On Sunday, February 3, Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church held a Bridging the Borders Information Fair to encourage church members, as well as others that attended, to get involved with border issues and to help make a difference.

At 9 a.m. Denise Mulloy, a member of the church’s vestry board and committee for Bridging the Borders, presented a PowerPoint presentation to a room of about 20 people. Her presentation gave a prelude into what topics would be addressed over the next few hours in both the 10 a.m. service and the Information Fair that followed.

Mulloy discussed her own personal experiences of traveling across the border with the non-profit organization, BorderLinks, a few years back.

During her journey, Mulloy stayed a night in a Nogales home and one night in a shelter in Altar, Mexico (located southwest of Tucson in Sonora, Mexico). It was in Altar that she and fellow church members had the opportunity to speak with migrants who were attempting to cross the border illegally.

Mulloy learned that this was not the first attempt for many of the migrants. She heard stories of families who did not make it across and/or lost loved ones along the way.

Nevertheless, these people continued to fight and struggle for the well-being of their families, not necessarily trying to live the American Dream, but to establish a foundation for themselves in a country of endless opportunity.

“Because there are not nearly enough jobs to support families in the interior and south of Mexico, the populace has been moving north in a desperate attempt to support their families. Their one desire is to obtain enough money to feed, clothe and house their family in their own land,” Mulloy said. “For most, it is not to permanently settle in the United States.”

To Mulloy, migrating to the United States is the only hope that the migrants had, originating from a country in which “more than 40 percent of Mexicans live below the poverty level,” according to Mulloy’s research and statistics provided by the World Facts Index.

Mulloy’s presentation lasted about an hour, after which everyone continued to the chapel for a 10 a.m. service where guest preacher Rev. Delle McCormick of BorderLinks gave a powerful sermon addressing the same issues that were previously discussed, but in greater detail.

Rev. McCormick explained the mission and purpose of the organization and why immigration is such an important topic to recognize in today's society.

“BorderLinks is an international leader," Mulloy said. “Through our many educational facilities on both sides of the border we train people to become leaders.”

The organization offers “short-term and semester-long immersion education programs aim[ed] to educate and create dialogue about current social, economic, and political issues on the border,” as stated in a BorderLinks distribution pamphlet.

While the short-term programs are open to anyone that is interested in participating and willing to pay at least $120, the semester-long program is only offered to college students.

Rev. McCormick continued her sermon by stressing the importance of acknowledging illegal immigrants, because although some people may not morally agree with their decision in crossing the border, they are a crucial part of our society.

“The topic of immigration dominates our headlines,” McCormick said. Immigrants are “building our houses, caring for our children…they are our neighbors, friends, or families…Their lives and well being are intricately connected to ours.”

After the service an Information Fair was held until 12 p.m. Present at the fair were the following organizations: No More Deaths (No Mas Muertes), Samaritan Patrol, St. Michael's Guatemala Project, and Humane Borders.