One week removed from my desert camp experience with No Mas Muertes I continue to reflect on the amazing group of people doing humanitarian work in and around Tucson, AZ. There are those who live in the area who do the work year round – people of faith, college students, anarchists, retired professionals, ministers, and all sorts of folks. There are those who drive Land Rovers and those who drive clunkers (if they even own a car); those who can eat at the best restaurants in town and those who dumpster dive for their food; those who wouldn’t darken the door of a church and those who have made ministry their life work; those who are clean-cut and smell fresh and those who haven’t showered for weeks whose odor can knock you out. It’s quite an eclectic lot!
This odd assortment of folks have become community for each other – and they don’t just tolerate one another. They respect and value each other, they work together and they learn from each other. Their decision making is by consensus, where all voices are heard. They have come together around the common cause of saving lives and reducing suffering in the desert. It was beautiful to witness and be a part of their community and their on-going work for five days. It gives me hope!
One young adult, who had been involved in social justice work while in college at the
University of Arizona told me that he was really skeptical of this group of Christians that started No Mas Muertes.
He had certain stereotypes and expectations of Christian people and wondered, “Do they not know their history?
Do they not know how much damage they have perpetrated in the name of Christianity?
There must be some ulterior motive to their work.
Where’s the catch?”
After hanging out and volunteering with No Mas Muertes, and getting to know the folks, he realized, “Yes, they absolutely do know their history and the pain they have caused.
And they are trying to be different – to make a difference – in the name of love –
because they are Christians.”
This young man now feels called to the ministry and will enter seminary this fall.
As equally as impressive as the Tucson folks, were the volunteers, who like me, came for the week. In our group of desert dwellers was a college professor from KY; an army vet who served 4 tours in Iraq; graduate students from Boston and Vermont; a Unitarian Universalist religious educator and seminarian; two high school students who came last year with their youth group; a Spanish teacher getting ready to move to NYC for a new job; several college students from NC (Duke) and Texas; a social worker; an English teacher from Monterrey, CA who is driving around the country in a veggie fueled car; a cellist (yes, really); a Presbyterian pastor from PA; and a couple of wanderers. I was humbled and inspired by their life stories and the journeys that had brought each of them to this place at this time in their lives.
Throughout the week we functioned in camp by just pitching in to get things done. We had no particular assignments, not even a sign up sheet for chores. We just saw what needed to be done – cooking meals, washing dishes, securing tarps, gathering firewood, etc. – and each contributed as we were able. In addition to our work of placing water in the desert and maintaining camp, we broke bread together, gathered around the campfire for processing and singing (we had amazing musicians), shared our stories, and genuinely enjoyed being in each others company. It was a true gift to live and serve with these incredible (yet, quite ordinary) human beings. My hope in the goodness of humanity has been restored by these humanitarians!
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