Viva Fiesta!

one of the many floats in the Battle of the Flowers Parade

Viva Fiesta! We heard this a lot over ten days in April. In fact, spring in San Antonio feels like one big party. Houses are decorated in festive flags and flowers; floats are built and covered in paper mache and paraded down the streets or on the river; elaborate gowns made entirely of beads are worn by participants in one of the parades; music of all genres is heard throughout the city; fair foods are eaten; smiles and conversations are exchanged with strangers who become friends.

We didn't know when we signed up for these months in San Antonio that this would be part of the experience, but it has been enjoyable and refreshing.

Enjoying a Mexican dinner along the Riverwalk

Volunteer work continued throughout the time, as well, and was enjoyable and refreshing in its own way. Ruth remembers the many times going through security at the airport and having to remove her shoes like everyone else. However, one day after retrieving her sneakers, one of the immigrant mothers knelt down on the floor in front of her and tied her shoes, even taking the time to double-knot them! Another day Ruth was talking with one of the Guatemalan mothers and telling her about our work being voluntary. As she walked beside her, the woman pressed some dollarbills into her hand. Ruth insisted our work is for free, but the woman insisted even more that she take the money--$2.00. Later as the mother took out her remaining money to go through security, Ruth saw her put $4.00 and some change into the gray bin. That was all she had, other than a small bag with her important papers...no clothes or food for her or her two sons, no money in reserve for the days ahead.

Such generosity and concern for others is rarely seen in the U.S. where most are too stressed and fearful to care about the other. However, Jim had a good example of people-care one day. He was with a group of four of the women and their children at a boarding gate explaining the process to them in Spanish. After he was done, an American man came up to him and asked what he was doing, who they were and where they were going. Upon hearing Jim's answer, he pulled out $100 and asked Jim to divide it among the women, and promptly left before they knew who he was or could thank him.

the maze of highways around the San Antonio Airport parking lot

Near this vintage suitcase sculpture decorated for Fiesta is where we meet the women and children as they enter the airport.

We had lived and worked with asylum seekers in Baltimore and again here. It seems only fitting to be able to continue with what we have been learning and experiencing. Thus, June 1-July 31 we will live in LaGrange, Georgia, to help with first-generation immigrants there...mostly from Guatemala. We will be helping in the ministry of Anton and Charlotte Flores, even living with them in their house for part of the time. They live on a cul-de-sac with  twenty-eight immigrant households. Some of our time will be spent fixing up an apartment, but we'll also be helping two weeks with a summer day camp for the children in the neighborhood, making friendships, helping with transportation to appointments, and also spending several weekends hosting at a house where family members can stay while visiting their loved ones held in the ICE deportation center.

Remember us as we'll be traveling many miles over the next few weeks, which will include a visit to PA to see Ruth's Dad and our daughter Michelle.