Riding back to Austin from the Borderlands gave me time to ponder over the experiences that I have had with seeing first-hand the reality of the border region.  I have seen and heard just how complex the Borderlands really is.  I have found myself going through different emotions with trying to process the chaos that is the reality of the Borderlands.  Embracing the chaos has created a mixture of frustration, anger in me throughout the duration of this trip.  I have witnessed the sad reality of how militarized the border can be.  I have been told how the causes for the heavy migration runs far deeper than the simplified explanations of the news media and opponents who fear these immigrants and refugees.

Andalzuas Park, McAllen, Texas

Pondering further on this trip has also filled me with a great deal of hope and inspiration.  I am inspired by the service and dedication that different churches have with regards to responding to the crisis on the border.  I have hope from seeing the unity of different denominations in the McAllen area working together to provide basic needs for these people, some of whom have lost almost everything.  I have hope that there is work being done to help restore dignity to people who gone through so much and truly know the meaning of exile and displacement.  I am inspired by the strong faith in God whether it is from the refugees or from the volunteers.

Sacred Heart Relief Center  

 Thinking through what I have experienced leads me to wonder…what’s next?  Where do we go from here?  I have the urge to educate myself more about the realities of the Borderlands to get a better understanding of it.  I have the urge to educate others on how complex the realities of the Borderlands really are.  So much of the biblical narrative of exile and displacement relates to what is happening in the Borderlands. There is still so much that I am still processing from this trip but having these urges is a start. There is so much still to learn about how entwined power, identity, and culture are in this region.      

Eric Peterson