Border Mission Opportunity

Dick Horstman – Houston Chapter

Your help is needed at a migrant center in Eagle Pass, on the Texas-Mexico border about 150 miles southwest of San Antonio. Eagle Pass is on the Rio Grande, across from its Mexican neighbor, Piedras Negras.

The Eagle Pass migrant center, which is operated by Border Hope, a Methodist organization, is located in a warehouse. The Border Patrol processes the migrants crossing the Rio Grande at or near Eagle Pass and then brings them to the migrant center. The center serves three meals a day and gives the migrants a sack lunch for the road. Showers are available, as well as donated clothes. 

The most important function of the migrant center is helping migrants make travel arrangements from San Antonio to wherever they are going.  A private bus company takes them to the San Antonio bus station or airport. Most migrants are in and out the center the same day, but some spend the night. Only a few migrants stay for an extended time.

The center receives approximately 400 migrants a day, some days as many as 600, from Venezuela, Cuba, Central America, the Caribbean, and even West Africa.  Sister Ursula Herrera, OB, is in charge of the kitchen and helps as needed elsewhere. Volunteers help in the kitchen or wherever Sister needs help. 

Benedict House

Sister Ursula’s volunteers stay with her, a few miles from the migrant center, at the Benedictine Mission House, a large, comfortable place in a residential area.

The optimum group size is one to four people, although Sister can find jobs for larger groups. Affiliate volunteers can stay as long as they want. Affiliates from Houston and elsewhere have worked with her on migrant needs, as well as operating from her Mission House on home repair projects.

Sr. Ursula (left) greets Judi Horstman in the Benedictine Mission House.

Sister Ursula also has ministries in Piedras Negras, Mexico, which she visits weekly, more or less. Volunteers should bring their passports.

To learn more, please call Sister Ursula:

Phone – (830) 776-1040

Email  –sisursie@hotmail.com. 

Sister is very busy, so if she doesn’t respond, call or text me, Dick Horstman, at (281) 961-9069, or email me at rhorst6970@aol.com.