The Encuentro Project hosted 14 groups in 2023
Encuentro Team Adds New Members
The Encuentro team is growing and changing. We say goodbye to Marist Brothers Brice Byczynski and Lalo Navarro and Maryknoll Lay Missioner Debbie Northern. Br. Brice is now in Brownsville, TX and Br. Lalo is in Mexico. Debbie has returned to the East Coast.
Joining the team this year are Marist Br. Hector Dessavre Davila and Marist volunteer Jacob Grimm, who is a former Encuentro Project participant. Another Marist volunteer, Michael Costello, is continuing with Encuentro Project. Br. Todd Patenaude and Coralis Salvador are also remaining.
Situation on the Border
Even though there are many migrants who are in Mexico filling out the CBP One app for appointments to come into the United States, others tire of waiting months for the appointments and cross on their own or with smugglers. The migrants are eager to get to relative safety in the U.S. after months or years of uncertainty and fear.
In El Paso, the numbers of migrants in the shelters changes daily. The surges we saw earlier in the year seem to have evened out. Sacred Heart still tends to be full and have some migrants who sleep outdoors despite the cooler temperatures.
The political rhetoric as we approach next year’s elections will only continue to vilify migrants. A bipartisan immigration bill that recognizes the many reasons that people are fleeing their countries of origin and that has humane solutions is greatly needed.
Read the full article in our Newsletter.