We will take an immersive journey, guided by the organization Journey Home, into the relational and systemic implications of borders. While this experience is set in the context of the Mexico/U.S. border, the learning offers tools to evaluate and transcend any border that divides. Shared experience, particularly involving intentional displacement, offers a ripe environment for transformation—both personal and communal. Together, we will consider what discipleship to Jesus asks of our engagement with the various borders that divide and create a sense of “other” in our lives and communities.
Photo: Judy Adams
The migrant’s journey exists within the communities we inhabit—workplaces, friends and neighbors, church, and families. We hope that learning from and being inspired by the stories and efforts of those impacted by and working within the system of our national borders will equip us to become "everyday peacemakers" in our own context. Given the complexities of the issue and intensity associated with it politically, this experience gives us an opportunity to practice peacemaking in our conversations as we process this experience together.
Details
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We will meet with various folks and organizations from San Diego and Tijuana involved in or impacted by the immigration system and will listen firsthand to their stories.
Past trips have included: San Diego Border Patrol, Deported Veterans, Border Angels, Salvation Army, Mothers of Dreamers, the designated waiting line for asylum seekers hoping to enter the US, Espacio Migrante, a Tijuana migrant shelter, and local churches.
Our learning guides will be Jon Huckins, founder of Journey Home, and Alejandra and Abdiel Ortiz, National Staff for COMPA, Mexican partner organization of Intervarsity.
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Lodging: Hampton Inn & Suites San Diego Airport Liberty Station
Getting there: Fly or drive to San Diego, arriving by 5 pm on Friday. If flying, take the Hampton Inn shuttle from the airport to the hotel.
Going home: Schedule your departing flight for 7:30 pm or later.
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Friday: Arrive and check in; meet in the lobby at 6 pm to leave in vans for group dinner.
Saturday: Visit various locations in San Diego.
Sunday: Walk across the border into Tijuana, returning to San Diego in the late afternoon for debriefing and reflection. Depart for the airport at 6:45 pm.
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Shared room: $300 + your transportation to/from San Diego
Single room: $525 + your transportation to/from San Diego
Your payment includes hotel, van transportation during the weekend, and all meals except for Sunday evening.
Payment is not due until you are accepted to the team.
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This trip is appropriate for adults and mature teens with a parent.
You don't need to be able to speak Spanish.
A current passport is required.
We'll have two mandatory team trainings, one on January 22 and one on February 12, plus some online learning.
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We have 18 spaces available for this trip in addition to trip co-leaders Pat Little and Todd Johnson.
October 31: Application deadline
November 1-24: Applicant interviews
November 27: Team finalized
December 10: Trip payment due
Please do not make any nonrefundable airline reservations until you have been accepted to the team.
“The Border Pilgrimage puts you in touch with real people with real first-hand experience. You witness the need for God’s people to respond to any ‘border’ with compassion.”
“The Journey Home Border Pilgrimage provided an invaluable opportunity to engage deeply with the complexities of border issues, and foster a culture of curiosity and empathy. While the pilgrimage wasn’t about finding answers to these complexities, it did give me a renewed sense of compassion and understanding of the need for systemic change.”