Our sister
story this month is Sr. Maricela Martinez, a woman sent to share joy and the
hope amid the struggles and worries of the migrants in Michigan. We share with
you this reflection written by Sr. Maricela, sowing seeds of justice of peace.
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In our constitution as the Sisters of Charity of
the Incarnate Word (CCVI) we read of the legacy of our founder, Bishop Claudio
Ma. Dubuis, who wrote: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, suffering in the persons of
a multitude of sick and infirm of every kind, seeks relief at your hands."
Const. CCVI No. II. Motivated by the gospel of Christ, by this charter, and by
the call of Pope Francis to be a missionary disciple, I wish to share my
experience of encounter, dialogue, and growth with some extraordinary people.
During the summer of 2014 I had contact with
migrant families within the territory of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, MI. This
first encounter with the families gave me the opportunity to maintain an attitude
of learning, to identify a process of accompaniment, and to collaborate in the
task of evangelization.
Currently the missionary work is developed
jointly with the parishes of St. Francis de Sales in Holland, St. Patrick-St.
Anthony in Grand Haven and St. Mary's in Muskegon. When I first started and now
there is the opportunity to visit migrant families in the fields surrounding
Holland, Grand Haven and Muskegon. The families that are in these areas come
from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador.
To me it is fundamental to devote time to the
families and listen to their stories with their hopes and fears. My task is to
connect them with different immigrant service organizations. Each conversation
gives me greater insight into the challenges they face on their long journey to
cross the US-Mexico border and integrate into the work environment in the
camps. I remember, for example, a marriage of two people of Oaxacan origin whose
relationship began collecting harvests together in the fields of California. Today they mobilize a group of three hundred
members that migrate between four states within the US. And it is one of the
main jobs of the migrants to collect various crops. In fact, Michigan is
considered the fourth and last state in which they work raising crops.
Being in contact with the migrant families
involves a process of accompaniment. Listening to these extraordinary people made
me committed to continue visiting them in the fields, while the harvest season
culminates. When they are in their homes, they confidently share their
problems, their needs and their hopes for their children. Hospitality is a
characteristic of migrant families and they enjoy sharing their foods like
tortillas, beans and mole.
The families express their gratitude for the
missionary presence of the priest, the religious and committed lay people. They
are grateful that we go out to the field, listening to the family, attending to
their basic needs and sharing bread. Migrant families are - for me - a
privileged and evangelizing space.
Each summer brings a migrant season in which 23
committed lay people participate, parishioners who wish to assist families in
the fields. That is why, based on the experience of these committed lay
parishioners who visit the camps and live with the migrant families, I have
generated courses of integral missionary formation. 2016 culminated with joy the
first participants of this course, and in 2017 a second group will participate.
So this summer in 2017 we are visiting 25 camps
around Holland, Grand Haven and Muskegon, MI; All with the purpose of welcoming
migrant families and identifying their primary needs. The team consists of a
priest from the Institute of Foreign Missions of Yarumal, a sister of the
Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, 23 committed lay people and 4 young
people.
We ask for your prayers and we pray to the
Incarnate Word to keep us in the joy of his gospel to meet our migrant brothers
and sisters on the margins. Because that's where we believe and want to serve
our Lord Jesus Christ who suffers in a multitude of the sick and infirm of every
kind.
Writen by: Maricela Martinez
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