By John Heid
This reflection is from a Christian Peacemaker Teams release published on CPTnet on Dec. 1:
“Our work is done for today,” Joel yelled across the wash as he waved
his arms emphatically. I was puzzled. We were still a good four miles
from our destination, Red Tail water tank. Joel shouted again. “We're
done! Come over here!” As I approached, no further words were needed. A
few feet in front of him lay a sun-bleached human skull, eyeless sockets
looking south, resting starkly among the coal black volcanic rocks
strewn across this ancient plain.
Yes, our work was done for the day in that mid-afternoon moment of
Thanksgiving eve. I took off my hat and sat in silent prayer. Joel
called 911.
Joel, director of operations for Humane Borders, a Tucson-based
humanitarian aid organization, and I were conducting the annual
assessment of water tanks in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge
and replacing the weathered blue flags that prominently identify each
tank. The person whose skull we came upon had missed the nearest tank by
a few miles. S/he was the eleventh set of human remains recovered in
the Tucson sector of the US-Mexico borderlands since Oct. 1, 2014.
I knew this day would probably come. I expected it as much as I
dreaded it. Given the political and economic realities of our times, my
finding human remains, sooner or later was inevitable. This man or woman
was likely on his or her way to reunite with family. Or simply on the
way to find work. All that ended weeks or months ago in the austere
terrain of the Growler valley a few miles from El Camino del Diablo
(Devil's Highway).
The ancient Advent query in Luke 7:24-26 rises anew. What reason did
this one have to come to the desert? Why do I? Why do any of us walk the
Way we do?
-- Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), originally
begun by the Historic Peace Churches including the Church of the
Brethren, has the mission of building partnerships to transform violence
and oppression, and the vision of a world of communities that together
embrace the diversity of the human family and live justly and peaceably
with all creation. Find out more about CPT at www.cpt.org.
Source: 12/2/2014 Newsline
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