Welcome aboard! Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride! Next stop–McAllen, Texas.
After a slight delay in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, we arrived in McAllen, Texas. At our arrival,Project Director Larry, along with Mennonite Disaster Service volunteer Roger, were waiting to transport us to the First Methodist Church in Weslaco where we are staying for the next three weeks. Environmental Disaster & Response with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) is a Study-Service Term course designed to be an immersive, community engaged learning experience.This May term, MDS placed us in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, where we will be volunteering at La Posada Providencia, a ministry for people in crisis from around the world and an emergency shelter for people fleeing to the United States due to political oppression, natural disaster, and other life-threatening situations in their native countries.
On our second morning in Weslaco, we drove east to San Benito — the town where La Posada is located. During our visit, we were given a tour of the campus and became familiar with the services that are offered to refugees who find their way to La Posada. We became aware of the immense work that they do and the countless hours of volunteer work done to keep the organization flourishing. La Posada prides itself on the motto, “Welcoming the stranger, making a difference”. Strangers are welcomed to make positive changes for the community and fulfill their civic responsibility. Environmental sustainability is of great importance at La Posada; such as gardening and harvesting, hanging up washed clothes to dry outside, keeping up with compost and teaching all of this and more to the many guests visiting La Posada. The aura of hope and resilience that fills the atmosphere at La Posada inspires us, the stranger, to make a positive difference in someone else’s life.
For the next couple of weeks we will focus on putting up a security fence surrounding La Posada. For years La Posada has gone without any protection from outside dangers; the largest danger being media crews who have been known to stake out and invade the guest’s privacy. Guests coming in might stay for hours, days or even weeks, but offering a sense of security and privacy can make their stay more enjoyable. La Posada strives to make their guests feel welcomed and at home. Most, if not all, of the staff are bilingual (English and Spanish), and a few even speak French, which is the third most spoken language at La Posada.
La Posada Providencia is a place in which you feel welcomed. When you step foot at La Posada you can sense a feeling of warmth and empathy. The people know of the stories and struggles that one goes through to make it to the United States. No one coming into La Posada will be denied the assistance they need. Regardless of gender, race, age or sexuality, everyone at La Posada is welcome with open arms. Guests are seen showing gratitude and respect towards La Posada through acts of kindness, like helping out with the garden, cleaning the dormitories, or simply taking out the trash without being asked. No one at La Posada comes with bad intentions, and they only seek help and assistance to navigate this difficult journey into the United States.
Our work at La Posada Providencia starts today. The rising temperatures and Texan heat will not stop us from doing our part for this community and making a positive impact at La Posada. Other volunteer work includes assisting Sister Therese with her daily ESL classes and welcoming new guests. This will give us all the opportunity to put our Spanish skills in practice and engage with the guests. We are here for them and for each other!
Let us not forget that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Although we are encouraged to love one another, it is of great importance to love yourself and dedicate time to do so. These next two and a half weeks will not only be physically demanding, but also emotionally draining. We will see and hear things that will challenge us and, hopefully, inspire us to make positive changes in our own lives. It is a fulfilling feeling to lend a helping hand and there to be someone more than willing to reach for it!
If you want to learn more about how you can support La Posada, here is a link to their website. Jump aboard and become a part of the Familia!
– Joel Lara, 2022 graduate from Goshen College with a degree in Art and a minor in Spanish.