Welcoming the Stranger - Bethany House El Paso

"The Democrats say, 'Please don't call them animals. They're humans.' I said, 'No, they're not humans, they're not humans, they're animals.'" (D. Trump)

“You have to remember that — whether you're Christian, whether you're Jewish, whether you're Muslim — in your fundamental belief documents, there is that sense of ‘I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.” (Ruben Garcia, Director of Annunciation House who has sheltered migrants for over 4 decades)

Ruben Garcia (left) speaking to a volunteer

In just a few days, the collaborative Affiliate & MKLM initiative in El Paso – an intentional community dedicated to accompanying migrants – will enter its third month. Ann Coady (September), Santa Orlando & Patty Hinton (October) and Manny & Mary Ryan Hotchkiss (November) are the first Affiliates to commitment themselves to two or more weeks volunteering and living in Bethany House. Maryknoll Lay Missioner, Coralis Salvador has been there throughout as a kind of gracious welcoming “house mother”. In December, right now 3 new Affiliates will join. More returned Lay Missioners and Affiliates have signed up for the 2025. All Maryknollers are very welcome to participate.

It is so clear that all who have volunteered or are considering volunteering (all of us reading this) are deeply committed to welcoming and walking with the stranger. There are no words to express how contrary it is to our faith and gut sense to see migrants as “animals…poisoning the blood of America.” No words at all.

In a longer reflection that will appear in the next NSFA, Ann portrayed bits of her experience working at Papa Francisco, one of the Annunciation House shelters:

A bell rings.

It is the doorbell. One guest has arrived! Frightened and relieved…and grateful, so very grateful. We welcome you and have you first call your family here in the US, letting them know that you are released from detention and here, safe with us. We offer you bathroom, water, snacks, and then explain to you the rules of the house, the mealtimes, and assure you that you are welcome to stay until your family can provide transportation for you to be reunited

Santa & Patty spoke of the nitty gritty experiences during the early months of this initiative living in Bethany House and working with migrants:

We are both off Monday as that is the day all the MK folks will be gathering at Bethany house. We had also arranged to both be off on Thursday to go to Juarez with Coralis. Carol Zuccarino (former MK Lay Missioner now in charge of Papa Franciso) has been great, I am going to a memorial with her later today for those who died in the desert. Last night Patty and I went out to dinner with her and another volunteer. It’s been an interesting trip and we have learned a lot.

If you are thinking about “welcoming the stranger” and living at Bethany House, click on the EL PASO tab on the website - www.maryknollaffiliates.org - and/or contact Bob Short at: affiliatebshort@gmail.com. All Maryknollers are welcome!