It's the end of the road...

I can't believe the semester is coming to an end already! I feel like we just started this crazy journey into the world of online journalism and now we are done. Well, at least for now!

This semester has brought so many wonderful learning experiences. From learning how to use the illustrious Soundslides, (which I actually never found to be that bad), getting stories up online for the whole world to see and winning the coveted "best online student journalist award," it's been a great semester.

The thing I really loved about this course was being able to tell stories that wouldn't normally have been heard. Case in point- St. Andrew's Clinic. Many people don't even know that it exists or what it does but even less would know about it if it weren't for Borderbeat. The stories, photos and videos that were produced out of that trip were inspiring and eye-opening and I hope that when people read, look at and watch them, they will feel the same way. The experience that I had there was life changing and nothing else in the world could take the place of it.

It has also been amazing to see how a group of 20 people, most of whom didn't know each other before this class, were able to put such a professional piece of journalism together. The writing and the editing that have come from many of the people in our class has been phenominal and I'm extremely proud to have been a part of it. It has been a lot of fun and a great learning experience.

As for my blog, I've enjoyed finding the link between religion and the border because they are so intertwined. My favorite project of the semester was going out to Tumacacori and doing the photo story. The space had such a mystical and haunting feel to it and it was a inspiring day. I would highly recommend heading out to Tumacacori if anyone is interested in early religion or history. The place is full of it and could keep anyone entertained for hours.

My last contribution to Border Belief is a set of links to other blogs or sites that cover the same kind of religion/culture topic that I find so interesting. I hope that you enjoy them and I hope that you have enjoyed reading my blogs.

Adios!


El Amor de Dios hecho Corazon (all in Spanish)
Desert Beliefs- Azstarnet.com
Religion News Blog
Religious Cartoonist
Atheism
Gaul Islam
Appreciation for all faiths

Catholic Priests Nominated for Beatification

For many Catholic priests, the idea of leaving a legacy after their death is something that they hope to achieve. Two priests who have ties to Tucson, have been nominated for beatification.

In the Catholic church, this is the confirmation that these people who have passed on have ascended in to Heaven and are able to interceed in situations where a person has prayed in their name.

Reverends Lucas Trinity and Eduardo Ferre were among the nominated on October 28. They were Carmelite missionaries from Spain and served at Santa Cruz Catholic Church here in Tucson. They served the Hispanic Catholic community and eventually became American citizens.

When they returned to Spain, they were murdered for their beliefs. They are know considered martyrs within the Catholic Church because they died for their faith.

More Information

No More Deaths

A few weeks ago, I featured the faith-based activist group "Humane Borders." With Tucson being so close to the border, there are many other groups like Humane Borders that fight to help illegal immigrants as cross the hot, dry desert.

Another group based out of Southern Arizona is "No More Deaths/ No Mas Muertes." It was started in 2004 after many people realized that hundreds of immigrants were dying in the Arizona desert as they tried to cross the border. Finding this unacceptable, people from many different faiths joined together to create No More Deaths.

According to their Web site, the goal of the grou is "to provide water, food, and medical assistance to migrants walking through the Arizona desert; to moniter US operations on the border and work to change US policy to resolve the "war zone" criis on the border; and to bring the plight of migrants to public attention."

The organization is an umbrella for over 10 activist groups, including Humane Borders, and hosts over 8-10 major activities within Southern Arizona.

All Souls/ All Saints Day

On November 4th, people with links to Mexican culture gathered together to remember the loved ones who have gone before them.

On All Souls Day each year, they light candles, build alters, hold parades and celebrate the lives of their loved ones.

While this tradition has its roots in Catholic Mexico, there are many protestant Christian religions and other religions that celebrate the day as well. The last couple weeks, I have witnessed a few different ways that the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has celebrated this traditional Mexican holiday in their own way.

At Esperanza Lutheran Church, located in Phoenix, members of the congregation were invited to light candles for the loved ones whom they had lost or whom they wanted to honor. Candles were set up inside the outline of a cross. Many people, including myself, shed tears for the loved ones they miss so much. As the people filed up to the front of the church and lit their candles, a sense of peace and hope filled the Sanctuary. It was a beautiful way to honor the lives of so many people. I wasn't able to take a photo but I found this one online. Imagine it like this but about 50 more tealights.

Photo courtesy of Ark Community.



At Lord of Grace Lutheran Church, located in Marana, members of the congregation were given blank paper crosses to decorate in memory of their loved ones. The crosses were decorated with different colors, patterns and sometimes photos of the person being honored. When they were completed, they were hung around the room in the Santuary has a public reminder that even though the people have left us, their spirits live on inside of our hearts.

Both of these celebrations were unique but held the same value and meaning that the traditional All Souls celebrations have. It was a moving and peaceful experience and I am glad I was able to be a part of it.

Day of the Dead

Every year, Mexicans gather together to remember their loved ones who have passed away.

At the beginning of November, residents of Mexico and many Americans, celebrate "Dia de los Muertos" or "Day of the Dead." The day is often seen as morbid by those who do not have an understanding of the Mexican culture. Many people view death, not as a painful experience, but as a chance for a renewed life.

Families gather and create alters, cook food, and decorate graves for the loved ones that they have lost in prior years. Parades are held to honor loved ones, including children, parents and pets.

Tucson celebrates this holiday along with many southern towns in the United States. Activities will be held all around the city in preparation for the All Souls Parade on Nov. 4th. Check out this All Souls Video from past parades. For information about activities, check out Allsoulsparade.org .

It is a peaceful and fun time for many people. It gives people a chance to celebrate the lives of their loved ones, something that I never understood until I suddenly lost a loved on in February. I can understand the peace and even the joy that it can bring to honor the life of a person who has left so many things behind.

Here is a video I found on YouTube about Dia De Los Muertos. Enjoy!


Produced by hooligantv.com

Mission Trips

In 2005, I attended a mission trip with my church from Phoenix to Altacomulco, Mexico, a town just north of Mexico City. The mission where we stayed and worked is owned by my former pastor's daughter and brother-in-law. It serves as both a school and a church for the surrounding towns. We held vacation Bible school, did some work on the grounds of the mission and taught a few English classes to some of the kids in the surrounding area. It was by far one of the most inspiring and life-changing events in my life.

I was thinking about that mission trip today when I was trying come up with something to write about in my blog. It got me wondering how many mission organizations target the border towns of the U.S.- Mexico border.

So, off I went to Google and there I found numerous arrays of different companies that will arrange mission trips to almost anywhere in Mexico. All of them were headed by Christian organizations, something that I found rather interesting. I didn't see any Jewish, Muslim or other religion outreach programs. Not that I am saying they don't exist, but none popped up.

After doing this search, I can understand why many people in Mexico would choose to convert to another denomination of Christianity, despite the fact that the main religion is Catholicism. With so many different organizations and ministries traveling to different regions to aid and preach, I think they find it new and exciting.

Here are some interesting links I found if you are interested!

Go Missions to Mexico
Global Frontier Missions
Mexico Mission Trip

Humane Borders

Located near the University of Arizona is one of Arizona's largest humanitarian aid organizations.

Humane Borders is an organization that sets up over 70 water stations throughout southern Arizona to aid the thousands men, women and children who cross the U.S.-Mexico border on foot every year.

The organization is run out of First Christian Church and is led by Reverend Robin Hoover, co-founder of Humane Borders.

Humane Borders has volunteers from all over Arizona, all of which come from different faith bases and religions. It is an incredible organization that does a really great thing for people out in the desert.

Here is a video that I found on Youtube that shows what the organization does. It was done by Jerry Leggett.

St. Andrews

On Thursday, October 4th, a group of our "borderbeaters" woke up really early and drove down to Nogales, Arizona to cover what was going on at St. Andrews Children's Clinic.

The Clinic is run out of St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Nogales. It is the only one of its kind and is extremely inspiring.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from the trip or how I would feel being around children who are so sick. Suprisingly, I found everything very inspiring.

I paired myself up with Dr. Glen Baird of Shriner's Children's Hospital in Spokane, Washington. He was extremely easy going and very good with the patients. He and his assistant Nurse Diane Huffman have been attending St. Andrews for 8 years.

"It's crazy. Some of these kids come in and I don't recognize them," said Baird. "They get so big."

Shriners solely deals with orthopedic medicine. Therefore, all the kids who came to see Baird that Thursday had ailments like Cerebral Palsy and Clubbed Feet. Many were under the age of 10.

It was amazing to see the kids smile, laugh and speak with Baird and Huffman. The kids and the parents are so greatful for everything that the clinic does for them.

"Can you see anyone in America waiting in this line," asked Huffman. "No way."

Photos coming soon!

For more information on our trip, check out our special report at St. Andrew's Report

Tumacacori Mission

My project for Border Beat this week was to compile a "Sound Slides" presentation on the Tumacacori Mission.

I was really touched by my visit to the historical site. From what I had heard from other people, I thought the site wasn't going to be very interesting. They had told me that there wasn't much to look at because it isn't a working mission.

They were incredibly wrong. When I stepped on to the site, I felt a sense of connection to history, more so than anything I have felt from San Xavier. There is an eerie sense of peace and calm that surrounds you as you step in to the actual mission. It is run-down and empty. The walls are exposed, the paint is faded and chipped off the walls. To me, it makes the site even more interesting.



I wandered around the grounds for about an hour because I arrived late in the day and the park closes at 5 p.m. The entire time, I couldn't help but wonder what it must have been like to attend services in that place hundreds of years ago. It must have been really cool!

There is a lot to do out at the mission. There is a museum that walks tourists through the history of the mission and the time period in which the mission was constructed. There is a video that visitors can watch that delves further in to the history of the mission. There are also guided tours available. I am definitely going back out there.

Juan Soldado

I was surfing the internet tonight, attempting to find a topic for my blog this week since I had planned on doing something about Tumacacori but have yet to make it out there. I tried looking at videos on YouTube but found nothing except excerpts of people ranting about terrorism and the like.

From there, I switched to Google. I figured I could at least find an article or something that would be relatable in some way to my blog. Here, I stumbled upon a video clip about Juan Soldado. While it is not very timely, I found it extremely interesting and feel that I should share a little about it tonight.

The video clip was from a PBS show entitled "Full Focus". In 2005, a book was published about a Mexican soldier named Juan Castillo Morales. In 1938, he was accused of raping and murdering a little girl in the town of Tijuana, Mexico. He apparently confessed to the crime, was tried and convicted. His sentence was "la ley fuga" or death by firing squad. He was taken to a cemetery, given the chance to flee and was shot in the back by any resident who chose to attend (the execution was open to the public). He was buried in the Puerta Blanca Cemetery in Tijuana.

Shortly after his execution, word began to spread that Juan was innocent and was framed by an officer who was superior to him. People began reporting miracles occurring at his gravesite while others reported seeing blood seeping up from his grave. Many people, mostly of the Catholic faith, began to worship Juan, renaming him "Juan Soldado", which means Solider Juan in Spanish.

Today, Juan Soldado is known as the patron saint of Illegal Immigrants. People have reported praying to him in their most desperate of times while crossing the border and claim that he guided them to where ever they were headed. However, the Catholic Church does not officially name Juan Soldado as a saint and has no plans to so in the future due to his background. They consider him a "folk saint" or "popular saint"

Check out the video, it's really interesting!
Juan Soldado on PBS


Here is a clip of the same video that I found on YouTube. It is taken from "Stories de la Frontera" and is directed by Laura Castaneda:

The White Dove of the Desert

Standing tall just 9 miles outside of the Tucson city limits is the San Xavier del Bac mission. It has always been a favorite place of mine to visit, mostly because I am obsessed with fry bread and there is always an abundant amount of people out there selling it, but also because it is such a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. I started going there as a young child, when my mom and I would come to Tucson to visit my godmother. I was always entranced by the beautiful artwork and almost eerie feeling that the church gave me when I visited it. I am also a history buff, so anything that can take me back in time is something I am generally interested in.

The site was chosen by Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, a Jesuit missionary (a sect of the Catholic church) who happened upon the site in 1692. He built the foundation of the first church two miles from the site of today's mission. San Xavier was built over a period of 14 years, between 1783 and 1797, and was named after Kino's patron saint St. Francis Xavier, according to the mission's Web site.

This establishment is important to many people throughout the Southwest. It is one of the earliest Catholic missionaries to be built in Arizona and is still a fully operational church. It is run by the Franciscan sect of the Catholic church. The mission also houses a fully operational K-8 Catholic school. It is a very intregal part of the Catholic community.

However, Catholics are not the only people are have deep ties with the mission. The Tohono O'odham people also have deep roots with San Xavier. They have lived on the land where the mission was built since the time of Father Kino and probably long before. According to the Web site, it is also believed that they played an intregal role in the construction of the mission.

What makes the mission different from most Catholic churches is that it integrates both Catholic and O'odham idealology in to it's daily operations. The two cultures, which are sometimes known for their dark pasts with each other, live peacefully together at one of the most beautiful sights in the United States.

For more information about the Mission, visit their site: San Xavier

Interested in what it looks like? View this video from youtube.com

Border Security

After the outline in my last blog, most of you are probably expecting to read something riveting that I learned about religion on the Mexican border this week. That was my plan. However, I experienced the "border" first-hand this weekend and I feel the need to talk about it.

There has been a lot in the news lately about the controversy of setting up checkpoints in Tucson to attempt to catch more illegal immigrants. In theory, it seems like a great idea because it would allow Border Patrol agents to inspect cars coming in and out of the areas where illegal activity is rampant. However, in reality, I am not sure it could actually work.

There is a method to my madness. This weekend, I traveled to San Diego to visit a friend. Like many money-less college students, I drove because while gas prices are high, it is cheaper to drive than it is to hop on a plane for 45 minutes. Three hours in to my trip I encountered my first Border Patrol checkpoint inside the United States when I tried to cross the Arizona/California state line. After sitting in traffic for five minutes, the patrolman took one look in my car and waived me through the line. I attribute this to the fact that I am a white girl, driving a car that is decked out in University of Arizona parifinalia. Around me, other cars were being waived through with no questions asked as well and it got me wondering what they are really looking for. What are the requirements?

Two hours later and about 90 miles from San Diego, I encountered yet another checkpoint. This one was makeshift, unlike the last one that I had gone through. Several Border Patrolmen were out and about. As I was waiting in line to be "checked", a Border Patrol car sped by me with it's lights on. I am sure it was going to save the day. Again, I was waived through. The car in the lane next to me was sent over to a second checkpoint. As I drove by, I noticed that the driver looked slightly hispanic.

So after this whole ordeal, I got to wondering how effective these checkpoints really are. Are the people who are searched really searched because they are suspected of doing something wrong or because they simply "look" suspicious. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office in a July 2005 report, "Border Patrol does not routinely evaluate the effectiveness of checkpoint operations, or their costs." Interesting...

For more information from the report visit: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05435.pdf

Next week: A tour of "The White Dove of the Desert" and why it is important to 3 cultures in Tucson.

That's all for now!
Allison

Religion at the Border

When I sat down to brainstorm what my blog would be about, I started by considering things that were important to both U.S. and Mexican citizens. That is what Border Beat is all about right? I considered covering food, housing, education, music and health care. However, none of these topics seemed to speak to me. I wanted to cover an issue that seems to get less attention from the current media outlets and wanted to cover something that affects everyone.


Therefore, I chose religion. This topic has endless possibilities because it invades all aspects of our lives, regardless of whether we are a practicing Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddist or Atheist. Religion has a history here and has become somewhat of a hot-button issue in Tucson and at the Border for many reasons.

One point of religious interest for Tucson and its borders are its missions. Tucson and its surrounding areas are home to some of the oldest missions in the southwest, San Xavier and Tumacacori, which are visited by people from all over the nation and other countries each year. http://www.nps.gov/tuma/index.htm and http://emol.org/tucson/sanxavier/

Another way that religion is affecting Tucson and the border is the interest that many churchs in the area have taken in aiding illegal immigrants. Many churches, such as First Christian Church in Tucson, have set up water stations along the border to aid travelers who might otherwise die in the sweltering heat of the Arizona Desert. http://www.humaneborders.org/index.html

A point of interest that I find very important is the amount of hispanics who are choosing to leave the Catholic church for Protestant and Evangelical ministries. This not only has an effect on the Catholic church in Mexico and Arizona, but also on culture itself.

I hope to discuss these topics and many others throughout this semester. I think that it is going to be an interesting point of discussion and a lot of fun to read and write about!

Thats all for now,
Allison