Fr Tony O'Connor sm, wrote recently from Brownsville, USA:
This is Cristian He was born in Matamoros yesterday morning. His mother "Jessica" had been living on the bridge on the Matamoros (Mexico) side for some time awaiting asylum now that illegally the US government leaves them in Mexico with all the risks of living in the street the Mañia (gangs) and hunger, thirst, heat, and rain .
By rights little Cristian should be a US citizen but thanks to Trump he is a little Mexican Honduran chamarco. His mom from Honduras is 23 years old and does not want to live in the bridge it would be too dangerous for Cristian. Efforts are being made to find a place to stay for this little modern "jesus" who has nowhere to lay his head . A modern "Posada" tale here where there are more than 1,500 migrants in Matamoros alone registered to be considered for asylum as they brave it out in tents in the street, and many more not registered yet.
Someone said: "Poor little Cristian! What a way to begin life on the run." But I say this: "little Cristian is blessed just like Jesus without a roof over his head and Jessica his mom will not let him come to harm
Recently at midnight a big group frustrated & desperate tried to stampede the bridge (cf photos in the gallery below). That will be blamed (fake news) on political subversive influence from outside It was a failure and won't help their cause in actual fact. Our people were trying to dissuade them from doing so yesterday and now to retire from the bridge Things are caliente..(hot)
Soila Garcia "BEBE" "Looking Back" photo
Soila is 104 years old. She understands little of the suffering of the migrants in Matamoros and their experience on the bridge. Rather her memory of suffering goes back to 1928 when the new President Calle of Mexico with government forces persecuted the Church and in particular the "Cristeros" who were murdered by firing squad and at the very moment they the "Cristeros"{ shouted out in one voice "Long live Christ the King" ("Viva Cristo Rey" )Soila remembers how the priestscelebrated clandestine masses in her home and how her mother hid the mass ornaments and vestments in a ledge half way up an unusedchimney. Trying times here on the border then , trying times now.
"Looking Forward" suspended between two worldsphoto
This young boy on la "Puente Internacional" "the Gateway International Bridge" between Matamoros and Brownsville sits with hundreds of asylum seekers . He is suspended between two worlds as he faces north and the future and stares reflectively intothe murky waters of the Rio Grande River.
Solia - 104 Yrs old - looking back
Young boy - looking forward.
