Muros y Puentes. Walls and Bridges.

“That there will be no walls between friends.” “Walls no!  Bridges Yes!” were two of the many cries for the breaking of not of only physical barriers, but also racial barriers between the United States and Mexico. 

How many walls do we erect when we see cultural difference?  It’s engrained in our everyday language. We say that there are language barriers rather than language differences, implying that there is a problem that needs to be overcome.  We call immigrants ‘foreigners or aliens,’ but use the same word to describe objects or ideas that do not belong.  When we go eat ‘ethnic food’ in the states, we go eat Indian Food, Thai food, Ethiopian food, but never think of going to In N’ Out or BJ’s.  We see the ‘foreigners’ as the ethnic ones aka the different ones, and see ourselves as just—white—-the norm.  And the list goes on….

Although we do not ‘lynch’ people of different skin colors, racism and racial hierarchies still exist, especially in the implicit comments and reactions we have to what we SIS students call ‘little c’ cultural differences such as the way people communicate, or the way people think about time, relationships and work ethic.

Not saying that everything is cultural and that all differences are attributed to culture.  However, when encountered with difference, we automatically create walls and borders that separate “us” from “them.” We choose to not associate ourselves with ‘those people over there.’  It may not always be obvious, but how often is something funny, and only funny, because it is said in Spanish?  How often do we associate being “tough” and “gangsta” with being “Mexican?”

When talking about the border, Carlos Fuentes called it, “La Frontera de Cristal,” or the border of crystal, because we can see each other but cannot understand one another.  He says that we (being Mexico and the United States) are “tan lejos de Dios, tan cerca el uno del otro” or ‘so far from God, but so close to one another.’ 

How far is our treatment of cultural difference from the heart of God?  God did not just watch us from His throne and realize how different we were from Him.  Rather, Jesus came into our world to see it and experience it as we did.  He became the bridge and He destroyed the wall.

Us on the other hand, we do not even attempt to see the world like others see it, but rather build walls with over-generalizations, stereotypes, racial hierarchies and even physical barriers.  

Jesus does not build borders to separate two countries, with two beautiful languages, two different cultures and two distinct ways of living.  I get that it is tiring to learn a new culture.  So why should we be the ones that need to see the world behind the eyes of the other?  Well, why was Jesus the one who had to come down to earth and die for all of humanity?  We did not deserve it in the least bit, but He died for all people—that includes the people of Mexico and the United States.  He gave all He had for us, so how could this not spur us to do the same for others?  Let us say ‘yes’ to building bridges and ‘no’ to the construction of walls!   

Tijuana Mexico :) 

Such a fun weekend!  :)  Didn’t want to come back!  

City Team.  I miss this place and our wonderfully inspiring friends :).  

From the burnt brownies to stealing the free Starbucks snacks, from getting in trouble for banging the dishes loudly to winging worship last minute, from getting made fun of for not being able to set the table to convincing everyone to eat their vegetables….

So many ridiculous memories.