Looking Back at 2020 & 2021 Vision
If there's one thing we learned during 2020, it's the power of this community. When life as we knew it was disrupted, YOU rallied together with us to bring hope to families we serve on the South Texas and Mexico border. Below is a month to month recap of our peacemaking work in 2020.
JANUARY
We started off the year by hosting several vision trips. One, in particular, was a group from a partner church in Atlanta. While on this trip, we witnessed first hand the harsh reality asylum seekers faced at the Matamoros migrant camp. Living on the banks of the Rio Grande River, families were forced to survive in inhumane conditions due to the Remain in Mexico Policy. 🇲🇽
FEBRUARY
We continued serving asylum‑seeking families by providing meals alongside World Central Kitchen and assisting with spiritual and physical needs of families at the Matamoros Camp. We hosted two groups from Minnesota and a team from @IAFRefugees with a couple of volunteers from Michigan on our last Border Journey trip of 2020. We also hosted our first live peacemaking event in Minneapolis, MN. ✈️
MARCH
Our last service‑learning trip before the pandemic included students from the University of Georgia and South Dakota State University. None of us could have foreseen that the need on the border would increase due to the COVID‑19 pandemic. 🚨
APRIL
With the cancellation of our spring trips, we continued to push our vision of educating and providing valuable content on how to love our neighbor during this pandemic and beyond. We were blown away at the response to the @bordersummit! We had a great line up of speakers and several hundred people tuned into this powerful summit. We can’t wait to continue empowering people of faith on our biblical command to love our neighbors the way God intended. 📚🗣
MAY
As unemployment was on the rise, the need for food in our region became vital to survival. Alongside other local organizations, we become a distributing partner of food boxes that would provide many families in need with much-needed resources to provide for their loved ones. 📦 🌽
JUNE
Every weekend during the summer months, we provided prayer and met families’ tangible needs through a food box filled with fresh produce and basic food items. 🍲 🍅
JULY
As the pandemic continued to impact our community, hygiene mattered most to stay safe and healthy. With your support, we launched a Covid‑19 Care Kits Campaign. This campaign allowed us to not only provide over 3,000 masks and much-needed hygiene items but to educate families on the importance of handwashing and sanitation to prevent the spread of COVID‑19. 😷 🧼
AUGUST
At the end of July, Hurricane Hanna devastated the South Texas region with heavy winds and flooding rains, which brought loss of personal property for many families. You all rallied around us and we were able to raise $14,545.54 through our Hurricane Relief Fund to help families overcome this natural disaster in the midst of a global pandemic. ♥️
SEPTEMBER
Since our model to mobilize volunteers to the southern border was disrupted, we started innovating and thinking about how we could turn our physical border exhibit into a virtual experience. In partnership with @rem5forgood, and after many months of testing and building out our virtual experience, we are excited to be launching a one of a kind virtual and educational experience in Q1 of 2021. 🕹💻
October
In January, we started working on a micro‑documentary that would shine a light on our peacemaking journey and the work we do on the South Texas and Mexico border. We had pressed pause on this project as COVID began to devastate our communities, but after months of working on it, we are glad to present you with the origin story of Border Perspective. #borderjourney 🎞 🎥
NOVEMBER
We weren’t sure if it was possible due to COVID‑19, but with a preparedness plan and protocols, we were able to host our November #borderjourney. Being on the border during election week was impactful. We learned from local leaders and partnered with several organizations that are doing vital work to assist those in need on the South Texas border.
DECEMBER
Food distribution has continued through all of 2020. Prior to the pandemic, 82.5% of immigrant families in our county were already at risk due to food. Food distribution has become a main focus to assist families during this pandemic. We are making it easy for families to access healthy foods through our weekly distribution program. We are glad to share that we have been able to give 5,025+ food boxes to families in need during this pandemic. ♥️
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE REST OF 2021 WILL BRING
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
MORE CONNECTION
We are actively recruiting for our spring and fall Border Journey experience. This trip is educational and immersive. It will intentionally place you into the lives of immigrant leaders serving families on the U.S. and Mexico border. You will learn more about the issues immigrants face and how local ministries are overcoming the challenges of ministering in this tumultuous region of the country.
Our service-learning trips are a great fit for groups. This week-long trip provides learning opportunities to help your group understand the complexity of immigration on the border and various service opportunities to help support local immigrant families and ministries. These trips are available year-round. Click below to learn more about how you can join our ground efforts.
VIRTUAL EXHIBIT
Later this month, we are launching an educational virtual experience that will help you broaden your perspective on how to respond to the need on the border. We are partnering with REM5, a virtual reality laboratory to bring this project to life. Think about a platform where Zoom meets Virtual Reality. We can't wait to share this WebXR experience with you very soon.
MORE IMPACT
This year, we’re excited to grow our monthly supporters and continue to provide tangible ways to invest in our mission. Our calling to families in need is more critical than ever.
The best way to get involved in 2021 is by joining our peacemaking giving community.
Join today for as little as $5 a month. Your support empowers us to quickly and appropriately respond during hard times and continue onward with our mission of serving immigrant families, equipping leaders, and mobilizing the Church to love our neighbor.
