The Chiapas, Mexico trip is “Education” Immersion based Trip Destination:  Chiapas, Mexico.  Participants spend time throughout Chiapas, in both urban and rural parts of the state. Trip Dates:  Approximately 8 or 9 days toward the end of winter break 2012-13. Coordinating Organizations:  Boston College Campus Ministry, in collaboration with BorderLinks, an organization that has hosted Boston College delegations for many years www.borderlinks.org

BorderLinks Mission & Vision

Mission:  BorderLinks is an international leader in experiential education that raises awareness and inspires action around global political economics.  BorderLinks grew out of the Sanctuary Movement in the 1980’s when faith communities, universities, and other organizations rallied to advocate on behalf of thousands of refugees fleeing persecution in Central America.  Today, BorderLinks’ educational programs focus on issues of immigration, community formation, development, and social justice in the borderlands between Mexico, the U.S and beyond.  As a bi-national organization, BorderLinks brings people together to build bridges of solidarity across North and Latin American borders and promote intercultural understanding and respect.

Vision:  BorderLinks envisions a world in which people, within and across social borders, respect and care for each other, value and celebrate differences, and build healthy and just communities where everyone has equal opportunity for a full and dignified life.

Chiapas, Mexico Trip Itinerary:  The B.C. Chiapas, Mexico delegation travels to the southern-most Mexican state of Chiapas, where program participants collaborate with long-time in-country partner, BorderLinks, in creating their immersion experience. The people of Chiapas have survived many years of poverty and oppression. BorderLinks designs the trip’s itinerary and coordinates each day’s activities, which include meetings and conversations with representatives of the Catholic Church, local government, and non-governmental organizations involved with and committed to human rights, immigration and migration, globalization and trade, sustainable development, and the Zapatista movement, as well as health, education, and other topics.

While learning about macro-level social, economic, political, and religious issues from various perspectives, participants also have the opportunity to witness first-hand the joys and struggles of people impacted by policies and situations beyond their control. Participants have the opportunity to stay a few days with families in a rural coffee-growing community, sharing in and learning about their everyday lives.

Exploring Faith: Prayer, reflection, journaling, and conversation are core aspects of this experience before, during, and after the trip. While Arrupe programs are open to people of any faith tradition, they are influenced by the Jesuit Catholic tradition, and Catholic liturgies are a part of the experience. Each participant is expected to participate in this aspect of the experience, share about her/his faith, in all of its joys and struggles and questions, and to explore and discern how faith and the gifts they have been given, connect to living in solidarity with all people, especially those who experience marginalization.

Living Simply: During a trip, participants are expected to embrace “living simply.” Part of what this means is eating food that may not be familiar or plentiful, sleeping in beds or other places that are less comfortable than what might be accustomed to, getting dirty, bathing rarely, experiencing limited personal space, and possibly getting sick. Participants also may find themselves in situations that could instigate allergies, or not be able to accommodate dietary preferences, etc. Another aspect of the notion of “living simply” involves exploring our society’s and each of our own consumerist tendencies, and what this means regarding living a life with and for others.

Time Commitment: Participation in an Arrupe program involves a year-long commitment including preparation for and follow up after the immersion trip. This commitment involves participating in weekly Small Community meetings, a pre-trip and post-trip retreat, several presentations, a few Catholic liturgies, a number of fundraising events and activities, and pre-trip and post-trip social justice awareness-building and community service projects. Expect this commitment to be about 5 hours a week, with retreats and the point drive week requiring additional hours. (Please note the “important dates” associated with the program.)

Language Proficiency: Although being able to speak Spanish is useful while on the trip, participants do not need to be able to speak any language other than English to participate. BorderLinks provides Spanish-English language interpretation throughout the whole trip experience.

Safety and Health: Before applying for an Arrupe program, each potential participant and his/her family need to be aware that there are many health and safety risks associated with traveling to the destinations visited through this program. Please check the U.S. Department of State’s assessment of traveling to these destinations http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_4965.html, the Center for Disease Control’s assessment of traveling to these destinations http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx, and consider your own physical and emotional/psychological/mental health before applying. Should you end up participating in an Arrupe program, you will need to continue to check these websites for updates, as these assessments may change before an Arrupe trip departs.

BorderLinks Safety Statement: “Throughout our twenty-plus year history, BorderLinks has always maintained the safety of our delegation participants as our utmost priority. We have taken incremental precautions in recent years in order to avoid areas where crime is more common in Nogales, Sonora and other U.S.-Mexico border cities. We utilize similar safety measures on our program run in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas. As with our border program, the Chiapas delegation involves supervised travel in our own transportation between designated venues (neighborhoods, agencies, etc) that are historically safe. The Chiapas program is led by at least one staff person from our U.S. office who is accompanied by a Mexican partner from Chiapas. Using a variety of governmental and news sources, paired with first-hand information from staff and program partners, BorderLinks staff constantly monitor the security situation in every region where we sponsor delegations. Should an unexpected situation arise that puts the security of delegation groups into question, BorderLinks will immediately re-route the delegation to a safe region. In addition, all program participants are thoroughly briefed on safety protocol and personal safety guidelines during the program orientation session.”