BSC Newsletter – Fall-Winter 2014

Borderlines
BORDER SERVANT CORPS NEWSLETTER ▪ FALL/WINTER 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
Live the Questions (p1)
Meet Alex, Alison & Andrea (p2)
Meet Carrie, Emily & Kate (p3)
Meet Kyle, Liz & Marykate (p4)
Meet Nathan & Sophia (p4)
In Other News (p5)
2014-2015 Yearlong Volunteers and Friends!, Chaparral, NM
Consider a Gift (p6)
Live the Questions
Kari Lenander, Executive Director
Mission
Border Servant Corps seeks to provide an
opportunity for volunteers to work for
justice, serve their neighbor, and walk
humbly with their God.
Vision
We do this by:
• Hosting volunteers to work and serve
in social service agencies in Las
Cruces, NM and El Paso, TX;
• Providing opportunities for volunteers
to learn and teach about social justice
and work toward systemic change;
• Supporting volunteers who live in
intentional community, focusing on
four tenets: Community, Simplicity,
Social Justice, and Spirituality; and
• Accompanying our sisters and
brothers on the U.S. / México border.
History
Border Servant Corps was established in
1997 as a ministry of Peace Lutheran
Church in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the
questions themselves… And the point is, to live everything. Live the
questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along
some distant day into the answer.” ― Rainer Maria Rilke
We often speak about the messiness that exists: on the border, during a
designated year of service, in life. What a challenge…and a blessing!
In a world that seems to be growing increasingly polarized, Border Servant
Corps offers space to wrestle with difficult dichotomies. We don’t pretend to
provide the answers; in fact, sometimes we strive to come away with even
more questions. This practice allows us the space to be open and meet
others where they are, engage in meaningful conversations, and dig deeper
into our own values and perceptions.
During the 2013-2014 service year, in preparation for assembling a strategic
plan in the spring of 2015, the BSC Board and staff spent time with service
sites, alumni, and invested community members during a 4-part series of
Great Conversations. Those who have been actively a part of the life and
formation of BSC became part of BSC's planning efforts for the coming
years as we began to more fully dialogue about BSC’s place in the region
and inform the future in collaboration and partnership!
From these conversations came a strong desire to continue the listening
process, deepen our relationships within the community, and recommit to
doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly to the best of our abilities
in each step we take together as a ministry.
It is in this spirit that BSC invited eleven yearlong volunteers to participate
this service year, including an additional room in each community house for
intentional hospitality. In addition, new Open Community Nights, hosted by
BSC volunteers at their service sites, provide another opportunity for
fellowship, educational/experiential learning, and reflection!
We are grateful for the space to live within the messiness, to ask the
challenging questions, and to practice living
Fall/Winter 2014 ▪ Borderlines ▪ 1
in grace along the way!
Borderlines is published by
Border Servant Corps.
Reprints permitted if
Border Servant Corps is
cited as the source.
PRIMARY OFFICE
1701 E. Missouri Ave.
Las Cruces, NM 88001
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Betty Lindsey, President,
Congregation
Representative
Beverly Stotz, Vice
President, Congregation
Representative
Hannah Drewes,
Secretary, Community
Representative
Dwight Eggers, Treasurer,
Congregation
Representative
Diana Diemer, Peace
Lutheran Church Council
Liaison, Congregation
Representative
Shelia Brack, Community
Representative
Susan Mitchell,
Congregation
Representative
Tom Rood, Community
Representative
Jared Carson, Ex-Officio,
Peace Lutheran Church in
Las Cruces, Senior Pastor
Roseann Hernandez, ExOfficio, Peace Lutheran
Church in Las Cruces,
President
Bob Mitchell, Advisory,
Peace Lutheran Church in
Las Cruces, Treasurer
STAFF
Kari Lenander, Executive
Director
Sara Melton, Program
Coordinator
Meet Alex Blust
Elmhurst, Illinois ■ Augustana College ■ YWCA Sara
McKnight Transitional Living Center
I grew up in the Chicagoland area with my mom, dad, stepmom,
stepdad and two half-sisters. I grew up in a big, diverse family. My
mom, dad, stepmom and stepdad and their respective families
each have a unique culture and way of looking at the world.
Their different perspectives have made me interested in other cultures.
This curiosity led me to spend my senior year of high school as a foreign exchange student in Temuco,
Chile. There I learned to speak Spanish and got a taste for Latin American culture. After returning Chile
I attended Augustana College, where I majored in Religion and Political Science.
As my graduation date approached, I couldn’t envision myself entering any corporate career path. I still
don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I found Border Servant Corps and it felt like a perfect fit. I
value simple living and service. I feel connected to Latin American culture and I want to be able to
speak Spanish again. I want to dream in Spanish again! I want to live in community! I want to do good
meaningful work. I know that Border Servant Corps will challenge me; I’m excited to grow this year. I’m
so excited to start my year as a Border Servant Corps Volunteer!
Meet Alison Talkers
Villa Hills, Kentucky ■ Saint Louis University ■ Catholic Charities
Legal Services Program
Hola! My name is Alison Talkers. I am from Villa Hills, Kentucky and I
received my bachelors in Political Science at Saint Louis University in St.
Louis, Missouri. During my final year of college I interned at a non-profit
immigration law firm in the St. Louis area (Interfaith Legal Services for
Immigrants) that provided legal services to low-income immigrants and
their families. I enjoyed interacting with the immigrant community in St.
Louis, creating relationships with others interested in social justice
initiatives, and learning more about the legal process behind the whole
U.S. immigration system. It is primarily because of this experience and
my interests that I decided to join the Border Servant Corps for the 2014-2015 year. I am looking
forward to the ability to not only learn more about the border region and the experiences that partner
that reality, but to join a community of individuals that will challenge and support me throughout this
new, nerve-racking, and exciting experience–New Mexico, here I come!
Meet Andrea Gordillo
Pembroke Pines, Florida ■ Emerson College ■ Paso del
Norte Civil Rights Project
I was born in Lima, Perú in 1991 and immigrated to the United
States in 1998. From 1998-2010, my family and I did not have
visas that would legally allow us to remain in the United States.
I grew up with all the fears and stresses of being undocumented,
but we were able to request extensions on our temporary visas
until our permanent residencies were approved during my sophomore year of college. This allowed me
to get a driver’s license, get a job, and receive financial aid for college.
I am a recent graduate from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, where I studied Theatre
Studies and Political Communications. At Emerson, I worked at the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and
ArtsEmerson, participated in Alternative Spring Break, founded and led Emerson Understanding
National Immigration Through Education (UNITE), and was a member of Students for Rhetorical
Mobility, an English class with undergraduates and maintenance workers. I also spearheaded the
Dream School Campaign, a campaign to make our school more inclusive to students who are
undocumented. The college’s administration, at the request of our President, formed a Working Group
to examine the institution’s policies of recruiting, admitting, financially supporting, and retaining students
who are undocumented, which presented to the President a series of findings to be considered for
implementation.
Because of my work with immigration and other human rights issues, I will be moving to El Paso, Texas
in August to work as a Border Servant Corps member at Paso del Norte Civil Rights Project as a Safe
Schools Coordinator. I hope to learn even more about the world and
Fall/Winter 2014 ▪ Borderlines ▪ 2
myself through this experience.
Meet Carrie Vereide
Westerville, Ohio ■ Dickinson College ■ La Casa, Inc. Domestic
Violence Shelter
Hello! My name is Carrie Vereide, and I’m from Columbus, Ohio. This
past May I graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
with a double major in Spanish and Sociology. Throughout my four years
in college I had the opportunity to study and volunteer abroad in Brazil,
Argentina, Mexico, and Ecuador. These experiences cemented both my
interest in Latin America and my passion to work for social justice. I came
to Border Servant Corps because I truly value its tenets of Social Justice,
Community, Simplicity and Spirituality and because I desire to both learn
from and positively contribute to the border region. This year as I work as
the Adult Education Specialist at La Casa, Inc. Domestic Violence Shelter I hope to continue to grow
in these four tenets as I also learn from and share my own knowledge and experiences with these
survivors and work to increase awareness of domestic violence for its prevention in the community.
Meet Emily Hauck
Columbia, New Jersey ■ Gettysburg College ■ ACLU-NM Regional
Center for Border Rights
Hey there! I’m Emily Hauck, sending greetings all the way from the small
town of Blairstown, New Jersey. I’ve lived here the majority of my life with
my family and spend my free time going running, taking day trips to NYC,
wasting hours in book stores, and hiking trails nearby. I have always loved
change, though, so I can’t wait to take on the southwest!
This past May I graduated from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania
with a degree in Spanish Linguistics and International Affairs. I also minored in Latin American Studies
and have spent a significant amount of time in the region through exchange programs and study abroad
programs. Throughout my time in Gettysburg I learned about the large Hispanic migrant community in
the area and participated in various programs with the population. This sparked an interest in
immigration rights and policy that led me to the BSC program.
So, here’s to the great year ahead—living intentionally, fighting for social justice on the border,
conquering fears (like the totally rational fear of bike riding in traffic), eating great food, and learning
more about myself. Ya vamos!
Meet Kate Pritchard
Beaverton, Oregon ■ Pacific Lutheran University ■ Las Americas
Immigrant Advocacy Center
Hello! My name is Kate Pritchard and I was born and raised in Oregon’s
Willamette Valley. I recently finished my undergraduate work at Pacific
Lutheran University with a double degree in Hispanic Studies and
Women’s and Gender Studies. My interest in issues of justice in
relationship to immigration and the U.S./México border began when I took
a border immersion trip in high school and has continued to grow
throughout my time in college. I am thrilled to accept a position with
Border Servant Corps as an opportunity to continue learning and to deepen and complicate my
understandings of immigration and the Southwest. I also feel that as someone who has benefitted
from the privileges of U.S. citizenship, I have a responsibility to contextualize those privileges, and
better understand the impacts that my country’s immigration system has on the ability of others to
maintain the integrity of, and access, their rights. I think that serving and learning on the border with
BSC will be a powerful way to do that, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. I am also so excited
to eat some amazing Tex Mex food that I have already started google searching for the best spots
in El Paso. I cannot wait to meet my community of fellow volunteers, explore a part of the country I
have never spent time in, and start a year of service with BSC.
BSC ALUMNI ADVICE
Welcome to the desert and
prepare for exciting sand
flurries, tumble weed flying
across the road and zippity
Road Runners crossing
your path! Take every
opportunity to fully
immerse yourself into the
border culture and BSC
community. There are
spectacular experiences
you will learn to appreciate
years from now once you
realize that not everyone
has an opportunity to
serve like you. Living in
solidarity and adapting to
the hardships, quirks and
beauties of border life can
be a transformative
adventure. During your
year of living by the four
tenets, remember to be
present, mindful, open to
new views and patient in
comprehending your
reactions and feelings.
Allow the Land of
Enchantment to enchant
your mind and humble
your heart.
Find cheap, creative ways
to have fun...theme
parties, potlucks, movie
nights, trivia nights, etc.
And definitely take
advantage of the
mountains!
Take advantage of your
site placement to learn
new skills and dive into a
field you may not know
much about.
Your housemates are your
family – you will love, be
annoyed, laugh, cry, go to
the bar with, hike, and
share awesome
experiences with each
other this year and, with
any luck, will be doing so
for years to come.
Invest in, rely on, and
learn from the community
that surrounds you. Also,
maybe set some
standards about
cleanliness and fire-related
emergency protocol.
Fall/Winter 2014 ▪ Borderlines ▪ 3
BSC ALUMNI ADVICE
Allow yourself to be
swallowed whole and
consumed by the border.
It's an ugly, lovely, hurting,
and stunning place.
Be open to everything-even dubious-looking
chicharones--because you
never know what might
light a spark in you.
Meet Kyle Stephan
Doylestown, Pennsylvania ■ Villanova University ■ Kelly
Memorial Food Pantry
Hello! My name is Kyle Stephan, and I am from a smaller suburb
called Doylestown, PA about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I
graduated from Villanova University in Pennsylvania this past May
2014 with majors in Communications and Latin American Studies,
and minors in Spanish and Peace & Justice Studies. After a summer of traveling around Central
America and through the United States after graduation, I am thrilled to begin my volunteer year with
Border Servant Corps.
Take this opportunity to
hone your cooking skills!
You may not be able to
buy all the foods you are
used to eating, but, you
can probably make them.
Some of the reasons I decided to join Border Servant Corps include some past mission work I helped
organize through Villanova University. After spending a week learning a bit about immigration in Athens,
GA, I wanted to serve for a year somewhere alongside the U.S. & Mexico border. El Paso and Border
Servant Corps provided a perfect fit with the opportunity to serve in Kelly Memorial Food Pantry given
my interests in food justice, poverty, and immigration issues in the nation.
Avocado ice cream is
really, really good.
Especially when it's
homemade!
My hopes for the next service year simply include learning as much as I can, and contributing as much
as possible to the Kelly Memorial Food Pantry and El Paso border region communities. I strive to earn
my PhD in Communication at the University of Maryland starting next year, and thus I hope to continue
to understand and represent underserved populations after learning as much as I can this year in El
Paso.
Someone will be
designated as
'mom'...respect, love, and
don't abuse this
housemate...
If you are a runner, Rim
Road is a great place to go
to feel terrible about your
abilities ... I mean to
improve your ability to run
hills.
Learn as much as you
can. At times you will feel
like you need to save the
world. Let go of that
burden and focus on what
you can do in the year that
you are here. Act like a
sponge and learn as much
as you can from your
work, from your fellow
volunteers, and from your
community. Your time
with Border Servant Corps
will prepare you to do
some awesome stuff in the
future, so don't be afraid to
take this year to learn and
explore.
There are elders all
around you - learn from
them! This year will be a
preview of both a vocation
and lifestyle orientated
around social justice - it’s
not often you have the
chance to live a life of
such integrity.
Meet Liz Polsin
Bremerton, Washington ■ University of Portland ■ St. Luke’s
Health Care Clinic
I am a recent graduate from the University of Portland, where I studied
Biology and Spanish. During my time at U.P. I got involved with our
volunteer center and went on a Spring-break service immersion trip to
San Diego, where we learned about immigration and issues along the
U.S./Mexico border. My heart was quickly drawn to learn more the
problems faced by many immigrants. I went on a second Spring-break
trip to Arizona for the same reason. Border Servant Corps seemed like
the best opportunity for me to pursue my passion of working towards
social justice along the border. I’m excited to be serving at St. Luke’s
Health Care Clinic, as my goal is to become a physician. I look forward to this year of service with
fellow BSC volunteers as we work together to make lasting social changes!
Meet Marykate McShane
Lebanon, Pennsylvania ■ Chestnut Hill College ■ Diocesan Migrant
and Refugee Services
Hi! I am Marykate McShane from Lebanon, Pennsylvania. I graduated from
Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia in May 2014 with degrees in Human
Services and Spanish. For years I have been inspired by the immigrants
around me in my hometown and in Philadelphia. I have been particularly
influenced by the “DREAMers” in my life. I was drawn to the Border Servant
Corps because of my passion for serving immigrants and wanting to learn
more about life at the border firsthand. I was also drawn to BSC because of
the four tenets of community, simplicity, social justice and spirituality. A wise
Catholic sister once told me that it is very difficult to serve from an “empty well” so I know that through
the BSC tenets I will have the opportunity to fill my “well”. Through serving with an open mind and heart
I hope to better understand the injustices that the border creates.
Fall/Winter 2014 ▪ Borderlines ▪ 4
Meet Nathan Mawhirter
Sandusky, Ohio ■ Wittenberg University ■ Wittenberg University
Hello! My name is Nathan Mawhirter and I am originally from Sandusky,
Ohio and recently graduated from Wittenberg University in Springfield,
Ohio with a degree in International Studies and Spanish. I am incredibly
excited for my opportunity to join such a relevant and selfless organization
in Border Servant Corps! In my free time, I enjoy watching sports,
reading, singing, learning about Latin American Culture, and working out
in whatever methods are available!
I have chosen to embark on this life changing opportunity for the chance
to make a difference in our border communities. I found myself attracted
to BSC because of its chance to live intentionally with a group of people
who are like-minded and share similar work ethics. Having a chance to work with an organization
who is on the front lines of such a pertinent issue for our generation and given the opportunity to use
my skills and abilities to help the Latino and border communities is something I have been looking to
do since I fell in love with Spanish and Latin America. I am a huge proponent of the saying “God’s
Will, Our Hands” and during my year with BSC I am open and willing to do whatever is necessary to
improve the lives of the people of El Paso!
Meet Sophia Sepp
San Francisco, California ■ Georgetown University ■ Jardín de los
Niños
Hi! My name is Sophia Sepp, and I am from San Francisco, California. I
attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., majoring in
International Politics in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.
Ever since a two-week immersion trip to the border as a rising high school
senior, I have developed a passion for social justice and thus found a second
home at Georgetown’s Center for Social Justice, participating in many
extracurricular activities serving the local immigrant population–tutoring a
young boy from Guatemala, teaching English and workers’ rights to D.C.’s
day-laborers, and participating in Alternative Spring Break. Having
participated in these short-term service projects and week-long service trips,
I wanted to challenge myself to commit to an entire year of living in solidarity,
serving, and learning about the complexities of immigration and border life. I
look forward to building new relationships and living in community in order to
gain a deeper understanding of the reality on the border and the ways in
which I can work to make a difference.
In Other News
Short-Term Internships
Border Servant Corps offers an opportunity for January and Summer (June & July) internships!
Border Immersions
In 2014, Border Servant Corps welcomed Belmont University,
Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, Colorado Vincentian
Volunteers, Gettysburg College, Lone Star College-Kingwood,
and Urban Servant Corps. We look forward to 2015!
Border Servant Corps Shirts
Front: Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly.
Back: BSC logo on top-center
Color: Organic Cotton (white)
Sizes: Youth: M, L ▪ Adult: S, M, L, XL, 2XL
Cost: $20.00 (shipping included)
Details: Organic cotton grown in Texas, organic dyes,
sweatshop-free
BSC ALUMNI ADVICE
Border Servant Corps can
be an incredible
experience that introduces
you to the culturally rich
US-Mexico border, some
potential lifelong friends,
and incredible work
experience, all while
teaching you more about
yourself. Though it may be
difficult at times, maintain
intentionality with the
tenets--lessons learned on
the border will stay with
you for the rest of your life-for better or worse!
Making your own bread
and granola, cooking all of
your own meals, and
purchasing store brand
cereal, however, does not
mean that you can't treat
yourself every now and
then. El Paso/Las Cruces
can be a surprisingly fun
and exciting place to be;
with the Franklin and
Organ Mountains, some
natural water holes, a new
minor league baseball
team, and the best burritos
around! Remember that
while this year will be
incredibly eye-opening and
different than what most of
your friends and family are
doing, it is important to
maintain relationships that
have served as your
support systems
throughout life.
Come with a servant's
heart. Come to
accompany and not to
save. Disconnect and
Connect to the present.
Support each other.
Have fun.
I like to think of my year on
the border as a place to
take off from, something
that I let change the
direction of my life in many
ways. Personally, I like this
approach better than the
idea of a "volunteer year,"
which brings to mind
something separate and
apart from the rest of lifeas-planned. Be open to
radical changes in your
life!!!
Fall/Winter 2014 ▪ Borderlines ▪ 5
Consider a Gift
Border Servant Corps serves a variety
of social service agencies in the U.S. /
México border region. When you give
to BSC, your gifts are shared with
those whose lives we touch each day:
• a single mother of 6 living in
transitional housing who attended 1on-1 health care classes and now
has a degree in respiratory therapy;
• an asylum seeker from Africa who
was persecuted for promoting
democracy in his home country
acquired legal documents to remain
in the U.S. and now serves as an
advocate for justice;
• a 13-year-old boy who witnessed
domestic violence in his home
participated in non-violence
programming and became a Peace
Camp counselor; and
• a Nigerian immigrant who visited the
border, met her sisters and brothers
in the faces of fellow immigrants,
and realized she is not alone.
WHAT ARE THRIVENT CHOICE
DOLLARS?
HOW IS BSC SUPPORTED?
Organizations where volunteers serve
contribute $10,000 annually for the
volunteer’s room, board,
transportation, medical insurance and
care, and a small monthly stipend.
Volunteer costs total $14,000 per
person and include community and
administrative costs. Your contribution
to Border Servant Corps helps support
the remaining cost of a volunteer and
further outreach into the border
community!
HOW CAN I OFFER SUPPORT?
There are many ways to support
Border Servant Corps: serve on a
support committee or supply in-kind
donations, provide needed items found
on the Wish List, or offer a financial
contribution. Of course, the best way
to support the BSC is by sharing our
story with others!
The Thrivent Choice® program allows
members to recommend where some
of Thrivent Financial’s charitable
outreach funds are allocated by
directing Choice Dollars®. BSC is
able to accept these donations through
Peace Lutheran Church (Las Cruces,
NM). In order for these amounts to be
designated to BSC, donors must send
the amount intended for BSC every
time a donation is made. Due to
financial privacy laws, if the amount is
not received from the donor, Peace is
unable to designate the funds to BSC.
For further information about
additional opportunities to support
Border Servant Corps, please
contact us at (575) 522-7119 x16 or
info@borderservantcorps.org.
Address Service Requested
c/o Peace Lutheran Church
1701 E. Missouri Ave.
Las Cruces, NM 88001
Border Servant Corps
NON-PROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE PAID
LAS CRUCES, NM
PERMIT NO. 243