Fifty Mayans Rescued

While enjoying a late lunch, Br. David informed me that about fifty indigenous Mayan migrant farm workers from Chiapas, the southern-most state in Mexico that borders Guatemala, showed up in the central plaza of Guaymas around midday. Someone from the municipal government called Casa Franciscana to see if we had enough food to feed them. We said “Yes!” and, thanks be to God, there was enough food prepared to feed them along with our daily “regulars.”

We then found out that these farmworkers had been bussed to the agricultural areas near us to harvest vegetables. They had been treated poorly and decided to quit. Instead of closing down the Mesón de Jesús after lunch, we allowed these brothers and sisters to stay there. In the meantime, Adriana, the administrator at Casa Franciscana, called a lawyer who came to hear their story. After a telephone call, he told me that the owner of the farms where they were working had promised to send buses for them the next day to take them back to Chiapas (home).

Br. David worked with Lizeth, the manager of the Mesón, to organize a simple dinner and a way to make space so the folks could sleep on the floor. Br. David stayed at the Mesón all night to support Francisco, the security guard.
Once again, workers from Casa Franciscana put into practice God´s word, compassion and solidarity with the poor. Our brothers and sisters from Chiapas fought for justice and God rescued them using Casa Franciscana as His instrument. The readings for the day were:

My word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).

From all their distress God rescues the just (Psalm 34:18).

Fr. Tommy King, OFM