A Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

Paul writes to the Ephesians, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” Where can we find light in darkness this Lent?

This past week, I spent time with other STM students at the US-Mexico southern border in El Paso, TX, for Alternative Spring Break. Before this trip, I didn’t know what would await me at the border. Who would I meet? Popular media outlets portray the border as a war zone; so should I have expected an invasion of “illegals” and “aliens” into the country? Anti-immigrant politicians would lead me to believe that members of drug cartels are the only people who are attempting to enter the United States. Would I see dangerous criminals, smugglers or traffickers who contribute to the desecration of communities attempting to cross the border? Neither of these scenarios came to fruition. Instead of scenes painted by harmful rhetoric, I experienced a vibrant and complex community composed of migrant families seeking a better life in this country and who deserve compassion, human dignity and respect. 

While volunteering at a migrant shelter, I encountered a three-year-old boy playing with a small binder clip in the children’s play area. He reminded me of my own nephew at that age, with his bright eyes, adorable smile and curiosity over the function this tiny contraption. He spoke Spanish, and as an English-only speaker, I couldn’t communicate through language. However, I could act out pinching my finger with the binder clip and letting out a funny wail, which elicited a strange look then a laugh from the young boy. Next, we moved to animal sounds and movements from pictures on a toy. He pointed to a lion, and I let out a great ROAR! He pointed to an alligator, and I made jaws with my hands, clamping them down. He pointed to a giraffe, and I was completely stumped. The young boy fell to ground giggling at my confusion. His laughter warmed my heart. Here was this small child, finally allowed to be a child for a brief moment after traveling such a far distance. His joy was infectious. I had spoken with his mother and father, finding out that they were originally from Haiti and the Dominican Republic, had traveled to Chile, then up to Mexico and to the border on the journey to Miami. They were in search of the opportunity to study and work. Their resilience after voyaging across many countries, being held in detention by ICE and having very few belongings in a country where the language is not their native tongue is inspiring and heartwarming. I draw renewed strength to carry on through my own struggles from the determination of this young boy and his family.

This migrant family is my light in darkness. Their faith in God to lead them through the desert as they search for a better life gives me hope that God can take each of us out of perilous darkness and into the light of love.