, increased police brutality, and government corruption in the nation.

Lastly, hearing about the San Berdino shooting back in the States also left me at a loss for words. Why do senseless killings keep happening? Why is there so much violence? What can we do about this? If enacted, would gun policies actually do anything to help reduce shootings in the U.S.?*

I am overwhelmed. At times, I feel as if the forces of injustice in this world have impunity, as if the forces of darkness in this world are invincible.

[breath… in… out…]

Doña Mari serving comida

I have to remind myself that while there is much evil and injustice in the world, and while it may be hard – if not impossible at times – to see the light at the end of the tunnel, there is goodness in the world. There are incredible organizations, incredible people, and radical acts of love that are slowly bringing light to the darkness. Just as there are random people who dedicate themselves to radical acts of hospitality for thru-hikers on the PCT, CDT, AT, CT, etc., leaving coolers full of soda and candy-bars for hikers they have never met – a gift we call “Trail Magic” -, so there are “Trail Angels” in the areas void of justice in the world, loving on people they have never met and providing hope for the world. This trail magic is like a refreshing spring in the dessert, helping those without a voice and inspiring the rest of us who aim to be trail angels for the other.

Recalling these acts of love – these instances of trail magic, if you will – gives me hope. One such story that I found profoundly uplifting is catalogued in Sonia Nazario’s book Enrique’s Journey about the journey of one migrant on La Bestia. Nazario writes

  Not long after seeing the statue of Jesus, Enrique is alone on a hopper. Night has fallen, and as the train passes through a tiny town, it blows its soulful horn. He looks over the side. More than a dozen people, mostly women and children, are rushing out of their houses along the tracks, clutching small bundles.
     Some of the migrants grow afraid. Will these people throw rocks? They lie low on top of the train. Enrique sees a woman and a boy run up alongside his hopper.
     "¡Órale, chavo! Here, boy!" they shout. They toss up a roll of crackers. It is the first gift.
     Enrique reaches out. He grabs with one hand but holds tightly to the hopper with the other. The roll of crackers flies several feet away, bounces off the car, and thumps to the ground.
     Now women and children on both sides of the tracks are throwing bundles to the migrants on the tops of the cars. They run quickly and aim carefully mostly in silence, trying hard not to miss.
     "¡Allí va uno! There's one!"     Enrique looks down. There are the same woman and boy. They are heaving a blue plastic bag. This time the bundles lands squarely in his arms. "¡Gracias! ¡Adiós!" he calls into the darkness. He isn't sure the strangers, who pass by in a flash, even heard him.
     He opens the bag. Inside are half a dozen rolls of bread.
     The towns of Encinar, Fortín de las Flores, Cuichapa, and Presidio are particularly known for their kindness...
     These are unlikely places for people to be giving food to strangers. A World Bank study in 2000 found that 42.5 percent of Mexico's 100 million people live on $2 or less a day. here, in rural areas, 30 percent of children five years old and younger eat so littler that their growth is stunted, and the people who live in humble houses along the rails are often the poorest.
     Families throw sweaters, tortillas, bread, and plastic bottles filled with lemonade. A baker, his hands coated with flour, throws his extra loaves. A seamstress throws bags filled with sandwiches. A teenager throws bananas. A carpenter throws bean burritos. A store owner throws animal crackers, day-old pastries, and half-liter bottles of water. People who have watched migrants fall off the train from exhaustion bring plastic jugs filled with Coca-Cola or coffee...     "If I have one tortilla, I give half away," one of the food throwers says. "I know God will bring me more."     Another: "I don't like to feel that I have eaten and they haven't."     Still others: "When you see these people, it moves you. It moves you. Can you imagine how far they've come?"     "God says, when I saw you naked, I clothed you. When I saw you hungry, I gave you food. This is what God teaches."     "It feels good to give something that they need so badly."     "I figure when I die, I can't take anything with me. So why not give?"     "What if someday something bad happens to us? Maybe someone will extend a hand to us.** 

*After expressing these frustrations and fears, my friend Ryana reminded me to not succumb to this violence, but rather to continue to strive for change. She says, “I do understand those feelings and I have had those doubts but to live into those doubts of "nothing will change" would be to succumb to allowing violence like this in our country. Also, if nothing else this is for future generations. Maintaining our lack of regulations, lack of action, etc. would be condemning this pattern to continue far into the future. I don't believe sitting back in doubt and letting that happen is an ethical response. Maybe it won't do much, but there comes a point where change must begin somewhere.” 

** Nazario, Sonia. Enrique's Journey. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2007, p.103-106

  

Made in the divine image, microcosm and mediator, man is priest and king of creation. Consciously and with deliberate purpose, he can do two things that the animals can only do unconsciously and instinctively. First, man is able to bless and praise God for the world… Secondly,… man is able to reshape and alter the world, and so endue it with fresh meaning. In the words of Fr Dumitru Staniloae, “Man puts the seal of his understanding and of his intelligent work onto creation… The world is not only a gift, but a task for man.” It is our calling to cooperate with God; we are in St. Paul’s phrase, “fellow-workers with God” (1 Cor 3:9). Man is… a creative animal: the fact that man is a creator after the image of God the Creator. This creative role he fultills, not by brute force, but through the clarity of his spiritual vision; his vocation is not to dominate and exploit nature, but to transfigure and hallow it.

Ware, Kalistos. The Orthodox Way. New York: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1995, p.53-54.

Tattoos :: Tatuajes

PT.1 - TATTOOS::TATUAJES

There have been a number of times in Mexico that friends, familia, migrants, or random strangers have asked to see my tattoos. Many have also asked me about their meanings. While this could get old, I've found it to be a great conversation starter [besides, I like sporting my art]. In turn, I have asked many of the migrants with tatuajes about their body art. EndFragment    

Twenty-year old Charli received his first tattoo a couple of years ago. He got a tombstone with a cross in the middle. It was a design that he had seen and liked [without knowing it's meaning]. It was only later that he found out that this design signifies that you have killed someone. He promptly, covered up the design with another tattoo.

Charli also sports a scroll that says in English "God Bless My Family." Above that, he has the name of his mother - "Ester" - inked on his upper arm. In Central America, it is very common to tattoo the name of one's mother as an act of love and display of loyalty. 

Charli also has a bird on his hand, which resembles Honduras... I think.

Erik sports a number of tattoos which he has received while living in the U.S. Erik's tattoos are noticeably different than those of other individuals I have seen in the shelter. Erik's left forearm is adorned with a colorful and artistic rendition of Jesus on the cross. 

Meanwhile, his upper left arm carries a portrait of the Virgin Mary.

Erik shared that he plans to get El Padre Nuestro [Our Father] inked on his body as a return on a promise he made with God. He also plans to tattoo San Tobias on his upper right arm.

And, his left bicep reveals the hebrew script for "yeshua," the Greek word for Jesus, which is translated as "God is Salvation." [I found this tattoo very interesting because I nearly got the same tattoo before deciding to write "yeshua" in English rather than Greek script. Also very strange is the fact that Erik has this tattoo on the inside of his left bicep: the exact same place that I have my "yeshua" tattoo.]

Upon his arrival in the shelter, Charli a twenty-year old Honduran [pictured above] shared that his reason for leaving his home was to flee the gangs who threatened to kill him for his tattoos. I proceeded to ask him about this. He shared that he was from San Pedro Sula, which is purportedly the most dangerous city in the world.* Charli shared that only gangsters and their allies are allowed to have tattoos since gang affiliations are revealed within tattoos.** If someone not in a gang has tattoos, the gangs will try to recruit him or her. If the person refuses to work with the gang, they will be viewed as an enemy gang member and killed. 

When gangsters saw Charli’s tattoos, they took notice of him. They asked him to sell drugs for them, and threatened his life if he refused. Because he did not want to sell drugs, Charli knew he would have to flee if he were to keep his life. The next morning, Charli left with his cousin.

Julio, who has been living in Minnesota for over 25 years, carries the name of his daughter on his neck

A number of weeks before, another migrant told me he would like to get a tattoo, but never has because of the gangs. He shared that a catracho [nickname for Honduran] friend of his became covered in tattoos while living in Houston. Later, he was deported to Honduras. One month after arriving back in his home country, he was killed for his tattoos.

If you think it sounds trivial that people are being killed over tattoos, you’re right, it is trivial. This lethal game is not limited to just tattoos, though. In the shelter, hand scribbled 13s and 18s decorate the bathroom stall and bunk bed posts. One can see where 13s have been transformed into 18s and where 18s have been crossed out. Meanwhile, my migrant friend Fidel tells me that in Honduras, each gang wears a different brand of clothing. Barrio 18 reps Nike, while MS-13 reps Adidas.  While all of this seems so trivial to an outsider, it is a part of the lifestyle of the gangsters. The gangs seek to maintain their territory and show their dominance. While their tactics may be trivial, they are nonetheless lethal.

Fidel's left arm is marked by a scar from having his tattoo removed. He did so because of fear that his tattoo would endanger him as gangs encroached on his Honduran neighborhood.

While Charli’s story may sound extreme, he is far from alone in fleeing gang violence. Out of the first two hundred migrants to pass through the doors of La Sagrada Familia in November, forty-five reported that their life would be in danger if they returned to their home country. Among the reasons reported for why they were traveling, these individuals said

“pobreza y delincuencia,” “huyendo de MS-13,” “delincuencia… no puedo vivir en paz,” “delincuencia… tengo que pagar renta a las Maras,” “la violencia,” “proteger mi vida,” “he estado almenazado por las pandillas,” “las pandillas quieren que sea miembro,” “hermano fue matado por una pandilla,” “corrupción,”…

“poverty and delincuency,” “fleeing MS-13,” “delincuency… I cannot live in peace,” “delincuency… threatened by the gangs,” “the gangs want me to join them,” “brother was killed by a gang,” “corruption,”…

In a number of ways, gangs are ravaging the nations that form the northern triangle of Central America: Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. The gangs control neighborhoods and thus the movement of people within the cities of Central America [especially, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa and San Salvador]. The gangs impose taxes on the people in their barrio for protection – just as the mafia does. The gangs sell drugs and work with narcos in the movement and distribution of drugs. The gangs defend their turf and seek revenge against those who have harmed them, and those who refuse to work for them. The sad thing about all of this is that the gangs have impunity from everyone but each other. As Fidel shared, the gangs and police are the same thing.

PT.2 - AN INDICTMENT OF THE UNITED STATES

While this problem may seem distant and irrelevant to the lives of United States citizens, this is anything but the truth. To tell the story of these gangs, we need to rewind history sixty years…

Throughout the Cold War, the United States intruded on the sovereignty of Latin American nations in the name of “democracy” and “national security.” This “Big Brother” policy was carried out with the intent to stop socialist and leftist movements, which were seen as evil. While few may argue that the U.S. had good intentions, none can deny the consequences that these practices have had on Latin America. In Central America, the U.S. government subversively supported coups to resist leftist movements and overthrew newly elected leftist governments. The U.S. also supplied weapons and military training to a number of Central American governments and militia groups, provoking a number of military conflicts and several civil wars.

As a result of this violence, a number of Central Americans refugees fled to the U.S., where they were granted refuge. However, this was not the end of these refugees’ struggles. As foreigners in U.S. cities [especially Los Angeles] that were at times turbulent and violent, immigrants from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador found themselves persecuted and at risk from established gangs. In order to protect themselves, these immigrants formed their own gangs. Hence, Barrio 18 and MS-13 were born on the streets of Los Angeles, California.

The power of these gangs increased over time. Soon, these two gangs found themselves among the baddest of the U.S. In order to fight these gangs, the U.S. government began deporting gangsters who were immigrants in the early-1990s. We essentially deported our problem to another part of the world. As members of the Maras and Barrio 18 arrived in Central America, they entered a world that lacked economic opportunity.*** With lack of legitimate economic opportunities, these gangsters naturally turned to the illicit activities with which they were familiar. These gangsters discovered new territory that was ripe for gang activity. Their new homes lacked the vigilance and law enforcement present in the U.S. Furthermore, these new homes abounded with impoverished people, who were vulnerable to recruitment by gangs. The gangs soon spread like wildfire.

Today, people are fleeing Central America, not only because of poverty, but also because of gang violence. These individuals are headed north to Mexico and the U.S. to seek asylum and refuge. Unfortunately, the U.S. immigration system is not built to accommodate gang violence. Asylum in the U.S. is granted for persecution that results from race, religion, nationality, or participation in a political or social group, but not from random – though lethal – gang violence. As a result, the U.S. government is deporting many individuals back to their home countries where there lives are threatened by gangs.

To make matters worse, the U.S. has continued its “Big Brother” tendencies by giving money to the Mexican government to stop Central American migrants in Mexico before they reach the U.S. border. Over the last year, the U.S. has given tens of millions of dollars to the Mexican government in what has been deemed “El Plan Frontera Sur” [“Plan Southern Border”]. Other than the obvious disrespect for Mexican sovereignty and explicit acts of neo-colonialism, this action is horrifying because of its’ effect on Central Americans fleeing violence. “El Plan Frontera Sur” has led to increased violence against migrants from immigration agents, federal police, state police and municipal police. In addition, it has led to many individuals being deported to their home nations before their pleas for asylum are ever heard. It is already harder to get asylum in Mexico than the U.S. [many statistics share that Mexico grants less than twenty percent of asylum pleas, while the U.S. grants closer to fifty percent], but recent reports share that many asylum pleas are not even being heard. As NPR’s Carrie Kahn reports

advocates for the migrants say many would-be refugees with credible asylum claims are getting swept up. On a recent tour of detention facilities along Mexico's southern border, Eric Olson with the Wilson Center in Washington says he saw evidence of that. He reviewed dozens of forms to be filled out by migrants with questions regarding fear and requesting protection. They'd already been checked no.[see further resources #4]

Eric Olson further states, “it wasn't just that somebody had gone through with the pen and marked off no, no, no, no, but it - they were literally printed with a check in the box” [see further resources #4].

In other words, by diverting State Department funds for drug interdiction to “El Plan Frontera Sur,” the U.S. government is denying Central Americans the opportunity to plea asylum. The U.S. government is essentially sending these Central Americans to their deathbeds. When asked how we should respond, Sonia Nozario shared

I think that we expect Europe to step up and do the right thing when it comes to people who are fleeing for their lives, which is very different from an economic migrant who's coming to this country because they want a better life. I draw a clear distinction. We cannot take every economic migrant on earth. But if you are a person running for your life, we need to step up and do the right thing. Now is one of those times.[see further resources #3]

Charli's hand after removing his own stitches. I promised I would share this picture [he was proud of himself]

*There is a toque de queda [curfew] when night falls in San Pedro Sula that is enforced by the gangs. After this time, only gangs and police are on the street. Being out at night, puts one's life in the hands of these violent gangs.

** Charli said that candle on my arm could easily be construe as a “1,” which would put me in danger with the two biggest and baddest gangs in Central America. Both MS-13 and Barrio 18 incorporate their numbers into tattoos. Thus, my candle could be construed as the 1 in 13 or in 18. Either way, I would be in big trouble. 

***This lack of economic opportunity can partly be traced back to the decisions of transnational corporations [many of which were born in the U.S.] and international trade agreements. However, this discussion [err… rant] is better left for another time.

Further Resources:
1. "Surreal Reasons Girls Are Disappearing in El Salvador"
2. "In A Nation In the Grips of Gangs, 2 Sisters Make A Bid For Safety"
3. "Inside the Crackdown To Stop Migrants, Before They Reach U.S. Border"
4. "Mexico Deporting Migrating Minors In Record Numbers"

To learn more about MS-13, I recommend this video as a starting point: