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The buzz and chirp of cicadas and the hum of Norteño tunes and the rumble of traffic a few blocks over play the soundtrack for our midday stroll through the 'hood. Sometimes I remember more than others that I am not in the United States. Unlike my more traditional suburban Texas neighborhood, this place is commuter friendly. You find most people on foot, maybe on a bike, in this place. The kids see us coming and shout out our names. We stop every few houses to greet someone and share with them the news. We step into the little corner stores that must number in the dozens and tell them what is happening. We help to tape posters on walls and light posts. We meet men and women on the sidewalks and share a bulletin. We see dogs in the street and cats in trees and pigs tied up behind a fence. We notice a aviary full of parakeets and canaries, their blue and green and yellow bright plumage a flash of color under the eaves. We wait for others to talk and look for shade, backing up against a wall for a bit of shelter from the sun. 

We are messengers today, ambassadors of sorts. Doctors without Borders will be using our community center for a weekly health clinic, and we want our neighbors to know. "Medical aid where it is needed most," touts the Medicos sin Fronteras website. A multinational humanitarian organization, Doctors without Borders came to Mexico "to provide medical and psychosocial support for Central American migrants and refugees, as well as local communities affected by violence." And they want to be in our neighborhood, because though we often think of it only as home, we also remain ever aware that it is a cross point for migration and a place where trauma is never far away. 

In Romans 12 we are instructed, "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." Our constant prayer is to bring and share the gospel of peace and hope to this place. On this bright blue day, hopefully we did just a little bit of that.