“This isn’t the end. It’s the beginning.”
The La Roca migrant shelter in Nogales, Mexico, is one stop along the journey for families headed north. It’s one of the last touch points before crossing over to the United States, a quiet sanctuary reached after weeks and sometimes months of grueling movement.
Cruzando Fronteras, lead by one Reverend Rodger, runs La Roca and four additional shelters in Nogales. Rodger hears lots of stories, many of them hopeful, and many of them filled with pain. Everyone there has experienced extreme trauma, and tragic losses. But despite the sadness, he says, “they are so willing to laugh. To share a joke. They’re incredibly strong. They’re the people I want to spend my days with.”
People from across Arizona have shown up in a big way to get Rodger and the guests at the shelter the things they need to feel comfortable, safe, and warm for a few days. But sometimes they need a little extra help rounding things out, especially with people always coming and going.
That’s where we stepped in. We asked the families staying at La Roca what they needed. And we made it happen.
The need that’s toughest for Rodger and Cruzando Frontereas to keep up with is food, enough for the 60 kids, hungry teens, and adults who are staying there. So we made a quick trip to the store and checked that off Rodger’s list, getting food enough to last a week.
Despite the challenges, Rodger lives by a motto – that there’s always enough. “I live by that every day. Just when you think things are lowest, someone steps up and there’s always enough.”
Today, we were able to be that someone for Rodger and the people at La Roca.
