Samaritan Patrols – Br. David Buer, ofm

Posted on 25. Jan, 2012 by admin in Justice

The work of justice leads to the desert. Our brother David finds a blossom there called solidarity.

Since 2002, a group of volunteers from Tucson have committed to go out into the desert regularly, to search for migrants in need of food, water or medical help. Teams consist of three or four volunteers, including a Spanish speaker and medical person, driving in a 4 wheel drive vehicle full of supplies. Usually patrols begin at 6 AM and return in the early afternoon. Supplies are stored in a padlocked storage container on the parking lot of Southside Presbyterian Church, which back in the 1980s, was the proto-Sanctuary Church in the United States.

Since 2002, a group of volunteers from Tucson have committed to go out into the desert regularly, to search for migrants in need of food, water or medical help.  Teams consist of three or four volunteers, including a Spanish speaker and medical person, driving in a 4 wheel drive vehicle full of supplies.  Usually patrols begin at 6 AM and return in the early afternoon.  Supplies are stored in a padlocked storage container on the parking lot of Southside Presbyterian Church, which back in the 1980s, was the proto-Sanctuary Church in the United States.

Meetings are held each week on Tue. night, at Southside Church.  I have been volunteering to go out on patrols for over six years, and I continue be be amazed how organized and dedicated the Samaritans are in their service to the migrants.  Samaritans follow protocals, which allow for humanitarian aid, but not providing transportation to the migrants we encounter.  We also encourage volunteers to experience observing “Operation Streamline” at the Federal Court in Tucson, by sitting in the courtroom to watch 50-70 migrants a day being paraded before the Federal Judge in shackles.

Once a month, Samaritans, along with No More Deaths, sponsor an orientation day for new interested folks who would like to volunteer.  At orientation, talks are given on the multi cultural history of southern AZ, on our protocals while patrolling the desert, legal issues and the latest efforts toward comprehensive immigration reform.