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A group of Moravian College and Theological Seminary students, led by Drs. Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Kelly Denton-Borhaug, travelled to the U.S.-Mexico Border to participate in the BorderLinks program over spring break. As part of the Theology from the Underside course at the seminary, Sue Bennetch, Ray Bush, Jewel Davis, and Alfred Jones took part in the experience from March 4-9, 2011.
BorderLinks is an international leader in experiential education that raises awareness and inspires action around global political economics.
BorderLinks grew out of the Sanctuary Movement in the 1980’s when faith communities, universities, and other organizations rallied to advocate on behalf of thousands of refugees fleeing persecution in Central America.
Today, BorderLinks’ educational programs focus on issues of immigration, community formation, development, and social justice in the borderlands between Mexico, the U.S and beyond.
As a bi-national organization, BorderLinks brings people together to build bridges of solidarity across North and Latin American borders and promote intercultural understanding and respect.1
The students reported having a "life-changing" experience on the educational outreach trip, witnessing the desperation of migrants facing deportation; exploitation by the Mexican Mafia and Coyotes; inhumane treatment by some border guards; subjection to harsh environmental conditions in the desert; separation from loved ones; denial of basic human rights to food, clothing, and health; and in some cases, death.
The group spent time analyzing U.S. policy and possible reform measures while also considering the global scale of problems related to inequity, poverty, and human rights injustices. They came to recognize the Church as an essential player in these global issues and began work on an action plan to incorporate what they experienced into future ministry work.
Ray Bush, MDiv student, reflected, "This immersion exhausted me, depressed me, gave me joy, awakened [within] me a new version of God’s Kingdom and promoted a desire on my part to be called to action. This is praxis2."
To view more photos from the BorderLinks trip, click here.
1 From the BorderLinks Mission and Vision
2 According to the Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, “praxis” is derived from the Greek (transliterated to mean “action” or “practice”) and is a “term used in liberation theologies for a combination of action and reflection which seeks the transformation of oppressive situations and the social order. It marks the beginning place for theological reflection and focuses on the dialectic of theory and practice.” (Westminster 1996, 216). |
