Tomorrow we enter 2025 with new resolutions and resolve. As I told you last month, given the incoming administration, almost all agencies receiving asylum seekers are shuttered. We decided to make the most of the last GoBags we delivered. Our 250 handmade GoBag totes were distributed by Border Servant Corps in Las Cruces earlier this month full of not only our usual basic food supplies, but candy, oranges, toys, books and love.

Iris DeMent recently played a concert in Silver City. I’ve listened to her most recent album, Workin’ On A World, many many times and always appreciated the last line of the title song, “workin’ on a world I may never see,” that references all the great leaders who have gone before us working on the world we have inherited. But when I heard her in concert I was struck by the greater importance of her second to last line. “I get up in the mornin’ knowing I’m privileged just to be…(workin’ on a world that I may never see).” It’s not a responsibility to do the work; it’s a privilege. So fear and trepidation shouldn’t burden us. It’s gratitude, love and hope that should carry us.

Thanks to all our crews who have packed GoBags, driven loads of donations and worked our collection days. And cheers 🥂 to all our financial supporters and those of you we have come to know through your unwavering trips through our regular collection lines. Your words, smiles and energy have kept us inspired to not give up.

The attorneys general in California, Arizona and New Mexico have said they will resist unconstitutional moves to set up detention camps in their states, and fight for due process and individual rights. Whereas in Texas, the case of Ken Paxton against Annunciation House in El Paso, will be heard January 13th in front of the Texas Supreme Court. Watch for it…

Our Border Justice Project has made a commitment to Colores United in Deming to financially support the few families they are able to host currently. For how long that will continue, we don’t know. And, as I’ve said before, only time will reveal our next steps. Patience is not my long suit but I’m practicing.

We will be having another collection for Border Partners in late January. We will focus on used medical equipment (walkers, braces, toilet adapters, oxygen machines, hospital beds, crutches…) as well as more shop and gardening tools. I will send a special email when I have a date for that.

Here’s a challenge I recently read. “Stand up for what you know to be right, convincingly. Be like people you admire. Let your legislators know what you will not tolerate. Invest your dollars wisely; support social responsibility. Spend accordingly. Support independent news. Tell your church (if you have one) when it deviates from its divine mission. Protect the earth and all of its miraculous life. Champion the worth, sovereignty and dignity of every human being.”

But don’t get overwhelmed. Just do one thing every day that makes you proud. We’re all counting on each other.

Happy New Year, my friends 💞 🙏 ~Barbara

If you have made, or continue to make financial contributions to our Border Justice Project, we will maintain and disburse those funds to serve the same populations we originally committed to in Deming and Palomas. I will continue writing emails as we know more.

You may contribute online by using the button below or you can mail checks made out to UUFSC (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Silver City) with ‘Border’ in the memo line to UUFSC, PO Box 4034, Silver City, NM 88062