Crossing the Border

Crossing the Border
Obviously talk of the United States comes up often here. I have met many Hondurans that have been to the US before. Some of them went legally on short term visas to visit family already living there, as our friend Marlon has been doing every summer for the past 9 years. Some of them are lucky enough to get long term visas and work there for extended periods, sometimes for good and other times for a few years before deciding to return to their families in Honduras.

Many people also dream of coming, mostly to earn more money for their family, but don't want to cross illegally and haven't been lucky enough to obtain a visa yet. Many are waiting and hoping, most in vain, while others have accepted their fate and resigned themselves to living here. Marlon has been waiting for his visa. His entire family, mom, sister, brother, nieces and nephews, have all been in the states on permanent visas for years. He is still waiting for his. He is living alone in his mother's empty house.

There are also many people who would like to go to the US just to see it and don't want to move there but it is very hard even to get a tourist visa. (Remember... a large percentage of the world does not have the freedom to travel anywhere they want as we privileged Americans do. And ludicrously only about 27% of Americans even have passports much less take advantage of our incredible opportunities and use them!).

Almost every single person I met here has some family living in the US. The vast majority of my students have a parent, some of them both parents, living and working abroad, mainly in the US. I am sure it is heart-achingly painful for all involved. Many kids are being raised by grandparents who often struggled to survive alone yet now are required to meet the needs of a child or children.

I have also met a few people here who have crossed the border illegally. Here is one man's story: He is currently 24. He decided to cross the border to earn more money to send home for his family. He hired a coyote (a person who is supposed to help lead you across the border for a fee) who led him by bus to the border. The coyote instructed him to swim across the river (presumably the Rio Grande).

Climbing out on US soil, he met up with another coyote who led him on a two-day walk with a group of 6 others immigrants through the desert. At a pick-up point, he hopped into yet another coyote's van for a ride to a city in Texas. He quickly found a job working in a laundry.

During this time he met some missionaries at a local church. They convinced him that they would foot his college tuition for him to become a nurse. This would require him to return to Honduras, apply for a student visa, get accepted at a college, and then finally be able to return to the US where they would, hopefully, fulfill their promise.

He decided to do just that and, after 3 years in Texas, returned to Honduras. Now he has to go through the visa application process and wait. While waiting he is planning to begin his schooling here for the nursing degree. He is still in contact with the missionaries from Texas.