Listening in El Paso

  El Paso, Texas
Monday, March 5, 2007

Three women's centers (from MX, El P, and NM) joined forces to sponsor a day with Sr. Marianne from San Francisco. She directs one of the two training programs in the U.S. that teach people how to carefully listen to Spanish-speakers as they reflect on God present in the experiences of their life. Today's goal: can we here on the Border implement a similar program? 

It was like slogging through a field of molasses, one participant remarked, as we plowed into one obstacle after another. At the end of the day, it is still "full steam ahead" as participants unanimously agreed that listening was the most important gift we could give to people bereft of family and friends (since so many here are not from here, but are transplants) and dealing with so much suffering. Sometimes it is the only thing we can do.

Due to my language deficits, taking part in this training won't be my contribution to the Border, but I felt privileged nevertheless to be present at this 'birth' of a new ray of goodness in the world.