Enduring memories are the mark of each thought-provoking Mission Awareness Process (MAP) trip. Just ask the travelers from the Academy of the Holy Angels (AHA) in Demarest, New Jersey, who spent a week at the Arizona-Mexico border in March 2023. Angels visited both sides of the international border on their quest to learn more about the immigration issue. The MAP trips are organized by AHA’s foundresses and sponsors, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and allow participants to learn how the School Sisters live their goal to promote social justice.
During the trip, Angels visited the women’s sewing and gardening co-op in Agua Prieta, Mexico, which the SSNDs established as a vehicle for people to sell products and earn a living. The travelers also ate dinner with a border patrol agent who is a friend of the School Sisters. Some of the most poignant moments were speaking with families who are trying to enter the USA, witnessing a group hearing at the federal courthouse, and participating in a vigil for immigrants who have died on their journeys.